All That You Cant Leave Behind Era Question

[gunsnroses]

Iam new to this forum, but not U2,infact i would have to be classfied as a diehard U2 fan. On this forum there seems to be alot of negativity towards ATYCLB and I dont get it. I feel in love with U2 on the Elevation tour and went to alot of shows too. And i dont remember anybody talking bad about the album, infact everyone i met during that time loved and it also made alot of new fans too. i consider it one of thier by far. So is the negativity on here for this album just a vocal minority? there also seems to be a ground swell of hate towards the new album which I also dont understand.

 

[digitize]

Welcome to Interference!

One suggestion: don't let Axver see this thread. This forum has a wide range of opinions on ATYCLB... I personally don't dislike the album at all, but I think U2 have made far superior music through the years, and ATYCLB kinda fails in comparison to Pop. However, there are a large number of people here who really like ATYCLB (as well as people like Axver who loath it).

 

[2861U2]

Iam new to this forum, but not U2,infact i would have to be classfied as a diehard U2 fan. On this forum there seems to be alot of negativity towards ATYCLB and I dont get it. I feel in love with U2 on the Elevation tour and went to alot of shows too. And i dont remember anybody talking bad about the album, infact everyone i met during that time loved and it also made alot of new fans too. i consider it one of thier by far. So is the negativity on here for this album just a vocal minority? there also seems to be a ground swell of hate towards the new album which I also dont understand.

Hard to say. Personally, I adore the album. It's my number one favorite album by any band ever. I think the quality of the songs is phenomenal, and IMO the album has the best, most cohesive theme than any other of their albums. Look back some pages, I'm sure you'll find more talk about ATYCLB. I try to understand the dislike of it by some, but I just don't get it. I have nothing to base this on, but I would say that second only to The Joshua Tree, ATYCLB has produced the most U2 fans. I would say that it's one of their best albums, and at the very least, one of their most important albums, with the impact of 9/11 and of course the massive hit Beautiful Day, which is arguably the biggest hit of their career and possibly the most famous song of the young century so far.

 

[dward1]

I love it and where I think the people who come off as saying they dislike it are coming from is the fact that U2 has a whole catalog of great songs that get overlooked a lot by people that became fans with ATYCLB. Die-hards don't want these songs to be forgotten so they are constantly bringing them up and do not feel the need to praise ATYCLB because so many people who only know U2 through that album do that already. It's up to the die-hards to protect War, Pop, etc. from being forgotten and sometimes people take it too far and say that ATYCLB is a bad album. It's one of U2's top 3 but doesn't need much defending (unlike say, Pop or October)

 

[Axver]

One suggestion: don't let Axver see this thread.

Wee bit too late for that!

I just think the album is rubbish, simple as that. Don't really care who agrees or disagrees; it's my taste, not anyone else's.

 

[dan_smee]

I love it and where I think the people who come off as saying they dislike it are coming from is the fact that U2 has a whole catalog of great songs that get overlooked a lot by people that became fans with ATYCLB. Die-hards don't want these songs to be forgotten so they are constantly bringing them up and do not feel the need to praise ATYCLB because so many people who only know U2 through that album do that already. It's up to the die-hards to protect War, Pop, etc. from being forgotten and sometimes people take it too far and say that ATYCLB is a bad album. It's one of U2's top 3 but doesn't need much defending (unlike say, Pop or October)

This is fairly astute, although top 3 is a stretch.

I quite like this album. It was the first album that came out when I was a fully fledged fan. I knew of them with Pop, and the best of 80-90 made me a hardcore fan.

It definately holds its own in the U2 compendium. It serves it's purpose. Although Pop sold well, it signified the end of a branch of experimentation. It showed they had lost their way a bit. Some here love it, but a band can only exist while it serves a purpose, and the purpose is inevitably to sell records.

The hatred probably stems from peoples disappointment that they didn't continue on from where Pop left off. I love it, because it is an album full of beautiful and powerful songs, and afforded them the creative scope to make NLOTH

 

[bonocomet]

Iam new to this forum, but not U2,infact i would have to be classfied as a diehard U2 fan. On this forum there seems to be alot of negativity towards ATYCLB and I dont get it. I feel in love with U2 on the Elevation tour and went to alot of shows too. And i dont remember anybody talking bad about the album, infact everyone i met during that time loved and it also made alot of new fans too. i consider it one of thier by far. So is the negativity on here for this album just a vocal minority? there also seems to be a ground swell of hate towards the new album which I also dont understand.

