The new U2 direction in the new album

[ponkine]

Hola amigos I just have watched a U2 docummentary from the post Rattle & Hum era (I think) in which Bono talked about several songs as Dirty Old Town, Springhill Mining Disaster... and finally the docummentary presented a performace of Wild Irish Rose a song I've never heared before.

Despite the rough and dimished Bono's vocal range the song is simply an unique moment in U2's career. The eeire instruments, unusual sweetness and melancholy. Whistles, pipes, electronic percussion, strings, and ethereal ambient make this a genuine lush.

Honestly I really think it could be an excellent pathway to the new U2 album, rather than keep trying to rock with forgettable, silly, empty and childish numbers as Vertigo or Elevation. Come on, these are men already, so they'd start playing and composing according to their age. I think it's time to discover new boundaries and other music influences, pretty much Peter Gabriel has done with his music style and Real World music

Make your comments here lads

 

[LemonMelon]

I like Elevation & Vertigo. It would break my heart if the album all sounded like UF or Miracle Drug & OOTS.

So my first point: WE DON'T NEED ANYMORE MUSIC THAT SOUNDS LIKE COLDPLAY.

My second point is that though the band has grown up, their current philosophy has become, as the lyric goes, "I'm alive, I'm being born, I've just arrived, I'm at the door of the place I started out from, and I want back inside". In other words, they want to have a new, more mature slant on their impassioned earlier work and have that attitude, but with a better perspective, so don't expect a second Passengers or something exotic. This is a band on a mission; to take the time warp back even further.

 

[ponkine]

I'm not talking about Passengers, UF or all that stuff

It's just the band should start with something they've never done before: an album that reflects their irish roots and stop kissing USA's Charts ass

At the moment, what we could expect for the next U2 album?. Pretty easy answer:

Another record trying to recreate Joshua Tree days, with the predictable formula:

- A Rocker opening song (single, of course)
- A mid-tempo second song (another possible single)
- The third song can be a ballad ... (another possible single)
- The first filler
- Another stadium rocker song (and another single)
- From track 6 to 11 (because IT MUST contain just 11 songs) plenty of mid tempo, slow and fillers)


... and of course, produced by their ab-used team: Eno, Lanois, Lillywhite, etc, etc and the cover?... a Band's shoot of course...

Do you know what I mean my friend?. With this trend we simply CAN'T expect something truly new, fresh, risky, etc, etc

They have all the money in the world for travelling and discovering new influences that could lead a new direction . Finally at least the version I watched of Wild Irish Rose didn't sound as UF or Joshua Tree, it was more local, more irish, it was clear the band didn't compose the song thinking in Rolling Stone magazine cover or MTV, etc.

If they want to surprise the fans they must look for a new producer, new sounds and instruments, new way to compose and sing songs without the well known formula, etc

 

[LemonMelon]

Perhaps this "shooting for MTV" might not actually be a conscious effort on their part for sales. Perhaps it's their idea of a good album? I personally love HTDAAB and bear ATYCLB, but I do agree that a new sound is in order, but perhaps not with this record. I can see 2-3 albums down the road a drastic change in sound, because I think U2 will get tired of themselves. Perhaps I'm naive, but maybe they're NOT going for sales...

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

I dunno, I'll take anything over world music, the death knell of any musician.

 

[AtomicBono]

Pirate theme!! Pirate theme!!

 

[mobvok]

Pirate theme!! Pirate theme!!

Edge can pull out his old pirate shirts!

 

[AtomicBono]

Edge can pull out his old pirate shirts!

and the eyepatch

 

[Numb1075]

a wooden leg wouldn't hurt either. although it would be challenging to use all those different pedals that he hits with his feet for guitar effects.

 

[Murray]

I'm not talking about Passengers, UF or all that stuff

It's just the band should start with something they've never done before: an album that reflects their irish roots and stop kissing USA's Charts ass

At the moment, what we could expect for the next U2 album?. Pretty easy answer:

Another record trying to recreate Joshua Tree days, with the predictable formula:

- A Rocker opening song (single, of course)
- A mid-tempo second song (another possible single)
- The third song can be a ballad ... (another possible single)
- The first filler
- Another stadium rocker song (and another single)
- From track 6 to 11 (because IT MUST contain just 11 songs) plenty of mid tempo, slow and fillers)


... and of course, produced by their ab-used team: Eno, Lanois, Lillywhite, etc, etc and the cover?... a Band's shoot of course...

