LP14: Songs of Experience - To Valencia and Beyond

[BVS]

We had no real departure on the last 16 years

Well if you truly believe that than you wouldn't recognize it if the departure gave you a black eye.

No, you're right. U2 are not going to go hip hop, they're not going to prog, and they're not going to go industrial dub step hair metal alt country. You're a fool to cross your fingers for it and a bigger fool fool to think title has anything to do with it.

U2 will never do a JT to AB type of departure again; very few artists get away with one of those nevermind several.


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[hoodyman2013]

http://https://youtu.be/vUhWFiAUEzI
U2 on t.v show Top gear and preview of SOE! A grand Madness.

 

[hoodyman2013]

U2 on t.v show Top gear and preview of SOE! A grand Madness.
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[lazarus]

Well if you truly believe that than you wouldn't recognize it if the departure gave you a black eye.

This.

No Line was most certainly a departure in many ways. It's just that they didn't commit to this fully and on enough tracks. But it doesn't feel back-to-basics like the previous 2 albums and really seems to be trying to soak up the local atmosphere of where they were recording.

If you don't think Fez and Cedars are departures, for starters, you're nuts.

 

[blueskies]

This.

No Line was most certainly a departure in many ways. It's just that they didn't commit to this fully and on enough tracks. But it doesn't feel back-to-basics like the previous 2 albums and really seems to be trying to soak up the local atmosphere of where they were recording.

If you don't think Fez and Cedars are departures, for starters, you're nuts.

+1 NLOTH has very little in common with previous albums. After JT, AB, Pop it was yet another radically different album. To me ATYCLB tried too hard to combine a back to the roots feeling with modern radio pop-rock for the masses. To me it's a failure. They had commercial success with it due to a good choice of a single. And they were younger and still more well known by young audiences. Trying to pull that off today would be foolish. Everything we've heard so far about SOE seems to point towards a grittier rock sound. I'm thinking Pop meets Boy. And that could be interesting.

 

[Mack_Again]

But didn't Ryan Tedder say that All that You can.... is basically what U2 was aiming for when making SOE or something? (he could have said ATYCLB a benchmark for new album). Doesn't that kinda mean they are still trying to unite pop-ness and rock element they're known for?

 

[blueskies]

But didn't Ryan Tedder say that All that You can.... is basically what U2 was aiming for when making SOE or something? (he could have said ATYCLB a benchmark for new album). Doesn't that kinda mean they are still trying to unite pop-ness and rock element they're known for?

Really? I must have missed that quote if it's true. Hope not...

 

[lazarus]

For the love of god please no.


"Madness" indeed.

 

[Mack_Again]

Ryan Tedder on U2’s Next Album: ‘I’ve Never Seen Them This Focused’ « Radio.com

this thing. i know you guys intensely debated on this already.

 

[dan_smee]

But didn't Ryan Tedder say that All that You can.... is basically what U2 was aiming for when making SOE or something? (he could have said ATYCLB a benchmark for new album). Doesn't that kinda mean they are still trying to unite pop-ness and rock element they're known for?

Success benchmark rather than sound is what I read into that


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[JamietheEdgefan]

Also it kind of sounds like Tedder's benchmark rather than u2's.

 

[blueskies]

Ryan Tedder on U2’s Next Album: ‘I’ve Never Seen Them This Focused’ « Radio.com

this thing. i know you guys intensely debated on this already.

Ah ok. Yeah I read that interview. But to me that doesn't mean much. I agree, it seems more like Tedder's interpretation. He doesn't seem very involved with SOE (luckily!). In any case I really, deeply, for the love of music gods, hope that SOE sounds nothing like ATYCLB, especially the second half (I mean: wild honey, seriously??). And raw, gritty rock is pretty much the opposite of that album, so there's hope that my prayers will be heard

 

[blueskies]

Ok, finally some news that can be trusted coming from U2 en Espana. They spoke to the band in Valencia.
https://www.facebook.com/U2enEspana/posts/1388646804485901

I copy the english version below:

