Songs of Ascent / New U2 Music / Soon

[God Part III]

 

[U2girl]

How about a whole album of Velvet Dress/Stateless-style crooning?

I can dig that.

I like those songs, and the vocal, I just can't imagine U2 sticking to that type of music for an entire record. They always mix it up on the albums: rockers, anthems, ballads, slow songs...

I could see Bono making a croon album on his own someday though.

 

[Registered Dude]

Mercy is a great song.

yeah music is subjective, and yeah everyone's entitled to their own opinion.

but sometimes people are just wrong.

 

[TM]

If we're dreaming out loud: Release the Achtung Baby remastered and play Heaven and Hell live...

"F..."

Disclaimer: Nothing in this post has anything to do with the topic.

 

[Tim Wallach]

I like those songs, and the vocal, I just can't imagine U2 sticking to that type of music for an entire record. They always mix it up on the albums: rockers, anthems, ballads, slow songs...

I could see Bono making a croon album on his own someday though.

If their plan is to road test songs to gauge audience reaction, good luck seeing any songs like this.

 

[God Part III]

Mercy is a great song.

yeah music is subjective, and yeah everyone's entitled to their own opinion.

but sometimes people are just wrong.

Great way to illustrate your point

 

[BVS]

Mercy is a great song.

yeah music is subjective, and yeah everyone's entitled to their own opinion.

but sometimes people are just wrong.

 

[Rachel D.]

I think the chance of new music this summer is pretty good, even if it's just one song released online. If the band want to reveal new material live only, then we're gonna have to wait; but Edge's remarks really give the impression that they want to give us something sooner, however.

Wouldn't it be great if they got an album together this summer, played a few songs live in Europe, and released it in the Fall?

 

[subnet]

release it free, albeit low-bitrate and encoded from vinyl source.

people would still download it, then buy the hard goods later on.



at least it would keep McG at bay

 

[Tyagu_Anaykus]

good idea

 

[zoocarolina]

^My comment will cover yours: Mercy is the worst thing I've ever heard from this band, really. I pretty much hate every aspect of the song. Not even as a b-side I would like it unless they... well, unless it's another song with the same name.

And that's really rare for me... I pretty much at least enjoy and like almost every U2 song.

Mercy is worse than "Big Girls Are Best" or most of October? Cmon!

 

[zoocarolina]

I think if it were to make a Best Of it would likely sound similar, as per what the finished Bomb version would have been like - big, bombastic, loud etc. They'd keep it in line with that kind of era of sound. If it's going to sit alongside those Bomb and NLOTH singles, it's got to have all the subtlety of a bull in a china shop with a red hot poker up it's clacker. Which is what it has now.

If it gets another look in for a future album, it will change, likely dramatically. They don't just pick up old songs as they were and give them a spit and shine, they completely overhaul them.

In my view, the bones of Mercy are okay-ish, but the version we have is representative of an era I sincerely hope they are done with, with a few of those NLOTH tracks representing it's final death shudders.

Could be on a best of, but I think it will be reworked similar to other tunes that have been started/stopped and Edge knows that we know about it. Why couldn't it have just been released on HTDAAB and been the 2nd single after Vertigo, would have been killer and it's already in the book they released with the deluxe for godsakes!

 

[Chill Mike D]

I happen to like Big Girls Are Best. I just wish Bono hadn't pulled the punches with the lyrics.

 

[IrishDawg]

Am I the only one who thinks the injury is a bad thing for hopes of a new album as well? A lot of people here think it will speed up the process since they're not on tour, but I think otherwise. Being in the studio is hard work, and I think they're gonna want Bono completely still for a while.

Unless they already have stuff completely recorded I'm not expecting anything soon...

 

[corianderstem]

I agree.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

I agree that it won't speed up the process. I think if it does one thing, it's that it guarantees that they'll put something significant out (e.g. perhaps a whole album, certainly more than just a new song or two) sometime between now and the new US leg. They were talking it up for the end of the year, but we all know that still could have turned out to be rubbish. I think delaying the US leg of the tour by so long essentially guarantees, or locks in, that plan - but - if there's any chance of release date movement because of this, I'd wager that its a push back rather than move early. Xmas is an incredibly strong incentive, but they might feel it's best impact will be closer to the US leg. Maybe not.

I do think Xmas is most likely, but I also don't think there's any chance it will be moved forward. If they REALLY wanted something out earlier, they've had all the time in the world to get it done. A few extra 'bonus' weeks now won't change that. And yes, most of Bono's time will be spent in a gym, not a studio.

 

[nielsgov]

Well if they really want to roadtest most of the songs then it probably does slow down the process because that's less time to roadtest them. And I'm pretty sure that with the small failure of NLOTH there next album will be released with Christmas if this year or 2011 or even later.
I think it would be a great idea to just release a song or two before the tour restart (hopefully) in Turin.

 

[lazarus]

I don't think they're going to need more than one leg to test the songs out.

