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Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]

I somewhat agree. I think at core they need to concentrate and focus on the roots of their writing, but at the same time I don't want some sort of rehash of what we got early on this past decade.

I think what they need to do is get the songwriting down, and take it to someone who they're unfamiliar with, like one of the new producers they've been kicking around with. As they did with Steve Lillywhite after War, they need to move on from Brian and Danny. I think there's a hint of assumption that when they get together (the band and the duo) great music is inevitably going to be made, and perhaps that's what's keeping them from truly experimenting in a big way. I think that well of creative flow between those guys has been somewhat dried up since the 90's. I think they've done what they can together in terms of experimentation, and now it's time for U2 to do what they did when they started making The Unforgettable Fire.

Forget about what people assume about their sound, don't be afraid to leave it behind, and let someone take your music to a different setting, a different sound altogether. That's what I'm hoping happens. As long as it's not some dubstep-type club album

I agree with the points you made here. I don't think a full scale shift away from past producers is necessarily needed but definitely they need someone fresh to inject something different into the process.

MattG

13 years

Think of it this way- if dreaming it all back up again was what happened from 89-91, and then reapplying for the best band in the world was what happened between 98-00, dreaming it all back down again is what needs to happen from 11-12.

They just need to strip it back. Imagine some of the craft of their 80's work matched with Danger Mouse's incredible production. Just need a little soul-searching soundwise.

iTim

13 years

Originally posted by EyesWithPrideB3Think of it this way- if dreaming it all back up again was what happened from 89-91, and then reapplying for the best band in the world was what happened between 98-00, dreaming it all back down again is what needs to happen from 11-12.

They just need to strip it back. Imagine some of the craft of their 80's work matched with Danger Mouse's incredible production. Just need a little soul-searching soundwise.

Those occasions though were when U2 had a lot to give. I don't think they can go back to pre-Achtung and turn a corner and I don't think they can go back to pre-ATYCLB and smash the disappointment of Pop. I think the next great U2 album, would have to be stumbled upon and I think they can stumble upon it if they had the outside influence of someone fresh but also the inside guidance from someone who won't allow it to become something it shouldn't. Bono and The Edge wouldn't say no if a producer approached them and said they need to go in this direction. Bono would go in any direction if he thought it was 'relevant' and The Edge likes all facets of music so would also be happy to move into something new. I think Larry would be the only one to stand up and say "no, this isn't us". That's why I think it's important to keep an old friend around during the process.

I agree that Danger Mouse has got some talent as a producer, I've just been looking over his work and there is some top notch work under his belt but would you want U2 to go in a complete Danger Mouse direction or take the best of him and mix it with the best of them? I already can see the need for an fresh look because I much prefer the version of No Line On The Horizon (2) that Will.I.Am got his hands on.

RattleandHum1988

13 years

Originally posted by EyesWithPrideB3Think of it this way- if dreaming it all back up again was what happened from 89-91, and then reapplying for the best band in the world was what happened between 98-00, dreaming it all back down again is what needs to happen from 11-12.

They just need to strip it back. Imagine some of the craft of their 80's work matched with Danger Mouse's incredible production. Just need a little soul-searching soundwise.

Sorry man, but I disagree. I don't think U2 needs to backtrack in their art as a band, and they've never thought that way anyway. It's all about moving forward onto new things. Maybe I'm just misunderstanding you, but it sounds like you want something along the lines of The Joshua Tree or All That You Can't Leave Behind. I'm the opposite. I'm hoping for something along the lines of Passengers part 2. Not in the same intensity, obviously, that was an experimental side project not intended for radio or anything. But I'm hoping for the same amount of experimentation in terms of fudging up their sound.

iTim

13 years

hamman

13 years

Originally posted by EyesWithPrideB3:Think of it this way- if dreaming it all back up again was what happened from 89-91, and then reapplying for the best band in the world was what happened between 98-00, dreaming it all back down again is what needs to happen from 11-12.

They just need to strip it back. Imagine some of the craft of their 80's work matched with Danger Mouse's incredible production. Just need a little soul-searching soundwise.

I agree. I think they should make the new record truly of just the four of them creating the music. They shouldn't play songs without additional production on this one. I think thats what makes the songs special. Just the four of them playing off of each other.

Mr_Trek

13 years

Originally posted by iTim[YouTube Video]

Cool.

RattleandHum1988

13 years

Originally posted by hamman[..]

I agree. I think they should make the new record truly of just the four of them creating the music. They shouldn't play songs without additional production on this one. I think thats what makes the songs special. Just the four of them playing off of each other.

I think at one point in time they were capable of this (pre-1990) but because they've gotten so used to having those extra elements, we wouldn't get something up to par with those efforts. We'd probably get something more along the lines of ATYCLB or HTAAB, which seem to be huge targets for many people around here. I think they've tried the "dream it back down again" approach over the past decade, ending with NLOTH which was that same principle but with a few over-produced songs (album version of Boots). How can you get more to the core than White As Snow? You really want an entire album with songs like that? No thanks. If I want folk music I'll listen to folk. If I want big ideas, atmospheric and anthemic rock, I'll listen to U2 thank you very much! One of the main reasons many of us love U2 are because they're so versatile in their craft. So many of their albums could be categorized under different genres. I'd rather see them try something new again than go back to basics, AGAIN. Those guys were born to "fuck up the mainstream", not join it by copying artists like Bon Iver or whatever.

iTim

13 years

Don't know when this was recorded, (RED) just posted it on Facebook: