Let's Discuss 00s U2

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namkcuR

ONE love, blood, life
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We've done http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f189/lets-discuss-early-80s-u2-206297.html, http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f189/lets-discuss-late-80s-u2-208510.html, and http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f189/lets-discuss-90s-u2-210329.html, the first being created by 65980 and the latter two being created by me, and I thought we might as well finish it. Same questions as before(omitting the remix question I added for the 90s, because it's not appropriate for this decade the way it was for the 90s):

[size=+2]Regarding everything from 2000 to 2009:[/size]

1) What is the best A-side single in this period?

2) What is the best B-side(you may consider tracks from 2004's "Unreleased and Rare" that don't appear elsewhere to be b-sides)?

3) What is the best non-single track from this period?
NOTE: This had previously been "best non-single album track", but there are enough non-single, non-album tracks in this era that I decided to rephrase the question.

4) What is the best overall album (from three studio LPs) and why?

5) For those in the know, what is the best bootleg available from this period?
NOTE: Even though I said "between 2000 and 2009", you may use performances from 2010 and 2011 if you want to.

6) What are your overall thoughts and impressions of this period of U2? How does it compare to other periods? How well/badly has this material aged?
 
1) What is the best A-side single in this period?
1. Beautiful Day
2. Stuck In A Moment
3. Magnificent
4. Elevation
5. Walk On
6. Electrical Storm
7. City Of Blinding Lights

2) What is the best B-side(you may consider tracks from 2004's "Unreleased and Rare" that don't appear elsewhere to be b-sides)?
1. Summer Rain
2. Always
3. Levitate

3) What is the best non-single track from this period?
NOTE: This had previously been "best non-single album track", but there are enough non-single, non-album tracks in this era that I decided to rephrase the question.

1. The Ground Beneath Her Feet
2. Stateless
3. Fez-Being Born
4. No Line On The Horizon
5. The Hands That Built America

4) What is the best overall album (from three studio LPs) and why?

I love NLOTH, but I'm going to say ATYCLB. It's just a little more accessible than NLOTH. There is a warmth that permeates the record, I have fond memories of listening to it a lot when it first came out when I was in high school, and there's also the whole 9/11 association. So ATYCLB for me.

5) For those in the know, what is the best bootleg available from this period?
NOTE: Even though I said "between 2000 and 2009", you may use performances from 2010 and 2011 if you want to.


I don't really know. It feels like there aren't as many legendary bootlegs from this period as there are from others, but there are still plenty of great gigs to listen to. I love the opening night Elevation Miami gig w/ Sweetest Thing. I love the pre-9/11 Elevation New York gig on 6/19/01(I was at that show). The post-9/11 Elevation New York gigs are probably pretty emotional, though I've never listened to them all the way through myself. The 10/13/01 Elevation show in Providence on Larry's birthday had a unique setlist(Party Girl, Slow Dancing, Wild Honey, acoustic Please). Also, the Boston and Slane gigs the DVDs were made from are also probably good. Some of the early Vertigo gigs that opened with LAPOE, and that included the first performances of ACD/ITH, EC, and Gloria in so many years were really good. The Vertigo show I went to on 5/21/05 in New York was great. The Milan shows early in the 360 tour were good. The 360 show I went to on 9/23/09 in New York(they always bring it in New York) was phenomenal(Your Blue Room included). I haven't listened to any of the later 360 shows with the big Achtung presence, but I hear they kick ass.

6) What are your overall thoughts and impressions of this period of U2? How does it compare to other periods? How well/badly has this material aged?

I had no problem with this era at its beginning - I loved ATYCLB and the MDH tracks(and still do). However, I became pretty down on this era mid-decade, as I had grown to dislike HTDAAB despite loving it at first. In the NLOTH era, I have grown to enjoy HTDAAB once again, and I love ATYCLB and NLOTH. So I do enjoy the bulk of what they've produced over the past decade, but I also think that they didn't hit the spectacular creative and artistic highs that they did in the 80s and 90s. But that's ok, they still put out a lot of great stuff. As for aging…I think ATYCLB has aged just fine, but that HTDAAB hasn't as well, outside for COBL and Vertigo. That's not to say it's bad, just that there are tracks like Beautiful Day, Stuck In A Moment, Walk On, Kite, The Ground Beneath Her Feet, that sort of have a more organic nature that allows them to sound fresher in 2011 than, say, Original Of The Species or All Because Of You. That's just my opinion, of course. As for NLOTH, I think it's a bit soon to be talking about aging where that record is concerned. Anyway, in conclusion, they've put out a lot of thoroughly enjoyable music this past decade, and put on some kick-ass shows, they've been consistently great, but they just haven't hit the artistic and creative highs they did in previous decades, imo.
 
