Here's what he said of the new album: (most is what we know, but still, it doesn't really look like it will be ATYCLB II like some claim)
Tell us about the new album.
The album is a great album of big songs. It refers back to practically every period of U2?s musical history and yet it sounds like a cohesive album. It?s not dissimilar to All That You Can?t Leave Behind in terms of the fact that there are some very structured songs in there. It?s got more flow, it?s got more guitars, and it just hangs together that little bit better. It?s a great album.
Do U2 struggle to have things to say now?
The struggle for U2 is to maintain relevance. To keep achieving the things that they want to do?not just artistically, but politically?they need to maintain that status. That?s quite a big pressure to put on yourself, so the songs have to be big songs about big themes. They have to have interesting ideas in them. They also have to be inspirational. They can?t sit down and make a quiet, intimate album. That is their choice. It might be their loss, artistically. You don?t get U2 Blood On The Tracks or the acoustic sessions; you get the big album every time. There is nobody else at that level in the world trying to do that, so thank God for them!
Tell us about the new album.
The album is a great album of big songs. It refers back to practically every period of U2?s musical history and yet it sounds like a cohesive album. It?s not dissimilar to All That You Can?t Leave Behind in terms of the fact that there are some very structured songs in there. It?s got more flow, it?s got more guitars, and it just hangs together that little bit better. It?s a great album.
Do U2 struggle to have things to say now?
The struggle for U2 is to maintain relevance. To keep achieving the things that they want to do?not just artistically, but politically?they need to maintain that status. That?s quite a big pressure to put on yourself, so the songs have to be big songs about big themes. They have to have interesting ideas in them. They also have to be inspirational. They can?t sit down and make a quiet, intimate album. That is their choice. It might be their loss, artistically. You don?t get U2 Blood On The Tracks or the acoustic sessions; you get the big album every time. There is nobody else at that level in the world trying to do that, so thank God for them!
