ishkash said:
I think rock and U2 off late has been a love and hate affair.I remember The Edge saying that they dont feel like doing songs like Elevation any more.The reason that we dont get much of a rock from U2 is because of Bono's singing.Bono is a more of a Pop singer than a rock singer.Compared to greats like Eddie Vedder, Freddie Mercury,Robert Plant etc...Bono has a very soft and a delicate voice.He rather caresses a song than say belts it, like he used to do in the pre-Joshua Tree days.This is one of the prime reasong that U2 dont sound like "rock" anymore.
Lets take examples of songs from ATYCLB.Beautiful Day and New York.In these songs parts when Bono belts it, the band can really pull of a rock thing.But fortunately/unfortunately Bono now a days cant maintain the same octave for too long (eg Pride, New Years Day, etc).Consider Elevation, when Bono is not singing the band is really going for it, but when Bono is singing Larry and Adam have to let it a bit lose.For the main chorus Bono uses his high falsetto range.This is one of reason why Sunday Bloody Sunday has lost it "magic" the intensity is no longer there.
I am not trying to make Bono a villain over here.He is singing beautifully and I hope to hear him in that half sing and half speak fashion.But for U2 to write a hard rock song, it would take somethng special out of Bono.
Now the point is that they did some really hard numbers on the last tour.Agreed! but The Fly is more melodic now as compared to what we heard in 1992-4.Bullet is more of rant than the growl we used to hear in 87-89, plus Zoo TV had that alter effects to the voice.Plus now Bono more of sings on songs like I Will Follow, Bad and Pride.
Said that....I hope Electrical Storm...really storms
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ignore the typos
Ishkash, I do know where you are coming from, but keep in mind that ATYCLB was intended to be a
soul album. Remember,
Pop was only released a couple years before the making of ATYCLB, and
Pop was very much a harder-rock/electronic album, and Bono was up for it. Ironically, I think his voice sounds more powerful -- in the literal sense -- on ATYCLB than on
Pop. On songs like 'Walk On' and 'Kite', Bono demonstrates the ability to once again really belt it out, something that was missing on
Pop (now maybe that's a good thing, as the material on
Pop needed a rougher, whispier vocal in order for the desperation and mood to come through on many of the songs -- ie, 'Please').
That said, I do understand your point of great rock-singers having the ability to
carry a rock song, vocally (I think that was what you were driving at, correct?). Bono used to have this ability -- the ability to get above the noise of the guitars, drums, and layering with a depth, and not necessarily with a higher register, but a depth and richness -- to carry the song and take it places where the rest of the band would follow. Songs such as WOWY, believe it or not, and also 'Bad' illustrate this. Now when Bono sings these songs, it's almost like he's keeping up with the music, instead of the other way around.
However, Bono is a great adaptor, and I believe he will surprise us once again with special vocals on 'Electric Storm'. Can't wait to hear it...
struck by a menacing burst of electricity singing the very hairs off the back of your neck when you hear it.
