What do we REALLY want from U2.

[Velvet Dress]

In an "easier said than done" broader wish, I'd love to see U2 regain their confidence.

U2 is uniquely U2 and that's what I love about them. I feel they've been filtering themselves in the past years and I'd love for them to release music that they are being completely honest in.

That was what they had going for them, that honesty.   That was what not only made their greatest work but also put them on the cover of Time (that's as good a measure of relevance as anything to me).   I wish they'd realise that and not second-guess themselves based on what they perceive as relevant.

In the Classic Albums documentary of the Joshua Tree, Edge described WOWY as "so different [from its contemporaries]; so...like from some other place."   I wish they'd go there again.   I appreciate that in this respect NLOTH was an improvement on Bomb and ATYCLB, but they definitely got cold feet before releasing it.

[Gravy11]

Well, I'm not greedy 

But................

The unreleased album they left Fez with (Brian and Danny have hinted that is was better than NLOTH).
The Dangermouse album (c'mon just put it out).
POP rerecorded and stripped back (would really like to hear this album with flood producing it alone)

As I said, not much............

Problem with a rerelease of POP is that people would say they just grabbed a piece of their backcatalog and rehashed it. Therefore they have no fresh ideas and should go away. I can see that playing out already....Sorry.

[satellitedog01]

I hope they won't rerecord Pop. It was the last album with the warm and sexy Bono voice. I can't listen long to his current shrill yelping.

[Sugarcube]

It's unlikely they will re record POP. They tried some vague re workings previously but I'm not sure how convincing they were.

I reckon it will get a 'remaster' with some alternate takes and b sides but nothing much else.

[satellitedog01]

Trouble is, Pop could possibly incite some mad ill advised creative urges in Bono, to rectify the past by totally reimagining the album (maybe not as U2 but with outside help) to make good for an imaginary misstep.

I'm  firmly in the don't mess with it camp, and hate the altered mixes which tampered with the songs without a clear purpose. Gone excluded, but I still prefer the original recording by far.

[Sugarcube]

Trouble is, Pop could possibly incite some mad ill advised creative urges in Bono, to rectify the past by totally reimagining the album (maybe not as U2 but with outside help) to make good for an imaginary misstep.

I'm  firmly in the don't mess with it camp, and hate the altered mixes which tampered with the songs without a clear purpose. Gone excluded, but I still prefer the original recording by far.

If they're in the market for correcting mishaps, they'd better re record their last 3 records too.

I agree though - leave POP alone. No record is perfect (apart from Radiohead albums) and POP is a pretty decent album overall.

[xy]

Nothing. Music acts don't owe me anything.

Can't you want something without feeling that you're owed it? I can.

Another thing I want for the next album is for Bono to avoid using cliches and the words "love," "soul," and "beautiful" in his lyrics. I think he's way overused these in the past.

EDIT: add 'heart' to that list of lyrics to avoid...one of Bono's worst offenders, how could I have forgotten it?

Things I want aren't related to music acts in general.

[xy]

I hope they won't rerecord Pop. It was the last album with the warm and sexy Bono voice. I can't listen long to his current shrill yelping.

Warm ? Sexy ? Certainly a unique way to describe those 1997 lethargic/whiny vocals.

[tigerfan41]

I want them to record an album that they're happy with. I don't care what lyrics Bono writes. He can say "love," "soul" etc. a thousand times for all I care. Whatever floats his boat as a lyricist is fine with me, since as a lyric writer myself, I wouldn't want fans to tell me how to write my own lyrics.

[Tumbling Dice]

I hope they won't rerecord Pop. It was the last album with the warm and sexy Bono voice. I can't listen long to his current shrill yelping.

Warm ? Sexy ? Certainly a unique way to describe those 1997 lethargic/whiny vocals.

I think Bono's voice was warm and sexy in 1997, and was never quite the same again.

The quality of Bono's voice back in the 90s is partly why I love Achtung Baby and Zooropa.

[tigerfan41]

Agreed, TD. There are maybe 2 songs vocally I don't like on Pop, but the rest....Bono sounds warm and sexy. Same with the other albums from the 90's.

He's definitely not as good now, but he's still good. He's just like any other great vocalist who gradually loses their ability to sing as they get older.

[Sugarcube]

I want them to record an album that they're happy with. I don't care what lyrics Bono writes. He can say "love," "soul" etc. a thousand times for all I care. Whatever floats his boat as a lyricist is fine with me, since as a lyric writer myself, I wouldn't want fans to tell me how to write my own lyrics.

It's no wonder you like their recent efforts if you're so easy to please

[tigerfan41]

I'm not easy to please, actually. And lyrically speaking, I'm not a huge fan of the more recent stuff. If I don't like a CD, even if it's by a band I usually like, I'm not going to be afraid to say it. However, I don't feel it's my right as a fan of the band to tell them how they should be writing their lyrics. That's their call.

[Sugarcube]

I'm not easy to please, actually. And lyrically speaking, I'm not a huge fan of the more recent stuff. If I don't like a CD, even if it's by a band I usually like, I'm not going to be afraid to say it. However, I don't feel it's my right as a fan of the band to tell them how they should be writing their lyrics. That's their call.

You're clearly easy to please if you'll settle for Bono Vox singing 'love' and 'soul' a thousand times

[DGordon1]

Bono made the most of his voice on Pop, but it would be wrong not to recognise the power in his vocals had diminished quite starkly. Fortunately he was aware of this and sang well with his limitations (apart from the album version of Please, which sounds grating vocally. He's got a lot of power back into his voice now, but seems to have much less control over it. He does some things well and other things badly. I'm relieved he's able to sing the difficult notes in Bad and Pride now again, instead of leaving them out like he had to circa 1998. Although I'd rather hear deeper cuts but that's a different issue.