Disillusioned by U2's The Edge. New album sucks.

[fuzzball]

Good, don't bother.

[Coralkong]

Well, you're not missing much, from what I've heard.

I think it's the whole attitude thing with them that really irritates me.

It's as if they (U2) are so enamored with themselves that they honestly believe that even though they put out this piece of dog{censored}, the world will grin, cheer and pat them on their backs for it.

If this was their FIRST album, it would also have been their LAST.

[sk8centilli]

Each new release loses more and more fans - I remember when the Unforgettable Fire was known as the Unforgivable Album.

[DaveAronow]

relevant on topic content about 2:32

 

Yeah... uhm.... check out post number 8

[outtahear]

Haven't even listened to the new album.

Have (Thanks Carl @ UniMuGr). Me likey, but there you go.
(But, then again, I'm not on the 10 year plan, and I think Katrina and the Waves make Sweedish Deth Metilers look like the whining pusses they are.)

[HeatherAnnePeel]

I plan to buy it tomorrow, anyway. So far, it strikes me like "Pop, Part II", as I have said elsewhere. And I think I'll like "Pop" better. We'll see. I wish things had worked out with Rick Rubin. I think it would have resulted in a better album. At least it would have been a lot different.

[Alchemist]

a friend had me listen to it this week...... I was so moved that I went to HMV immediately.....











































and I bought Prince-Ultimate that way at least I could say I heard something musically competent and entertaining this week... seriously, awesome CD (Prince that is)

[Griffin]

a friend had me listen to it this week...... I was so moved that I went to HMV immediately..... and I bought Prince-Ultimate that way at least I could say I heard something musically competent and entertaining this week... seriously, awesome CD (Prince that is)

And Prince can still sing, I'll bet..even falsetto. Bono is just difficult to listen to these days. I can't imagine him trying to sing 'Lemon' now..his larynx would probably disintegrate. (Not that I want to hear that song ever again)

[steve_man]

Well, let me preface this "rant" by stating that, in the past, I have followed U2's music quite closely and have been a huge fan. That being said, the latest album is absolute rubbish. AND, to top it off... I recently saw a video piece on The Edge where he discusses his guitars, guitar style, equipment, etc... To put it bluntly, he was awful. I know it sounds kind of trite, but without his equipment in the studio, he could barely hold it together. Maybe an "off" day, I don't know. It was as if someone told him he was a LOT better a guitar player than he is for so long, he has started to believe it. I was terribly disappointed, to be honest. I have always been a huge fan (especially of the old stuff), but after listening to their latest effort (No Line on The Horizon), well at least the first 3 tracks they played , I commented to myself: 1. Strike One 2. Strike Two 3. You're OUT! This group has really mailed it in, and I, for one am extremely disappointed. Terrible songs. Bono sounds like a cat-in-heat on it. The Edge sounds like he's making it up as he goes along (which isn't good), the bass actually sounds OK, and the drumming is pretty much mediocre at best. Awful. Someone should have put on "These Boots" and planted them squarely in U2's ass for such a {censored}-box album. Then made them go back and re-do it, because to put such a POS album out only cheats their fans, and makes the group look like a collection of assholes.

Go call the..



Don't like it...don't listen to it. At least the 3rd thread about this in the past few days...

[jhorne]

I was a huge U2 fan in college in the 80's....guys my age made them what they were. But after Joshua Tree, which is a GREAT album and Rattle and Hum, the train derailed and plunged into the bridge!

I agree, except that I would change 'Joshua Tree' to 'Unforgettable Fire'...

Nothing makes me change the channel faster than hearing 'Still Haven't Found...', 'With or Without You', 'Where the Streets Have No Name', etc. from that album. The first million or two times they were playing in '87 was enough to last a lifetime.

Although I did like Achtung Baby, so I guess I'll give them a one album pass for that one.

[mishek_zim]

 

Edge has never been amazing technically but he's a very clever player.

 

 

I like this fact about The Edge. He is not the technically best player, but I like what he comes up with.

 

Once you figure out how he has done something, whether it is just an echo or whatever, his stuff is great fun to play. I expect that when I get around to listening to the album i will find it the same.

 

Saying that, I did hear a snippet of them live at BBC and think that Adam might have stepped up a notch ot two?

 

Any one want to confirm or deny?

[Funderbunk]

We kinda already had this thread. Anyway, I gave it another shot, and what I posted the last time still holds:

Not doing anything for me.

I told a friend as we were listening to it the first time, "It sounds like U2 banged Enya and this is the baby."

For me, while I'm not a strict traditionalist, I'd prefer a *bit* more song structure... these are essentially just poems with backing music. And, do so many songs *really* need a minute and a half intro before vocals?

I just get the impression they wanted to set out to show how sophisticated they could be, dug into the bag full of expensive chords, and came up with something that's surely music, but not really songs.

[Bro Blue]

Disagree. New album is pretty awesome. Edge has never been amazing technically but he's a very clever player .

 

 

And by "very clever player" you must mean "can't really play but makes up for it with a ton of effects."

