Post-NLOTH album partially/totally complete? / Two Albums?

[bram]

White As Snow: U2's most intimate song | Music | guardian.co.uk


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"It's kind of pastoral," said Bono. It bodes well for the album that will follow No Line On the Horizon, which has, he says, "the idea of pilgrimage at its centre", and is made up of the "quieter, more meditative songs" that did not make it on to this one. "Intimacy is the new punk rock," Bono added, laughing. But is it the new stadium rock?

Discuss!

 

[bcrt2000]

Would be awesome if they released another album while on tour. Its possible if those rumours that they will only be doing shows on Friday, Saturday, Sunday is true.

 

[bram]

Yes--and I love the fact that NLOTH gives them the freedom to release a low-key album, which will be a first for them (with the possibly exceptions of Passengers and Edge's 80s soundtrack).

 

[Irishteen]

So maybe this one will only take 3 years?

 

[MMP]

Well, let's see. It would be awesome to get another album. And this time it's an album they already have done. It's not like Zooropa (I love Zooropa, but this might be even better.)

 

[purpleoscar]

It sounds like an Achtung Baby to Zooropa strategy. By adding the new album to the tour some of the new songs can add some atmosphere to the tour as it goes along.

Here's hoping to an awesome Blu-ray/DVD concert in the future.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

So we're already speculating on an album that's coming out after the album that hasn't yet come out yet?

Good night.

 

[popacrobat]

O Come O Come Emmanuel? That's one of my favorite Christmas songs. cool.

 

[U2_Guy]

It's called Moropa.

 

[purpleoscar]

So we're already speculating on an album that's coming out after the album that hasn't yet come out yet?

Good night.

It's not speculation. Larry and Bono are quoted about it so far.

 

[LemonMelon]

Sounds good to me. Let's just hope U2 doesn't throw out their collective backs releasing two albums in less than 3 years.

 

[Zoots]

So we're already speculating on an album that's coming out after the album that hasn't yet come out yet?

Good night.

 

[U2_Guy]

Or Zoorocco...

 

[stealthboy]

Seriously, after 4.5 years, it'd be fantastic to have a nice one-two punch with NLOTH and something else mid-tour.

The genius of the whole Achtung-ZooTV tour-Zooropa era... please?

 

[Peterrrrr]

Anyone remember here that remember that Bono in 2005 or 2006 said that a new album was going to be released in 2006.

 

[stealthboy]

True - I think after every album someone always says "we have enough material for another album". Heh.

 

[bcrt2000]

Anyone remember here that remember that Bono in 2005 or 2006 said that a new album was going to be released in 2006.

They were supposed to release the Chris Thomas version of HTDAAB in October 2003 but they canned it because they didn't like where it was going. And in 2006 they were going to release a new album produced by Rick Rubin, but they decided to can that and only released Window in the Skies as part of U2 18.

But where they reworked HTDAAB with Steve Lillywhite, they went on to make new a album with Eno/Lanois instead of reworking the Rubin stuff. So they still have that Rubin stuff sitting around, plus according to Eno (from the Q feature?) there was a bunch of great experimental songs they cut out of NLOTH.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

It's not speculation. Larry and Bono are quoted about it so far.

what?

look, the quote interests me as much as the next U2 fan but until there is an official statement from U2 and their record label with a confirmed title, track list and release date, this is all still just speculation. Unless the definition of speculation has changed.

Besides, have we all forgotten how much of a dirty liar Bono is??!

 

[doctorwho]

Most likely there are plenty of songs with Chris Thomas as the producer that U2 did not use on HTDAAB, but never reworked further.

And I'm there are plenty of Rubin songs that U2 have no plans on using on NLOTH or the next album.

Perhaps they can combine those Rubin and Thomas tracks and make another album? That alone could be fun - an album that isn't about being united or about the song - just tracks that came from U2's experimentation in the studio. Kind of like Zeppelin's "Coda".

 

[GibsonExplorer]

O Come O Come Emmanuel? That's one of my favorite Christmas songs. cool.

And people thought I was crazy for saying that "White as Snow" sounded like a Christmas carol.

 

[ascender_RS]

They've already said that they've put the Rubin songs to one side out of deference to him, so unless they work with him again then I guess they might never see the light of day.

Hopefully with the promotion starting for the new album & tour, we'll get some answers one way or the other. Its encouraging that they released their alternative take of NLOTH on the first single though, maybe we'll see some original songs as b sides this time round?

 

[cdirani]

Anyone already complaining about the mastering?

 

[cdirani]

True - I think after every album someone always says "we have enough material for another album". Heh.

Because it's mostly true...but that doesn't mean the leftovers (or unrecorded demos) are always fab to release.

 

[yenlard]

not to get too off topic...but what is the earliest u2 might release some sort of boxset? i guess were still looking many years down the road.

 

[cdirani]

My U2 forecast is: new album not earler than winter 2011.

 

[DoctorMacPhisto]

My U2 forecast is: new album not earler than winter 2011.

aye.

 

[bram]

While the Rubin stuff is lying around somewhere, the quote makes it sound like this is left over Fez/Eno and Lanois stuff. A chill U2 album

While there is are no specific details, the quote is still concrete-enough to warrant attention--even delivered by Bono. He says it like there's a pretty definite plan, unlike the usual "we'd like to get another album out in the next year or 2" or some other vague, wishful-thinking type quote. Also, this completely fits in with a lot of other hot topics surrounding NLOTH--namely, why only 11 tracks? Where's the more experimental/instrumental stuff? Where are the actual b-sides? Why the delay from November to March when they already had so many songs written? There are a lot of signs pointing to a staggered album (or at least EP) release plan this time around, signs that haven't necessarily been there in the past when we all hoped something like this could happen.

I think a Winter 2009 chill album is a possibility. Not likely, perhaps, but you know McGuinness would love to get an album out there for the holiday season AND in the middle of the tour.

One more thing: if U2 do follow up Bono's stated plan to release an album of this nature, it won't be their next ALBUM/world takeover plan. It would likely be something that tied into this whole NLOTH album/tour period, so that it wouldn't have to stand up under the usual U2 album pressure.

 

[bcrt2000]

Eno did mention that "the band were being jerks for leaving some adventurous tracks off the album" (tongue in cheek) or something to that effect in a recent interview

I think the EP by Coldplay might have inspired U2 to do this by the way.

 

[DoctorMacPhisto]

Eno did mention that "the band were being jerks for leaving some adventurous tracks off the album" (tongue in cheek) or something to that effect in a recent interview

I think the EP by Coldplay might have inspired U2 to do this by the way.

And I do believe the word Eno used was "cunts".

 

[purpleoscar]

Unless the definition of speculation has changed.

They've been talking about another album for over a year. They were thinking of a Passengers part of a double album and then decided against it. There is going to be another album but whether they will change it and add stuff or if it's complete is the speculative part. Even Eno was annoyed that some of it wasn't included on the current album.