Rolling Stone Magazine Coverage (New article 1/7/09)

[Gilead12]

Exactly. What'd the edge say? Something like how this was a culmination of past epiphanies, and perhaps their best album?

That's what I'm really hoping for. U2 can experiment, but this stage in their career isn't so much time for that - in my opinion - as for synthesizing all the great U2 sounds of the past and sprinkling it with a little new direction here and there.

Honestly, they don't have to do anything new. I just want to see what TJT+Pop+AB and so on..... equals. And that's the feel I'm getting, or at least what I'm hoping for.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

I'm actually not too disappointed by this turn of events, however, because I really think they have the songs to back it all up this time.

I still keep my fingers crossed, because the two official reviews in Q and RS (real or fake, just look at the date?) do sound promising from this perspective ...

 

[BoyOnTheHorizon]

For me the image gets clear and clearer – "No Line On The Horizon" won't be the big departure, won't be the new (more experimental) u-turn, won't be turning the last two albums upside down, won't be the musical revolution, that many of us here may have wished for.
People, who obviously heard the album in the last stages of being finished & polished (too much 'clean' overproduction again?), they don't write about being shocked, being disturbed, being irritated by new, non-U2 sounds & effects – but they draw conclusions and connections to older albums, at the foremost "ATYCLB", "TJT" or even "ZOOROPA". At this stage of speculation I don't think, we'll get a kind of "AB"-like cut, but we'll continue on the road of familiar riffs & collections of songs, we've known from the last albums. With, of course, a newly re-discovered way of songwriting in 3rd persona, some new effects, sounds & melodies. Kind of sad, because a part of me has really hoped for a really courageous, experimental album – a more difficult album, to fight with, to get used to and then to love it forever ...

I believe we don't need or even don't expect a new music revinvention or big departure, just a fresh sound new album as it was ATYCLB in a certain way. The biggest flaw of Bomb was his lack of "freshness". It had very good songs that just sounded like they were on auto-pilot. Me in particular is still expecting a renewed U2 sound wise, not a groundbreaking colection of songs. They are in end of their 3rd decade of their career, i think no one should expect such a inovative album.

 

[popacrobat]

LOL. Only interference would have a thread like this.

 

[bono_man]

wow now im scared. i was really in need for a change in the U2 sound. the last two albums have really just sounded like one of these bands wanting to be U2 (like Coldplay and the Killers do). based on those descriptions, i feel we have more of the same coming up. i really hope not, but i feel its the case.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

For me the image gets clear and clearer – "No Line On The Horizon" won't be the big departure, won't be the new (more experimental) u-turn, won't be turning the last two albums upside down, won't be the musical revolution, that many of us here may have wished for.
What leads me to that kind of prophecy? Journalists outside the U2 camp, who obviously heard the album in the last stages of being finished & polished (too much 'clean' overproduction again?), they don't write about being shocked, being disturbed, being irritated by new, non-U2 sounds & effects – but they draw conclusions and connections to older albums, at the foremost "ATYCLB", "AB", "TJT", "TUF" or even "ZOOROPA". They say, yes, it's like the U2 from that era or this period ... But they don't celebrate it because of the innovation, don't they? So at this stage of speculation I don't think, we'll get a kind of "AB"-like cut, but we'll continue on the road of familiar riffs & interesting, still beautiful collections of songs, we've known from the last albums. With, of course, a newly re-discovered way of songwriting in 3rd persona, some new effects, sounds & melodies. Kind of sad, because a part of me has really hoped for a really courageous, experimental, radical, raw album – a more difficult album, to fight with, to get used to and then to love it forever ...

Yes, yes, we might discuss again, whether some here find ATYCLB fresh or not, whether HTDAAB was fresh or not – but that's not my point. It's just the feeling, that NLOTH will fit fine in these two albums and complete a kind of another U2-trilogy ...

 

[Vlad n U 2]

NLOTH will be a departure. End of thread.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

NLOTH will be a departure. End of thread.

Ahem, hello?

 

[MMP]

I don't think it's an "either-or" scenario. U2.com just posted a link to the RS song descriptions. As we all know, Q was also mentioned on U2.com. So...if descriptions are different, maybe it just reflects different perceptions by different listeners.

