A Couple Years Later...Bomb is Forgettable

[scarlet october]

I don't understand why "Miracle Drug" is rated so low. It's probably my favorite song on the album. The ending is too abrupt but its my favorite song on the album. I think it could have fit on The Joshua Tree nicely.

 

[ponkine]

I think it could have fit on The Joshua Tree nicely.

That's the main problem with HTDAAB. It lacked huge identity, creativity, personality and originality. It sounded way too much ATYCLB (already an album trying to imitate Joshua Tree), the songs were written and performed exactly as ATYCLB, the sound and production were the same, and it had nothing really new to show us. That's the reason it was named ATYCLB II almost immediatly after leaking, even before official release and that's the main reason (IMHO) why it's forgettable:

if fans had ATYCLB already, why bother in having HTDAAB?

Too much of the same thing gets tiring

 

[Aygo]

That's the main problem with HTDAAB. It lacked huge identity, creativity, personality and originality. It sounded way too much ATYCLB (already an album trying to imitate Joshua Tree), the songs were written and performed exactly as ATYCLB, the sound and production were the same, and it had nothing really new to show us. That's the reason it was named ATYCLB II almost immediatly after leaking, even before official release and that's the main reason (IMHO) why it's forgettable:

if fans had ATYCLB already, why bother in having HTDAAB?

Too much of the same thing gets tiring

I disagree. All U2 albums (mainly since The Unforgettable Fire) are composed of various types of songs that include diverse influences or feelings. HTDAAB is no exception. The difference between this and the other albums, is that HTDAAB is something like a "best of" of what U2 can do... at their best. And this is an album that every song is reminiscent of any moment or any other song in their career. It think that it was intentional.
But I disagree that Miracle Drug is reminiscent of The Joshua Tree. Why? Because the bassline is the same on WOWY? No, I think that a unworked version of Miracle Drug could perfectily fit in ATYCLB.

 

[ponkine]

I think that a unworked version of Miracle Drug could perfectily fit in ATYCLB.

This line just contradict yourself

As I posted before: HTDAAB = ATYCLB II

 

[U2girl]

HTDAAB is something like a "best of" of what U2 can do... at their best. And this is an album that every song is reminiscent of any moment or any other song in their career. It think that it was intentional.

All bands/artists do a retro album at some point in their career.
(as opposed to ATYCLB which was a pop album.) The only Bomb songs that would fit on All that... are OOTS (which I think even started in those sessions) and AMAAW.

I would say that LAPOE sounds like nothing they've done before, maybe Fast cars too.

 

[ozeeko]

HTDAAB is something of a "worst of".

 

[Zoots]

I would say that LAPOE sounds like nothing they've done before, maybe Fast cars too.

Haha you make it sound like LAPOE has this revolutionary new sound! I respect your opinion but it is not even on the same page as the truly revolutionary stuff like Mofo, The Fly, Numb, Velvet Dress etc.

Fast Cars, on the other hand is great! It's a lot of fun and Bono doesn't come off as trying too hard, like in Vertigo. Just my opinion.

 

[ozeeko]

Haha you make it sound like LAPOE has this revolutionary new sound! I respect your opinion but it is not even on the same page as the truly revolutionary stuff like Mofo, The Fly, Numb, Velvet Dress etc.

Fast Cars, on the other hand is great! It's a lot of fun and Bono doesn't come off as trying too hard, like in Vertigo. Just my opinion.

LAPOE blows goats. The lyrics are good (for a 5 year old), The Edge phones in his solo (2 notes?), and let me address the pink elephant in the room.....THEY CAN'T EVEN PLAY THE DAMN SONG! It sounds clumsy, weak, awkward, uncertain, gutless...every adjective that you would not want attached to a fiery protest/war anthem.