It's an absolutely amazing album, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise

 

[digitize]

The hatred probably stems from peoples disappointment that they didn't continue on from where Pop left off. I love it, because it is an album full of beautiful and powerful songs, and afforded them the creative scope to make NLOTH

Yeah, we would have no NLOTH if it wasn't for ATYCLB. Like it or hate it, it needed to be there, or U2 would be lucky to be seeing R.E.M.-like sales numbers right now. And I would definitely say that U2 are much less creatively constrained now than R.E.M. (well, that's also because U2 are a far superior band to R.E.M., even though I do like R.E.M.).

 

[paultjr]

I love ATYCLB - I always called it "Achtung Baby Light." Upon first listen it reminded me of AB in that every song could be a single, but not as "edgy" (no pun intended). Still in my top 5 U2 albums though.

Tastes great - less filling.

 

[dan_smee]

^ agreed.

I'm sure the ATYCLB and HTDAAB haters would hate to see U2 petre out rather than go out on a high note. Love them or hate them, they bought U2 the time to be creative in the 'home stretch'.

NLOTH is the stepping stone from the back to basics U2 into the next creative stratosphere. Inevitably, they wont make music forever, and if they make 1, 2 or 3 more albums, (hopefully three to have a final triumverate, and scope for a best of 2010-2020) they can cut loose.

 

[phillyfan26]

I think it suffers from a couple of things:

1. It's U2 trying to be U2. It's never a good thing for a band to try to be themselves.

2. They set out to make a "singer's album," which meant the focus was to be on the vocals. I think this caused the music part to suffer, and that a lot of it ended up being boring because of that.

3. To add to number two, this album (and Pop) has Bono's worst vocals, and it's not even close.

4. The lyrics are really bad.

I think it's U2's worst album. It's not awful (only Wild Honey falls into that category), I just think it's very boring, especially when held up against the other albums U2 has released.

 

[dan_smee]

I think it suffers from a couple of things:

1. It's U2 trying to be U2. It's never a good thing for a band to try to be themselves.

2. They set out to make a "singer's album," which meant the focus was to be on the vocals. I think this caused the music part to suffer, and that a lot of it ended up being boring because of that.

3. To add to number two, this album (and Pop) has Bono's worst vocals, and it's not even close.

4. The lyrics are really bad.

I think it's U2's worst album. It's not awful (only Wild Honey falls into that category), I just think it's very boring, especially when held up against the other albums U2 has released.

That's a fair assessment. I think in 15-20 years we may feel differently, because the songs were attempting to be universal, it may stand the test of time better than, say October has.

This is a classic example of an album suffering due to a horrible tracklist. If it wasn't so top-heavy, it would have a better flow, and wouldn't bore you by track 6. NLOTH is a better tracklisting, crackers like Breathe and Fez in the back half give it balance.

If it went, for example

1 Elevation
2 In a Little While
3 Wild honey
4 Walk On
5 Peace on Earth
6 When i Look at the World
7 Stuck in a Moment
8 Grace
9 New York
10 Beautiful Day
11 Kite

It would be a much better balanced album. (obviously there may be some flow issues with current mixing, and I am at work, so doing transitions from memory, but you get the idea)

 

[kingofsorrow]

can't speak for anyone else, but ATYCLB does nothing for me as a u2 fan of almost 2 decades. there's nothing on there that makes me want to go back and listen to it. for me it's like listening to a bad u2 cover band. only 2 songs grabbed my attention and just barely, "when i look at the world" and " wild honey".
i realise alot of you like the album and that's cool, but to me it's boring. u2 didn't like the reception that POP received and decided to "play it safe", but that gave me time to find some really interesting music out there.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I think ATYCLB is a great album, sure it's not perfect as in some songs are below par like Wild Honey, Grace. The thing that I really like about it is that it's a passionate album, it's just 4 men playing together in a room.

Besides, Beautiful Day is what introduced me to this great band and it remains in my top 5 for that solitary reason. The Elevation tour that followed was just amazing.

 

[allbecauseofu2]

The tomb raider remix of elevation, and its live versions, are superior to the studio version. I already have said this on here. IMO, u2 is a band who has never made music that had no chance of selling. . Some people on here think u2 is like the cure or david bowie. Where thier hit singles are crap and the stuff that didn't make the radio or the band dose not play live anymore are 10 times better then the hits. Not true. They say ATYCLB is playing it safe. As if with or without or all i want is you are some 20 min prog rock numbers with 6 sections. Get fucking real. These people have no concept of what playing it safe is. When david bowie released the world changing Berlin triology with eno, and then scary monsters, AND then released lets dance, that was PLAYING IT SAFE. No such disparity exists between u2 deep cuts and u2 hits. They act this way because u2 won't take bullet the blue sky out of the live set and replace it with exit. Is exit better then bullet? NO. Its really fucking not. its the same quality. So because exit never gets played, its get this status of being a unsung u2 greatest song ever. etc. That's a example of the views on here. When its really just that they overplayed the song. They make out u2 to be something its not.