1) What is the best A-side single in this period?

Beautiful Day

2) What is the best B-side?

Levitate (I also consider Levitate to be the best pop song I've ever heard)

3) What is the best non-single track from this period?

Levitate

4) What is the best overall album (from three studio LPs) and why?

A lot of people will disagree with me here, perhaps all of Interference will, but How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb is my favorite album of the three we got from the last decade. Maybe it's because it was the first U2 album I ever heard and owned and made me become a fan. I have a lot of good memories of listening to this album and it's one of those albums I'll always hold closely. Edge's guitar work was amazing when I first heard Atomic Bomb and inspired me to pick up a guitar. Somehow this album fit in with the Christmas season when I first got it. NLOTH closely follows HTDAAB.

5) For those in the know, what is the best bootleg available from this period?

I don't have many bootlegs at all on my iPod. I've ripped audio from the officially released DVDs. However I do have a few bootlegs from the 360 Tour, including boots from the two shows I attended and I love those a lot. My favorite bootleg from this entire period is the 360 show at Wembley Stadium in August 2009. I think it's from the 14th (it's from the show that was played on that Saturday night). Only part of the show was streamed on BBC and I captured ever second of it. Best sounding bootleg I've heard and the performances are incredible. Also I hold dear to me a bootleg of the 360 show in Raleigh, North Carolina on October 3, 2009. It was my first U2 show and I have wonderful memories of it. The quality of the recording is great too. My third favorite boot is from the 360 show in Philadelphia this summer on July 14th, 2011. I did my first GA at my second U2 show. Great sounding bootleg, great setlist, great performances. The Slane Castle gig in September 2001 (from U2 Go Home) is also a wonderful one to listen to if you rip the audio from it.

My bootleg order:

1. 360 at Wembley Stadium in London, England - August 14(?), 2009
2. 360 at Carter Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA - October 3, 2009
3. 360 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA - July 14, 2011

6) What are your overall thoughts and impressions of this period of U2? How does it compare to other periods? How well/badly has this material aged?

The 00s U2 is my least favorite decade of U2, which is funny because it's the decade I grew up with U2 in and discovered them in. I think U2 still were very creative these past 10 years but compared to their back catalogue they really seemed a little less interesting. Their most recent tour though was a very great tour and was really innovative in trying to bring the band and it's audience closer. 360 is the first tour I saw and followed. It was great to experience all the things a U2 concert goer experiences. I found this past decade to have some incredible songs written as well, such as Beautiful Day (song that put them back on top) and Vertigo. City of Blinding Lights is one of my all time favorite U2 songs ever. I think NLOTH is one the most interesting records U2 have made. I don't give it the praise that many here give it, it's an okay album to me, but I see that U2 were doing something different, such as with songs like White As Snow and Moment of Surrender and Cedars of Lebanon. Magnificent is one of the catchiest songs U2 have ever written and it has the essence of classic 80s U2 in it with some modern touches. NLOTH continues to grow on me each time I listen to the album. GOYB just puts a damper on the mood though. I love Crazy Tonight and SUC so those are fine but Boots was a terrible choice IMO.
 
1) What is the best A-side single in this period?
This is hard for me. In the end, I have to admit that it is Beautiful Day. I'm kind of sick of the song, but it is a great tune andit really reached the masses.

2) What is the best B-side(you may consider tracks from 2004's "Unreleased and Rare" that don't appear elsewhere to be b-sides)?
1. Summer Rain

3) What is the best non-single track from this period?
NOTE: This had previously been "best non-single album track", but there are enough non-single, non-album tracks in this era that I decided to rephrase the question.
1. Moment of Surrender

4) What is the best overall album (from three studio LPs) and why?

