Time Magazine on the new album...

[RademR]

CRITIC'S CHOICE:
DOING WHAT THEY KNOW HOW TO DO BEST

They are now men of a certain age, and it no longer becomes them to aspire to be things they are not. So there's no crunk-style rapping on the new U2 album, no gospel choirs or techno experiments, nothing that could possibly be misinterpreted as a sign of midlife crisis. Instead, this as-yet-untitled album is just full of confident, expansive guitar rock from the masters of the form. All the old tricks ? the Edge's echoing guitar notes, Larry Mullen Jr.'s martial snare ? still work, although Bono has lost a touch of the high clarity he had in his mullet-sporting days. He still has enormous assuredness, and the occasional cracks in his voice make the bad-relationship songs (and, as always, there are quite a few) darker and more dramatic. Custom would seem to demand that U2 start embarrassing itself one of these days. But not today.

--By Josh Tyrangiel

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101040830-686038-3,00.html

wow...this is getting better and better

 

[VertiGone]

Dark and dramatic bad-relationship songs YAY. Bono's voice cracking BOO. Either way, sounds awesome.

 

[RademR]

I wonder if this guy heard the whole thing. He said the 'album" and not just the first single, which Neil M. remarked about the other day. If so, I guess they figured out their whole tracklisting by now. When you get 20 years older, you're bound to lose a little voice. Im not worried at all about his voice.

 

[martha]

'Course, people in the press tend to shit themselves over U2 records in general, but I like the phrase "guitar rock."

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

That's just !

 

[U2DMfan]

Plenty of cracks on ATYCLB and MDH, maybe the band thinks this gives Bono's voice character.

Still no song titles or even an album title. I like the secrecy though. Maybe U2 will make an appearance at the MTV VMA's next week. Doubt it, but it's possible. Wouldn't that be a great surprise, though? Hell, it's in Miami. Don't they love Miami?

 

[djerdap]

Man, I could write that. I doubt the guy heard the whole album. I mean, "expansive guitar rock"? Sounds like Bono. It doesn't like Neil McCormick who is more down to earth. We already know the new album won't be like that. And about Bono's cracking, for me, Vertigo and All Because of You sound great. Better than Pop and ATYCLB, considering Bono's voice. There isn't a single proof in this article that the guy actually heard it all.

 

[The Sage]

Man, I could write that. I doubt the guy heard the whole album. I mean, "expansive guitar rock"? Sounds like Bono. It doesn't like Neil McCormick who is more down to earth. We already know the new album won't be like that. And about Bono's cracking, for me, Vertigo and All Because of You sound great. Better than Pop and ATYCLB, considering Bono's voice. There isn't a single proof in this article that the guy actually heard it all.

true, it does sound that way, but time magazine are very respectable (as far as I know) and I would hope theyre not in the habit of making up reviews...

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

Hey djerdap you mean just because Neil McCormick says the album sounds one way or the other, that that is the only possible way it is going to sound? C'mon, Neil has his opinions, just like whoever wrote that Time article has his.

I expect "big guitars" on this album. And that might mean something different to me than it does to you.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

Everything I read so far points to a very Edgecentric album. I really like the sounds of that!

 

[womanfish]

I don't know. This guy seems pretty unimpressed. When Time goes from gushing over them in the late 80's, early 90's to - um, it doesn't suck - it's pretty dissapointing. I was hoping for, WOW, you won't believe how fresh and energized and rocking they sound. But dark relationship songs are the definite bright point in this sneek peak!!

 

[u2popmofo]

I honestly wouldnt be too surprised if he hasnt heard any of the album at all.

I'm a pessimist.

 

[zoopop]

There is some news about the new album on the front page of yahoo.com

I want to hear this tunes so bad. I really think U2 will do a promo with Itunes before September 24th. Almost here

 

[bedouin fire]

i lovr the occasional cracks in bono's voice

 

[Jim]

Without going on about Bono's voice, I've noticed that his vocal range is still much wider than most other lead vocalists.

 

[djerdap]

Hey djerdap you mean just because Neil McCormick says the album sounds one way or the other, that that is the only possible way it is going to sound? C'mon, Neil has his opinions, just like whoever wrote that Time article has his.

I expect "big guitars" on this album. And that might mean something different to me than it does to you.

You're right. I was a bit drunk when I wrote that. Still, I don't believe that this guy actually heard the whole album.

 

[saltwaterkiss26]

It's possible he heard snippets of each song - somehow I doubt U2 would go around throwing out full copies of an album that they've already had such a big problem with. Seems like tempting fate to me, don't you think?

Bono's voice always cracks. The man isn't 25 anymore, you know. I'm sure they're not godawful hitches - and like Time said, it adds a nice drama to the bad relationship songs. (Since when did Bono ever write 'good relationship' songs? Might as well just call them 'relationship' songs...)

I like 'doing what they know how to do best' and 'embarrassing themselves... not today'. A good review is a good review. Personally, I'm glad to hear they're not overturning some new experimental leaf. I loved the 90's, but I do think they pushed it to its limit, and should probably take a little time away.

 

[RademR]

I'm with you, saltwater. You can't take anything negative from a good review. That yahoo article says "The band has been previewing tracks to select music industry types, and the buzz has been tremendous." So maybe this Time's guy did hear some stuff off the new album. Either way, good news.

 

[innocent_eyes]

*Tremendous Buzz*=happy u2 fans=me!!!

Love that quote!

 

[Diemen]

Hmm. Maybe I'm weird, but I'm of the opinion that when "U2 start embarassing itself," things get much more interesting musically. This guy makes it sound like the album will be good, but safe. Personally I wouldn't mind U2 risking embarassment again.

 

[Numb1075]

Diemen, much more interesting ala Zooropa and Pop? I liked when they took big risks too and weren't afraid to embarrass themselves. That's a good point.

 

[Lo-Fi]

Totally agree Diemen, but I can't help but feel the new record will have very little in the way of taking chances, probably none. It's written in the same vien of ATYCLB so rumours say in terms of how they've crafted the songs. So I don't see any experiemental elements coming into play. Again, I can't help but feel U2 are conforming to the mainstream a little bit now.

They need to work harder in keeping the mainstream on their side. In the early ninties, the mainstream just followed U2 where ever they went until Pop came out. I think that scared U2 a little bit as it was the first time they lost mainstream intrest.

 

[starsgoblue]

Perhaps the writer was offhandedly trying to convey the fact that this is a band that has lasted "forever" in the music world--that alone is an accomplishment!

And I for one like Bono's voice a little weathered...it makes me does this So much more emotion spills out when it has a little bit of raggedness in the voice.