 

[Mac Phisto]

The U2 Nation are a weird lot in that they want Bono and the boys to be the "biggest band in the world" while also maintaining some type of personal "my band" feel. It's an impossible goal, one that put ATYCLB in the cross hairs. An unabashed pop album shooting for the mainstream, ATYCLB was a huge ideological departure for the band after a decade of experimentation. And for what it's worth, the album couldn't have served it purpose better in that it re-established the group as the most commercially viable on the planet. It was a huge help that the songs were there, and the 9/11 aspect took it to another place (always an overlooked subplot to the band's success in the 00s and a post for another time).

I think ATYCLB's prosperity ultimately disenchanted the POP-obsessed members of this forum (and there are many) because it made the band huge again. U2 fandom had splintered off into something of a huge cult following by the late-90s, but the 2000 release ended all of that.

I have a theory that the relative under-performance of NLOTH will ultimately make this a more popular album around these parts than the previous two, for the sole reason that, like POP, it may ultimately be viewed as a U2 album for U2 fans. It all may seem kind of silly, but I understand it ... I fell in love with the group in the mid-90s, and before ATYCLB caught on, I felt like being a U2 fan was like being an exclusive member of some fucking awesome club. Ultimately, this may be a ridiculous notion, but it was my ridiculous notion and I don't think I was alone.

Lastly, any album that has BD, Stuck, Walk On, Kite and IALW on it, can't be considered poor in my eyes. In fact, in light of the understanding the band had been around for 20 years already, it was pretty remarkable. So there's that.

 

[dan_smee]

I'll revise my List from above

1 Elevation (Tomb Raider Mix)
2 In a Little While
3 Wild honey
4 Walk On
5 Peace on Earth
6 When i Look at the World
7 Stuck in a Moment
8 Kite
9 New York
10 Beautiful Day
11 Grace
12 The Ground Beneath Her Feet
13 Elevation (Influx Mix)

3000 posts! WOOO!

 

[U2girl]

It's a solid if average effort, like the follow up. It could have been improved with U2 following up the pop album idea all the way (Summer rain, Flower child, Levitate instead of POE/WILATW/Grace) or including some better songs on the album (Ground beneath her feet, Stateless).
Credit to the band for finding a fresh sound and a new raison'd etre with writing pop music/singles after 20 years.

And as some may dislike it or find it overrated, Beautiful day saved their careers just as much as One.

 

[Popmartijn]

So is the negativity on here for this album just a vocal minority?

Yes, it is. This whole forum is a vocal minority. Keep this in mind/perspective and it can be quite enjoyable here.

Welcome to Interference!

 

[last unicorn]

Lastly, any album that has BD, Stuck, Walk On, Kite and IALW on it, can't be considered poor in my eyes. In fact, in light of the understanding the band had been around for 20 years already, it was pretty remarkable. So there's that.

Don't worry about what some fans might say. I think the majority of fans likes the album, and in the end it's your own taste that matters. I became a fan again with that album and the Elevation tour. The album is very personal, it has so much of U2's essence as a band and as human beings that it's hard for me to NOT like it. There is not one song I don't like on the album. I think U2 got a lot of new fans in this era and the album has a universal appeal as well as a personal appeal to many people.

The only thing that, for me, makes the album a little less enjoyable is Bono's vocal condition, his singing wasn't really good at that time and during the Elevation tour.

Btw, In a little while and Kite are among my all time favourite songs.

 

[U2girl]

So is the negativity on here for this album just a vocal minority?

Yes, much like Bomb.

 

[kingofsorrow]

I already have said this on here. IMO, u2 is a band who has never made music that had no chance of selling. .

They say ATYCLB is playing it safe.

you do realise you contradicted yourself?

So because exit never gets played, its get this status of being a unsung u2 greatest song ever. etc.

now i've been on almost all the setlist threads and have seen any one post something like this.

They act this way because u2 won't take bullet the blue sky out of the live set and replace it with exit.

absolutely right. it's not like they're tired of hearing the same song since '87.

Some people on here think u2 is like the cure or david bowie. Where thier hit singles are crap and the stuff that didn't make the radio or the band dose not play live anymore are 10 times better then the hits. Not true.

really? you know what i'm thinking? tell me, what am i going to have for dinner?

lemme ask you something. are you so adverse to someone not liking your precious ATYCLB that you just can't accept they're view? you post accuses alot of fans of being narrow minded, but you don't hesitate to display the same behavior to prove your point. can't you prove your point without resorting to cussing, blatantly insulting everyone and making up lies? so far only 2 people came in here and said they didn't like ATYCLB and you act like there's 20 pages of "beautiful day bashing" going on.
i think AB is they're best album ever, not because it got me interested in u2, i was a fan way before that album. do you see me going on threads and stomping down anyone that doesn't like it? i accept they won't like what i like and move on because as u2 fans there has to be something in their vast catalogue that we can agree on.

have a nice my friend and don't let your anger get in the way of you communing with other u2 fans.