Do you know what I mean my friend?. With this trend we simply CAN'T expect something truly new, fresh, risky, etc, etc

They have all the money in the world for travelling and discovering new influences that could lead a new direction . Finally at least the version I watched of Wild Irish Rose didn't sound as UF or Joshua Tree, it was more local, more irish, it was clear the band didn't compose the song thinking in Rolling Stone magazine cover or MTV, etc.

If they want to surprise the fans they must look for a new producer, new sounds and instruments, new way to compose and sing songs without the well known formula, etc

I agree 100%.

 

[Aygo]

I'm not talking about Passengers, UF or all that stuff

It's just the band should start with something they've never done before: an album that reflects their irish roots and stop kissing USA's Charts ass

At the moment, what we could expect for the next U2 album?. Pretty easy answer:

Another record trying to recreate Joshua Tree days, with the predictable formula:

- A Rocker opening song (single, of course)
- A mid-tempo second song (another possible single)
- The third song can be a ballad ... (another possible single)
- The first filler
- Another stadium rocker song (and another single)
- From track 6 to 11 (because IT MUST contain just 11 songs) plenty of mid tempo, slow and fillers)


... and of course, produced by their ab-used team: Eno, Lanois, Lillywhite, etc, etc and the cover?... a Band's shoot of course...

Do you know what I mean my friend?. With this trend we simply CAN'T expect something truly new, fresh, risky, etc, etc

They have all the money in the world for travelling and discovering new influences that could lead a new direction . Finally at least the version I watched of Wild Irish Rose didn't sound as UF or Joshua Tree, it was more local, more irish, it was clear the band didn't compose the song thinking in Rolling Stone magazine cover or MTV, etc.

If they want to surprise the fans they must look for a new producer, new sounds and instruments, new way to compose and sing songs without the well known formula, etc

Another Joshua Tree? No way! Neither another Passengers, neither another Achtung Baby, neither another Pop. That's repeating formulas and that doesn't respect the politics of reinventing themselves.

I'd like to see a quick album of HTDAAB outtakes and then a new kind of project, something with the impact that Achtung Baby, Pop or Unforgettable Fire had in its eras... But not another this or that...

 

[mobvok]

I want......whatever the band feels comes naturally. Or a pirate theme.

My one small request would be to start playing with more unusual time signatures, not just the standard 4/4.

 

[ponkine]

Another Joshua Tree? No way! Neither another Passengers, neither another Achtung Baby, neither another Pop. That's repeating formulas and that doesn't respect the politics of reinventing themselves.

I'd like to see a quick album of HTDAAB outtakes and then a new kind of project, something with the impact that Achtung Baby, Pop or Unforgettable Fire had in its eras... But not another this or that...

I see a big contradiction here mate:

You don't want to see another JT, AB, Pop, etc but you'd like to see a new HTDAAB? What for?

I'm the last fan who want to listen to a carbon copy of any U2 album released before, that's include Pop, Zooropa, AB, etc, my favorite U2 era

What I'm talking about is that the band should stop doing the same rotten formula again. No more HTDAAB, ATYCLB or any other album trying to recreate JT days but I'd rather see a U2 taking a new direction according to their age. It's a pretty embarrasing thing to see U2 struggling with Vertigo and all that one hit wonder MTV style

My advice is simple: dream it all up again. But for that makes true, they should take a dramatic turn:

- Call a brand new producer with a lot of fresh ideas and other influences
- Edge must trow his Vox Amps and his used Boss effects
Also Edge should start using the capo on his guitar. Most of his ATYCLB and HTDAAB contributions are based just in Major Keys as G, D, C and A.
- Bono must cut his hair (fortunately, done), take off his sunglasses, earrings and all that stuff. And then he must stop thinking his crappy singing with the flu all the time sounds "emotional". He should try hard this time in singing decent.
- Larry should stop being against technology.
- Adam must stop playing the root note all the time. He should listen to Tony Levin, for example. His basses add something stunning to all the songs, he isn't those fast playing guys who make 20 minutes long solos, but every bass line he play is perfect, and he barely use the root note


And some general recomendations:

- No more a band's photo in the album cover
- Think this time in making an ALBUM, rather than making 4-5 hit singles and then fill the rest of the CD on the fly.
- Try to make a decent balance between the A-side and the B-side.
- It would be nice to hear 12 + songs this time, and a 60 minutes long album.
- Also it would be so nice to hear an album with surprises, a hidden track, a circle album, longer songs, linked tracks, mini instrumental breaks, sound samples, details you must listen with headphones, etc, etc, etc

 

[Aygo]

I see a big contradiction here mate:

You don't want to see another JT, AB, Pop, etc but you'd like to see a new HTDAAB? What for?