Bono, Adam Clayton and Gavin Friday about new album and tour

As you all probably know the city of Valencia received some very special visitors last week. Bono, The Edge and Adam Clayton arrived there on Thursday July 28th to attend the wedding of his friend Reggie Manuel. The irish man, childhood friend of Bono, married his valencian girlfriend on Friday 29th. The members of the band, together with Ali and Morleigh, wives of Bono and The Edge respectively, and Guggi and Gavin Friday enjoyed the city and its cuisine since their arrival on Thursday afternoon and until they left on Saturday evening. Sharon Blankson, responsible for group costumes for years was also with them. If you want to know more about the visit please check U2Valencia.com. For obvious reasons they made a more detailed coverage of the visit.
About the activity of the group, we had the opportunity to personally ask Bono, Adam Clayton and Gavin Friday about Songs of Experience and the tour.
About the record Bono told us that "It's not finished yet but you will like it. In terms of lyrics it is stronger than WAR, it has more clarity ". His words remind us his comments about previous releases kind of "The Edge is on fire ... .Rock from Venus". We also asked him about the tour and this is what he told us: "The second part of the tour is for 2017 ... You might see a few things in September or October though." Once again his words are not very clear but the feeling is that the new leg of the tour will not begin until 2017 and that these appearances that he mentioned would be similar to those already announced for Salesforce or iHeart Radio. We will have to wait for an official confirmation once again.
We could also ask Adam about the album and the tour and he answered us with a "Soon ... .in the next six months"
Finally, we met Gavin Friday and shared with him Bono's words on the clarity and power of the letters of SOE versus WAR. "Really? Mmmmm ... .no ... .I do not think so" he said. Regarding the tour in 2016, he was also clear: "No. I don’t think so. Next year "
As usual, the words of the group are not very clear and we know that their plans change quite often but we might conclude that the disk is not yet finished and that it seems that the tour will not resume until 2017.

 

[Y2K]

The album is not finished yet? Oh boy.

Let the panic ensue.

 

[Dragonfave]

They're too busy vacationing!

 

[jeffarido]

Ahhhh i think most of us assumed SOE is finished....

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[JamietheEdgefan]

Hopefully when they say it's not finished they mean only finishing touches are left (and keep in mind they work on the album right up to the 11th hour in pretty significant ways), and a sep/oct release is still viable.

Otherwise we could have another Super Bowl situation where they play these two random events, yell "It's good to be back!!!" with no album or tour to show for it, and then entirely disappear for another six months

 

[mikal]

U2's albums aren't finished until they're in the shops.


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[BVS]

Both Bono's and Gavin's quotes sound like bs to me.


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[Hewson]

Is anyone really surprised at this point that the tour isn't starting back up this year? Its August. No announcement or ticket sales, not likely there will be any real tour dates this year, just the few festival/corporate gigs.

And nobody can be shocked that SOE isn't finished. They're still 3 years short of their normal time frame, so plenty of tinkering left.

 

[popacrobat]

Yeah, I think we can safely rule out the IE tour resuming this year.

 

[Numb1075]

Perhaps the single will still be released in the Sept/Oct time frame to coincide with the performances.

 

[blueskies]

I don't think there's any reason to panic regarding SOE. And I didn't expect a US tour this fall anyway, so to me this only confirms what we knew / could reasonably expect. The only "news" is that SOE is not finished, but at the same time, this could be a lie. I mean if the album was finished they wouldn't say so since it would destroy their release plan.

 

[aMansAman]

So as we all know already: Don't ask U2 about .... U2.

 

[Numb1075]

hopefully it's not a case of bringing in another 6 producers at the last minute to mess things up.

 

[ChargedVT]

Yeah I wasn't getting the "album is finished" vibe. And the tour was never going to start this fall. Just hope people don't have a meltdown over this.

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[Registered Dude]

 

[trevgreg]

Yeah, I think we can safely rule out the IE tour resuming this year.

My wallet will appreciate the break. Gives me (us?) awhile to save up as well.

I don't think there's any reason to panic regarding SOE. And I didn't expect a US tour this fall anyway, so to me this only confirms what we knew / could reasonably expect. The only "news" is that SOE is not finished, but at the same time, this could be a lie. I mean if the album was finished they wouldn't say so since it would destroy their release plan.

Exactly.

 

[2861U2]

What is he supposed to say, though? "Yep, the album is all done"? Personally, I think it's essentially done, but if I was him I'd say the same thing- "We're still working on it" and move on.

 

[JamietheEdgefan]

Yeah, in the history of the band, have they ever said, in plain terms "yes the album is finished" before an official announcement?

Conversely, in summer 2014 right before SoI, the band publicist said "no new album until 2015".

Doesn't mean they're lying here, but it doesn't rule out a release soon either.