The SAD at People trashing HTDAAB Thread

[BOYO3221]

am i the only one that feels bomb is getting seriously violated ? people saying it had no good song?????????. I personally Loved the album and have been a HArdcore fan since 84 and do not understand why. now ATYCLB , i did not particularly care for many throw away songs on that album. Everyone is raving about NLOTH being so adventurous and sonically new sounding.While i enjoy the album i think that Bomb was u2 being u2.. original of the species was very drastic sound wise and as was one of my all time favs to this day. any fan can see that NLOTH is a combo of all there previous album sounds...elements of pop, Un fire, JT AB. so it is not really that shocking to me..except for white as snow i think it still sounds like U2. I thought BOMB was a good Album and listened to it a million times and loved it... i did not like one step closer, but that was it.....i just am surprised from all you fans that went gaga over bomb years ago and are now turncoats...seems very childish in here lately. i personally am VERY dissapointed in EDGE's performance in NLOTH .. WEHERE RE THE GREAT GUITAR SOLOS WE HEARD ABOUT???????????. i was looking for the fly and end of the world ..bullet zoo tv type stuff it is no where on this album. i love unknown caller but the solo is good not great.. just my two bits

 

[as you wish16]

I hear ya. The trashing and minimizing of the last two records is getting annoying.

 

[Real Texan]

I really liked a lot of ATYCLB but the last one.......well..... it had it's dynamic moments, but No Line is really far beyond it as far as sophistication goes it really is crazy.

 

[HansaTonImbiss]

ATYCLB was great. Perfect album at perfect time. HTDAAB never, not once, got my attention. This one perked me up. On par with Pop after these first few listens, but maybe a better "feel" for me, but time will tell. I really, really hope this one grows on me (and others) the way their best have.

 

[purpleoscar]

People usually trash the album that came before because they are tired of listening to it and they eventually wear it out.

 

[cjboog]

I really liked a lot of ATYCLB but the last one.......well..... it had it's dynamic moments, but No Line is really far beyond it as far as sophistication goes it really is crazy.

I am glad I wasn't on interference when I first got Bomb for Christmas and fell in love with it. My opinion would have been tainted!

Vertigo
Miracle Drug
Sometimes
Love and Peace
City of Blinding Lights
All Because of You
A Man and a Woman
Crumbs From Your Table
One Step Closer
Original of the Species
Yaweh

 

[Rosebud]

People usually trash the album that came before because they are tired of listening to it and they eventually wear it out.

This.

 

[Niceman]

I think HTDAAB was a collection of great songs. ATYCLB was 4 or 5 good songs and a lot of B-material. But it doesn't take anything away from HTDAAB to revel in something EVEN BETTER coming along!!!

I still love Original of The Species! And how great was City of Blinding Lights on Inauguration day????

 

[ozeeko]

The difference is, ATYCLB was great pieces of music that just happened to be pop songs, while BOMB was just a collection of pop songs set to crap music, and this new album is great transcendant music, with a couple glimmers of pop seeping thru. This new album is where U2 belongs, not in the TGIF's and Walmarts (where BOMB lived) , but in the realm of uncertainty, in outer space, in the musical abyss.

 

[angel_28]

I Still love ATYCLB, it still hold very meaningful songs for me..like Walk On and Stuck,
Beautiful Day..because Bono and I shared a moment during that song ..when U2 played here..

Bomb, I love it too I looked back at my posts here when Bomb first came out..hey I loved all 11 songs..I still do

I do find that NLOTH surpasses both though ,I'm still discovering it with every listen.
ATYCLB and Bomb I find I didn't really have anything to discover I pretty much got it after one listen..I love them both..but this album is more challenging more sounds to say hey I didn't notice that before.

 

[Niceman]

The difference is, ATYCLB was great pieces of music that just happened to be pop songs, while BOMB was just a collection of pop songs set to crap music, and this new album is great transcendant music, with a couple glimmers of pop seeping thru. This new album is where U2 belongs, not in the TGIF's and Walmarts (where BOMB lived) , but in the realm of uncertainty, in outer space, in the musical abyss.

