Songs of Ascent: the lost album

[GirlsAloudFan]

but the ones you see on the market and hear on the radio (Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, etc.) are only there to make money for themselves and the record labels.

What in the holy fuck do you know about Miley's motivations for making music?

 

[Niceman]

Hmm.... Actually, finishing up a R&H demo or two for the remaster seems BY FAR the most likely use they'd put him to...

But then again, we have had hints that we may have a R&H style release coming. Weren't there reports that they were going to put some "old hits" on the next album? That would fit well with another half new/half live effort.....

 

[BVS]

But then again, we have had hints that we may have a R&H style release coming.

When? Where?

 

[Niceman]

When? Where?

See the next sentence.

 

[VintagePunk]

Then there's the possibility that they'll record a new track (i.e. finishing up an Rattle and Hum leftover/demo) for a future Rattle and Hum remaster...right?

Could be anything or nothing I guess.

That makes the most sense to me.

 

[BVS]

See the next sentence.

I don't remember that either, hence why I asked where? when?

 

[Jarvio]

Any actual news on possible new songs yet? CBA to read the entire thread lol

 

[Niceman]

I don't remember that either, hence why I asked where? when?

Ah! Well, I remember on one of these threads a month or two back someone said that a radio station had said it. I know, as unconfirmed as it gets - but it IS in the rumor pile...

 

[nielsgov]

Any actual news on possible new songs yet? CBA to read the entire thread lol

No.

 

[An Cat Gav]

Amother Rattle and Hum style release? The album that almost caused them to split up 21 years ago? As rumours go, that's up there with the best of them....

 

[Registered Dude]

"good ol' fashioned songwriting" is the hint in question.. but the words rattle or hum have not been used

 

[JoRu]

What in the holy fuck do you know about Miley's motivations for making music?

Bad example, perhaps. But my point still is that there are a lot of artists that probably doesn't really care if the songs they make are good or not as long as they can make money from them. No need to be so angry.

 

[BVS]

I think GAF is just a little sensitive, Miley is one of his many crushes...

I think the days of everyone getting rich by making music are over.

The next decade will be an interesting one. I think you'll see a very large divide between the puppets and the real musicians. Soon if you're not the Jonas Brothers or Britney Spears and you're joining the game you're pretty much on your own, so good luck.

 

[Niceman]

Amother Rattle and Hum style release? The album that almost caused them to split up 21 years ago? As rumours go, that's up there with the best of them....

I hadn't heard that. Now, Achtung almost making them break up, that's well documented.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Bad example, perhaps. But my point still is that there are a lot of artists that probably doesn't really care if the songs they make are good or not as long as they can make money from them.

you mean like elvis and frank sinatra?

 

[Mye-Kah]

It is unfortunate that it seems "Songs of Ascent" is off the table but not surprising.

I hope they are able to pull something off soon but I am more realistic for a 2012 release. I would hope for at least a couple news songs though be it through re-masters or other routes.

It's too bad, they must have a lot of unused tracks from all the times they start developing and then abandoning songs. I hope someday they release all of them.

 

[Niceman]

I think taking so many years between albums AGAIN would really hurt them.

 

[lazarus]

It is unfortunate that it seems "Songs of Ascent" is off the table but not surprising.

I'm usually a pessimist, but where is this doomsday attitude coming from? The last OFFICIAL word was from McCockne$$, who said he's pushing them to put something out before the end of the year.

From where I'm standing, that's good news.

 

[Muldfeld]

Lady Gaga is a performance artist. she's about much more than money.

Miley makes money for other people.

I have to agree. I checked out a couple of Lady Gaga videos and that woman's really interesting visually. I loved the "Bad Romance" video and the way she sings louder and louder at the end, though the bridge sucked. I'm so ashamed because there's so much to dislike, but I'm fascinated by her. I'm embarrassed to say I'm considering buying her double album, but I don't wanna get that Papparazzi song stuck in my head again like I did last year.

I'm so confused.

Miley and her horrible acting can go to hell, though.