I'm the last fan who want to listen to a carbon copy of any U2 album released before, that's include Pop, Zooropa, AB, etc, my favorite U2 era

What I'm talking about is that the band should stop doing the same rotten formula again. No more HTDAAB, ATYCLB or any other album trying to recreate JT days but I'd rather see a U2 taking a new direction according to their age. It's a pretty embarrasing thing to see U2 struggling with Vertigo and all that one hit wonder MTV style

My advice is simple: dream it all up again. But for that makes true, they should take a dramatic turn:

- Call a brand new producer with a lot of fresh ideas and other influences
- Edge must trow his Vox Amps and his used Boss effects
Also Edge should start using the capo on his guitar. Most of his ATYCLB and HTDAAB contributions are based just in Major Keys as G, D, C and A.
- Bono must cut his hair (fortunately, done), take off his sunglasses, earrings and all that stuff. And then he must stop thinking his crappy singing with the flu all the time sounds "emotional". He should try hard this time in singing decent.
- Larry should stop being against technology.
- Adam must stop playing the root note all the time. He should listen to Tony Levin, for example. His basses add something stunning to all the songs, he isn't those fast playing guys who make 20 minutes long solos, but every bass line he play is perfect, and he barely use the root note


And some general recomendations:

- No more a band's photo in the album cover
- Think this time in making an ALBUM, rather than making 4-5 hit singles and then fill the rest of the CD on the fly.
- Try to make a decent balance between the A-side and the B-side.
- It would be nice to hear 12 + songs this time, and a 60 minutes long album.
- Also it would be so nice to hear an album with surprises, a hidden track, a circle album, longer songs, linked tracks, mini instrumental breaks, sound samples, details you must listen with headphones, etc, etc, etc

It's not a contradiction. The outtakes thing was something to put a stone in this era of "back-to-basics/back-to-roots/100%pop-rock-influenced" and to fill the time the band can take till the releasement of a true new album.

I'm a bit tired too of the "dream it all up again", that's too "déjà heard" and that's not gonna happen again. The boys are not 30 again, they're on another level, things have not gone wrong as it seemed to be back in 1989. If they must change musical directions is because of the tireness of the actual sounds.

No new JT's, no new AB's, no "another Pop or Zooropa". What the band has to prove is that they're still awake, they're still active as one of the greatest bands, and show to all the recent breakthrough most known bands (Coldplay, Interpol, Keane, Franz Ferdinand, etc...) that they still can push the bounds and to be superior as if they were a new band again.

Note: the band can be on the cover of the album... if the artwork is well done (cf: Pop and other promotional stuff)

 

[ozeeko]

What the band has to prove is that they're still awake, they're still active as one of the greatest bands, and show to all the recent breakthrough most known bands (Coldplay, Interpol, Keane, Franz Ferdinand, etc...) that they still can push the bounds and to be superior as if they were a new band again.

That's the part where i really disagree with you. I think it's this precise thinking that has driven U2 to come up ATYCLB/HTDAAB style albums, because they still want to be relevant and compete with the newer artists. They came up with those albums because they NEEDED to prove their superiority and retain their selfproclaimed "biggest band in the world" title again and again. I say ENOUGH already. We know you are the biggest band in the world (yet in a really watered down version lately). I think a fresh way to approach their new album would be to throw all those superficial things out the window and just simply write music, without preconcieved notions of how well it will sell, or how many hits they can churn out, or even if they can still call themselves the biggest. There's nothing left to prove, financially and relevant-wise, so they should just make music and see what happens. I don't know if it's possible to recapture the magic and freshness and otherworldlyness of their best albums (like UF, Joshua Tree, Achtung..), but definitely a change in thinking would be a good place to start. They can produce ATYCLBs and HTDAABs in their sleep. I think it would be great if they got lost again in the music. Also, forget about Coldplay. Everyone knows they are a lesser U2 and their well of creativity has pretty much run dry, so why care about competing with them? Just make something for yourself. Then we'll see how the world accepts it. I'll take a controversial bold musical statement that sells in lesser figures anyday over a HTDAAB sequel. Not to mention the world of mainstream rock is so shitty now that it's foolish that a band of U2's stature would wish to blend in with these amateurs. Just do your own thing. Do the RIGHT thing.

