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

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I don't think that's a good sign for those who want a more experimental U2, though.

I think that's a sign of more early 2000s U2 vs 90s.

Less pop focused than the 2010s output (thank God), but not necessarily harking back to the days of Achtung Baby and Zooropa.

 

[JamietheEdgefan]

something that gives me hope is that supposedly Larry was a driving force in the studio in recent recordings. I'd love to think he and Adam decided to assert themselves creatively, so it's less the Edge and Bono show, and more the four of them bringing ideas and approaches and advocating for those ideas

That’s good to know!

That also might explain how they went from describing the next album as an all out rock project, to talking about Eno/Irish Folk, which happened around the time Larry rejoined them in the studio.

It was also around that time that Bono talked about wanting to go back to songwriting via studio jamming together as a band - he said it in relation to the Atomic Bomb reissue (and wanting to recapture that sound), but it seemed quite relevant to the fact that the whole band were playing together again, whereas by the sounds of it, recording before then had been Bono and Edge, with Adam and Larry just ‘filling in the gaps’.

Hopefully this all indicates they’ve returned more to the pre-‘songs of’ writing process, where the songs might not have worked on an acoustic guitar or piano, but they sounded like something only they could make.

 

[MattD]

something that gives me hope is that supposedly Larry was a driving force in the studio in recent recordings. I'd love to think he and Adam decided to assert themselves creatively, so it's less the Edge and Bono show, and more the four of them bringing ideas and approaches and advocating for those ideas

Although it could be argued Larry is the driving force for 'dad rawk' riffs. He's been the most dismissive of experimentalism, perhaps coercing Bono and Edge into being a 'rawk' band and writing 'rawk' songs like American Soul. He called the more interesting part of No Line as 'No Craic', despises Passengers and when asked what modern progressive music they had been listening to when making Achtung, famously pulled out a list of classic rock acts.

 

[JWR1992]

Larry is poison. They need Bram

 

[Registered Dude]

Although it could be argued Larry is the driving force for 'dad rawk' riffs. He's been the most dismissive of experimentalism, perhaps coercing Bono and Edge into being a 'rawk' band and writing 'rawk' songs like American Soul. He called the more interesting part of No Line as 'No Craic', despises Passengers and when asked what modern progressive music they had been listening to when making Achtung, famously pulled out a list of classic rock acts.

I wonder if Larry just resents the stuff where there’s little to no percussion

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Although it could be argued Larry is the driving force for 'dad rawk' riffs. He's been the most dismissive of experimentalism, perhaps coercing Bono and Edge into being a 'rawk' band and writing 'rawk' songs like American Soul. He called the more interesting part of No Line as 'No Craic', despises Passengers and when asked what modern progressive music they had been listening to when making Achtung, famously pulled out a list of classic rock acts.

Sounds like you dislike rawk.

U2 have always been at their best when they toe the line between experimentation and accessible, popular music. That has mostly led to great success, but has also brought failure (No Line). When they go too far in one direction (Songs of albums) or the other (Passengers), it's brought irrelevance.

 

[DeVaul]

I’ll pay attention when Adam says something of note.

 

[Registered Dude]

You know they’re irrelevant when we don’t even get a Rolling Stone feature on the recording sessions. They’ve done some in depth ones over th e years.. I remember in the lead up to ATYCLB reading about songs like Stir My Soul and getting so excited

 

[2861U2]

You know they’re irrelevant when we don’t even get a Rolling Stone feature on the recording sessions. They’ve done some in depth ones over th e years.. I remember in the lead up to ATYCLB reading about songs like Stir My Soul and getting so excited

I emailed RS a couple months ago (one of those “Have an idea for a story?” things) asking if they could give us an update on the next album. Didn’t get a response, and I guess they haven’t acted on it, at least not yet.

 

[BEAL]

You know they’re irrelevant when we don’t even get a Rolling Stone feature on the recording sessions. They’ve done some in depth ones over th e years.. I remember in the lead up to ATYCLB reading about songs like Stir My Soul and getting so excited

Does seem like something a music mag would find interesting

An aging band….years since their last album release but successful residency in Vegas

What do they have left ? Is this their swan song ? What narrative are they pursuing….where do they seem themselves at this point and how to cap off their legacy

 

[MattD]

You know they’re irrelevant when we don’t even get a Rolling Stone feature on the recording sessions. They’ve done some in depth ones over th e years.. I remember in the lead up to ATYCLB reading about songs like Stir My Soul and getting so excited.

Probably by design. Reading the Wikipedia article of No Line, many of the reviews dismissed the album because it wasnt as experimental as they expected. Those expectations stemming from various articles prior to release. In fact the Wiki article says they used that album as a lesson not to hype up future releases.

Dont think we got deep dives into the Innocence and Experience sessions did we?

 

[MattD]

Sounds like you dislike rawk.

U2 have always been at their best when they toe the line between experimentation and accessible, popular music. That has mostly led to great success, but has also brought failure (No Line). When they go too far in one direction (Songs of albums) or the other (Passengers), it's brought irrelevance.

I dont disagree with the balance between experimentation and accessibility. Certainly not against them making rock music. 'Rawk' is my derisive word for songs like American Soul, Boots, Miracle, etc - the cliched, generic and tame songs U2 think are 'balls out, canyon making' noise or whatever hyperbole Bono comes out with.

If U2 want to rock out, tunes like No Line On The Horizon is a good example. Propulsive and heavily guitar driven song with great sonic textures. It's the kind of rock that only U2 can do and should do.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I get it.

I would disagree on Boots, though.

Boots is not generic, cliched or tame. It's experimental and takes a chance.

It's also just plain bad.

