The Next Album - A Look Into The Future

[jacobus]

a popular theory about the U2 development over the years is that they record in triologies. what do you think they will end up with the current (final?) stage of their carreer?
personally i wish they should choose Rick Rubin as producer for their next album. He is the man who brings the best out of the artists. He also has the rare talent for stripping down the sound to its essentials. e.g. what he has done with the Audioslave album is exceptional.

 

[U2girl]

Someone new, they had Eno/Lanois on ATYCLB and Lillywhite on HTDAAB.

I expect a further shift to more guitars and rocking sound than we've seen from the last two albums.

 

[bathiu]

U2 improved from ATYCLB to HTDAAB vere, very much, by changing the whole production team.
So if they're going to keep that patern in this trylogy they'd have to change once again the whole team and don't look back.
It's probably the most important part: "don't look back"... (I don't think anyone of us wants another 'October" of R&H where they did it to much)

 

[Aardvark747]

 

[bedouin fire]

i think that, still in the shadow of htdaab, it would be great that they would go for a non-blockbuster album that would be more than a set of great worldwide listenable songs.
What i want to feel from the next u2 album is that, more than being able to be the universal band and sell millions of records, they are still able to deliver something that represents a real progress in their music and in their themes (no matter if with guitars, samples, violins, eno, rubin, george martin...). they did it in the past so well, they can do it this time.

just dreaming...

 

[lazarus]

I don't know if a new producer is the best idea--look what happened with Chris Thomas.

Sure, the news of them collaborating with someone like Nigel Godrich would be cool, but should they run the risk of delaying an album again?

The Beatles had no problem working with George Martin their entire careers, and when they went to someone else (Phil Spector) for assistance, it was one of the things that finally broke up the band.

Personally, I'd like them to hand the reins over to Eno and just fuck stuff up--people always assume Eno will send them off the deep end, but I'd point to ATYCLB as proof otherwise. It doesn't have to be completely experimental to be original. You can still keep Lillywhite around to mix a few tracks to keep things from getting too out of hand.

One other thing to consider--if they are going to try and bang something out quick, perhaps during or right after the tour, Eno's been there before, as he was one of Zooropa's co-prods. I'm guessing that the band won't want to wait another few years to release something, what with all the publicity stuff that you're required to do to "refresh" the public's memory. They're flying as high as they've ever been right now, and should just take advantage of the momentum while they have it--that PR game isn't something you want to play when you're over 45.


laz

 

[U2girl]

I also hope they speed up recording albums as the years go by. It won't get any easier to tour...

I am hoping Lanois will get a chance to produce a U2 album on his own someday; Eno got Passengers and Zooropa already.

 

[Mr Gloria]

what about the Neptunes!!!!!!

make it dirty robtic pop NERD style!

 

[djerdap]

A big rock album. Finally.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

This is the strongest trilogy so far......and this band will never make anything that sounds crap......I just hope the next effort is more song oriented (like ATYCLB) than HTDAAB, which in a few places simply says "We Rock!"

 

[joe_leedsfc07]

If Mercy is anything to by its going to be a lot darker than htdaab. Maybe a mix between Achtung Baby and htdaab.
After all it was Bono that said AB was their best album.
Or maybe i'm just dreamin

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

I also hope they speed up recording albums as the years go by. It won't get any easier to tour...

I am hoping Lanois will get a chance to produce a U2 album on his own someday; Eno got Passengers and Zooropa already.

While technically you are correct about Eno having a hand in most of the Lanois produced albums, Danny pretty much produced both ATYCLB and AB on his own. I know that Eno was there and is credited, but his contributions were more "hit and run" than actually sitting there for months at a time with the band.

I like the idea of bringing in Rick Rubin and turning the guitars up a notch more!

 

[lazarus]

Let's not forget that Lanois thought U2 were ruining their careers by changing their sound so much on Achtung Baby. If Eno hadn't been there to help, there's NO WAY it would have been the masterpiece it is.

Keep Lanois AWAY from a solo production. He may be solid, but he's not a visionary.


laz

 

[ZeroDude]

It will be quite different although U2 have no need to change their personas or anything anymore but it will still be a big departure

 

[U2girl]

Let's not forget that Lanois thought U2 were ruining their careers by changing their sound so much on Achtung Baby. If Eno hadn't been there to help, there's NO WAY it would have been the masterpiece it is.

Keep Lanois AWAY from a solo production. He may be solid, but he's not a visionary.


laz

If I remember right, Lanois single-handedly produced 5 or 6 songs on AB, and helped mix additional 3. He also got the Grammy for producing.

 

[LMP]

u2girl, i think that's true too, but I remember reading in the Flanagan book that Lanois and Bono/Edge wuld fight alot because of where they wanted to go with the album, and when they brought in Eno, things were alot easier