 

[zoocarolina]

It will definitely be odd to get an album after the tour, but my guess is it will result in an extension of the tour into South America and I guess it's just as odd as giving us an album title and lead single in late 2008!!!! Still not over that one bc I was so looking forward to 2 albums in 2009 or atleast another by this time this year!

All will be forgiven with an album at the end of the year!

 

[scottyT]

2013 or 2014 probably.

 

[digitize]

2013 or 2014 probably.

Yeah.

 

[Mye-Kah]

I'm usually a pessimist, but where is this doomsday attitude coming from? The last OFFICIAL word was from McCockne$$, who said he's pushing them to put something out before the end of the year.

From where I'm standing, that's good news.

I would not expect that something to be Songs of Ascent. It could be just a new song or an album but new material.
Also i believe McGuinness said that something would be out by June earlier and now changed that story so I am not sure how much you can take of the current talk.

It just seems to me that Songs of Ascent has been passed and if there is a new album it will be new materal. Sure some of the songs might end up on it but the album Bono spoke of last year is no more.

Just my oppinion, I could be wrong.

 

[DoctorMacPhisto]

what if this is liek their lasstt tooorrr or somethingg? theyareee reallyyy olddd and shouldd laik retyre. no albam. u2 is doneeezo. totes.

 

[Salome]

I think taking so many years between albums AGAIN would really hurt them.

I agree
commercial suicide

 

[bram]

The issue is that U2 is in a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. If they wait 3 more years after an album that failed to grab the public's attention, they'll permanently lose the relevance they've worked so hard to cultivate over the last decade--or at least what they consider relevance. (To save time, I'm not going to put 'in my opinion' after every sentence). But if they release another album quickly and it fails to spawn any hit singles, they're also going to slide into irrelevance. Half the band members are now in their 50s. The window is always shrinking, but they can't squeeze through unless they have a Beautiful Day-sized hit. So my prediction is that U2 will try to get something out as quick as possible as long as it feels like the NEXT (and possibly the LAST) BIG, HUGE U2 Save-the-World Album. In other words, we're looking at Christmas 2012.

I realize that people have been making this sort of relevance prediction for a decade--even back in 2000 U2 were in uncharted territory when you consider their age and relevance/popularity. So I know some people are going to point this out, that people are always saying the band members are too old to be popular any more no matter what their songs sound like. And these defenders of U2 are not wrong. But at some point, this prediction is going to come true. U2 will be too old to be relevant/popular in the way they want to be. And I personally think U2 is finally reaching that point given the way the NLOTH era has been playing out and, well, given their ages. I think they have one more shot at this, and that shot needs to come soon and it needs to be powerful.

(For the record, I don't really care about all this relevance stuff at this point. But obviously it has such a huge impact on their motivations and ability to create high quality music that they're passionate about. I just hope that after they officially give up the quest of being BIGGEST/BEST, they continue to make music that they're excited about and that sounds fresh and unselfconscious.)

 

[Niceman]

I honestly think that if U2 wait any longer than this fall they are pretty much committing commercial suicide. They took 5 years to release the last album. It was brilliant, but is perceived as a flop. Bono turned 50 this week and the young-uns think of U2 as really old at this point. if they don't strike now, they will have lost this generation completely.

But, yes, it has to be an album that succeeds in all of the ways that the, again brilliant 3rd best disc they've ever recorded, NLOTH failed. They need successful singles. At the same time they need to be perceived as not being pop. The kids these days, on the backs on Beautiful Day and Vertigo think of U2 as a shallow band. They think of them as a pop band.

What they need is to succeed, quickly, without appearing to try to.

 

[Registered Dude]

they just need to put out a really solid album. if it captures the public attention than great, if it doesn't, that's too bad but there's nothing we can do about it.

Johnny Cash put out his American label recordings as an old man and he regained relevance, Dylan started making great records again in his 50s, after 10+ years of mediocrity, and he garnered attention and acclaim. Springsteen, too.

so long as they don't try and pose as young guns, they'll be fine. a great album will receive the attention it deserves.

 

[Catman]

According to Willie Williams, U2's definitely going to start the show differently (I hope that doesn't just mean future audiences will get the Rose Bowl DVD treatment).

 

[corianderstem]

That would explain why Breathe was cut as the opener, I guess.