 

[shart1780]

How about some Pogues-esque Irish rock baby?

 

[Aygo]

That's the part where i really disagree with you. I think it's this precise thinking that has driven U2 to come up ATYCLB/HTDAAB style albums, because they still want to be relevant and compete with the newer artists. They came up with those albums because they NEEDED to prove their superiority and retain their selfproclaimed "biggest band in the world" title again and again. I say ENOUGH already. We know you are the biggest band in the world (yet in a really watered down version lately). I think a fresh way to approach their new album would be to throw all those superficial things out the window and just simply write music, without preconcieved notions of how well it will sell, or how many hits they can churn out, or even if they can still call themselves the biggest. There's nothing left to prove, financially and relevant-wise, so they should just make music and see what happens. I don't know if it's possible to recapture the magic and freshness and otherworldlyness of their best albums (like UF, Joshua Tree, Achtung..), but definitely a change in thinking would be a good place to start. They can produce ATYCLBs and HTDAABs in their sleep. I think it would be great if they got lost again in the music. Also, forget about Coldplay. Everyone knows they are a lesser U2 and their well of creativity has pretty much run dry, so why care about competing with them? Just make something for yourself. Then we'll see how the world accepts it. I'll take a controversial bold musical statement that sells in lesser figures anyday over a HTDAAB sequel. Not to mention the world of mainstream rock is so shitty now that it's foolish that a band of U2's stature would wish to blend in with these amateurs. Just do your own thing. Do the RIGHT thing.

I disagree... although their 2 last albums were very sucessfull, full of hit singles, when you're 45 and you're trying to sound like when you were new in the scene, and when there are tones of great new bands ready to explode - as U2 did 20 years ago - you have to keep pushing the barrier not to drown in routines of to be a bit forgotten (even if 8 of your past 10 singles were UK top10, or even if your known for your activism). That's definitely not enough.

That's what the band has been doing for 20 years, so, the job must go on.

Even if HTDAAB is my fav album, I think that "Reinvention" is the keyword for what I've been saying.

 

[jacobus]

they should record an album full of ROCK (!) songs. i want some heavy and dirty riffs. they finally should deliver music for men. loudmouth boner should not promise such kind of music all the time (and then they just don't deliver...). c'mon the edge take over the steering wheel and give us some killer riffs!

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

Riffs like the one from "Womanfish"!!!

 

[An Cat Gav]

I have every faith in the guys and whatever direction they take, however they really need to make more albums. I think a new album every two years is about right, i dont give a shit ifthey don't tour for a while. Get Eno and Lanois in the studio with them and let whats in them come ouT!!

 

[An Cat Gav]

However....I think Larry's veto needs to go, I have a feeling that its partly down to his conservatism that the last two albums have been so radio friendly and middle of the road. Come on, let Bono and The Edge of their leashes!!!!!!!

 

[annie_vox]

I already said a lot of times that I would like to see something new... I don't know how though. And I don't want them to go back to other eras like the 80's or Achtung Baby or Pop... I really want something different... But at the same time they have to keep the basic style

 

[jacobus]

@Reggie Thee Dog:
thanks for the YouTube link on the other thread. yes womanfish (the mermaid) is rockin'. especially i like larrys drumming. i don't like boners falsetto, i just can't stand falsettos...too much whining in it.
could it be that womanfish was the motor for songs like GOD Part II, DESIRE, BTBS, THE FLY, ACROBAT.
what i mean is they should do the big riffing thing with some distorsions and hyperactive drumming for the next album. please don't do another boring middleoftheroad record.

 

[david]

i'm all for a more pirate direction.

yarr.

 

[onyourkneesboy]

I see a big contradiction here mate:

You don't want to see another JT, AB, Pop, etc but you'd like to see a new HTDAAB? What for?

I'm the last fan who want to listen to a carbon copy of any U2 album released before, that's include Pop, Zooropa, AB, etc, my favorite U2 era

What I'm talking about is that the band should stop doing the same rotten formula again. No more HTDAAB, ATYCLB or any other album trying to recreate JT days but I'd rather see a U2 taking a new direction according to their age. It's a pretty embarrasing thing to see U2 struggling with Vertigo and all that one hit wonder MTV style

My advice is simple: dream it all up again. But for that makes true, they should take a dramatic turn:

