The 2009 song that was too prog for U2: “Quite experimental”
U2 has never been a band to shy away from controversy.
No matter the stage of their career, they have often found themselves on the receiving end of criticism, with detractors quick to take aim at their music and their grandiose approach. While it’s true that many successful bands face their share of backlash, U2 seems to have endured a disproportionate amount, making them a perennial lightning rod for both praise and scorn.
“They have the worst rhythm section in big rock,” said Henry Rollins, the frontman of Black Flag, when discussing the band, “That is the most plodding, corny rhythm section ever to fill a stadium […] If you look at some of those records, they’re mediocre Brian Eno records with a bad band in the way.”
Rollins isn’t on his own with his critique either, as many artists have been quick to label U2 a band that is not worth the public’s time. “I think rock ‘n’ roll deserves a little bit more than just making music,” said Liam Gallagher, making his opinion known, “They pass themselves as a rock ‘n’ roll band, but what the? C’mon on, man, I’ve never seen fucking Bono. I mean, I’ve never seen any of them do anything remotely rock ‘n’ roll.”
While plenty of people are quick to criticise U2, they have many more fans than they do critics, which is why they continue to be a successful band so far into their career. Regardless of your opinion of the band, credit where it’s due; they have never shied away from making a range of different styles of music.
Part of the reason for that longevity is the group’s refusal to remain creatively static. Rather than endlessly recreating the sound that first made them famous, U2 have repeatedly reinvented themselves, often taking risks that divided opinion but kept the band artistically engaged.
This hasn’t always gone down well, as some saw their changes from rock to disco and electronic to progressive rock as slightly too drastic. A creative mind is constantly changing, and therefore, it has to be commended when bands are willing to embrace different genres and styles of music. That being said, it doesn’t always impress fans.
Yet those stylistic shifts have also produced some of the most celebrated moments in their catalogue. Albums such as Achtung Baby and Zooropa demonstrated that the band could absorb contemporary influences without completely abandoning the identity that had made them one of the world’s biggest acts.
Bono once commented on some songs that U2 did that embraced new genres a little bit too much. When they started working on the album No Line on the Horizon, they embraced their more experimental side, which meant they were given more freedom on the songwriting side. This led to them starting to write songs that leaned more towards the progressive rock side of music, and Bono felt they went too far in that direction, to the point it started to sound very different, but it also led to them writing one of their best songs of the decade.
“Well, No Line on the Horizon […] Sonically it’s quite an experimental album – and songwriting-wise,” he said. “‘Moment of Surrender’ is the best song on that and maybe of that decade. But the progressive-rock virus had crept in.”
Prog rock wasn’t the only genre that U2 dabbled in. They also wrote electronic music, rock, disco, and dance music. Some of their styles landed a lot more than others, but regardless of your opinion of the band, this kind of versatility has to be admired.
Whether viewed as visionary innovators or an easy target for criticism, U2 have never been content to stand still. Their willingness to embrace new sounds, even at the risk of alienating sections of their audience, remains one of the defining characteristics of their career. For Bono, songs like ‘Moment of Surrender’ prove that taking those creative risks can still produce moments of genuine brilliance.