It's NLOTH by a mile. I consider ATYCLB their weakest album ever. HTDAAB is a great collection of songs which lacks cohesion and was badly recorded. That makes NLOTH's winning of their category pretty easy. But it actually IS one of U2's better albums.

6) What are your overall thoughts and impressions of this period of U2? How does it compare to other periods? How well/badly has this material aged?

I'm frustrated by the U2 of the 00s. They released only 3 albums in 11 years. Heck, POP was in 1997, so really its 3 albums in 14 years. That makes things tough for a fan. Also, the way they've been promising Songs of Ascent since 2009 colors things for me. I know they're writing. They're just not sharing. Yeah, fine, they gave us 3 albums. One of them was a near-masterpiece, one was their weakest, and one was half-cooked, but in 14 years? When I think back over this period, that's what I find myself thinking about - the delays and the promises. The lack of B-sides. The waiting and the waiting and the leaping at clues and hints. REM broke up this week. Did you know that their last album was their 15th in 31 years? U2 has released 12 studio albums in 31 years (plus Passengers.) Granted, nothing REM has done since 1999 was worth listening to, but it puts the work slow-down in perspective.
 
1) What is the best A-side single in this period?

'Beautiful Day' (or 'City of Blinding Lights')

2) What is the best B-side(you may consider tracks from 2004's "Unreleased and Rare" that don't appear elsewhere to be b-sides)?

'Flower Child'. I think this is one of their best songs of the 00s!

3) What is the best non-single track from this period?
NOTE: This had previously been "best non-single album track", but there are enough non-single, non-album tracks in this era that I decided to rephrase the question.

Well, 'Flower Child' again. As far as album tracks go, I'll take 'Yahweh' and 'Cedars of Lebanon'.

4) What is the best overall album (from three studio LPs) and why?

Tough one. NLOTH didn't work for me (outside of three or four tracks), so it's either ATYCLB or HTDAAB. I think ATYCLB studio-sessions produced the best tracks of the decade, but some of the best songs ('Summer Rain', 'Flower Child', 'Ground Beneath Her Feet' in N.A.) didn't make the cut in preference to a few average songs that did. I like all the songs on HTDAAB, but the production is pretty one-note and the album lacks texture (and subtlety -- not that U2 are known for that). So, I guess my choice is HTDAAB...

5) For those in the know, what is the best bootleg available from this period?

No idea about this. I heard a couple of early 2005 concerts that were good. Too many 'greatest-hits' type sets for me in the 00s, though.

6) What are your overall thoughts and impressions of this period of U2? How does it compare to other periods? How well/badly has this material aged?

Given their age and their titanic accomplishments in the 80s and 90s, the fact that they even made fully-committed records, promoted them like crazy, and toured endlessly, is impressive in itself. Then the fact that the records are all decent is even better.

Having said that, they released far too little material and over-cooked a lot of it in the studio-sessions. A little more passionate urgency and a lot less careful, calculated craftsmanship would be nice.

I think when the history books of U2 are written, and we look back on the four or five decades of the band, this past decade will be the one where we say they struggled to maintain artistic vitality with stadium-God shows. They seemed to be able to pull this off (rather effortlessly) in the late 80s through the 90s, but by the end of this past decade their stadium show had become so enormous and high-tech that it overshadowed the music. Then, since NLOTH didn't set the world on fire but they needed to sell 60,000 tickets a night, they were forced to play a Greatest-Hits type of set.
 
I think when the history books of U2 are written, and we look back on the four or five decades of the band, this past decade will be the one where we say they struggled to maintain artistic vitality with stadium-God shows. They seemed to be able to pull this off (rather effortlessly) in the late 80s through the 90s, but by the end of this past decade their stadium show had become so enormous and high-tech that it overshadowed the music. Then, since NLOTH didn't set the world on fire but they needed to sell 60,000 tickets a night, they were forced to play a Greatest-Hits type of set.[/B]

Yeah.... :(
 
I think everybody is a little too hard on 00s U2. ATYCLB & HTDAAB are great albums that fans got sick of because they were successful on a more widespread scale, something U2 fans hadn't experienced since 1992. Between Achtung Baby and ATYCLB, U2 had 3 albums that sold and performed significantly less than what was expected of U2 (Zooropa, Passengers and Pop), and I think U2 fans got used to the exclusivity of it. I personally was happy to see U2 back on top. It made me happy when I went into a music store to see OTHER PEOPLE buying U2 albums.

