Year-end "Rank the U2 albums" after SOI honeymoon

[thistrain]

Haven't posted here in forever but this thread grabbed my attention. For fans like myself who first saw them on The Joshua Tree tour, nothing will ever top that album. Streets will always be their best album opener and best live song. Reason alone to fly thousands of miles to see them perform.

The new album is very good but I just can't say its better than any of their previous albums yet. Other than a few songs like Every Breaking Wave or Song for Someone I'm not sure how may are 'classic' U2 songs. Looking forward to hearing them performed live in May, I'm sure they'll sound even better in concert.

1. The Joshua Tree
2. Achtung Baby
3. The Unforgettable Fire
4. All That You Can't Leave Behind
5. War
6. Zooropa
7. Rattle and Hum
8, Pop
9. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
10. No Line on the Horizon
11. Boy
12. October
13. Songs of Innocence

 

[Scorpionac]

Wasn't much of a honeymoon. SOI couldn't even get it up for me.

01. Zooropa
02. The Joshua Tree
03. Achtung Baby
04. The Unforgettable Fire
05. Pop
06. Boy
07. No Line on the Horizon
08. All That You Can't Leave Behind
09. War
10. Rattle and Hum
11. Songs of Innocence
12. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
13. October

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Wasn't much of a honeymoon. SOI couldn't even get it up for me.

01. Zooropa
02. The Joshua Tree
03. Achtung Baby
04. The Unforgettable Fire
05. Pop
06. Boy
07. No Line on the Horizon
08. All That You Can't Leave Behind
09. War
10. Rattle and Hum
11. Songs of Innocence
12. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
13. October

You prefer the songs of NLOTH over War???, ATYCLB and SOI?

 

[Galeongirl]

Is that so strange? I shared that opinion pages ago.

 

[LemonMelon]

I prefer the songs of NLOTH over ATYCLB and, quite easily, SOI.

In fact, I'm starting to consider placing SOI dead last. It has the same big problem as HTDAAB - nothing on it really stands out - only I have no nostalgia or affection for the era like I do for HTDAAB. Those were some good times. Occasionally I feel the need to listen to HTDAAB on those merits. I can't imagine wanting to listen to SOI again.

 

[Scorpionac]

You prefer the songs of NLOTH over War???, ATYCLB and SOI?

I sure do. NLOTH comes out on top when I measure the sublime to very good songs from NLOTH (Magnificent, Moment of Surrender, Fez-Being Born, White as Snow, Breathe) against the same kinds of songs from ATYCLB (Beautiful Day, Walk On, Kite, New York), War (Sunday Bloody Sunday, Like a Song, New Year's Day), and SOI (The Troubles). I also have a measure of affection/nostalgia for both NLOTH and ATYCLB.

 

[digitize]

I prefer the songs of NLOTH over ATYCLB and, quite easily, SOI.

In fact, I'm starting to consider placing SOI dead last. It has the same big problem as HTDAAB - nothing on it really stands out - only I have no nostalgia or affection for the era like I do for HTDAAB. Those were some good times. Occasionally I feel the need to listen to HTDAAB on those merits. I can't imagine wanting to listen to SOI again.

I'm kind of in the same boat. I do think that SOI has somewhat higher average song quality than Bomb, I do think that Bomb has peaks that are better than SOI's, and COBL is a particularly massive peak. I enjoy COBL, OOTS, and AMAAW together more than all of SOI together. So, I'd honestly rather listen to Bomb, even if I think that SOI is, in a sense, somewhat better at this point.


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[RaisedByWolves]

I sure do. NLOTH comes out on top when I measure the sublime to very good songs from NLOTH (Magnificent, Moment of Surrender, Fez-Being Born, White as Snow, Breathe) against the same kinds of songs from ATYCLB (Beautiful Day, Walk On, Kite, New York), War (Sunday Bloody Sunday, Like a Song, New Year's Day), and SOI (The Troubles). I also have a measure of affection/nostalgia for both NLOTH and ATYCLB.

NLOTH has some of the bands least developed ideas and contains some of Bono's most heinous lyrics. Last time I checked, songs like Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, Drowning Man, 40 and Two Hearts Beat As One were considered "classics". Years from now, SBS and NYD will still be viable in the modern music landscape where as NLOTH will be a footnote.

 

[djerdap]

In fact, I'm starting to consider placing SOI dead last. It has the same big problem as HTDAAB - nothing on it really stands out - only I have no nostalgia or affection for the era like I do for HTDAAB. Those were some good times. Occasionally I feel the need to listen to HTDAAB on those merits. I can't imagine wanting to listen to SOI again.