I'm too deeply in love with NLOTH to get into an argument about why HTDAAB was great and ATYCLB sucked..... Moment Of Silence is playing right now and that might be my favorite song EVER now.... Let's just say that I don't share your opinions of those albums.....

 

[as you wish16]

while BOMB was just a collection of pop songs set to crap music,

Not only do you sound like a music snob, you sound like an ignorant music snob. But don't let me stop you from embarrassing yourself...continue.

 

[Needle_Chill]

Try putting ATYCLB up against NLOTH song for song, and you will remember why ATYCLB was called a masterpiece by some. Do the same with NLOTH and HTDAAB and again, you'll see that HTDAAB is not the failure people call it.

 

[Rosebud]

The only real critique I have of Bomb (I looooove ATYCLB) is there is somewhat of a lack of cohesion. Even Larry said this in U2 by U2, that Bomb didn't have the emotional thread running through it that ATYCLB did. I feel the same. They're all terrific songs. It just isn't quite the "album" that the former one is. I would say that's probably due to the army of producers they had on.

That said, I don't think it really deserves the level of bashing that it gets around here. There are a hell of a lot of worse things out there than a lack of cohesion. Sometimes I watch a really old performance video or listen to an old album, and I come back to appreciate how much better they are at their jobs now.

 

[Niceman]

Bomb was 13 good songs. (including Fast Cars and Mercy.) That's no small feat. It had it's weaknesses... but it was 13 good songs......

 

[as you wish16]

The only real critique I have of Bomb (I looooove ATYCLB) is there is somewhat of a lack of cohesion. Even Larry said this in U2 by U2, that Bomb didn't have the emotional thread running through it that ATYCLB did. I feel the same. They're all terrific songs. It just isn't quite the "album" that the former one is. I would say that's probably due to the army of producers they had on.

That said, I don't think it really deserves the level of bashing that it gets around here. There are a hell of a lot of worse things out there than a lack of cohesion. Sometimes I watch a really old performance video or listen to an old album, and I come back to appreciate how much better they are at their jobs now.

THIS I would agree with. HTDAAB was a collection of very good to great songs that just didn't all fit together as a whole. But to dismiss these songs individually like a lot on this board do is absurd.

 

[digitize]

Bomb would be good if the production wasn't crap, there was some cohesion, Mercy was added, and Crumbs and ABOY were dropped. But Crumbs and ABOY are two of my least favorite U2 tracks, with Crumbs probably occupying the number one spot.

 

[Needle_Chill]

I'm wondering... if there are any golden oldies of U2 internet fandom... what was the initial reaction to ATYCLB?

 

[Earnie Shavers]

People usually trash the album that came before because they are tired of listening to it and they eventually wear it out.

There's also more pressure on an album when it’s the current one. When it’s the latest material the songs sit separately from all the others. They're in the spotlight, they're carrying the flag, they are rightly or wrongly the front line representation of what is U2.

Once it’s not the current album, and the songs sort of settle to whatever their natural place is for you amongst several hundred other back catalogue tracks, the pressure is off. So for the last five years I’ve cringed at those Bomb tracks. This is what U2 have become? But now we have a new album, so those tracks just settle down there amongst the other two dozen or so U2 tracks I just really don’t care for at all. My opinion doesn’t change, but the disappointment and thus the strong-anti feeling and the need to express it is now gone. Atomic Bomb isn’t the present anymore, it’s history. Goodbye

 

[as you wish16]

Bomb would be good if the production wasn't crap, there was some cohesion, Mercy was added, and Crumbs and ABOY were dropped. But Crumbs and ABOY are two of my least favorite U2 tracks, with Crumbs probably occupying the number one spot.

Amazing how 2 U2 fans can see the same song so differently. Crumbs has always been my favorite song on that record. It still gives me chills! It's like he took out all of his frustration on working with "W" in this song.

 

[kiwilad]

I really agree with this thread!

HTDAAB was awesome, had some amazing moments on it!

I'm a huge fan of SYCMIOYO, a big fan of Yahweh, quite a big fan of OOTS, LAPOE and COBL.

