New Album Discussion 1 - Songs of..... - Unreasonable guitar album

[david]

Haha, there’s a video of supposedly Edge, Bono and another bald guy busking from a week ago and it sounds horrible, specifically “Bono”. Everyone that comments on it makes the usual “forcing their music on people” joke.. but then after you watch it you wonder why Edge looks like he has legs extensions and why this version of Bono sounds horrible and also WAY over does then Bono mannerisms and then you realize it’s that Pavol/Paval(sp) guy. It’s so cringe. I feel bad I guess for people that meet him and think they met Bono.

 

[Rich79]

I've historically landed on the side of "I don't care what they do, as long as it's experimental and doesn't sound like anything they've ever done" but as time goes on, I've cared less about them catering to my particular tastes and really what I'd like to see is just them making music in the moment for themselves, no matter the style.

Like I want them to just say "Hey these are the songs that came out of these songwriting sessions...do they "do it" for us, the band?" and if so, they grab another couple sessions to hammer them into a complete form and there's a release even if it's not a full 10+ track LP. Don't ask "do these have radio potential?" Don't ask "do these fit a typical verse/chorus/verse/chorus/bridge/chorus structure?" Don't ask "do we need another producer to make this more palatable?" Don't ask "does this play well in an arena/stadium?" Don't ask "does this song sound like it'll lift people up and/or speak to the widest possible demographic?" etc.

Basically, as we've mostly all said before, stop the second, third, fourth guessing. It's okay to take a step back to look at what you have to see what's a dud and what's a keeper, but that should be one train-stop toward the destination.

I do think "Atomic City" is still a sign of the exact antithesis of this (It's the equivalent of when Mick Foley would say the name of the city he was in for a cheap pop for any WWE fans out there), as well as what we've heard about work on new material lately; going from all-out rock album likely this year to let's try something totally not that and who knows when it'll come out. Maybe Eno can help keep them off the beaten path they've more or less been on for 20+ years, but I don't know. The vibe already feels off, if you ask me.

 

[Rich79]

I keep telling myself if I come back here, I'm limited to like three sentences and then there I go writing a novel again. Still the blue-crack of yore.

 

[Irvine511]

I am also not much in the “rawk” camp and more in the sad/bittersweet camp, and I like Atomic City. It’s on my current gym playlist. It has a better swagger than anything on I/E, some really creative, fun lyrics, and a somewhat euphoric chorus. It’s much better than the recent one-offs we’ve been getting from them.

Don’t want an album of this, but it was good for what it intended to be. And it worked live.

I want them to shrug off the pressure of U2’S NEXT ALBUM and go with what they want, whether that’s rawk or Mongolian throat singing. I think sci-fi Irish sounds great. Go for it.

Because, honestly, the world really isn’t on pins and needles awaiting U2’S NEXT ALBUM. I am, sure. But most folks aren’t.

 

[DeVaul]

40 Ft Man > Atomic City

 

[ChurchBay]

A thing I used to say a long time ago, (Probably in the 90's or the 2000's) was that Bono could fart along to a drum machine, and I'd probably like it. Wherever U2 has gone musically, I've gone with them and mostly enjoyed the ride. Sure, there's gonna be a few songs that are not my favorites, but it's still U2. Works for me.

Same here. For me, the albums after All That You Can't Leave Behind (which I've grown up to appreciate more and more as the perfect foil to their 90s brilliance) are kind of a victory lap and I'll keep digging what they do.

That in large part comes from the fact that I'm entirely satisfied and very wholesome from their output. I got everything I needed from them in their 1980-2000 stretch. My god, it is absolutely perfect. I love them for everything they did in that period.

I don't mind or care what they did afterwards. And for all the shite thrown at Bomb, NLOTH, SOI, SOE they are albums that have maintained U2's supremacy on the live circuit. Albums that have thrown out their fair contributions to my ultimate U2 playlist on Spotify.

And I will still listen religiously to their next release because I know there will be a handful of tunes that just do the business 100%. Good lord, how I'd be so excited to hear songs as good as Sometimes You Can't Make It, COBL, Moment of Surrender, Little Things, Magnificent or Lights of Home. All top division U2 songs for me.

So I still trust them a lot. Even if the album doesn't quite stand up, they've shown they still have the songs. Remember, this is U2 we're talking about.

If there was an alternative history where U2 doubled down on their post Achtung 90s explorations, irony and abandoned the mainstream it'd have been very fascinating indeed. But I know in such a history I'd be gagging for them to do something where they could wrap their arms around the world and appeal to the masses. I like the ambition to appeal universally, I like the naked truth that Bono's lyrics can still communicate. And they still do that from time to time - I wouldn't be on this forum otherwise.