Anyway, on the innovation matter. It is ironic, but things are only considerer innovative and classics (most of the times) after a long time the album is released. Radiohead's OK Computer is an exception, but it actually never started something like Pixies' Doolitle, for example, who started to push alternative rock into mainstream and it was kinda responsible for all the music we've heard being made in U.S. for the first half of the 90's. Citizen Kane was forgotten until polls held in the 60's started to place it as one of the best films ever made.
From quotes and etc. I agree with you, it really doesn't sound innovative, but who knows? Maybe the music we'll be hearing twenty years from now is influenced by this album. Maybe today reviews will be quite mixed (like Nirvana's Nevermind, which got mere 3 stars from RS when it came out but was placed in the top 20 greatest albuns of all time by the same mag. a decade later.) Or maybe it'll just be another U2 album, and that to me, is fine.
Another point, U2 albuns hailed as classics (AB and TJT) never "started" something in music. They are considered brillant and perfect by the general public, but amazingly they never started a trend in music. I guess U2 is too damn good that no one tries to do what they are doing at that moment.

 

[LemonMelon]

Yeah...Tripoli definitely sounds like the perfect transition from Yahweh. It's like they never left.

 

[Clawgrabber]

wait... i am confused. i read that article and got REALLY pumped. now here we are 21 pages in and people are SCARED?

what's that all about.

all i needed to hear was "zooropa" in the description of Tripoli. but even if that hadn't been there, what did we learn? ANOTHER SONG TITLE (or at least further confirmation that Tripoli will be on the record)

and the fact that adding breathe and winter, that we will have at least 12 songs. And if 10 of them are "key" then maybe more. but if not... who cares.

man i am pumped

 

[dan_smee]

Yeah...Tripoli definitely sounds like the perfect transition from Yahweh. It's like they never left.

Sounds nothing like it in the HIWI clip... Sounds liek the wierdest thing they've ever done... and I dig it

 

[yenlard]

bono's bodyguard told somebody in a new york restaurant that the album was going to blow people's minds......or something to that effect. however...that album might not be the same album we get to hear in march. sounds like the album has been messed around with until the last minute. hope that doesn't turn out to be true. by the way...in my opinion......there can be no way that breathe morphed into tripoli. and judging by what i heard from the beach clips...that song should NOT BE LEFT OFF THE ALBUM

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Ahem, hello?

It will be a change of sound, it's been stated hundreds of times. Innovation is inevitable.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

bono's bodyguard told somebody in a new york restaurant that the album was going to blow people's minds......or something to that effect. however...that album might not be the same album we get to hear in march. sounds like the album has been messed around with until the last minute. hope that doesn't turn out to be true. by the way...in my opinion......there can be no way that breathe morphed into tripoli. and judging by what i heard from the beach clips...that song should NOT BE LEFT OFF THE ALBUM

Of course the album has been messed around with until the very last minute – it is a U2 album! We have Q magazine with a track list, we have the (not correctly dated) RS source, that talks about "10 of the tracks" – that does not mean the RS mentioned tracks are all of the album's tracks, but on the contrary.
As far we (might) have on the album: "Breathe", "The Cedars of Lebanon", "Crazy Tonight", "Every Breaking Wave", "Get Your Boots On", "Magnificent", "Moment of Surrender", "No Line on the Horizon", "Stand Up", "Tripoli", "Unknown Caller" and "Winter" – twelve tunes, alright?

 

[PowerSurge]

It said a preview on "10 of the tracks"

There's gonna be 12 now I reckon.

Anyway, more descriptions.

Even more excited.

Well, anytime I read someone using the word "reckon" I reckon they're right.

I remember Lanois mentioning two choral pieces he was excited about (this was when he was promoting his movie, I believe) so apparently they are Unknown Caller and Tripoli.

Can't fucking wait for this one.

Thats the same feeling I'm getting. I'm really excited for those TWO songs.

Neither.

Shit...beat me too it again.

Yes, yes, we might discuss again, whether some here find ATYCLB fresh or not, whether HTDAAB was fresh or not – but that's not my point. It's just the feeling, that NLOTH will fit fine in these two albums and complete a kind of another U2-trilogy ...

Well...according to the band it seems like HTDAAB was the end of something and this next album is the beginning of something completely different. Edge spoke about them coming to an end point, being able to go no further with HTDAAB and wanting to turn around and do something else.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

It will be a change of sound, it's been stated hundreds of times. Innovation is inevitable.

