Songs of Ascent - Part II

[last unicorn]

I think there will be a new album. When was the last time we actually heard an album title and song titles for an album? I don't think it will be out this year, they are too busy preparing the tour and then touring, but I think it will be out next year and the 2010 leg of the tour will be attached to the new album.

 

[UVWay]

I don't understand the thinking about it being another four to five years for another album. I know this has been the schedule as of late. However, they have a multirecord deal and unless they are planning to record into their late sixties or seventies, they are going to have to pick up their pace. I think part of the problem with this album's sales is that they simply waited too long between albums. They lost all momentum and things have changed in the industry. They are going to have to start shaking things up, because their model is not working right now.

I like the new album and don't particularly care about their sales. I like Zooropa and Pop because they got more adventurous and took some chances. However, I am frustrated with their lack of production in the last ten years.

 

[ic170]

I don't understand the thinking about it being another four to five years for another album. I know this has been the schedule as of late. However, they have a multirecord deal and unless they are planning to record into their late sixties or seventies, they are going to have to pick up their pace. I think part of the problem with this album's sales is that they simply waited too long between albums. They lost all momentum and things have changed in the industry. They are going to have to start shaking things up, because their model is not working right now.

I like the new album and don't particularly care about their sales. I like Zooropa and Pop because they got more adventurous and took some chances. However, I am frustrated with their lack of production in the last ten years.

Yeah absolutely you nailed my thoughts too, they took that break during a seismic time of change in the record industry/business...

I think and I hope the days of the big 3year silences and equaly big comebacks are over for rock n roll bands, probably not, but we can hope.... nor do I want my favourite acts to knock out music for the sake of it, but there must be a happy medium!

I'd rather get 8-9 songs every 13months than 14-15 every 5 years... EPs, 1 song here or there... forget singles in the traditional sense... Of course the internet allows us to follow bands recording albums now in 'real time' whereas in the 80s we'd only learn every so often from NME, Q, RS etal what the hell was happening and we never really felt we were "clock watching"

Also I guess when you sign a 12yr touring/etc deal - the company in question probably wants you to deliver something tangible regularly and not head to the preverbial hills at the end of 12months only to materialise 4year later and start all over again... otherwise "year 12" is going to be an interesting tour...

 

[ndmaxfield]

I don't understand the thinking about it being another four to five years for another album. I know this has been the schedule as of late. However, they have a multirecord deal and unless they are planning to record into their late sixties or seventies, they are going to have to pick up their pace. I think part of the problem with this album's sales is that they simply waited too long between albums. They lost all momentum and things have changed in the industry. They are going to have to start shaking things up, because their model is not working right now.

I like the new album and don't particularly care about their sales. I like Zooropa and Pop because they got more adventurous and took some chances. However, I am frustrated with their lack of production in the last ten years.

The way they hype things is half the problem. They record one version of a record, get excited, hype their excitement to the public in a very convincing way with actual snippets of the music (mistake IMO), second-guess themselves, and then return to the studio. Meanwhile, some fans (like me) are still in excitement mode about the first snippets of new songs that U2 previewed. You wait and wait and wait and wait to hear the full versions of the previewed songs (what can I say? I liked what I heard in those previews)...only to realize that half the previews never materialized or were altered so much as to make them unrecognizable (my example is the "larryinstudio" video featuring a soaring acoustic guitar piece, which is nowhere on the NLOTH, and that's the part I was looking forward to hearing most). So, for me, it's not just a lack of production; it's also exhausting the way the music they HAVE produced has surfaced (and sometimes disappointing with the overproduction, which has been talked about many times over already).

 

[last unicorn]

Every song on NLOTH, imo, is better than any of the previews, and I LOVED the previews. Breathe was the only song I had a problem with because I couldn't figure out how it would be in the end, the beach clip was just not that great, but today I absolutely love Breathe and think it's one of the best songs U2 have ever done. I trust them on their decisions and I think they made a great album. Fans here tend to always overrate the demo or previous or alternative versions and not appreciating the final product enough. Sometimes I wish we'd only hear the final songs and not the early versions. Btw, I still feel they haven't altered much from the beach clips. From the u2.com video clips, it was clear they wouldn't keep everything, they discarded whole songs, like Winter or Every Breaking Wave, and I still say it's good they did, because Winter isn't a great song and EBW will eventually be relased on Songs Of Ascent.