 

[kingofsorrow]

The U2 Nation are a weird lot in that they want Bono and the boys to be the "biggest band in the world" while also maintaining some type of personal "my band" feel. It's an impossible goal, one that put ATYCLB in the cross hairs. An unabashed pop album shooting for the mainstream, ATYCLB was a huge ideological departure for the band after a decade of experimentation. And for what it's worth, the album couldn't have served it purpose better in that it re-established the group as the most commercially viable on the planet. It was a huge help that the songs were there, and the 9/11 aspect took it to another place (always an overlooked subplot to the band's success in the 00s and a post for another time).

I think ATYCLB's prosperity ultimately disenchanted the POP-obsessed members of this forum (and there are many) because it made the band huge again. U2 fandom had splintered off into something of a huge cult following by the late-90s, but the 2000 release ended all of that.

I have a theory that the relative under-performance of NLOTH will ultimately make this a more popular album around these parts than the previous two, for the sole reason that, like POP, it may ultimately be viewed as a U2 album for U2 fans. It all may seem kind of silly, but I understand it ... I fell in love with the group in the mid-90s, and before ATYCLB caught on, I felt like being a U2 fan was like being an exclusive member of some fucking awesome club. Ultimately, this may be a ridiculous notion, but it was my ridiculous notion and I don't think I was alone..

100% true, every word. very well put.

 

[allbecauseofu2]

No. No contradiction. The "they" in they say they are playing it safe is the some of the people on here. I'm pointing out how some people act like the difference between ATYCLB and say POP is the same difference between david bowie's low record and his lets dance record. if you can;t figure out what i mean by that oh well. And during the the rehearsals for vertigo tour all the rumors about exit being performed had people going crazy. Cause they thought bullet was finally gonna be taken out of the set. Your just not getting it. Pop may be expermantal, but its not uncommercial. And please, about your what am i having for dinner comment? Thats how people speak on here.

 

[kingofsorrow]

No. No contradiction. The "they" in they say they are playing it safe is the some of the people on here. I'm pointing out how some people act like the difference between ATYCLB and say POP is the same difference between david bowie's low record and his lets dance record.

you posted that u2 makes records that sell well, then posted that ATYCLB is not playing it safe. that is a contradiction.

And during the the rehearsals for vertigo tour all the rumors about exit being performed had people going crazy. Cause they thought bullet was finally gonna be taken out of the set.

and this means they think exit was the better song? come one that's what you said. did it ever occur to you that people are tired of hearing the same song overplayed since'87

Your just not getting it. Pop may be expermantal, but its not uncommercial

i never said it wasn't. all u2 albums are marketed to the fullest, even my beloved AB. u2's goal has always been to be the biggest band in the world and to them that equates to high record sales.

 And please, about your what am i having for dinner comment? Thats how people speak on here.

don't get snippy with me. you came in here ranting like the was huge ATYCB hatefest going on.

if you can;t figure out what i mean by that oh well.

how can i? you don't post properly. you use a few comment used by others as gospel to prove your vague point. you can't post 1 single line without
resorting to insults. is it my fault "you" can't properly get your view across? you don't seem to be getting that you can't make things up to post just because it supports "your" view point.

 

[corianderstem]

How the heck are you quoting the posts so they show up like that? With a scroll bar?

That's so weird.

 

[Turn up the AC]

Love it, love it, love it. Stuck in a Moment is one of my favs, and to hear it live was magical. Edge owns that falsetto .

And if the nighttt runs overr
and if the day won't lastttt
and if your way should falterrr
along this stony pass

Sing it Edge!

 

[U2girl]

the 9/11 aspect took it to another place (always an overlooked subplot to the band's success in the 00s and a post for another time).

 

[Pero]

great album in comparison with other bands of this decade
bad album in comparison with other u2 albums

 

[Marien]

Iam new to this forum, but not U2,infact i would have to be classfied as a diehard U2 fan. On this forum there seems to be alot of negativity towards ATYCLB and I dont get it. I feel in love with U2 on the Elevation tour and went to alot of shows too. And i dont remember anybody talking bad about the album, infact everyone i met during that time loved and it also made alot of new fans too. i consider it one of thier by far. So is the negativity on here for this album just a vocal minority? there also seems to be a ground swell of hate towards the new album which I also dont understand.

Don't worry about it, most fans do love both albums, but when posting I sometimes think that most of us find it not very interesting to write about things we like, so we focus on what we don't like, I remember finding it very annoying when I first joined the board. Anyway, don't let any of us tell you what's good or bad. I personally love both albums and I've been a fan since The Joshua Tree.