SOX
Active topics
  1. I've been thinking about the band's POV regarding their output and where to go next: they want a rock album up next, right? But what does that really mean for a band like U2?


    One could say their last "rock" album was arguably HTDAAB. Again, that is under U2's standards, and even then, it is not exactly a "balls to the walls" rock record:


    - Vertigo, All Because of You, Love and Peace or Else, and Crumbs are the rockier tracks
    - then you have a couple solid, classic-sounding tunes like Miracle Drug, Original of the Species, and SYCMIOYO
    - a masterpiece, late-era U2 classic in COBL (with a strong electronic sounding palette that does not belong to the typical "rock" song)
    - plus the rest of the album, which is not rock sounding either (One Step Closer, A Man and a Woman, Yahweh)



    ATYCLB wasn't a rock 'n roll record through and through either (by any means), and everything post Bomb was a mix of their past different styles, none with a strictly unified sonic identity (and, specifically for SOI and moreso on SOE, they've veered towards a poppier sound more than ever, perhaps?)


    Is it that, for the band, a "rock" album simply means another Atomic Bomb? Or will they truly embrace a heavier sound for the next record? And is their decision behind it purely to please themselves creatively, or is the idea of relevance still the elephant in the room for them?



    On the other hand, you have the audience's POV, which I think can be loosely divided into three (rough) categories:


    - fans that think their last true great record was Zooropa (or Pop) and would like another experimental sounding album
    - fans that believe ATYCLB or HTDAAB was the last great era and would like a similar, "somewhat rockier" kind of album
    - fans that liked the latest output quite a lot and wouldn't mind just having another "Songs Of..." collection of tunes


    Lastly, there's a big part of the casual audience whose opinion is U2 ceased to be a great band after The Joshua Tree, even disliking the 90s output.



    All in all, I am torn as to what would be the wisest move for them creatively, not considering my own preferences. What should they do at this point in their careers?



    Just food for thought, sorry for the rant!
  2. It’ll sound like ATYCLB or HTDAAB, with a few new colors mixed in.
  3. It'll either sound like:

    Rage Against The Machine with Luciano Pavarotti on vocals.

    Or

    Abba's Greatest Hits with Eddie Van Halen on guitar.
  4. IF U2 CAN TOP THIS IN THE NEXT ALBUM AND CODE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL STATE and do something rocking, everyone would be happy. That Mickey Mouse voice sounds terrible. I hope it's completely gone on the next album.

  5. Some better bass playing could have made that SOS track more interesting. I loved this version.

  6. The Mickey Mouse voice is also on the cover here. She is present everywhere. That sucks.
  7. The Bomb was hardly a "rock" album. Vertigo was quite a misleading first single.
  8. Just look at the pretty girl and get over it.
  9. i think the upcoming new U2 album should sound like "cedarwood road" and "the fly"
  10. i think the upcoming new U2 album should sound like "cedarwood road" and "the fly"
  11. We can't expect total uncompromisingness from men of this age and status, so if they're talking about a rock album, it'll probably mean a bit more songs like The Blackout or Atomic City. There will definitely be 2-3 totally pop songs, because they just like doing it. As a fan, I am worried about another issue, namely that we probably know in 2024 what the future of the band will be until the end of its existence. Rock album late this year or early next year, then possibly the last major world tour in 25/26. some celebration of the band's 60th anniversary, during a tour in 2026, then around their 70th birthday the release of Songs of Ascent, possibly even without a tour. It seems to be natural, but it's a strange feeling, just knowing where it's going... Can U2 surprise us with anything else?
  12. having more guitars, mixing with songs like "blackout" should be a very good album, very hyped with this one because these last years were great in that case/sound/style