Yes, and HTDAAB was "Punk rock from Venus", "our first rock album", that's why now "the rock has to become louder or it has to go" – I don't care about these rhetorical clichees anymore. A "change of sound", this can mean all or nothing, it's a throwaway expression, a sticker, that might create more interest for the 'new' album. In the end such a sentence may be just PR, so don't be disappointed ... beLIEve

 

[bram]

I hope Tripoli is on the album. Maybe it is replacing Crazy Tonight?!!? (I kid, I kid).

But Tripoli sounds amazing.

I think with Magnificent, Moment of Surrender, and Unknown Caller alone, we already have the makings of something really, really special. That's my gut feeling.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Yes, and HTDAAB was "Punk rock from Venus", "our first rock album", that's why now "the rock has to become louder or it has to go" – I don't care about these rhetorical clichees anymore. A "change of sound", this can mean all or nothing, it's a throwaway expression, a sticker, that might create more interest for the 'new' album. In the end such a sentence may be just PR, so don't be disappointed ... beLIEve

To me, AB, Pop are rock albums.

 

[LyricalDrug]

Best part? You just *know* the "epic" tracks are gonna sound even better live and take on a new life of their own!

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

Well...according to the band it seems like HTDAAB was the end of something and this next album is the beginning of something completely different. Edge spoke about them coming to an end point, being able to go no further with HTDAAB and wanting to turn around and do something else.

We'll see the definite result of this sentence, I'm really waiting for the proof. For U2 every album is the end of something and the beginning of a new period. One simple reason for that is, that now we have intermissions of ca. 4 years inbetween two albums now ...

 

[adam3000]

come on ... somebody break a bootleg ... i wanna hear this album.

 

[Numb1075]

It will be slightly different than HTDAAB
Everyone will go ga-ga over it for a couple of months
Then, early to mid summer, folks will say it's "not innovative enough", "they're on auto-pilot" blah blah.

Just absorb the new music and enjoy. labels are starting to irk me.

I for one haven't been disappointed with any album yet (well, aside from Passengers)

the anticipa.......tion is killing me !!

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Best part? You just *know* the "epic" tracks are gonna sound even better live and take on a new life of their own!

Imagine GYBO, Breathe or Stand Up live, although we've never heard them.

I wonder if Cedars still has its Jimi Hendrix references.

 

[dan_smee]

We'll see the definite result of this sentence, I'm really waiting for the proof. For U2 every album is the end of something and the beginning of a new period. One simple reason for that is, that now we have intermissions of ca. 4 years inbetween two albums now ...

Guilty until proven innocent then?

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

Guilty until proven innocent then?

Nope, it's not judgement day. It's just this feeling, that the often speculated about 'departure' might just mean a U2 album, that won't be the in this forum by so many long-awaited radical step. It's the feeling, we'll get an interesting, nice album – fitting with the last two 'departures" ATYCLB & HTDAAB and being that stadium friendly produced, that it will also satisfy the masses – and will not shock them.

 

[RaceAgainstTime]

Yes, and HTDAAB was "Punk rock from Venus", "our first rock album", that's why now "the rock has to become louder or it has to go" – I don't care about these rhetorical clichees anymore. A "change of sound", this can mean all or nothing, it's a throwaway expression, a sticker, that might create more interest for the 'new' album. In the end such a sentence may be just PR, so don't be disappointed ... beLIEve

Well, I think it's been a lot better than in the past. Before HTDAAB came out, Bono was saying cliche's all over the place. Now, things are a lot quieter. I see what you're saying, who knows what "change of sound" means, but I think this time around things are different. I don't know, it's a gut feeling.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

They've taped Bono's mouth most of the time, so that he doesn't say anything silly.

 

[RaceAgainstTime]

They've taped Bono's mouth most of the time, so that he doesn't say anything silly.

ah, so that's what it is. It all makes sense now!

 

[Vlad n U 2]

ah, so that's what it is. It all makes sense now!

In the early stages you did hear Bono talking about how Edge is on fire and real molten metal etc. Well Larry had none of it and taped his mouth and hid him away from any interview, everytime there was an interview apparently Bono was not allowed to attend because his mouth was taped up so they got Edge to do it instead.