We're on the same page here.

 

[Scorpionac]

NLOTH has some of the bands least developed ideas and contains some of Bono's most heinous lyrics. Last time I checked, songs like Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, Drowning Man, 40 and Two Hearts Beat As One were considered "classics". Years from now, SBS and NYD will still be viable in the modern music landscape where as NLOTH will be a footnote.

Thanks for sharing

 

[Galeongirl]

I prefer the songs of NLOTH over ATYCLB and, quite easily, SOI.

In fact, I'm starting to consider placing SOI dead last. It has the same big problem as HTDAAB - nothing on it really stands out - only I have no nostalgia or affection for the era like I do for HTDAAB. Those were some good times. Occasionally I feel the need to listen to HTDAAB on those merits. I can't imagine wanting to listen to SOI again.

That's exactly the feeling I've had ever since I first listened to SOI. Just nothing standing out to me. While NLOTH has some amazing songs (MOS, Breathe, NLOTH(2), Fez). Bomb has Miracle Drug, which will always be special to me. And a while ago I had Yahweh come up on my ipod, surprisingly I enjoyed it quite a lot. Then there's Vertigo that got me into U2, COBL which is brilliant, and it's easy to see how it ranks above SOI for me.

 

[Bad Exit]

Small changes since last time:

Unforgettable Fire
Joshua Tree
Achtung Baby
Boy
---
Songs of Innocence
No Line on the Horizon
Zooropa
War
HTDAAB
---
Pop
ATYCLB
October
Rattle & Hum

 

[bobsaget77]

Year-end "Rank the U2 albums" after SOI honeymoon

NLOTH has some of the bands least developed ideas and contains some of Bono's most heinous lyrics. Last time I checked, songs like Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, Drowning Man, 40 and Two Hearts Beat As One were considered "classics". Years from now, SBS and NYD will still be viable in the modern music landscape where as NLOTH will be a footnote.

NLOTH is forgettable and easily their worst album. 3 worst U2 songs ever recorded on one album.
Red Light, Refugee, Surrender>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SUC, UC, Breathe


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[mobonofo]

1 Achtung Baby
2 The Joshua Tree
3 The Unforgettable Fire
4 Zooropa
5 Songs of Innocence
6 Boy
7 War
8 Rattle and Hum
9 Pop
10 All You Can't Leave Behind
11 October
12 Bomb
13 No Line on the Horizon

 

[CosmoKramer]

I wouldn't say it is their worst album. I would place it 9th.

There are some good songs in it and ones that years from now I will go back and listen to. For me, SOI is miles ahead of NLOTH.

NLOTH also lost a lot of shine for me in the live environment where no songs truly grabbed me. Hopefully SOI will benefit from the live experience.


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[YBORCITY]

1. AB
2. TJT
3. TUF
4. Zooropa
5. Pop
6. ATYCLB
7. SOI
8. Boy
9. War
10. R&H
11. October
12. NLOTH
13. Bomb

 

[Mr. Happy]

1. Achtung Baby
2. The Joshua Tree
3. No Line on the Horizon
4. Pop
5. How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
6. The Unforgettable Fire
7. Zooropa
8. Songs of Innocence
9. Boy
10. Rattle & Hum
11. War
12. All That You Can't Leave Behind
13. October

My opinion of SoI hasn't really changed since week two, as both a cohesive album and with individual songs. There's a couple of fantastic songs (EBW, California, Reach Me), but the middle three (Iris, Volcano, RBW) bring the whole thing down for me. Iris is clunky lyrically, Volcano is awkward AND clunky, and RBW is just awkward. To have that chunk in the middle brings down what is otherwise quite a good album.

Oh, and the hook is repeated far too many times in the Troubles. There's a masterpiece in that one (as in, best song of the 21st century type of masterpiece), but the fact that I'm reminded that somebody stepped inside my soul over and over and over begins to grate after a while. That's really disappointing for me and ends the album on a low. Sounds stupid, but it's a thing for me

 

[LemonMelon]

Oh, and the hook is repeated far too many times in the Troubles. There's a masterpiece in that one (as in, best song of the 21st century type of masterpiece), but the fact that I'm reminded that somebody stepped inside my soul over and over and over begins to grate after a while. That's really disappointing for me and ends the album on a low. Sounds stupid, but it's a thing for me

Totally agreed. The track has terrific atmosphere, but it's so tightly structured and the band is so enamored with Lykke Li's hook that they never really let loose instrumentally. Edge starts to go somewhere with it but the song fades before he can.

