U2 new album "Songs of Experience" coming December 1st, plus 2018 tour.*

I agree with that despite my criticism. It’s why I keep trying, so to speak. Kite-so simple and so beautiful. Yahweh brings tears to my eyes when it hits me right-one of their true unsung gems. Moment of Surrender, City of Blinding Lights. Man and a Woman is a great one. They’ve had some good ones for sure.

 

u2 probably only has three albums I love from start to finish: Joshua Tree, Rattle and Hum (looking at just the studio tracks) and Achtung Baby. That said, I like every album. Some are better than others (War and Unforgettable Fire really good, No Line on the Horizon and October both pretty good), but every album has, at worst, a handful of songs I like a lot.

I thought Songs of Innocence was their most consistent record since AB, to be honest, even if the highs weren't as high on those on most of the records in between.

And yet despite liking all of their albums, I still can't help but wonder what they could have done if they weren't so worried about having hits or what critics think.

 

No need to be passive aggressive, there was nowhere in my post that suggests elitism regarding people who like the post-2000 stuff versus people who don't.

I was just hoping to shed some light on why some people may not be into the post-2000's stuff and why they are not wrong or unreasonable for having that opinion.

(and P.S. you do have an idea of what it would sound like, it is called Achtung Baby )

 

Haha... yeah that was a little passive aggressive, if not overtly aggressive aggressive. Sorry.

I guess in my mind, anyone who expects U2 to churn out AB clones for eternity is being a tad unreasonable and unnecessarily negative. That was a lightning in a bottle album that can't necessarily be duplicated at will. It's like Metallica "fans" who lament that last year's Hardwired was no "Master of Puppets." Or Garth Brooks "fans" who are ticked because last year's Gunslinger wasn't a "No Fences" clone. Well no shiz, folks! Those albums were recorded decades ago. I feel too many fans unnecessarily fail to enjoy long running artists' "new' albums for what they are because they're too busy declaring them piles of suck based on what they aren't.

Unless it's AC/DC, I would consider any band that spends time trying to churn out clones of their peak album from several decades ago to have failed miserably in their artistry. In fact, I think I would be way more disappointed if all U2 had done for the last 20 years was make AB soundalikes.

I also contend that some U2 fas are so unfairly negative toward the band these days that even IF they did put out an album akin to AB, it would still be slammed as awful, boring, paint by numbers, and nothing more than a pining attempt to stay relevant. Am I wrong?

 

By and large, I agree with you. I get why some are disappointed with their 21st century albums. Even though I don't love any of those albums and wish they would stop playing it safe and just write, I almost always enjoy the albums for what they are when they come out.

 

No worries!

I mean for sure there are a few... bad apples to say the least. That is the reason why a U2 Fan Forum recently closed down! Because some people let the negativity turn into nastiness and that just is not productive at all

I think that there is a decent middle ground. Like for me, post-2000's U2 output is not my choice U2 era by any means. I like a lot of songs from this era but to me 80's and 90's U2 is where I go for the most repeat listenings. And to me I just kind of connect the dots and see what the trends musically are that make me go to those eras more than the 2000's overall. And my conclusion always goes down to two things: songwriting and production choices.

It isn't that I WANT to find "You Are The Best Thing About Me" bland and boring, but I honestly just cannot musically get into it because of the songwriting and production, same with a portion of the material off of the albums from ATYCLB onwards. And I am a U2 supporter, I saw a show this year and two in 2015 and loved those shows to death, I just personally speaking gravitate musically to the older material a bit more in general because of the edgier soundscapes and venturing to different avenues songwriting-wise (although SOI to me was a solid album overall)

 

BLACK FRIDAY: U2 THE BLACKOUT

NEW U2 12" IN CONJUNCTION WITH ISLAND RECORDS ANNOUNCES "THE BLACKOUT" SET FOR RECORD STORE DAY BLACK FRIDAY 2017

ONE PRESSING ONLY EXTREMELY LIMITED EDITION VINYL MARKS FIRST PHYSICAL RELEASE FROM U2'S UPCOMING NEW ALBUM, SONGS OF EXPERIENCE. INCLUDES ORIGINAL LP VERSION AND EXCLUSIVE JACKNIFE LEE REMIX.