So there are hits and misses in both sides of the coin.

 

[DeVaul]

You know they’re irrelevant when we don’t even get a Rolling Stone feature on the recording sessions. They’ve done some in depth ones over th e years.. I remember in the lead up to ATYCLB reading about songs like Stir My Soul and getting so excited

Methinks they’re opting to go the SOE “stay quiet” route and let the chips fall wherever once the album is done. If they’ve got something more compelling song-wise and different tour-wise, RS will be waiting for them with a 5 star review from David Fricke already drafted.

 

[ferball415]

Methinks they’re opting to go the SOE “stay quiet” route and let the chips fall wherever once the album is done. If they’ve got something more compelling song-wise and different tour-wise, RS will be waiting for them with a 5 star review from David Fricke already drafted.

Not to mention Andy Greene with a five-gallon bucket of softballs on the pitcher’s mound.

 

[2861U2]

Happy *sigh* 8th birthday to U2’s most recent album

 

[ascender_RS]

I think that comment about Larry was just a throwaway remark when asked how he was getting on and what it's like now he's back. Until we hear some actual music from the sessions I have no idea what direction they're going in. I think that's always been the case with the band, you just can't put much stock in the soundbites that come out when they're in the studio.

Fool me once etc...

 

[AndrewCowley]

Happy *sigh* 8th birthday to U2’s most recent album

8 years covered Boy to Rattle and Hum. Just saying.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

are you trying to say that the band was more prolific and active in their 20s than they are in their 60s?

 

[DeVaul]

are you trying to say that the band was more prolific and active in their 20s than they are in their 60s?

Robert Pollard shakes his head, has another drink

 

[MattD]

Happy *sigh* 8th birthday to U2’s most recent album

Mind blowing! Imagine being told that in 2017! (The coffee shop re-recordings of Songs of Surrender don't count!). 8 plus years, the new one has to be good surely?

 

[The John Tree]

Just doing my semi-annual check in and wanted to say that I kinda like Boots and my hot take is that I'll take Boots over Vertigo any day.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

eww

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Mind blowing! Imagine being told that in 2017! (The coffee shop re-recordings of Songs of Surrender don't count!). 8 plus years, the new one has to be good surely?

2017 - Joshua Tree 30th tour
2018 - Songs of Experience album + tour
2019 - additional JT30 tour dates
2020 - entire world shuts down, nobody tours
2021 - nobody does **** for first half of the year, Bono pretends to be a lion singing with a hedgehog in a fake Sphere
2022 - Bono's book is released, one man show starts in November
2023 - Songs of Surrender is released, A Sort of Homecoming released, more Bono solo shows, Atmos Achtung Baby mix released, Sphere shows begin
2024 - more Sphere shows, Bomb remaster and reissue released with fully produced b-sides and outtakes
2025 - lazy bastards barely did anything. Bono released a film. what wankers.
2026 - likely album and possible tour

so, like, they HAVE been fairly busy in that time. 3 years of touring, a residency and a solo tour, plus an album, a bunch of reissues, a book, a few movies and an elaborate re-recording of 40 old songs.

 

[TinKnight]

I like Boots, and I'll never forget that y'all liked it too, long before I could create an account.

 

[DeVaul]

Fookin’ shameless lot of Boots lickers is what you are

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I like Boots, and I'll never forget that y'all liked it too, long before I could create an account.

i have gone back in time and confirmed that this, for me at least, was not the case.

[crowd]: what about your thoughts on Stand Up Comedy?

me

 

[phanan]

2017 - Joshua Tree 30th tour
2018 - Songs of Experience album + tour
2019 - additional JT30 tour dates
2020 - entire world shuts down, nobody tours
2021 - nobody does **** for first half of the year, Bono pretends to be a lion singing with a hedgehog in a fake Sphere
2022 - Bono's book is released, one man show starts in November
2023 - Songs of Surrender is released, A Sort of Homecoming released, more Bono solo shows, Atmos Achtung Baby mix released, Sphere shows begin
2024 - more Sphere shows, Bomb remaster and reissue released with fully produced b-sides and outtakes
2025 - lazy bastards barely did anything. Bono released a film. what wankers.
2026 - likely album and possible tour

so, like, they HAVE been fairly busy in that time. 3 years of touring, a residency and a solo tour, plus an album, a bunch of reissues, a book, a few movies and an elaborate re-recording of 40 old songs.

We will not tolerate common sense posts here.

 

[david]

They’ve been busy doing everything but releasing a darn good album.

 

[MattD]

2017 - Joshua Tree 30th tour
2018 - Songs of Experience album + tour
2019 - additional JT30 tour dates
2020 - entire world shuts down, nobody tours
2021 - nobody does **** for first half of the year, Bono pretends to be a lion singing with a hedgehog in a fake Sphere
2022 - Bono's book is released, one man show starts in November
2023 - Songs of Surrender is released, A Sort of Homecoming released, more Bono solo shows, Atmos Achtung Baby mix released, Sphere shows begin
2024 - more Sphere shows, Bomb remaster and reissue released with fully produced b-sides and outtakes
2025 - lazy bastards barely did anything. Bono released a film. what wankers.
2026 - likely album and possible tour

so, like, they HAVE been fairly busy in that time. 3 years of touring, a residency and a solo tour, plus an album, a bunch of reissues, a book, a few movies and an elaborate re-recording of 40 old songs.

Great stuff no doubt. As a band they were always hellbent on looking at the next phase of their career rather than anything retrospective. I get it, age and years dictates you have to do that eventually and they've done a stellar job. But I do miss them writing new chapters. So in that sense it feels like they've been away for ages, even if they haven't.