IMO ATYCLB is a "masterpiece" that is on par with JT and AB. There is just something MAGIC about the record to me. HTDAAB is, to paraphrase Bono, "a great collection of songs, but not a great album". NLOTH was a pretty significant letdown for me. If they wanted to make ATYCLB part 3, they should've just done that. If they wanted to make a more experimental, Morocco-inspired album, they should've done that. I honestly would have been fine with either, as long as the songs were good. But what we got was this terrible Frankenstein's Monster that didn't know what it wanted to be. Hopefully they can bring focus in on the next album!
 
1) What is the best A-side single in this period?
Walk On.

2) What is the best B-side(you may consider tracks from 2004's "Unreleased and Rare" that don't appear elsewhere to be b-sides)?
Levitate.

3) What is the best non-single track from this period?
NOTE: This had previously been "best non-single album track", but there are enough non-single, non-album tracks in this era that I decided to rephrase the question.

No Line on the Horizon.

4) What is the best overall album (from three studio LPs) and why?
All That You Can't Leave Behind. There's some fantastic songs on there, and it seems like the most overall complete album of the three. NLOTH and Bomb are good albums, but they were hard for me to connect with right away other than a couple songs. ATYCLB grabbed me right away. I would actually consider it their 3rd best album, after Achtung Baby and Joshua Tree.

5) For those in the know, what is the best bootleg available from this period?
NOTE: Even though I said "between 2000 and 2009", you may use performances from 2010 and 2011 if you want to.

Don't have all that many U2 bootlegs, but the one from MSG right after 9/11 is pretty good. I also really like the Glastonbury show.

6) What are your overall thoughts and impressions of this period of U2? How does it compare to other periods? How well/badly has this material aged?
This is probably my favorite era. They were fantastic in the 90's, but I really am not overly crazy about Zooropa and Pop. The 80's were good, too, but some of the really early stuff (Boy, October, and even some of War) seems juvenile to me. I've really enjoyed their albums from this decade, even if they don't stack up with those like Achtung and Joshua.

One of the main reasons I say this is my favorite era is because of the live shows. I love everything I can get from the Elevation Tour, and the concerts from Vertigo and 360° are awesome too.
 
1) City of Blinding Lights
2) Levitate
3) Moment of Surrender
4) No Line On The Horizon. I would explain why, but I've defended the album so many times on this forum that I'm a little sick of it, so we'll just say that I like it most because it meshes most with my personal taste.
5) The first 360 Milano show, and Vertigo Honolulu.
6) It was a decent decade, probably not as good as the 90s, probably on par with the 80s for me overall (80s might be a little better, I'm not sure). There were very good parts of it.
 
1) What is the best A-side single in this period?

City of Blinding Lights
Beautiful Day
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
Walk On


2) What is the best B-side(you may consider tracks from 2004's "Unreleased and Rare" that don't appear elsewhere to be b-sides)?

Levitate

3) What is the best non-single track from this period?

Moment of Surrender
No Line On The Horizon
New York
Fez-Being Born
Miracle Drug

4) What is the best overall album (from three studio LPs) and why?

No Line On The Horizon - fantastic album. It has grown on me in the past two years, all of the tracks are just great stuff.

5) For those in the know, what is the best bootleg available from this period?
NOTE: Even though I said "between 2000 and 2009", you may use performances from 2010 and 2011 if you want to.


I haven't really heard any bootlegs, but if it had to be one, it would be the Miami show on June 29, 2011.

6) What are your overall thoughts and impressions of this period of U2? How does it compare to other periods? How well/badly has this material aged?

Great stuff. Not as great as the epicness (in my opinion) of the 90's or the 80's, but it was another successful era for U2, rebounding after the unnecessary slow sales of Pop. Some of my favorite songs come from this era. :drool:
 
1) What is the best A-side single in this period?

MOS, as a song. Beautiful Day or Vertigo as a single.

2) What is the best B-side(you may consider tracks from 2004's "Unreleased and Rare" that don't appear elsewhere to be b-sides)?

Winter

3) What is the best non-single track from this period?

NOTE: This had previously been "best non-single album track", but there are enough non-single, non-album tracks in this era that I decided to rephrase the question.