BLACK VINYL TO BE AVAILABLE AT ALL PARTICIPATING RSD STORES. COLORED VINYL VERSION TO BE ON SALE EXCLUSIVELY VIA THIRD MAN STOREFRONTS IN NASHVILLE AND DETROIT, AS WELL AS 2 VINYL RETAILERS TBA IN THE U.K. AND IRELAND.

We are thrilled to announce the release of "The Blackout," a limited edition U2 12" in conjunction with Island Records, available for Record Store Day Black Friday, November 24th.

"The Blackout" marks the first physical release from U2's eagerly awaited new album, SONGS OF EXPERIENCE, due later this year. The 12" includes both the original album version backed by an exclusive remix by the band's longtime collaborator, Jacknife Lee. Hailed by Rolling Stone as "a dynamic new track," "The Blackout" was revealed this summer via a surprise live video, filmed during U2's blockbuster Joshua Tree Tour 2017.

Third Man co-founder Ben Blackwell said, "The sound quality of this incredibly special record is a perfect example of the caliber of product Third Man Pressing is capable of producing. We couldn't be more proud." TMR's "The Blackout" 12" will be extremely limited, with just one single pressing at Third Man Pressing, the label's state-of-the-art vinyl production facility in Detroit. Black vinyl editions will be available at all participating Record Store Day shops, with 750 colored vinyl editions on offer exclusively at Third Man Records' Nashville and Detroit storefronts as well as two U.K./Ireland record stores to be announced.

 

Not as exciting as new album details.

 

I don’t think they actually want to release this album. It’s all becoming a bit of a joke now.

 

“Jackknife Lee” remix. No thanks. Same old, same old.

 

Has the "studio version" of "The Blackout" been released as of yet anywhere?

 

One reason why ATYCLB was a big seller was Beautiful Day.
One reason why HTDAAB was a big seller was the iPod advert in 2004 that featured Vertigo. That seemed to be on endlessly and would have broadcast the album very effectively.
So do they see it that they either need a big song to ‘sell’ this album as they already ‘used’ Apple for a second time with the free iTunes SOE download?
I agree it’s better though to focus on the creativity; just make the best music they can.
Before you know it Trump will be forced out and Bono will feel the need to write yet another set of lyrics!!

 

Apparent tracklisting for the upcoming album:
Here's the Songs Of Experience track list

 

Fox used “The Blackout” in their lead in to the World Series (game 2?). It sounded good.

 

One month from tomorrow... can’t wait!!

 

I heard the single at a bowling alley this weekend and it really sunk in how boring this band has become. Their songs used to cut through the noise and make you pay attention. Now it's just bowling alley music. Could have been Jefferson Starship or Air Supply and it would have been just as interesting.

 

i don't think you can make that as a blanket statement, but you can certainly say that about more songs than not

 

Something tells me that it's probably not "bowling alley music", it's just we have become too familiar with U2. It's not new and jarring anymore. It's become accepted and acknowledged.
You can hear "Enter Sandman" in a grocery store now, you know what I mean?

 

I agree with all that you said. No Line On The Horizon tailed off in the last third but it was the first proper U2 album since Pop. All the rest have been crap. NLOTH had complexity and hinted at albums gone by. I was so annoyed that they didn't spend a bit longer on it and strengthen the second side because it really could have fitted in with the classic U2 albums.

 

Will this show up unannounced on my phone?

Achtung Baby is an excellent album.

Everything else.... meh!

 

I love them all up to and including Achtung Baby. I hated Zooropa but loved Pop. No Line On The Horizon was good and as bad as a U2 album should ever be. All the rest have been utterly rancid disposable, pretentious and boring pop crap. They should have disbanded after Achtung Baby if this was how they were going to destroy their credibility. Most people think U2 are crap because they haven't really released a worthy album since 1991. So really, most people under 40 aren't even aware that U2 were ever any good...and once upon a time they were VERY good indeed.

 

Artwork and packaging:
U2's 'Songs of Experience' Track List, Cover Reportedly Revealed

 

Automatically put off by the cover. About as subtle as a sledgehammer.

 

If they were as good as they were in the late 80s / 90s, I'd be excited about this upcoming album. But I suspect it'll sound like Songs of Innocence, which doesn't excite me whatsoever.

 

I also suspect from what they've already said - and the link left above - there'll be lots obvious political stuff on the album too, which also puts me off for lack of originality. I mean, if I wanted that, I could look in my facebook newsfeed.