Fast Cars is everything that LAPOE isn't. It's got balls, it's got an outstanding groove, great lyrics, and most of all - it gets under your skin. It's creepy. It's got personality. Personality goes a long way. The rest of the songs on THE BOMB (sans Crumbs) are like the new kid in school who tries to be friends with everyone, but gets rejected because he sux at being everyone else. If he had just been himself he would've succeeded.

 

[U2girl]

Haha stop following my posts if they bother you so much, then.

Mofo is not revolutionary, nor is Numb. A few dance beats and snazzy effects U2 weren't the first band to do it.
The Fly, as much of the AB itself, was inspired by Bono and Edge being into dance music and Manchester scene. Influenced, not original.
Velvet dress is going for the trip hop vibe, now that is new for the band. As is the glam rock stomp/Zooropafied LAPOE.

Fast cars is an ok song, much as Bomb was borrowing off U2's whole career this is, like Mercy, a re-hash of 90's U2. Listen to the older version, Xanax and wine and you will see what I mean.

 

[Zoots]

Okay I give up. ozeeko gets it but unfortunately you don't.

And I'm not following your posts. It's just too tempting not to respond to your amusing posts.

 

[U2girl]

I saw this *skips U2girl's post* in the Pop review thread.

You were saying?

 

[Zoots]

I saw this *skips U2girl's post* in the Pop review thread.

You were saying?

It was a joke! Since you said you skip Miami... lighten up already!

 

[Salome]

I think the point isn't that U2girl doesn't get it
she just doesn't agree with you

can't particularly blame her for that either

 

[Zoots]

Okay, I'll just respond to her post then.

Mofo is not revolutionary, nor is Numb. A few dance beats and snazzy effects U2 weren't the first band to do it.

A few dance beats??? People who dismiss Edge's genius on Pop get on my nerves. Okay I'll simply say I disagree. If Mofo is not revolutionary, then LAPOE definitely is not!

And Numb was literally something totally completely new for U2. That's one of the reasons I really respect that song and video! Including a whole minute of blank screen in the video required balls! Something I cannot even imagine present U2 doing.

 

[LemonMelon]

A few dance beats??? People who dismiss Edge's genius on Pop get on my nerves.

...Including a whole minute of blank screen in the video required balls! Something I cannot even imagine present U2 doing.

 

[LyricalDrug]

SYCMIOYO is a phenomenal song. One of the band's best, ever. I was expecting that the live version would be even better than the studio (a la One), but the studio version is tops.

The Bomb is a great album. No wonder it won, what, 7 Grammys total, including Album of the Year?

My only complaint is that the lyrics have gotten cheezy. There has been an "Oprah-fication" of Bono lately -- he's gone all "warm and cuddly" instead of being a a bad-ass, cutting-edge, rabble-rouser who was out to "fuck up the mainstream." Now we get lines like "please stay a child somewhere in your heart" (ugh). The lyrics on the bomb sound like they were all just emailed in.

 

[doctorwho]

That's the main problem with HTDAAB. It lacked huge identity, creativity, personality and originality. It sounded way too much ATYCLB (already an album trying to imitate Joshua Tree), the songs were written and performed exactly as ATYCLB, the sound and production were the same, and it had nothing really new to show us. That's the reason it was named ATYCLB II almost immediatly after leaking, even before official release and that's the main reason (IMHO) why it's forgettable:

if fans had ATYCLB already, why bother in having HTDAAB?

Too much of the same thing gets tiring

Gee... I felt the same way about JT and R&H...

I also felt this way about "Pop" and "War".

Funny how that works.

 

[Aygo]

No need for me to bother any longer... This people will always throw away the barbarie-comments instead of being accurate... If HTDAAB is that bad why are these people still interested in a band that "throws away the same shit" again again? Whatever... I've spent much time in the past trying to convience this people from the contrary, don't need to get with it any longer...

 

[U2girl]

I think the point isn't that U2girl doesn't get it
she just doesn't agree with you

The oldest excuse in the book whenever someone doesn't worship the feet of Pop. It's just funny how some of the loudest "don't get worked up" preachers don't practice what they preach on their own. Woo pe doo, so I skip Miami. Big deal.

