ATYCLB-HTDAAB appreciation thread

[IrishDawg]

Every song on HTDAAB is great except for OSC and if you wanna count fast cars. ATYCLB, only about the first half of the album was great. Kite, Walk On, Elevation, New York, Beautiful Day. Peace On Earth is ok. Great B-sides for ATYCLB however. Summer Rain, Always, and The Ground Beneath Her Feet are great, shoulda been on the album.

 

[Meghan]

The 00's have produced many drool-worthy songs for me, including two of the perma-drools- Walk On and Mercy which (at least in my posts) cannot be written without drools.
To put this in perspective, the 90's produced 3 perma-drools and the 80's produced 3. So the 00's are well on track to equalling the other two decades with 4.5 years still to go. (You'd hope they'd make another album in that time anyway)

I may not be the best person to ask about the last two albums, because they are the ones that attracted me to U2, but I like them just fine.

From my perspective, U2 have not sold out because they started making a more 'pop' sound (Not that they really sound like any of the pop music I've heard), they have just started to be influenced by different sorts of music to the days when they made Achtung Baby, which was different again to what they were influenced by when they made The Joshua Tree.

U2 are still making the music they love, so I really can't see how they are selling out.

 

[MacPhistoPT]

Hey, what's the point with One Step Closer?

 

[bedouin fire]

u2 on automatic pilot and still taking me to that other place

 

[shaun vox]

can you say FILLER songs!

 

[cobl04]

Meghan I completely agree with you. I can't understand how people think they are selling out either. Yet another thing that backs up my 'stuck in the past' theory, most people think they are selling out because they don't sound as good as they did in the past or are moving on to a new sound. I think it's a good thing that I have only just got into U2 because I can appreciate the 'now' U2 more.

 

[cobl04]

Meghan I completely agree with you. I can't understand how people think they are selling out either. Yet another thing that backs up my 'stuck in the past' theory, most people think they are selling out because they don't sound as good as they did in the past or are moving on to a new sound. I think it's a good thing that I have only just got into U2 because I can appreciate the 'now' U2 more and not have view that does not allow new thinking. BTW what are your songs that you mention.

 

[yimou]

can you say FILLER songs!

I like HTDAAB and about 4-5 songs from ATYCLB.

 

[IrishDawg]

If U2 are sellouts, I guess I have to find a different word to describe Greenday.

 

[MacPhistoPT]

U2 sell because they're the best and have a big crowd of fans behind them

 

[Exit thru Wire]

ATYCLB

BD = 10/10
Stuck = 8/10
Elevation = 9/10
Walk On = 10/10
Kite = 9/10
In A Little While = 8/10
Wild Honey = 2/10
Peace on Earth = 7/10
When I look at the World = 8/10
New York = 9/10
Grace = 6/10
Ground Beneath = 10/10

Only Wild Honey + Grace let this album down.

HTDAAB

Vertigo = 9/10
Miracle Drug = 9/10
Sometimes..... = 7/10
Love and Peace = 10/10
COBL = 8.5/10
ABOY = 7/10
Man + Woman = 5/10
Crumbs = 7/10
One Step Closer = 8.5/10
Original of the Species = 5/10
Yahweh = 8/10
Fast Cars = 8/10

Love and Peace or Else is easily the best song.

For me M+W and OOTS let this album down, tho are loved by many others. Although I like + appreciate these 2 albums they rank below all the other albums, and I prefer ATYCLB to HTDAAB.

 

[Nube Gris]

Brilliant records!
Grace is great, A Man and a Woman is incredible, and One Step closer is amazing

What an achievment for U2. These 2 records are really exeptional
I remember back in 93-94 when people where bashing Achtung Baby and Zooropa for not continuing the line of Joshua Tree/Rattle and Hum
So no worries at all. There will always be bashers along the way
The main thing is that this band is still relevant and producing some of the best music of their lives

We can expect another amazing album soon. Full of heart. As always

 

[Exit thru Wire]

Whilst there are bashers of these 2 albums (I have found 4 songs above that I dont like), no-one (i dont think) will dispute that U2 have remained a top quality live band throughout this period. All the songs on both albums sound so much better live, and I think despite people grumbling about setlists they are still on the top of their game when performing live.

 

[RademR]

Two great albums. u2 are so far from losing it, it's incredible. Are these albums safer? maybe. Are they mainstream-poppish? Maybe. Whatever, in that vein of pop rock music I haven't heard many albums better.

I like HTDAAB more than ATYCLB more because it's more complete. I like the "big" songs on ATYCLB more but there are a few songs that I actually really don't like on it.

ATYCLB:
1. "Beautiful Day" has become a favorite u2 tune of mine, it's just a perfect song imo. It's one of those songs I've heard everywhere and it's been so overplayed on the radio and yet I have NEVER gotten sick of it. 5/5
2. "Stuck in a Moment" is amazing but I don't like that album version much, actually never listen to it. I listen to bootleg versions or the acoustic version. Great melody 4/5
3. "Elevation" is a fun little rock tune, I think the lyrics are little meh and kind of cheesy, but I can't deny I was jamming to it when the record came out. The new version on the Vertigo tour made me appreciate it more. Decent song. 3.5/5
4. "Walk On" was my favorite u2 song when the album came out. I was totally addicted to it, the ending is incredible. I've lost some of that feeling for it, but it's still a great song. 4/5
5. "Kite" is simply amazing. The lyrics and meaning behind the song are great, and the band just plays it to perfection. Bono dedicating it to his father during the Elevation tour just completed it. Very emotional song, and one of their best. 6/5
6. "In a Little While" is a tune I've gotten into more recently. Didn't like it when I first got into the album. Good drinking song though. 3.5/5
7. "Wild Honey" is one of the songs on the record I never got into. I'll listen to it on occasion, but it's basically pretty forgetful in my book. Don't like the lyrics much. 2.5/5
8. "Peace on Earth" nooooooooo.....probably one of my least favorite u2 songs ever. Not God awful compared to other band's music, but pretty awful to me for u2 standards. 2/5
9. "When I look at the World" is a good song but I thought it could have been better. Some of Edge's best guitar work, they should have done more with it. I don't know, still a good track. 3/5
10. "New York" is a favorite off the album, the lyrics dont really move me much but the rest of the band is on point. The drumming and bass by Adam and larry are great, and Edge's guitar riffs are incredible. I really think it's one of the strongest songs on the album, and named after my favorite city, gotta love it. 4.5/5
11. "Grace" gets put down a lot here but I really like it. I think it's a perfect closer for the album, and I like Edge's guitar. 3/5

Half the album is really strong, then there a couple good songs, then the rest are pretty average. I dont feel like writing out a review for HTDAAB, but the lowest grade would be a 3/5, and only for a couple songs. It's a stronger album overall.