- Call a brand new producer with a lot of fresh ideas and other influences
- Edge must trow his Vox Amps and his used Boss effects
Also Edge should start using the capo on his guitar. Most of his ATYCLB and HTDAAB contributions are based just in Major Keys as G, D, C and A.
- Bono must cut his hair (fortunately, done), take off his sunglasses, earrings and all that stuff. And then he must stop thinking his crappy singing with the flu all the time sounds "emotional". He should try hard this time in singing decent.
- Larry should stop being against technology.
- Adam must stop playing the root note all the time. He should listen to Tony Levin, for example. His basses add something stunning to all the songs, he isn't those fast playing guys who make 20 minutes long solos, but every bass line he play is perfect, and he barely use the root note


And some general recomendations:

- No more a band's photo in the album cover
- Think this time in making an ALBUM, rather than making 4-5 hit singles and then fill the rest of the CD on the fly.
- Try to make a decent balance between the A-side and the B-side.
- It would be nice to hear 12 + songs this time, and a 60 minutes long album.
- Also it would be so nice to hear an album with surprises, a hidden track, a circle album, longer songs, linked tracks, mini instrumental breaks, sound samples, details you must listen with headphones, etc, etc, etc

I fully agree with both of you! I
t's such a shame this fantastic band still has got IT, but their main-goal seems to be wanting to be the best rockers, the greatest band, loved by everyone etc...
Man, we already had a band called Queen and still have the Robbie Williams and Rolling Stones! Is this really their (Bono's) ambition? They already left these bands behind them when they wrote UF and JT!
And yes I know: they always wanted to reach a big audience from day one, but one could never hear this in their music! They did their own thing and if it would appeal to a few people more: great!
Nowadays reaching a big audience seems to have become a goal on itself! There's one problem with this attitude: The music suffers from it! The MAGIC and the "out-of-this-worldness" goes down the drain!

(indeed my own quote
Let me say this: One can hear U2 are now arrived stars.
They should beware of becoming everybody’s friend though. There was always something special about U2 and they should guard that more.

U2’s problem always has been: We want to rock! Come on guys, you are no Guns and Roses or Bon Jovi (excuse me for swearing!)
I always thought U2 is at it’s best on, for them, unknown territory. Like the dance-influences, techno, funk and soul on Achtung Baby, Zooropa and POP! Listen how much percussion is used on AB compared to HTDAAB! AB swings, has hips and feet and sound multi-dimensional!
HTDAAB therefore sounds one-dimensional and a lot of times flat. But that’s because they want to rock so much! Leave it be boys!! Boy, War, Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, Zooropa is not even close to rock but are your best albums/songs ever! Melodic Punk/New Wave maybe, but not rock! It’s a sound better than rock.

My advice now would be (I know, like they needed my advice!):

U2: alienate yourself from the superficial big crowd. This crowd is at your concert today, and at Robbie Williams' tomorrow. Stating that Robbie's was much better just because he's such a great showman! (with boring songs IMO!) This big crowd only comes for SBS, One, NYD, WOWY, Pride, and go for a beer if you would deside to play Ultraviolet or Electrical Storm. Stop being so f..... crowdpleasing!

Like Bono said himself during the AB-era: "we might lose some of the pop-kids (read: Joe Everage) but we don't need them" Now that's an attitude!

Experiment, Experiment, Experiment again, i say! The reason why AB, Zooropa and POP (even UF!) were so surprising was because they avoided to sound like U2!
No, i don't want a Zooropa 2, but I want to see them "over the top again" like on this album!

Experimenting with new sounds, chords, structures, moods, atmospheres, is the only answer to stay relevant. The big crowd will follow anyway. (And if they don't: Then it really has to be a killer-album!)
U2 is best when they fly off and leave the earth in their songs (Until The End Of The World, Unforgettable Fire, God's Country, Kite, Walk To The Water, Stay, Zooropa, Lemon, Mofo, even Yahweh...)
HTDAAB is a good album, but to down-to-earth and to mainstream. Bono should get poetic again and the other three should sound dirty, sharp surprising and atmosheric again. Speed things up!

 

[Aygo]

U2’s problem always has been: We want to rock! Come on guys, you are no Guns and Roses or Bon Jovi (excuse me for swearing!)
I always thought U2 is at it’s best on, for them, unknown territory. Like the dance-influences, techno, funk and soul on Achtung Baby, Zooropa and POP! Listen how much percussion is used on AB compared to HTDAAB! AB swings, has hips and feet and sound multi-dimensional!
HTDAAB therefore sounds one-dimensional and a lot of times flat. But that’s because they want to rock so much! Leave it be boys!! Boy, War, Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, Zooropa is not even close to rock but are your best albums/songs ever! Melodic Punk/New Wave maybe, but not rock! It’s a sound better than rock.