All that said, I'm totally behind a Sci fi folk album! I am absolutely ready for their version of The Seeger Sessions: The Next Generation!! (I'm sure they can release their standard album that will allow them to tour as well. Just fucking release anything and everything lads! No need to think twice!)

 

[super fly guy]

Is Atomic City bad?

No.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Let's just say, if this is the big 'fuck off rock album' they had in mind, then they've done us all a favour in abandoning it.

Please please please ditch the 'rawk' for god sake, it's embarrassing at this stage. But its indicative of another creative decision that has killed their careers, and that is the obsession with America. I think there's a bias in trying to appeal to MOR American rock radio stations these days. They were absolutely stung by the reaction to Pop in America, unfortunately bowing to ultra conservative musically illiterate hillbillies who thought they'd become 'f*gs'. Much of the Euro influences of U2 went over the heads of large swathes of Americans, those more attuned to Kid Rock, Bon Jovi and Billy Rae Cyrus. Songs like Atomic City absolutely cater to that ultra safe US audience who have no tastes. Only Eno and Lanois have dragged them out of that stupor in parts since 2000 (although we cant blame them two for the No Line sabotage).

what on earth are you talking about?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Haha, there’s a video of supposedly Edge, Bono and another bald guy busking from a week ago and it sounds horrible, specifically “Bono”. Everyone that comments on it makes the usual “forcing their music on people” joke.. but then after you watch it you wonder why Edge looks like he has legs extensions and why this version of Bono sounds horrible and also WAY over does then Bono mannerisms and then you realize it’s that Pavol/Paval(sp) guy. It’s so cringe. I feel bad I guess for people that meet him and think they met Bono.

U2 Impersonators in Paris Spark Anger and Confusion at Bataclan Concert Hall

Longtime Bono impostor Pavel Sfera upset employees at the Bataclan when he performed "One" in front of the Paris concert hall.

www.rollingstone.com

Pavel has done a lot of cringy things before.

This is something different. It's not cringy, it's absolute bullshit, a new low, and, frankly for me, unforgiveable. totally classless and a line that should never have been crossed.

It was actually a stunt by Bono impersonator Pavel Sfera and Edge doppelgänger Steve Richards. According to French newspaper Le Parisien (via Stereogum), they told Bataclan employees they were actually Bono and the Edge and attempted to enter the venue. “They introduced themselves as U2 before admitting that it was a joke,” a Bataclan employee told the paper. “In the meantime, they performed a song in front of the hall on the sidewalk. This is a joke in very bad taste that probably went beyond them and to which we do not wish to give more attention than it deserves.”

 

[david]

Pavel is definitely not better than the real thing.

 

[phanan]

Gives new meaning to the term Fake Edge

 

[vaz020202]

Not read any of these fake Bono and Edge articles. It’s totally infuriating

 

[ChurchBay]

Let's just say, if this is the big 'fuck off rock album' they had in mind, then they've done us all a favour in abandoning it.

Please please please ditch the 'rawk' for god sake, it's embarrassing at this stage. But its indicative of another creative decision that has killed their careers, and that is the obsession with America. I think there's a bias in trying to appeal to MOR American rock radio stations these days. They were absolutely stung by the reaction to Pop in America, unfortunately bowing to ultra conservative musically illiterate hillbillies who thought they'd become 'f*gs'. Much of the Euro influences of U2 went over the heads of large swathes of Americans, those more attuned to Kid Rock, Bon Jovi and Billy Rae Cyrus. Songs like Atomic City absolutely cater to that ultra safe US audience who have no tastes. Only Eno and Lanois have dragged them out of that stupor in parts since 2000 (although we cant blame them two for the No Line sabotage).

A big 'fuck off America' album would be nice for us Europeans.

 

[ChurchBay]

Not read any of these fake Bono and Edge articles. It’s totally infuriating

Just googled this Pavel fella. Pretty sure it's Noel Edmonds.

 

[DeVaul]

It’s almost like he has always sucked

 

[lazarus]

Forgive me for not having the energy to scroll back to when the first Re-assemble tracks were dropped and discussed, but is the only difference between Xanax & Wine and Pictures of You that the first chorus was removed for the new version? I I don't listen to X&W often because I prefer the sound of Fast Cars, but after a couple back-to-back comparisons today I couldn't hear anything else, I just remember people saying there were some weird-sounding edits. A really pointless change, IMO, and I don't know why anyone would prefer Pictures.

Also, is All Because of You 2 the exact same as the alt. version from Rare, Medium, and Unreleased? The lengths seem to be the same and I couldn't hear a variation. I think I prefer it to the album version mainly because the verses just have a more interesting vocal approach.

And I'll ask the same thing about Smile from the above collection vs the longer-titled one on Re-assemble; similar song lengths and I can't hear a difference.

