Often, artists can count on producer Danger Mouse when its time for that sonic sea change (The Black Keys, Beck) or just need a killer collaborator (Gnarls Barkley, Broken Bells).

Perhaps veteran rockers U2 are in need of the former, as Bono told Australia's The Age that the band has produced 12 new songs with Danger (real name Brian Burton).

"At the moment that looks like the album we will put out next because it's just happening so easily," the frontman said, noting that the new album could arrive as early as this spring. A second, "club"-sounding album may also in the works for a 2011 release, with special guests like will.i.am and David Guetta.

Nothing is set in stone, particularly when it comes to a potential third set: the soundtrack the "Spider-Man" Broadway musical, the music to which Bono and The Edge composed. "We haven't convinced the rest of the band to do that yet," Bono said. "[Bassist] Larry [Mullen] definitely has a raised eyebrow."