Boy, War, UF, JT, AB and Zooropa... not even close to rock? Well, with the exception of Zooropa and UF, the others are rock albums (despite its individual influences).
The difference between AB and HTDAAB is not about how much percursions are used. That exists in both (OSC almost don't have it, for instance). The difference is that (ok, it's overproduced) HTDAAB is more rock, more direct, less experimental, and AB brought more fresh sounds and was more innovative.

I'm glad that U2 is not the kind of band that makes what the fans would like them to do, and make all to please them. And thank God that they have always been doing something to turn into a band that has a group of loyal fans that are the only ones that pay attention to them.
I think they'll keep their work in the same direction and with the same objectives they have.
I'm sure they don't want to turn a tribute band of themselves, that's why - even if they do not innovate much on the next album, musically - there'll always be something new to show to the world public.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

@Reggie Thee Dog:
thanks for the YouTube link on the other thread. yes womanfish (the mermaid) is rockin'. especially i like larrys drumming. i don't like boners falsetto, i just can't stand falsettos...too much whining in it.
could it be that womanfish was the motor for songs like GOD Part II, DESIRE, BTBS, THE FLY, ACROBAT.
what i mean is they should do the big riffing thing with some distorsions and hyperactive drumming for the next album. please don't do another boring middleoftheroad record.

jacobus, I agree more riffing, more rocking, some more experimentation...but I like the falsetto part in "Womanfish". There's a vulnerability in Bono's voice that makes it the song that much more passionate. It's not the greatest falsetto, agreed, but it works for that song.

I'd love to hear U2 take Vertigo, marry it with Gone, and "Pop" some crazy, melodic, wild sounds out. I like the idea of "Pop" but I have never been in love with it's finished product. I think that AB was a great album, and the best hybrid of experimentation and the original U2 formula. I hope that the band will experiment some this album and turn the volume up a notch. Don't be afraid of the "big" guitar solo and rock it out a bit. That's all I want.

 

[shart1780]

I'd like to hear something either completely rocking or completely mellow from U2. I'm tired of middle-of-the-road anthems and ballads.

 

[AtomicBono]

I'd love to hear U2 take Vertigo, marry it with Gone, and "Pop" some crazy, melodic, wild sounds out. I like the idea of "Pop" but I have never been in love with it's finished product. I think that AB was a great album, and the best hybrid of experimentation and the original U2 formula. I hope that the band will experiment some this album and turn the volume up a notch. Don't be afraid of the "big" guitar solo and rock it out a bit. That's all I want.

I like that idea I'd like to hear Edge do a really rockin' solo like The Fly or Bullet live on a song... ABOY and LAPOE have good solos, but not nearly as good as those...I know Edge is capable, but he doesn't want to show off, and that's what makes him different from other guitarists. but if he could do some really amazing solos on a couple new songs I bet he'd blow people away.

but yeah, merging the Pop sound with their current approach could make for some damn good rock music

 

[God Part III]

WE DON'T NEED ANYMORE MUSIC THAT SOUNDS LIKE COLDPLAY.

Don't you mean we don't need more music that sounds like the U2 we already know about?

Anyway, my thoughts:
I love Vertigo, and even if I don't love the new album, I love its themes, sounds and atmospheres. It's the production and lyrics that annoy me if anything.
I think Vertigo was a great idea, but we just don't need another one. As Bono said in the Rolling Stone interview, they'd done that for two albums now, looking back, and finding the essence of what U2 music really is. And they've done well, and if they do just as well, I'll be fine.

I'd like an Edge record, with guitar sounds all over the place, but I'd like them to experiment with electronic music as well, like Zooropa, but with guitar solos. I want the City of Blinding Light-guitar taken somewhere else - it's the U2 sound we know and love, but in new arrangements. That'd be great.

But really, what matters most, except for good songwriting, are the themes of the record.
What I really love about this period is the theme of finding "the inner child" or whatever, the importance of being naive once in a while.
It's a very consistent record theme-wise, and if the next album manages have a general theme to it, I think I'm going to like it.

Think about it, the best U2 records are actually the ones that have knows their limits theme-wise: Boy, Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby and Zooropa, whereas Pop and Rattle and Hum seem like a mixed bag messages and themes. I'm not saying they're not great albums, I'm just saying they lack an overall theme, and it slightly annoys me.

In short: Just make a good album, I don't care how long it takes.