Again, Mofo isn't revolutionary, and I wasn't saying LAPOE is. Zootlesque (good on him for actually making a thought on his own and not blindly high fiving others) started throwing that around.

Revolutionary = something no one else did before you.
Again, U2 didn't discover dance music or glam rock for that matter, or blues and rock and roll and country on Rattle and Hum, or pop on ATYCLB, or retro sounds on Bomb. I didn't realize Edge was producing Pop, since I never said anything on his guitars on that album.

It may be, yes, new to U2. Just don't say they invented any music genre they try. BTW I felt they did their flirtation with dance music much better on AB than Zooropa or Pop. Can I say that or will he object again?

What's so brave of showing a minute of nothing?

 

[jacobus]

ozeeko wrote: HTDAAB is something of a "worst of".

this is harsh, but its the truth...HTDAAB stinks

 

[Folkelig]

I honestly don’t understand where some of the Bomb bashers are coming from. I can see some of the ATYCLB II arguments as being valid, but for me Bomb is everything that album should have been in the first place. The production of ATYCLB is so messy, muddy and completely without any clear focus, that I’m left scratching my head for wtf Brian and Daniel was doing. I love many of the songs from that album, but they really should have re-recorded everything afterwards with some skilled people production wise. This is actually quit strange, when you consider the production Daniel has done with Peter Gabriel, and even his own album “Shine”. Bomb is focused, everything in its right place, awesome bass sound, clear shimmering guitar sound etc.
Bomb doesn’t have any weak songs on it, no embarrassing “Wild Honey” or mediocre songs like “New York” and “Grace”. If I was to take the best songs from ATYCLB (BD, Walk on, WILATW, Kite, IALW) and put them on Bomb, I wouldn’t know which songs to replace, honestly.

I do think, however, that Bono is right when he says that Bomb somehow missed to be greater than the sum of its parts (the Rolling Stone podcast). That is unfortunate, and might even be the reason for some of the bashing going on in here. ATYCLB somehow managed to be better than the sum of its parts, but that doesn’t mean it is anything near a U2 masterpiece. Bomb is close, but not spot on. It’s not an AB, but a little less than that is alright in my book.

 

[bono_man2002]

Everything sounds crap when you overkill on listening to it, cause its all so great.

 

[doctorwho]

The oldest excuse in the book whenever someone doesn't worship the feet of Pop. It's just funny how some of the loudest "don't get worked up" preachers don't practice what they preach on their own. Woo pe doo, so I skip Miami. Big deal.

Again, Mofo isn't revolutionary, and I wasn't saying LAPOE is. Zootlesque (good on him for actually making a thought on his own and not blindly high fiving others) started throwing that around.

Revolutionary = something no one else did before you.
Again, U2 didn't discover dance music or glam rock for that matter, or blues and rock and roll and country on Rattle and Hum, or pop on ATYCLB, or retro sounds on Bomb. I didn't realize Edge was producing Pop, since I never said anything on his guitars on that album.

It may be, yes, new to U2. Just don't say they invented any music genre they try. BTW I felt they did their flirtation with dance music much better on AB than Zooropa or Pop. Can I say that or will he object again?

What's so brave of showing a minute of nothing?

Wonderful post, U2girl.

And I agree - it's very difficult for any band to be revolutionary.

For example...

U2's very early "punk" sound was heavily influenced from the punk bands at the time.

U2's Christian themes - especially the blatantly obvious ones early on in their career - could have been from a Christian rock band.

U2's more atmospheric sound was easily the influence of Brian Eno and those like him.

Their "preachy" or "rebellious" messages mimicked those of Dylan and Lennon and many others from the 60's and 70's.

The industrial sound of some songs on AB and the techno sound of some songs on "Pop" were heavily influenced by bands in Europe.