And to be honest, I'm glad the European fans are going to be the judge before North America, considering the tepid reaction to POP over here. Perhaps the more experimental tracks will have a better chance overseas and convince the band to use them.

 

[U2387]

I don't think they're going to need more than one leg to test the songs out.

And to be honest, I'm glad the European fans are going to be the judge before North America, considering the tepid reaction to POP over here. Perhaps the more experimental tracks will have a better chance overseas and convince the band to use them.

This is a good point.

Just look at the ATYCLB fest that 360 turned into once it hit America.

Not to say that Angel of Harlem and Desire in place of Stuck and Elevation are any more experimental, but still.

The sets became more casual in America.

 

[lazarus]

I still can't believe I saw back-to-back shows with the EXACT same setlist, but once I knew Pasadena was going to be filmed I should have known that would be likely.

Anything different at this point is going to be an improvement, and I just can't imagine I'm going to be subjected to five ATYCLB songs again.

 

[No spoken words]

And to be honest, I'm glad the European fans are going to be the judge before North America, considering the tepid reaction to POP over here. Perhaps the more experimental tracks will have a better chance overseas and convince the band to use them.

Didn't work with Electrical Storm.

But, amen to your other post about being subjected to too many ATYCLB songs.

 

[lazarus]

Electrical Storm is an autopilot wannabe anthem, so I'm not sure what you mean by that. It's certainly not "experimental", unless you're just referring to the experimentation of putting non-album tracks in the setlist. Regardless, I'm glad I didn't have to suffer through that garbage at a show.

I wonder if Your Blue Room would have fared better had it been ready on the first leg.

 

[No spoken words]

Electrical Storm is an autopilot wannabe anthem, so I'm not sure what you mean by that. It's certainly not "experimental", unless you're just referring to the experimentation of putting non-album tracks in the setlist. Regardless, I'm glad I didn't have to suffer through that garbage at a show.

I wonder if Your Blue Room would have fared better had it been ready on the first leg.

Edited for not caring.

 

[Aygo]

Electrical Storm is an autopilot wannabe anthem, so I'm not sure what you mean by that. It's certainly not "experimental", unless you're just referring to the experimentation of putting non-album tracks in the setlist. Regardless, I'm glad I didn't have to suffer through that garbage at a show.

I wonder if Your Blue Room would have fared better had it been ready on the first leg.

I don't think so. I think that part of the YBR problem is not only on the fact that the song is not that popular. I think that the arrangement they made for the song was pretty poor and it doesn't make justice (not even close!) to the original version.
It worked with Miss Sarajevo last tour, it definitely doesn't work with YBR.

 

[BVS]

Electrical Storm is by far not one of my favorite songs, but to call it a "wanna be anthem" is a huge stretch.

It doesn't have any characteristics of wanting to be an "anthem".

 

[lazarus]

Edited for not caring.

Thanks for sparing me your Sabbatical Storm.

I don't think so. I think that part of the YBR problem is not only on the fact that the song is not that popular. I think that the arrangement they made for the song was pretty poor and it doesn't make justice (not even close!) to the original version.
It worked with Miss Sarajevo last tour, it definitely doesn't work with YBR.

You're probably right. It probably should have been later in the show where it wouldn't be as likely to take the wind out of everything, maybe it could have segued into something memorable.

Electrical Storm is by far not one of my favorite songs, but to call it a "wanna be anthem" is a huge stretch.

It doesn't have any characteristics of wanting to be an "anthem".

How about the bridge sounding like a generic Oasis effort? I don't mean anthemic in the epic, WTSHNN sense, but in the catchy pop gem sense.

The guitar work reminds me of Oasis as well, and even if Crumbs From Your Table appears to have borrowed the same approach and sound I think it's a better track.

 

[No spoken words]

My only point was that ES seemed, to me at least, to be well received at the concerts I heard it played in Europe.....but it was dropped anyway. Was not comparing ES to experimental tracks, etc.

Maybe ES wasn't as well received as I perceived it to be.

 

[BVS]

How about the bridge sounding like a generic Oasis effort? I don't mean anthemic in the epic, WTSHNN sense, but in the catchy pop gem sense.

The guitar work reminds me of Oasis as well, and even if Crumbs From Your Table appears to have borrowed the same approach and sound I think it's a better track.

Interesting, I never made the Oasis connection, which in essence would be a Beatles connection.

To me it always came off as a wanna be TGBHF, but with clunky lyrics.

 

[VintagePunk]

Wow, I think it's a great song. Moody and atmospheric, and while there are a few clunky phrases in there (the sea it swells like a sore head; the air is heavy, heavy as a truck), I think what he does lyrically well in it more than makes up for those. I'm really sorry they didn't leave it in the setlist.

 

[Mr. V]

Wow, I think it's a great song. Moody and atmospheric, and while there are a few clunky phrases in there (the sea it swells like a sore head; the air is heavy, heavy as a truck), I think what he does lyrically well in it more than makes up for those. I'm really sorry they didn't leave it in the setlist.

"you're in my mind, all of the time/i know that's not enough"

one of my favourite U2 lyrics