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

[dan_smee]

So nothing on the RSD Black Friday list it seems?

 

[AndrewCowley]

The Sphere should have been the lead into an album and tour. If no album then just a tour.

2 years down the road and neither has occurred. Hence The Sphere is now an irrelevant footnote. Similar to Invisible.

 

[DeVaul]

If they’re smart (they aren’t), they’ll use the exterior to tease whatever they’re doing next that isn’t Sphere.

 

[super fly guy]

Had a very weird U2 dream last night, they were on a non descript chat show to perform a song. Bono looked like pop era Bono and he was rattling a collection bucket about looking for money for charity! They then proceeded to perform Breathe and the crowd were booing and shouting at them.

 

[MattD]

Craving some album news. Almost pathetically. Even the tiniest crumb.

Anyway, I've had a thought, and they really need to lean into the more 'rootsy' traditional genres again.

When they consciously become 'leather trousers rawk' or 'pop' post-No Line, the results have been mediocre but much of U2's best derives from traditional music or the 'Great American Songbook' (early to mid 20th century influences - e.g. soul, blues, vocal jazz), whether it be gospel, folk, soul, blues, hymns, etc. I think it's a reason why Joshua Tree continues to resonate across the decades - songs built from ambient textures that nonetheless evolved into things with traditional vibes giving it a timeless familiarity that exists outside of the decade it came from. Came to a head with Rattle & Hum and its finest moments (for all its flaws, still contains some of U2's greatest songs). Even afterwards when they went more experimental, their albums that followed have much 'trad appeal' like Love Is Blindness (intended for Nina Simone I think), Stuck In A Moment (modern gospel melody), Moment of Surrender (ditto), Velvet Dress (ideas as a vocal jazz track) White As Snow (lovely melody derived from a hymn that works perfectly). It's actually why I like Glorify a lot (if they ever release it) - it's soulful and has that yearning melody to it that fits U2's vibe perfectly.

Hope their pursuit of more Irish folk influences transpires clearly on a new album - ironically a genre that we haven't heard so much influences from. It's not about trying to be relevant, it's about making an album that can stand the test of time in decades, and no better way to achieve that than be inspired by the timeless genres.

 

[2861U2]

U2 Valencia posted this on Facebook. A video from the boys honoring Anton Corbijn, who was given an award on October 2. Nothing album related, but it shows them all together at least.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Obviously preparing for another U2:UV show but with Larry this time.

 

[ferball415]

Obviously preparing for another U2:UV show but with Larry this time.

And what better time than the 35th anniversary of them on (supposedly) last-ever flight into East Berlin to make album in question.

 

[ascender_RS]

We're only just into October, there's lots of time left this year for an album or tour announcement. I'm still interested to see what they meant by approaching touring differently next time or if that's just something else they've changed their minds on.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I wonder if they'll just plant themselves in a few cities and do mini residencies. They sort of proved that people will travel - but that was a special circumstance with a special venue.

And if people thought going to Vegas was expensive, wait until you get a lot of Manhattan hotel prices.

 

[Registered Dude]

I think the album is done. And I think they’re sitting on it.

 

[BEAL]

either done or they’re done

 

[JamietheEdgefan]

I think the album is done. And I think they’re sitting on it.

Interesting… for what purpose?

Still waiting for Larry to recover?

 

[Registered Dude]

Next year is a big year for them

 

[DeVaul]

I wonder if they'll just plant themselves in a few cities and do mini residencies. They sort of proved that people will travel - but that was a special circumstance with a special venue.

****, they proved it when i+e hit a total of 10 North American cities.

 

[JamietheEdgefan]

Intriguing! If they have plans for next year, but don’t want to put a finished album out yet, I wonder what that could mean… perhaps they’re planning to do what Bono suggested recently - “playing the album live first”, i.e. going on tour, or at least playing a handful of special shows, and debuting brand new, unreleased material along the way, ahead of an eventual album release.

Perhaps they could road test new songs (and even variations of those songs) to see what sounds best live, and use that to determine final versions that will make the album.

It could be like the 360 tour after they dropped the focus on NLOTH; a heavy focus on the crowd pleasers, but with the buzz of introducing never-heard-before material. Given their hit making days are likely behind them, and most casual people in the crowd are unlikely to be too excited to hear anything post-HTDAAB, perhaps new songs would be received a bit more positively it’s framed as “no one has heard this before, you’re the first”.

 

[david]

I wonder what they’ll do in terms of reissues for their 50th next year.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Next year is a big year for them

But will they wait until the actual 50th anniversary to drop the album? I'm which case it's only a big few months.

 

[pacemaker]

A one-off show in Larry’s old kitchen, billed as the U2:FEEDBACK Residency. Touring duties fulfilled.

 

[TinKnight]

There is no album.

 

[Hewson]

There is no album.

Songs of No Songs.

 

[wolbersu2]

I wonder what they’ll do in terms of reissues for their 50th next year.

They hardly do reissues. Last years HTDAAB was a nice exception.
They could've done so much more.
I would like an updated version for the Anton Corbijn u2 and I book, but reissues or shows from their vaults....no.

 

[Dragonfave]

 

[ferball415]

They hardly do reissues.

Since 2008 they’ve reissued, on one format or another, virtually everything they’ve ever put out, to varying degrees of fanfare, have they not?

 

[david]

They need to open the vault.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

U2 company records €1.4m loss, accounts reveal

Band’s musical equipment, once valued at €266,000, now on books as worth €2,100

www.irishtimes.com

 

[DeVaul]

U2 company records €1.4m loss, accounts reveal

Band’s musical equipment, once valued at €266,000, now on books as worth €2,100

www.irishtimes.com

Reads like typical accounting shenanigans but also kinda funny. Does the corp drop their own estimated value if something hasn’t been, say, used in awhile?

 

[2861U2]

I listened to part 1 of the podcast. Mostly business talk. Nothing relating to new music or anything. Looks like part 2 will be up in a couple days.

 

[Hewson]

Reads like typical accounting shenanigans but also kinda funny. Does the corp drop their own estimated value if something hasn’t been, say, used in awhile?

Yeah, just sounds like the accountant is depreciating the equipment like it was a fleet of company vehicles or something.

 

[david]

There’s always money in the reissue banana stand…