Songs of Ascent - Part III

[powerhour24]

I think that'll be the opening track to SOA.

 

[dan_smee]

its like trying to convince a stubborn carrot that its fucking orange.

i am way over this thread

 

[Sicy]

Some of you need to realize that certain people here will never agree with each other. Know when its time to bow out of an argument. Agree to disagree and move on. Do I need to say it in multiple languages?

 

[The John Tree]

back to the matter at hand, then:

I have to questions that will hopefully provoke discussion:

1. Now that "Kingdom of Our Love" has been namechecked by Rolling Stone (I think this is the first time that the song has been discussed in mainstream media, right?), what does that say about SoA that this is the first taste that the band is willing to give us?

and

2. Regarding all the "pop single" discussion. I'd like to preface this by saying that no, I don't think U2 has "sold out" and I honestly hate that term. But honestly, at what point does a band sell out? If U2 is stating that they're specifically writing a song for the radio, does that constitute selling out? Say that SoA is a complete work, has a consistent theme with related songs, but just doesn't have that breakthrough "Vertigo" single. Would U2 be selling out by writing one?

 

[coolian2]

Do I need to say it in multiple languages?

you don't need to, but it would look awesome.

 

[dan_smee]

back to the matter at hand, then:

I have to questions that will hopefully provoke discussion:

1. Now that "Kingdom of Our Love" has been namechecked by Rolling Stone (I think this is the first time that the song has been discussed in mainstream media, right?), what does that say about SoA that this is the first taste that the band is willing to give us?

and

2. Regarding all the "pop single" discussion. I'd like to preface this by saying that no, I don't think U2 has "sold out" and I honestly hate that term. But honestly, at what point does a band sell out? If U2 is stating that they're specifically writing a song for the radio, does that constitute selling out? Say that SoA is a complete work, has a consistent theme with related songs, but just doesn't have that breakthrough "Vertigo" single. Would U2 be selling out by writing one?

In todys world of garbage on the radio, I think them writing a radio friendly song serves a decent purpose in that it may get kids interested in music with substance.

Selling out is a strange term, and I dont think it can be applied to U2 when we consider the immense riches they already have compared with the large amount of work they are doing when they could retire to the south of france, drink wine and swim in the ocean for the rest of their days

 

[digitize]

Some of you need to realize that certain people here will never agree with each other. Know when its time to bow out of an argument. Agree to disagree and move on. Do I need to say it in multiple languages?

Bullshit. I'm always right; anyone who disagrees with me is flat wrong. That's the way it's always worked, in real life as well as on Interference. Get use to it, bastards.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Did someone say BEACH CLIPS????

Quick! Get someone into Vancouver! Or maybe the guy from the @U2 forum who said stuff can secretly record stuff!?

Bullshit. I'm always right; anyone who disagrees with me is flat wrong. That's the way it's always worked, in real life as well as on Interference. Get use to it, bastards.

With that attitude you'll become the president of the USA.

 

[mikal]

i'd like to apologize for my actions in this thread. i should have been the better person.

 

[U2DMfan]

The biggest problem is getting all of them to agree to let go of it.

They can record all they want, but if Larry is still concerned about hearing himself at the jukebox of his hometown pub (that's not really an exaggeration) and they continue to listen to 80's cronies like Jimmy Iovine, who are invariably going to tell them to go back and find some catchy singles for the "radio" and so they can get played on "MTV"...the same people surrounding the band who think everything needs to be gigantic and tours have to continually top one another in size and scale, when the dynamics of rock and roll (and popular music in general) have been changing for at least a decade and arguably back to the mid-90's...

I mean, they have to want to change the landscape themselves.
They have to want to do it. ALL four of them.

Need I remind you Larry is still in this band.

 

[U2DMfan]

I was searching for some old threads where we talked about this over the last few albums.

I saw an old post where I jumped down someone's throat who claimed (the album that would eventually be) HTDAAB would be released in Fall of 2004.

Yeah. Thank you optimism for the retro-smack in the face!

 

[subnet]

soon?........

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Ooh.

Whoever's gonna record the beach clips has gotta hide him/herself under the piano.

 

[subnet]

since olympic recording studio is closed, perhaps they saw this studio as the close second, and being in vancouver, it's cheaper than NYC, setting is in the last city of leg 2, and they probably get BC and Canada tax credits.

 

[Gilead12]

The presence of that single Oriental rug was enough to produce ecstatic sensations throughout my person.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Maybe it's a magic carpet?

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

Im already hoping they dump kingdom, it reminds me of an unknown caller part 2.

 

[The John Tree]

Im already hoping they dump kingdom, it reminds me of an unknown caller part 2.

Funny, you just made it sound better to me, then...

 

[dan_smee]

kingdom is heavenly I hope the full version is 12 minutes long and has a zither solo

 

[Vlad n U 2]

It would be a crime to leave Kingdom off the album, it's gotta be the album opener.

 

[dan_smee]

With a reprise to close it!

 

[powerhour24]

What exactly makes it similar to UC? The fact that the vocal melody doesn't cover a wide range of notes?


I hope they don't rerecord that song, its simplicity and production already sound crisp, I love it.

 

[dan_smee]

yep, I love the way it sounds now... I just hope it is already 12 minutes long and the tour intro is a minor snippet

 

[powerhour24]

I dunno, I'm so used to it as a snippet I think I want it to be short now haha. (If it turns out to be brilliant in long form, I certainly won't complain though!)

I'm also so used to the mysterious simplicity of it being called 'Kingdom' by people around here and on the documentation of setlists, that 'Kingdom of Your Love' sounds clunky, even though that's obviously the piece's real title .

 

[dan_smee]

I dunno, I'm so used to it as a snippet I think I want it to be short now haha. (If it turns out to be brilliant in long form, I certainly won't complain though!)

I'm also so used to the mysterious simplicity of it being called 'Kingdom' by people around here and on the documentation of setlists, that 'Kingdom of Your Love' sounds clunky, even though that's obviously the piece's real title .

Yeah, I like simply Kingdom... (as long as it doesnt become "Kingdom Comedy"!)

I mean, the lyrics dont yet make sense in and of themselves, or with the title Kingdom of your love, so there is obviously another verse or two, and whether it changes for a chorus or whatever I dont know, but that piece is obviously not the whole thing

 

[Vlad n U 2]

One of the aspects of the song that stands out is the drumming/percussion.

Larry's work =

 

[dan_smee]

^ werd. I also love the vocal on Sooooooon... It just works, the voices are perfect together, and then tie together in your ears the way harmonies should

 

[powerhour24]

The vocals are out-of-left-field cool, but it's that falling down sliding strings effect in the middle that really catch my attention.

 

[dan_smee]

^ that is all Eno methinks. Its not a very Danny effect, I love it when the 6 of them get together

 

[powerhour24]

Also, I agree there are obviously verses we haven't heard... I just don't think I see it being the length of MOS or beyond.