U2 cannot listen to what every single person says, they have to trust their own judgement. Of course there will always be fans who disagree with what they are doing in the end or what version they chose or what song they leave off a record, but in the end it's their own decision that matters, what they want and feel comfortable with, not what the fans say.

No overproduction on NLOTH, if you ask me, I couldn't be happier with the album. It's the U2 album I feel the strongest for at the moment, and I've listened to all the other U2 albums in the last weeks.

 

[Registered Dude]

only to realize that half the previews never materialized or were altered so much as to make them unrecognizable (my example is the "larryinstudio" video featuring a soaring acoustic guitar piece, which is nowhere on the NLOTH, and that's the part I was looking forward to hearing most). ).

mine too, but for all we know, this could be Every Breaking Wave

 

[purpleoscar]

Every song on NLOTH, imo, is better than any of the previews, and I LOVED the previews. Breathe was the only song I had a problem with because I couldn't figure out how it would be in the end, the beach clip was just not that great, but today I absolutely love Breathe and think it's one of the best songs U2 have ever done. I trust them on their decisions and I think they made a great album. Fans here tend to always overrate the demo or previous or alternative versions and not appreciating the final product enough. Sometimes I wish we'd only hear the final songs and not the early versions. Btw, I still feel they haven't altered much from the beach clips. From the u2.com video clips, it was clear they wouldn't keep everything, they discarded whole songs, like Winter or Every Breaking Wave, and I still say it's good they did, because Winter isn't a great song and EBW will eventually be relased on Songs Of Ascent.

U2 cannot listen to what every single person says, they have to trust their own judgement. Of course there will always be fans who disagree with what they are doing in the end or what version they chose or what song they leave off a record, but in the end it's their own decision that matters, what they want and feel comfortable with, not what the fans say.

No overproduction on NLOTH, if you ask me, I couldn't be happier with the album. It's the U2 album I feel the strongest for at the moment, and I've listened to all the other U2 albums in the last weeks.

I agree with all of this. It also helps to know what the songs are about to increase the enjoyment and increased replays of this album.

The band are very aware of egotism and how it can ruin art (ambition bites the nails of success). They work hard and it shows.

 

[chocky]

I think part of the problem with this album's sales is that they simply waited too long between albums. They lost all momentum and things have changed in the industry.

That's a good point. Obvious example of this are GnR with Chnese Democracy: much hyped, often delayed and irrelevant when finally released.

It's a cut throat industry and if you lose momentum, someone else will grab the opportunity.

 

[An Cat Gav]

I think there will be a new album. When was the last time we actually heard an album title and song titles for an album? I don't think it will be out this year, they are too busy preparing the tour and then touring, but I think it will be out next year and the 2010 leg of the tour will be attached to the new album.

I think you're right.

 

[mikal]

just an FYI, there's a new interview with The Edge, and here are a couple of small tidbits regarding the new album. thanks lastunicorn for the translation:

- Says a new album will be out soon, they are discussing it at the moment, says they wrote so many songs that all of them couldn't fit on Horizon
- Says the pressure in the 90s was much bigger and they don't want to do something like Zooropa again; says it was a "crazy time"

 

[bathiu]

- Says a new album will be out soon, they are discussing it at the moment, says they wrote so many songs that all of them couldn't fit on Horizon

- Says the pressure in the 90s was much bigger and they don't want to do something like Zooropa again; says it was a "crazy time"

I don't get it... do they want to do something like R&H then?

 

[mama cass]

I don't get it... do they want to do something like R&H then?

it doesn't have to be an "either or" though does it?

 

[mikal]

I don't get it... do they want to do something like R&H then?

i'm thinking that they mean that they don't want to do a show, then rush off to the studio, and then go do a show again. if i were to bet on it, i would say that they'll probably do a little work between the Europe and US leg, and then put the finishing touches in November and December....releasing it next February or March.

 

[popacrobat]

i'm thinking that they mean that they don't want to do a show, then rush off to the studio, and then go do a show again. if i were to bet on it, i would say that they'll probably do a little work between the Europe and US leg, and then put the finishing touches in November and December....releasing it next February or March.

which would then perfectly line up with presumably legs 3, 4 and maybe 5 of the 360 tour.