It wasn't their best album, but it was awesome all the same and, when it came out, was constantly being referred to on this forum as streets ahead of ATYCLB.

That being said, it wasn't perfect.

I reckon it was a bit cheesy in parts, was trying too hard to throw up singles at every turn, and took too few risks.

But yeah, stop the bashing!!

But I don't agree NLOTH is worse. Not that it matters, individual opinion etc.
But in my opinion HTDAAB was, as is constantly said, a collection of songs. No real point, other than that they were fucking good songs.

This album is different. It feels like these four boys from Dublin want to say something to us, and they've written an album of awesome music, lyrics, melodies and arrangements to communicate it.
Most of these songs are not immediately catchy, will never see air-play, and don't scream sales. But they are the result of the best band in the world being the best band in the world again. And that makes me a happy U2 fan.

But yep, HTDAAB is huge, still gets played in my house/car/iPod a lot

 

[Earnie Shavers]

I'm wondering... if there are any golden oldies of U2 internet fandom... what was the initial reaction to ATYCLB?

Similar, but different. You had a lot of people really after something different post-Pop as you do now post-Bomb. And considering that, the reaction initially to ATYCLB - particularly 'throwback' songs like Beautiful Day and Walk On - was absolutely huge. It was obviously very satisfying for a lot of people.

I don't think ATYCLB ever reached the levels of distaste that Bomb has though. I think it just ran out of steam. It wasn't turned on in quite the same way, I think people just realised it wasn't all that strong from end to end and they really wanted Atomic Bomb to deliver on that front. It definitely received it's bashings though.

 

[icebergy]

Ive feel pretty neutral on bomb its ok with some really great moment, but it just doesnt work as an album and i think that the new one has more of a flow to songs that is natural.... and plus its alot harder to sing along to which it is great to sing along but with bomb i memorized it in a day and then was bored

 

[ozeeko]

Not only do you sound like a music snob, you sound like an ignorant music snob. But don't let me stop you from embarrassing yourself...continue.

Ohhhhkay.....

Do you really find it necessary to insult me? A copy of BOMB must've liked saved your life in some way for you to totally fly off the hinge after reading what is essentially an OPINION.

I'm not a music snob, certainly don't consider myself ignorant. I'm just a regular guy with a very low tolerance for boring music. And BOMB is boring music. I don't know what it is..the chords? the lyrics? the melodies? the overall atmosphere and lasting impression? I dunno...my new thing is this...some songs have "it" and some songs don't have "it". "It" being the magic that U2 has shown thruout their career.

I'll use an analogy to explain what i feel about the difference between BOMB and NLOTH. To me, BOMB is TGIF's and NLOTH is the Sistine Chapel.

But hey, I like comfort food as well...i just don't like it when my burgers are overcooked.

 

[sue4u2]

Bomb was 13 good songs. (including Fast Cars and Mercy.) That's no small feat. It had it's weaknesses... but it was 13 good songs......

One doesn't have to trash bomb to love NLOTH. It''s all good.

 

[MMP]

Bomb is my 8th favorite U2 album, but that's not bad at all. I really like the album and I would rank it in a much better place if it didn't had ABOY in its tracklist and Yahweh as a closer. Anyway, I still give it a 7.5 grade. Really nice album and I don't get this bashing either, it's pretty silly indeed.

 

[AtomicBono]

um this thread isnt about NLOTH ...

 

[Niceman]

um this thread isnt about NLOTH ...

It KINDA is.... In theory it's about the new album's relationship with it's immediate predecessors. Putting it in context. Of course, it could well fail and turn into just another ATYCLB vs HTDAAB thread......

 

[ozeeko]

This is why NLOTH rules, it's the first album i've heard since Achtung Baby where I can actually and honestly say "THIS IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN THEIR LAST ALBUM!"

 

[clerks]

After their next album, people will call NLOTH crap then too...

I have a 41 year old friend... says she loves U2... but she said they lost her at Unforgetable Fire... I mean that's the type of fans U2 has. Some only like the first 3 records...

Me, I thought the last 2 albums before this were AMAZING.