 

I have never understood why so many people think he's a great guitarist. If you're going to give yourself a stupid name you had better be ready to bring it. He has nothing. A lot of kids that have been playing for a couple of years and have a delay pedal can do his stuff better than he does.

 

I was wondering when the world would wake up and realize they were nothing more than a fetid puddle of suck.

[jerry_picker]

Bono Vox, effing King of Ireland.

[HeatherAnnePeel]

Now what would be cool is if U2 got an old Tascam 4-track and cut an album with that. Like Bruce did with "Nebraska". Strip it down and rock. Things like "Elevation", "All Because Of You" and "Vertigo" are going in the right direction. A lo-fi U2 album at this point would be great. As great as Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois are, I think U2 have run their course with them. That's precisely why I was excited about the Rick Rubin thing. The records he made with Johnny Cash are fabulous, and I think U2 would benefit enormously from the stripped-down approach at this point. I mean, "Get On Your Boots" sounds like it's aimed at the Jonas Brothers/Miley Cyrus crowd!

[davedgeman]

I love both the songs and the guitar playing for the most part. My only complaint is that the guitar solos are a little underwhelming and lazy sounding. I don't like his new habit of picking 3 notes and then repeating them until the end of the solo as I know he is capable of so much more than this.

[GAS Man]

 

He's suscribing to that "I'm a 50 year old sex symbol" thing that rock-stars get. Maybe he figures he can flirt his way out of anything at this point. THAT annoys me.

 

 

I had similar thoughts. We can call that the "Sting Syndrome".

 

 

 

Ooh, look at the pile of doodie I made. Looks like art. Quick get the Kodak!

[davedgeman]

I still like Bono's voice, but its seriously maybe 30% of what it was from the mid 80s to mid 90s. He's just lost all of the power and richness of his voice. He got an old man's voice way too young...like Chris Cornell.

[GAS Man]

For some reason unknown to anyone here, our office started getting copies of Rolling Stone magazine sent here. The March 2009 issue's cover calls the album "U2's Five-Star Masterpiece."

 

Same thing happened to me at my home. Don't know why. Maybe it was because I bought a guitar from AMS or something.

 

But once again that was a reminder for me to not put much stock in a RS review. In an earlier issue I read a review on their new single (Boots) and RS said its beat was similar to Elvis Costello's "Pump It Up" (Diff being of course that "Pump It Up" is a great memorable rock song)

 

U2 - Get On Your Boots

[YOUTUBE]6fIyTmkKO68[/YOUTUBE]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fIyTmkKO68

I start cringing we he starts doing that whiney "You don't know..." vocalization. Kinda like nails on the chalk board for me.

 

 

Elvis Costell - Pump It Up

[YOUTUBE]pVngzaBsrSM[/YOUTUBE]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVngzaBsrSM

Now that's some cool authentic R&R (albeit New Wave/Punk) attitude.

[ElectricEye]

Sorry, I've never understood the whole U2 fascination. I think they suck and "The Edge" is a douche. That video of the comedian mocking him is pretty close to right on, IMO.

 

What also annoys the hell out of me about them is that they have become one of the "untouchables" in the music press and music business as a whole. They could put out an album of farting - and not only would {censored} rags like Rolling Stone say it's the greatest thing ever done, they'd still be allowed to perform on the Grammys and still get nominations. There are lot of bands who reach this milestone, but I can't think of anyone who's been there longer than U2.

[PollyAma]

i grew up listening to u2 and bono. he is a big influence in my thinking and i thank him for the good he is doing in the world. there music is a voice against the choking conservatism in so many countries and so i support them by getting every cd they release.
the music speaks to me. the edge and bono are both very talented in my ears. if it does not speak to you then pick something else to listen to. it is not like there is a shortage of music.

[Snowcow]

Up until 1983, they were doing ok.
Ever since then it's been pompous, self-indulgent, boring crap.

[Geeter]

Threads like this always remind me of how easy it is to be a critic and how difficult it is to create something.

[Josh S]

Threads like this always remind me of how easy it is to be a critic and how difficult it is to create something.

 

 

Exactly. Everyone loves to be a hater.

 

Me? I don't care what people think about it - I like U2, and I will gladly go out and get their record. If it's not my favourite, so what? Hell, I hope it's Pop 2 - I loved Pop.

 

Everyone bitches and moans about how much the Edge sucks, but I don't see any of them out there on the world stage writing interesting parts and making cool sounds. Then again, the internet does pretty much run on whining.

[docjeffrey]

Well, let me preface this "rant" by stating that, in the past, I have followed U2's music quite closely and have been a huge fan.

You can still be a fan. Bob Dylan and Neil Young have had monumental failures (at least IMO). That doesn't make them any less in terms of genius.

Our culture judges people by their latest achievement or failure rather than looking at the bigger picture. U2 has room for a few stinkers, although I think that they used up their limit awhile back

Even Obama, who appears to know nothing, knows that we're a "What have you done for me lately" culture. That's why most of the economic stimulus incentives that will effect the majority of voters don't kick in until year 3--just before the next Presidential campaign.

Now go download Play by Brad Paisley. You'll thank me later.