The ZOO TV stage and Bono's many alter-egos was influenced by David Bowie and his Ziggy Stardust creation as well as Pink Floyd's stage design.

U2's "heart" or "oval" stage designs have been done many times, including by Metallica (triangle).

U2's more folksy sound on the last 2 albums is reminiscent of many bands from the 60's and 70's.

I can go on and on. U2 is hardly revolutionary in any area.

But what makes U2 "unique" is how they put it all together. Never before has their been a pop-rock band that sings of God, while having wild stage designs. Never before has there been a folksy, atmospheric sound coming from a band where the lead singer has alter-egos. And never before has a band explored so many areas in their career and remained so successful.

Add in Bono's soaring vocals, Edge's wondrous effects, and the fantastic rhythm section and it becomes a very strong band - so strong that it has survived almost 3 decades, which is also ridiculously unique in the music world!

I don't look for U2 to be revolutionary. I look for them to inspire. And while I'm not thrilled with this upcoming "U218" release (as I feel it's a bit of a sell-out, but perhaps there are some political reasons behind it), I have always been inspired by U2. So while I may not enjoy every song (and there are songs on every album, even my favorites, that I do not enjoy), I feel each album is far superior to those of other artists. Hence, this is why U2 have remained my favorite band for 23 years!

 

[Snowlock]

That's the main problem with HTDAAB. It lacked huge identity, creativity, personality and originality. It sounded way too much ATYCLB (already an album trying to imitate Joshua Tree), the songs were written and performed exactly as ATYCLB, the sound and production were the same, and it had nothing really new to show us. That's the reason it was named ATYCLB II almost immediatly after leaking, even before official release and that's the main reason (IMHO) why it's forgettable:

if fans had ATYCLB already, why bother in having HTDAAB?

Too much of the same thing gets tiring

That's the one criticism I think about Bomb that's valid: It lacks an identity... But I think this attributed more to running order than a weakness in song writing. Bomb is about restoring Faith in the post 9/11 world. And the songs and subject matter reflect that. You may dislike the direction, but you can't disregard the fact that there is a direction.

The songs the message is built around aren't their most original, but and if this were the first U2 album I'd ever bought, first collection of songs I'd ever heard, and was told it's a greatest hits, I'd believe it because there are so many styles going on on the album; and they're not tied together very well; so it can seem like a random collection rather than a cohesive album. But taken individually, that' doesn't deride the songs themselves.

There are, granted a few songs that sounds as if they could have been on ATYCLB, and probably should have: OOTS and MD being the most obvious. But Vertigo, COBL, ABOY, Sometimes, Yahweh and especially LAPOE would have been very jarring on that album. These are much darker songs for a much darker album.

ATYCLB is not an album trying to imitate TJT. Or if they did try to imitate it, failed so miserably that the comparison can't be drawn. BD, Elevation, Stuck, Wild Honey, WILATW, New York, IALW.. These songs are nothing like anything on the Josh Tree.

For a different running order to giive the album a more cohesive feel, get out your CD burner, download a couple songs from here or itunes and try this:

1. Love and Peace Or Else - Fade into the song's intro by 10 seconds. This song really should have opened the album because it sets the tone better then Vertigo
2. Vertigo
3. ABOY - Keep things moving with Aboy. MD from Vert is too jaring and doesn't fit.

The next five flow well into each other:

4. OOTS
5. COBL
6. Crumbs
7. A Man And A Women
8. Sometimes

Last three make for a strong close rather than the uneven on on BOMB.

9. Are you gonna wait forever
10. Mercy
11. Yahweh

Leaving off Miracle Drug and One Step Closer and adding Mercy and AYGWF give the album more of a rock identity. I'm not particularily fond of AMAAW into Sometimes, but they're two strong unique tracks that belong on the b side of the album and can't be omitted. Sometimes into AYGWF is a jarring transition, but intentionally so; the AMAAW/Sometimes couplet was enough of mellow for this album.

