This article from NPR doesn't mention U2, but it's an interesting read in light of many of our forum discussions:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monitormix/2009/11/the_death_of_mistakes_means_th.html

I immediately think of the debates over whether set lists are too static and where Pop lies in the band's legacy, as well as why I prefer live recordings to studio albums.  Enjoy the read!

Whilst the sentiment's fair enough, the problem with the article is that it naturally goes and blames "modern technology" rather than the label executives and mastering engineers who should be getting blamed. Of course it's ridiculous when an acoustic record released this year has more thrash and bang than Metallica's Master of Puppets, but that's not happening purely because of DRC, it's because a CEO leans on a mastering engineer and a producer to do it.

The "loudness war" is also something that many Internet-based voices are making out to be something new, but it's gone on since the dawn of popular music; there's a one-off ultra-loud mastering of Led Zeppelin IV that never got publicly released. Why? Because you literally cannot play it on a normal turntable without it continually skipping.

Anyway, bringing it round to U2, I think it's most interesting that they've expressed disappointment with NLOTH sales, but not back-pedalled with excuses about it. Which means:

a) there's no room to make an excuse, e.g. "ran out of time", "wasn't ready", etc. (most cynically),
b) the excuses are coming later (i.e. like they did with Pop),
c) they have acknowledged that the four million or so sales to occur in eight months was the best they were going to get.

Personally I'd say c) is most likely, with maybe b) a possibility. They must know that, really, U2 as a big, mainstream force only has so much time left, not least because there increasingly isn't a mainstream to be a force in - certainly I can't help but view NLOTH with that context in mind.

Personally I'd say c) is most likely, with maybe b) a possibility. They must know that, really, U2 as a big, mainstream force only has so much time left, not least because there increasingly isn't a mainstream to be a force in - certainly I can't help but view NLOTH with that context in mind.

That's a REALLY good point I haven't ever considered: there isn't a mainstream like there used to be, for better or worse.

Well this general "problem" - better say change of paradigm (actually quite good, when you're born into it, instead of having to adjust) considering the diminishing mainstream, has been pointed at many times, but I agree it was a very nice way of putting it. Of course I liked the article too, so thanks...

When you look at the video showcasing the "loudness war" style mastering job, and remember how NLOTH sounds or re-listen closely, it becomes very obvious that the same thing is happening to drum hits on NLOTH, for example when the drums kick in at the beginning of "Crazy Tonight". I'd love to hear this great song with a lot more dynamic range. The 80s pressing of the "Joshua Tree" has got a marvellous mastering that's a joy to listen to and turn up loud.

I guess I must replace my bass reflex speakers rather sooner than later if labels continue to turn up the volume of the bass to cater to the earbuds crowd, because for albums that came out since circa 2005, I need to turn down the bass on my home stereo, whereas when using cheap headphones, I'd have to turn up the bass when playing pressings from the late 80s.
The sonic problem with HTDAAB was not loudness, but too much compression I think. Compression helps things getting lost in the mix.

But back to the article:
I don't mind fixing musicians mistakes digitally, but when you airbrush/edit everything and anything, a certain playfulness that was present in the studio while recording can get lost. And music should not be dead serious all the time.