U2 have lived by the motto "two straight crap albums and you're out." They did the crap-POP but they made a comeback with ATYCLB.
Rumor has it that HTDAAB is going to tank. An local record exec who is a huge U2 fan and CLAIMS (unverified claim if you ask me) to have heard the album said words to this effect:
-Edge seems to be trying too hard, as if he wants to make every song have a signature riff and have some funk in it - he doesn't sound like traditional Edge who plays repetitive, economical, and disciplined. He is trying to be a guitar hero through big stadium-type play-along riffs but still no major guitar hero solos (still very few in this album)
-Most songs have guitars that sound like the Boy-War era but are "riffy" a la Mysterious Ways, Hold Me Thrill Me, Desire. But the songs are not purely raw since there are still effects mixed in (he did not specify but I think he meant loops, synths, sequencers, etc).
-The songs sound uncomfortable because while the guitars are early era U2 thereby making one expect a rocker (especially a couple of songs that start out with just the guitar riff), they disappoint when the drums come in because the tempo is slow(tempo is slow ATYCLB live U2) and the vocals sound beat up(Bono's vocals sound older and raspier and thinning).
-There is a slow poignant song that isn't guitar riffy and Bono does crystal clear vocals (a la Grace) and is pehaps one of the most beautiful slow songs of U2 ever. The record exec claims it will give "One" a run for its money. He said that the current state of Bono's voice is tailor-fit for these slower quiet songs, and he is surprised why the album didnt' have more of this types of songs.
-He concluded by predicting that this album will tank because it lacks the "bite" and faster tempo of today's modern rock bands, while the guitars are quite prominent to make this album belong in the mellow rock category.
He did not specify which song titles referred to which otherwise he would be fired. But he did mention Vertigo is a good representation of what the entire album sounds like (kinda like how BD was a good representation of ATYCLB) and not like previous lead-off singles (Numb, Discotheque) which weren't incidcations as to what the album was all about. He said Vertigo is his second favorite track in the album (next to the unnamed slow poignant song).
Well, from all indications it looks like the album will tank. U2 has mentioned "dismantle" in the album title - after an album had the phrase "leave behind". The Vertigo shoot has the band members far away from each other - sort of separated.
So there is a possibility that U2 won't be true to their word that 2 crap albums and you're out. Instead, I feel that this will be U2 last album.
Cheers,
J