 

[PookaMacP]

I listened to the Record Store Day podcast with the Edge interview yesterday, and he mentioned a fun tidbit about Mercy/Luckiest: the “dirty”, driving guitar that opens the song is him, but the second guitar following it that plays the cleaner, single notes is Bono. Edge said he really liked what Bono did there and I agree.

Yep. Love that nugget of info.

And I agree, it sounds great. Reinforces the idea that the magic comes when they're all bouncing off each other.

Some nice insight from Edge here (on a Record Store day podcast) about how Luckiest Man came together. It never would have dawned on me that it was Bono playing some of the guitar parts in the intro.

The Record Store Day Podcast with Paul Myers

Listen from around 54:40 for the reference to Luckiest Man.

 

[DomCobb]

Forgive me for not having the energy to scroll back to when the first Re-assemble tracks were dropped and discussed, but is the only difference between Xanax & Wine and Pictures of You that the first chorus was removed for the new version? I I don't listen to X&W often because I prefer the sound of Fast Cars, but after a couple back-to-back comparisons today I couldn't hear anything else, I just remember people saying there were some weird-sounding edits. A really pointless change, IMO, and I don't know why anyone would prefer Pictures.

I think there’s maybe some other edits around the bridge/ending, but I don’t remember. I actually prefer Picture of You because I’m not crazy about the chorus in general and always felt like it stopped the momentum in Xanax and Wine. This to me keeps the energy going.

Also, is All Because of You 2 the exact same as the alt. version from Rare, Medium, and Unreleased? The lengths seem to be the same and I couldn't hear a variation. I think I prefer it to the album version mainly because the verses just have a more interesting vocal approach.

The entire vocal on this version is doubled by Edge, and there’s at least one lyric change (“and the atom split” vs “I swear I did”). This one again I prefer because they finally got the chorus right with the new harmony.

And I'll ask the same thing about Smile from the above collection vs the longer-titled one on Re-assemble; similar song lengths and I can't hear a difference.

No idea if there’s any change for this or Are You Gonna Wait Forver, I think no for some reason.

 

[dan_smee]

AYGWF have some level tweaking and a bigger remaster factor, some of the hard edges sanded back and it seems overall a bit more polished as a result. Smile the same but to a lesser extent.

POY I prefer to X+Y. The cut to the “save me” bit in X+Y I always found quite jarring. Picture of you is structurally odd, but it feels like as a song it flows better (if you can unlearn the other versions).

 

[lazarus]

Ok, thanks for the feedback. Gonna keep listening to both to notice the variations more. As I said, I've always been in the Fast Cars camp, as I find Bono's falsetto singing the title of X&W to be painfully strained. And while I appreciate the raw, "garage" style of what they were originally doing, Fast Cars is so well-produced and the music has that Spanish flavor that we don't hear very often from them. Plus, knowing that Bono has a propensity for speeding in his sports cars (per Eno) makes the title humorously personal.

 

[Rich79]

Ok, thanks for the feedback. Gonna keep listening to both to notice the variations more. As I said, I've always been in the Fast Cars camp, as I find Bono's falsetto singing the title of X&W to be painfully strained. And while I appreciate the raw, "garage" style of what they were originally doing, Fast Cars is so well-produced and the music has that Spanish flavor that we don't hear very often from them. Plus, knowing that Bono has a propensity for speeding in his sports cars (per Eno) makes the title humorously personal.

I'm in the Fast Cars camp too for pretty much the same reasons. I feel like there are also some nuances like the low riff near the end that provide it some depth too but maybe it's just the smoother production revealing all the moving pieces at work.

 

[phanan]

I also prefer Fast Cars

 

[vaz020202]

I prefer Fast Cars as a solo single release but prefer Picture as an inclusion on an album

 

[super fly guy]

Gives new meaning to the term Fake Edge

Fedge

 

[BEAL]

I think ABOY2 - part 2 is the best version of the song (even with Bono’s minor lyric change)

Having edge back him during the verses, and the adjusted chorus just flows better

And the backing track just sounds more raw and less hyper polished. The original album version is a bit jarring.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

am i the only one who thinks the original version is the best thing that ever happened ABOY ?

 

[MrPryck2U]

am i the only one who thinks the original version is the best thing that ever happened ABOY ?

I like the original version more also. I think it sounds better remastered too.

 

[RUBIKSCUBE]

I've always been conflicted with the album version of ABOY. I find it to be so weak up until the end of the second chorus, but it ends firing on all cylinders and is a rare example of U2 actually sounding like a rock band on record.

 

[lazarus]

I can see that, but the trade-off isn't worth it. With ABOY2, you still get Bono's scream and the guitar solo, even if it doesn't go as hard. The verses and choruses are superior.

 

[BEAL]

am i the only one who thinks the original version is the best thing that ever happened ABOY ?

We see what you did here