And then there's the hook itself. "Somebody stepped inside your soul," in a vacuum, is a cringeworthy line that gets a pass because it isn't being sung by Bono. But honestly, what does it mean? How does one step inside a soul? What does that look like? Isn't there a better way to convey a steady, inevitable loss of control than by evoking soul imagery that's not concrete enough to visualize? If you're going to repeat a line again and again, it had better be damn powerful. Forget that Bono has gone back to the Well of Kneeling Souls often enough to reach the earth's core.

Still probably the best song on the album though.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

1. AB
2. TJT
3. TUF
4. Zooropa
5. Pop
6. ATYCLB
7. SOI
8. Boy
9. War
10. R&H
11. October
12. NLOTH
13. Bomb

Good list YBORCITY. You and I are much more in line with our feelings toward NLOTH and Bomb.

 

[Bad Exit]

"Somebody stepped inside your soul," in a vacuum, is a cringeworthy line that gets a pass because it isn't being sung by Bono. But honestly, what does it mean? How does one step inside a soul? What does that look like? Isn't there a better way to convey a steady, inevitable loss of control than by evoking soul imagery that's not concrete enough to visualize? If you're going to repeat a line again and again, it had better be damn powerful.

I actually believe that "somebody stepped inside your soul" is exactly what you said it should be, a "powerful way to convey a steady inevitable loss of control", so I'm happy with that line.

On the other hand, I don't speak english, so... you probably have a point.

Edge starts to go somewhere with it but the song fades before he can.

THIS is what really bothers me of that song.
I hope they have a 12" version of this one as they had a TCB one and they release it eventually [/dream].
I could listen to at least an aditional 2 or 3 minutes of whatever Edge was about to play at the end of this song, and 2 more of what he's playing at the end of SLABT too, since we're dreaming.

 

[mikal]

Someone stepped inside my soul once. Didn't hurt too much. If anything, it tickled.


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[mobonofo]

[/QUOTE] THIS is what really bothers me of that song.
I hope they have a 12" version of this one as they had a TCB one and they release it eventually [/dream].
I could listen to at least an aditional 2 or 3 minutes of whatever Edge was about to play at the end of this song, and 2 more of what he's playing at the end of SLABT too, since we're dreaming.[/QUOTE]

Indeed. Edge needs to correct this in concert and end The Troubles with a Love Is Blindness-style epic solo. It fades right when it's getting interesting on the album.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

THIS is what really bothers me of that song.
I hope they have a 12" version of this one as they had a TCB one and they release it eventually [/dream].
I could listen to at least an aditional 2 or 3 minutes of whatever Edge was about to play at the end of this song, and 2 more of what he's playing at the end of SLABT too, since we're dreaming.[/QUOTE]

Indeed. Edge needs to correct this in concert and end The Troubles with a Love Is Blindness-style epic solo. It fades right when it's getting interesting on the album.[/QUOTE]

Agreed. LIB during the Zoo TV tour was fantastic and always a highlight for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33ZKmi586PA

this version is cool too.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12d-5Azr6PI

 

[thavidesco]

Edge´s solo performances are so plain...Bono´s solo performances are musically very inconsistent. They definitely cannot exist without each other in the music world.

 

[thavidesco]

1. Achtung
2. Joshua
3. Songs
4. Fire
5. October
6. Zooropa
7. Boy
8. NO line
9. Bomb
10. Rattle
11. War
..........
.......
...
12. Pop
.....................
.................
..............
...........
........
.......
.....
...
.


13. ATYCLB

 

[thavidesco]

BTW. SHocked by the prejudices towards October

 

[Galeongirl]

Prejudice?

 

[mikal]

I like October, but it's one of the last U2 albums that I am in the mood to listen to which is why it's always at the bottom of my stack rank.

 

[corianderstem]

BTW. SHocked by the prejudices towards October

Prejudice?

All just a bunch of Octoberists.

Spoiler

Or Anti-Octoberites?

 

[thavidesco]

Prejudice?

Yep, it is widely considered as an album between their awesome debut and their first break through album - War. It is considered to be unfinished, not worthy for paying more attention. But it´s full of wonderfull ideas, it sounds more consistent than collection of singles from the early times on Boy and much less forced than War. It is a unique and beautiful album.