 

[purpleoscar]

Didn't Edge say in the BBC interview that their next album could be their best? If that's the case they probably want to make an album that would be an equal brother to NLOTH instead of the little brother Zooropa was to AB.

 

[burningedge101]

Didn't Edge say in the BBC interview that their next album could be their best?

Which interview is this?

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

i'm thinking that they mean that they don't want to do a show, then rush off to the studio, and then go do a show again. if i were to bet on it, i would say that they'll probably do a little work between the Europe and US leg, and then put the finishing touches in November and December....releasing it next February or March.

I agree with this, it could also mean why we have not seen a lot of them from the release of NLOTH to the small (by modern day U2 Standards) media push leading up to the tour - they could be spending time right now getting it ready.

 

[digitize]

Remember... "2009 is going to be the year of U2".

I doubt they're getting too complacent.

 

[mikal]

Remember... "2009 is going to be the year of U2".

I doubt they're getting too complacent.

oooh. bustin' out the old quotes!

 

[IrishDawg]

I don't understand the thinking about it being another four to five years for another album. I know this has been the schedule as of late. However, they have a multirecord deal and unless they are planning to record into their late sixties or seventies, they are going to have to pick up their pace. I think part of the problem with this album's sales is that they simply waited too long between albums. They lost all momentum and things have changed in the industry. They are going to have to start shaking things up, because their model is not working right now.

I like the new album and don't particularly care about their sales. I like Zooropa and Pop because they got more adventurous and took some chances. However, I am frustrated with their lack of production in the last ten years.

I really don't think they are too concerned about staying relevant or album sales. They are way past their peak musically and they have all the money they could ever want. I don't think they feel the pressure that they used to concerning putting out albums and singles. Bono has also got a family and all of African to worry about, I just don't see another album happening soon unless it is already fully recorded. They just take way too much time recording and reworking songs in the studio.

 

[kassandra]

You know I think you are right here........with the exception of being past their peak musically.

 

[subnet]

I think they could actually go into the second leg playing new tracks we haven't heard before...it's something they haven't done before for a major studio pre-release.

sort of reminds me what Pearl Jam will be doing this summer for their eagerly anticipated album

bolster increased seat sales / album sales, bootlegs in a fairly soft market.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

I predict the next album will be better than NLOTH.

 

[IrishDawg]

You know I think you are right here........with the exception of being past their peak musically.

Yeah if you like their new music, that's cool. I just feel like they'll never come up with anything as brilliant as JT or AB again. Maybe that's why I was let down a bit with this album, expecting them to be as good as back then.

I still don't think we'll get anything new soon either way. The idea of them playing new stuff on tour is a stretch too. They've never done it, I don't know why you guys think they would start now...

 

[ozeeko]

I'm pretty sure that Bono cares a great deal about being relevant, considering his comments about wanting to go head to head with The Killers because (and i'm paraphrasing) they are "part of this world".

 

[DoctorMacPhisto]

Soa = 2010.

 

[BEAL]

SOA = 2012

Just going on history the past few years and quotes by the band (mainly Bono) about how they want to put a new album out fast.

Although I will say this tour will make it more likely to happen with their long break from Nov-Spring

 

[Niceman]

SOA = 2012

Just going on history the past few years and quotes by the band (mainly Bono) about how they want to put a new album out fast.

Although I will say this tour will make it more likely to happen with their long break from Nov-Spring

They've NEVER followed those comments with an album title and named the lead single before. I'm betting fall of 2010, with an outside chance of fall 2009.

 

[mikal]

i'm still saying Spring of 2010, and i'm basing this on the fact that The Edge mentioned that they are still discussing plans for the next album in a recent interview.

 

[purpleoscar]

Which interview is this?

I can't remember exactly because I listened to so many interviews. I think it's one of the promo interviews where they talked about the new album and Edge joked that their next album could be their best. That's the way U2 rolls. They try hard on most of their albums so I don't think it will be a less substantive album but probably equal in depth. Of course we all have to hear the final product ourselves to judge in 2010? when it comes out.