I love Xanax & Wine and would like to put it on there, but it's just to rough of a demo.

 

[Zoots]

I also felt this way about "Pop" and "War".

 

[LemonMelon]

this is harsh, but its the truth...HTDAAB stinks

Now THAT'S blunt.

Anyway, U2 has never been revolutionary, really. Zoo TV wasn't revolutionary in its concept, but never has there been a show quite that glamorous. Except for Popmart, which certianly was not revolutionary. The idea of bigger-is-better is age-old. U2 just took that to the extremes of the extremes and many called it revolutionary.

That's what confuses me about the Bomb criticisms...People are expecting "revolutionary" and something "original", yet U2 have never made such a thing, and probably never will. The Beatles were original, but they had that opportunity because of when they were around.

In conclusion, if you don't like the songs on Bomb, that's one thing. But if you can't except it because it sounds like something else...you need to revaluate your thoughts about U2.

 

[roy]

this is harsh, but its the truth...HTDAAB stinks

Does that make you the long lost 'thruthsayer'?

 

[ponkine]

Anyway, U2 has never been revolutionary, really. Zoo TV wasn't revolutionary in its concept, but never has there been a show quite that glamorous. Except for Popmart, which certianly was not revolutionary. The idea of bigger-is-better is age-old. U2 just took that to the extremes of the extremes and many called it revolutionary.

That's what confuses me about the Bomb criticisms...People are expecting "revolutionary" and something "original", yet U2 have never made such a thing, and probably never will. The Beatles were original, but they had that opportunity because of when they were around.

In conclusion, if you don't like the songs on Bomb, that's one thing. But if you can't except it because it sounds like something else...you need to revaluate your thoughts about U2.

I disagree with you

That post seems to be just an attempt to justify the serious lack of creativity, originality, songwriting quality and decent production on HTDAAB.

HTDAAB is just a copy-paste job from ATYCLB. HTDAAB is the ATYCLB leftovers, that's all.

If anyone have a listen to Joshua Tree and then Achtung Baby will find 2 different bands, in the same way when someone listen to Beatles Help and then Revolver or Sgt Pepper. Even if anyone have a listen to Achtung Baby and then Zooropa or Pop will find noticeable differences!... but if you have a listen to ATYCLB and then HTDAAB you'll find the same old rotten formula

It's not just me but that's the fans opinion. Many fans call it ATYCLB II, even I've read many reviews saying that, "HTDAAB is the same as ATYCLB" or "HTDAAB is not different than ATYCLB". But I haven't read ANY single review saying that Pop is the same as Zooropa, for example Also I've never read a review saying that Achtung Baby is the same as Joshua Tree.

It's pretty easy to generalize something, in this case to say that "U2 has never been revolutionary", to defent their last albums or to try to hide the U2 musical decadence in the noughties.

In the 90s most of comments about U2 were always about being a revolutionary, innovative band. Now in the nougthies nobody call U2 revolutionary or innovative anymore, because they aren't anymore. The 00s has been by far the worst decade for U2 in terms of music. They have been writing songs in a extremely narrow way since Beautiful day because it's easier, cheaper and because the mainstream music always make much more money than experimental one.

They have been playing it safe for years and years, but that doesn't mean that U2 never were innovative, creative or revolutionary

 

[roy]

It's not just me but that's the fans opinion. Many fans call it ATYCLB II, even I've read many reviews saying that, "HTDAAB is the same as ATYCLB" or "HTDAAB is not different than ATYCLB".

LOL. Talk about seeing what you want to see. LOL.

 

[CPTLCTYGOOFBALL]

It's not just me but that's the fans opinion. Many fans call it ATYCLB II, even I've read many reviews saying that, "HTDAAB is the same as ATYCLB" or "HTDAAB is not different than ATYCLB".

"The fan's opinion? " What the hell does that mean?

With every post you lose more and more credibility.