LP15 - We're due for a break from the norm

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So back to the subject of "New Album" the emergence of Greta Van Fleet has given me some hope for U2. I'm, unashamedly, a 'rawk' fan and I'd love to see U2 strip back and go with the organic guitar\bass\drums sound.

I'm tired of the 'hip-hop' beats, the 'pop sound' chasing and wish they'd just be a band. They can't compete w/the Cardi B's and Ariana Grande's of the music scene. Stop trying...be who you are...you gave it a shot...it's not what or who you are.

Just my .02

dude have you actually listened to modern hiphop? like Lil Uzi Vert and Travis Scott and such?
 
Aside from a few glossy production flourishes utilized on some songs, literally their last 5 albums have been pretty organic and your basic rock album in sound.

Albeit with a guitarist who seems to have lost interest in making big sounds. I wish the real Mr Edge would reappear one day.
 
Albeit with a guitarist who seems to have lost interest in making big sounds. I wish the real Mr Edge would reappear one day.

Yeah, ATYCLB and HTDAAB were more 'guitar' oriented, but followed the trend of little to no guitar flourishes or solos. I appreciate that approach to the craft, but I think GVF is re-opening the door to allowing guitarists to step back into the spotlight.

I long for a solo like the one in UTEOTW...come back Edge!!

As for GVF being lazy and/or derivative..,that's your opinion Mack...to me they're bold for making music that they enjoy and feel, in the face of Hip-Hop's domination of the industry. As a fan of Hip-Hop you may not appreciate it, or understand it, but that does not make them a 'crap band'.

And maybe U2 has not used 'hip-hop beats' but they have definitely followed that road and infused it into their music. Miami, The Playboy Mansion, New York are just a few songs where that influence is heard.
 
Dude...I don't....:shrug:

OK, so I've obviously heard 'modern rap'...I like Rae Sremmurd and Migos and some other stuff, but not my favorite genre. That song was good, but I'm not sure what the point is you're trying to make in regards to U2...:scratch:

My point was I like the direction GVF is taking 'rock music' (even if it's looking to the past) and I hope U2 drops they pop ambition and just make a guitar/bass/drums record...no disguised guitar parts...pretty simple thinking on my part.
 
Don't want to see U2 go 'back to RAWK'. That phase is over and I just don't think people would take it seriously.


Given their stage of the career something spiritual, meditative and introspective would be nice, however unlikely. But we know they love to knock it out of the park live and I don't think they'd be prepared to work on something where they weren't prepared to consider 'how would we perform this live'.
 
The next album will be like all other albums since 2000. It’ll sound like 21st century U2, with a few different colors sprinkled in.
 
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What’s next? Bono doing press in 2027 for the The Joshua Tree 40th Anniversary Tour.
 
Albeit with a guitarist who seems to have lost interest in making big sounds. I wish the real Mr Edge would reappear one day.

I disagree with this a little, in that there are several moments on a couple albums you include (ATYCLB and the stuff from MDH) where he goes pretty big and dramatic. In fact, it may have surpassed any guitar bits on the two albums that preceded it, excepting "Gone", " Discotheque", and "Please". That said, the last two albums are tonal trainwrecks at times and Edge is wholly absent. Unlike NLOTH, where I sensed that confusion in the direction and production was to blame, on these last two it seems like a choice was made. I find it odd.
 
fine if you hated it I guess you can check this out:



I didn't hate it, in fact it's right up my alley, it's just that I think it's hysterical that publications and critics like Pitchfork go gaga for or worship acts like GVF and others while overlooking their blatant lack of imagination or invention. Meanwhile, everyone from U2 to Lenny Kravitz to Eminem are roasted for "adopting familiar sounds" or borrowing from producer X or Y. Yet these same artists inspired many of the younger artists they now love.

There are acts like St. Vincent, Arcade Fire, or The National, where I hear obvious inspirations but it is more homage than imitation, and mixed with new twists and production that makes it their own. Then there are acts like GVF, Wolfmother, and even modern Coldplay, where there is nothing going on besides pure regurgitation of a singular sound without bringing anything new to bear.
 
P4k never talked about GVF. its just that more mainstream rock audience free from indie hipsters like ourselves are hyping them up.
 
That said, the last two albums are tonal trainwrecks at times and Edge is wholly absent. Unlike NLOTH, where I sensed that confusion in the direction and production was to blame, on these last two it seems like a choice was made. I find it odd.

For sure it was an explicit choice. U2 with an awol Edge sound sterile and hollow to me. There are a few brief guitar moments on SOE which is why I rate it higher than SOI but neither has a single song that is defined and underscored by Edge in the way that U2 is famous for.

Assuming it was an artistic decision rather than Edge simply being done with bothering to play then I hope it is something they don’t continue with in future.
 
If they take a longer break than usual, there won't be an album in 3 or 4 years. Make it 6 or 7 years by their standards.
 
Yeah, if they're still hung up on relevance, you can't disappear for that long.

Maybe Bono will show up on some embarrassing collabs with current pop stars...if they're even interested.

Think about an alternate timeline where the band released SOE in late 2016/early 2017 and are able to capitalize on Bono's Kendrick Lamar feature, instead of that awfulness we eventually saw on the Grammys. Or mixes Summer of Love so you can actually hear Lady Gaga singing.
 
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