1. Originally posted by deanallison:[..]
    ATYCLB is one of my favourite albums but I have to agree it's been a safer route for u2 from that album onwards. I don't mind that to an extent because with the exception of NLOTH I think the post 2000 work has still been good but I'd also have to acknowledge that it doesn't get close to achtung baby for me so a more experimental route would maybe be the way for them to find another masterpiece. I think a heavier less produced sound would be the way to go.
    I think that's why I enjoy NLOTH. It was their riskiest record of the 2000's. Like that decades POP, in my opinion. A stab at a true 70's LP format album...
  2. Originally posted by blueeyedboy:[..]
    I think that's why I enjoy NLOTH. It was their riskiest record of the 2000's. Like that decades POP, in my opinion. A stab at a true 70's LP format album...

    I have to disagree here: to me NLoTH sounds like they started writing a risky album, got scared, and then held back everywhere. I like quite a lot of the songs on it, but it doesn't really seem to go anywhere and initially came across as uninteresting to me.
  3. Originally posted by Faceman2000:[..]

    I have to disagree here: to me NLoTH sounds like they started writing a risky album, got scared, and then held back everywhere. I like quite a lot of the songs on it, but it doesn't really seem to go anywhere and initially came across as uninteresting to me.
    Yes, but when compared to the safety of ATYCLB and HTDAAB, this was the riskiest of the decade. That was the point I was trying to make. And, like Pop, another brick wall moment. Every wall they hit, they don't dust themselves off as easily as they used and they become more cautious and there's more and more time between records...
  4. True. October -> War should've been their basis when going from Pop -> the next thing. Instead of retreating, get even more intense and MORE "this is who we are, fuck off if you don't like it". Instead, they retreated, got more "cautious" as you said.

    I dig ATYCLB as many do, but I can't help but wonder what U2 would sound like now if Pop hadn't been such a critical/public failure. It's funny, in retrospect, many critics have come to realize it was a work of art. It was ahead of its time in so many ways, and it was just unfinished. The concept was unfinished, the aesthetic, etc. Even if people don't like it, they have to admit, U2 was still pushing the boundaries. They aren't really doing any of that these days (besides SoI's release strategy, which I still say was ballsy and awesome).
  5. I like all the songs they played live from ATYCLB, the rest is meh to me
  6. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:True. October -> War should've been their basis when going from Pop -> the next thing. Instead of retreating, get even more intense and MORE "this is who we are, fuck off if you don't like it". Instead, they retreated, got more "cautious" as you said.

    I dig ATYCLB as many do, but I can't help but wonder what U2 would sound like now if Pop hadn't been such a critical/public failure. It's funny, in retrospect, many critics have come to realize it was a work of art. It was ahead of its time in so many ways, and it was just unfinished. The concept was unfinished, the aesthetic, etc. Even if people don't like it, they have to admit, U2 was still pushing the boundaries. They aren't really doing any of that these days (besides SoI's release strategy, which I still say was ballsy and awesome).
    And they should revisit this idea for the 25th anniversary. Maybe rethinking and "finishing" Pop for re-issue. I think they were proud of this record until the reviews starting coming in and they began having doubts...
  7. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:True. October -> War should've been their basis when going from Pop -> the next thing. Instead of retreating, get even more intense and MORE "this is who we are, fuck off if you don't like it". Instead, they retreated, got more "cautious" as you said.

    I dig ATYCLB as many do, but I can't help but wonder what U2 would sound like now if Pop hadn't been such a critical/public failure. It's funny, in retrospect, many critics have come to realize it was a work of art. It was ahead of its time in so many ways, and it was just unfinished. The concept was unfinished, the aesthetic, etc. Even if people don't like it, they have to admit, U2 was still pushing the boundaries. They aren't really doing any of that these days (besides SoI's release strategy, which I still say was ballsy and awesome).
    Absolutely yes to all of this.

    I only hope that the whole "innovative album release" strategy they teased us with a couple years ago for SOE pans out somehow. Even after some of the backlash to the Apple "gift", I can't imagine U2 going back to a more traditional album release strategy.

    And speaking of Pop, if SOE is a mixture of EDM like "The Best Thing" and the heavier stuff we heard from that studio session that Adam posted online a while back, I will be very happy.
  8. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:True. October -> War should've been their basis when going from Pop -> the next thing. Instead of retreating, get even more intense and MORE "this is who we are, fuck off if you don't like it". Instead, they retreated, got more "cautious" as you said.

    I dig ATYCLB as many do, but I can't help but wonder what U2 would sound like now if Pop hadn't been such a critical/public failure. It's funny, in retrospect, many critics have come to realize it was a work of art. It was ahead of its time in so many ways, and it was just unfinished. The concept was unfinished, the aesthetic, etc. Even if people don't like it, they have to admit, U2 was still pushing the boundaries. They aren't really doing any of that these days (besides SoI's release strategy, which I still say was ballsy and awesome).
    Consider the source of most of the backlash... If Jay-Z or BeDunce had dropped them a free album in their libraries, they woulda been praising them til the end of times...
  9. Originally posted by blueeyedboy:[..]
    Consider the source of most of the backlash... If Jay-Z or BeDunce had dropped them a free album in their libraries, they woulda been praising them til the end of times...
    The Beygency is going to come after you. Beyonce is Queen. But you know what? People would have still been pissed. Look at when she performed her country song with the Dixie Chicks at the CMAs... People are going to bitch no matter what.
  10. Originally posted by blueeyedboy:[..]
    I think that's why I enjoy NLOTH. It was their riskiest record of the 2000's. Like that decades POP, in my opinion. A stab at a true 70's LP format album...
    I'd almost argue that ATYCLB was a risk. Sure it was back to basic but they were trying to reclaim something they had sort of pushed away.

    That album and HTDAAB allowed them to take some risks on No Line.
  11. Originally posted by kris_smith87:[..]
    I'd almost argue that ATYCLB was a risk. Sure it was back to basic but they were trying to reclaim something they had sort of pushed away.

    That album and HTDAAB allowed them to take some risks on No Line.
    I gotta admit, I didn't read much of your last two posts because I STILL can't get over how great your avatar is!!!!!
  12. I was reading the first posts from 2014 and remembering that day, I was watching the Apple streaming because I knew they were playing something, out of nowhere they started The Miracle and I was like OH MY GOD ITS A NEW SONG AND IT SOUNDS GOOD and Bono says that they are releasing the new record right now, I couldn't believe, I ran to my iPod and the fucking thing was there hahaha