Kite

4) What is the best overall album (from three studio LPs) and why?

ATYLB (though NLOTH is close). Bomb is mediocre at best.

5) For those in the know, what is the best bootleg available from this period?
NOTE: Even though I said "between 2000 and 2009", you may use performances from 2010 and 2011 if you want to.


Vertigo Sao Paulo or Buenos Aires

6) What are your overall thoughts and impressions of this period of U2? How does it compare to other periods? How well/badly has this material aged?

Beautiful Day is one of the most important songs U2 ever recorded. ATYCLB is a great collection of pop songs that put them back on top. Bomb was mediocre cruise control and a step down. NLOTH is a beautiful, but uneven, masterpiece.
 
1) What is the best A-side single in this period?

Beautiful Day

2) What is the best B-side(you may consider tracks from 2004's "Unreleased and Rare" that don't appear elsewhere to be b-sides)?

Mercy

3) What is the best non-single track from this period?

NOTE: This had previously been "best non-single album track", but there are enough non-single, non-album tracks in this era that I decided to rephrase the question.

Moment Of Surrender

4) What is the best overall album (from three studio LPs) and why?

NLOTH

5) For those in the know, what is the best bootleg available from this period?
NOTE: Even though I said "between 2000 and 2009", you may use performances from 2010 and 2011 if you want to.

Milan 7-7-09, although this could change tomorrow

6) What are your overall thoughts and impressions of this period of U2? How does it compare to other periods? How well/badly has this material aged?

Beautiful Day brought them back, Vertigo maintained their success this decade. NLOTH was a misstep(in their eyes), but it's my favorite album of the three.
 
1) What is the best A-side single in this period?

Magnificent

2) What is the best B-side(you may consider tracks from 2004's "Unreleased and Rare" that don't appear elsewhere to be b-sides)?

Love You Like Mad

3) What is the best non-single track from this period?

Unknown Caller

4) What is the best overall album (from three studio LPs) and why?

NLOTH is the only great studio album of this past decade because I feel that they were back to being a creative and exciting band on that one. The other two were just bland to my ears.

5) For those in the know, what is the best bootleg available from this period?

Madison Square Garden 10-27-01

6) What are your overall thoughts and impressions of this period of U2? How does it compare to other periods? How well/badly has this material aged?

The 80's and 90's U2 are tied for # 1 as my favorite decade.
This is definately my least favorite decade as a U2 fan. Having said that, I am of course very happy for them getting their popularity back. While I respect ATYCLB for reviving thier career and HTDAAB for keeping them on top, I have to say that NLOTH was THE album that made me a true U2 fan again. I feel No Line...is the only output from the '00s that will age well.
 
1) What is the best A-side single in this period?
It's gotta be a tie between Beautiful Day and COBL. Honorable mention goes to Vertigo.

2) What is the best B-side(you may consider tracks from 2004's "Unreleased and Rare" that don't appear elsewhere to be b-sides)?
The Ground Beneath Her Feet, Stateless, Native Son, Fast Cars, and NLOTH2 were all great.

3) What is the best non-single track from this period?
Moment of Surrender, hands down. I also loved No Line On The Horizon, Kite, and Crumbs From Your Table.

4) What is the best overall album (from three studio LPs) and why?
I honestly can't decide between All That You Can't Leave Behind and No Line On The Horizon. The former was more cohesive, and one of the best examples of the "U2 sound" to date; however, the latter had some really adventurous moments and was severely underrated by the mainstream.

5) For those in the know, what is the best bootleg available from this period?
9/13/09, Soldier Field. (Now, I might be slightly biased, since this was my first U2 show. Still, from a purely setlist-based perspective, the second show was definitely a standout from the early days of the tour. Your Blue Room's live debut...:drool::drool::drool:)

6) What are your overall thoughts and impressions of this period of U2? How does it compare to other periods? How well/badly has this material aged?
This is the era that got me "into" U2, so I'll always have fond memories of it. Rose-colored glasses aside, it's probably the weakest of their three decades so far, though that honestly says more about the quality of the first two than anything. Besides, the past ten years have given us some killer tracks. All in all, a solid era of U2 history, and I'm eagerly looking forward to seeing how they change things up in the '10s! :D
 
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