ATYCLB-HTDAAB appreciation thread

[U2girl]

 

[MrBrau1]

Beautiful Day
Kite
In A Little While
Wild Honey
Walk On
Stuck In A Moment
Crumbs From Your Table
Original Of The Species
All Because Of You
Miracle Drug
City Of Bling Lights

Really, really good songs.

 

[hedgehog]

ATYCLB

Beautiful day, Elevation (I seem to be one of the few people on here who actually likes this song), Walk on, Kite , Peace on earth, The ground beneath her feet... all good songs (IMO), the rest of the album is ok too I guess (besides Grace ***shudders*** and New York, which Im not too keen on).

The album was slightly dissapointing, IMO, but still good anyway.
The fact that this album is considered "dissapointing" just shows how strong the U2 albums before it were rather than this being a bad album.


HTDAAB

I wasn't too keen on it on the first few listens, but over time the album grew on me.

Ive said many times, I think this is a good album and I, for one, love it.

Some of the album I liked instantly (i.e. City of blinding lights) but much of the album took time to grow on me.
Besides "One step closer" (which isn't exactly bad really I suppose) I enjoy the entire album.
Over time, I appreciate songs like "A man and a woman" (which I originally thought was crap, now its amongst my favourites on the album) and "Crumbs from your table" much more than I did first time around.

Good album, no complaints here from me, maybe its not another JT, AB or Pop, but its still a damn good album.

Tied in 4th place (with The Unforgettable Fire) in my ranking of U2 albums:
1. Achtung Baby
2. The Joshua Tree
3. Pop
4. HTDAAB/ TUF

 

[Lancemc]

ATYCLB for me is tied with both Achtung Baby AND The Joshua Tree for their best/favorite album. HTDAAB is only slightly down the list. Great albums which are unfortunately unnappreciated by a lot of people here.

 

[typhoon]

I love all the layers and small touches on ATYCLB. Stuff like the backing vocal during the "Beautiful Day" chorus or the sonar pinging throughout "Elevation." Yeah, they overdid it on "Stuck," but it's still a wonderful sounding record.

 

[Irishteen]

ATYCLB is my 4th favourite album, HTDAAB is abit down the list, but both are brillant, I love the first 5 songs on ATYCLB, and the rest are good/great except Grace.

 

[GibsonGirl]

These albums get bashed entirely too much. I can somewhat understand the ATYCLB bashing (I only really like about five of the songs on the album - live versions are a different matter entirely), but HTDAAB is fantastic.

 

[Nisse]

I don't think these should be lumped together. they are pretty different records and I like HTDAAB far more than ATYCLB.

 

[Irishteen]

I have just turned on the album, and it is still brillant, ohhh ohhhh Walk On.

 

[hedgehog]

I don't think these should be lumped together. they are pretty different records and I like HTDAAB far more than ATYCLB.

They are probably lumped together because these seem to be the most often bashed albums on these boards because they aren't deemed "daring" or "ground breaking" in anyway, despite both albums being pretty good (IMO at least anyway).

 

[hedgehog]

Beautiful Day
Kite
In A Little While
Wild Honey
Walk On
Stuck In A Moment
Crumbs From Your Table
Original Of The Species
All Because Of You
Miracle Drug
City Of Bling Lights

Really, really good songs.

Add to that:
Peace on earth (Im really warming to this song recently), The ground beneath her feet (on some versions of ATYCLB), Sometimes you can't make it on your own, Love and peace or else, etc...

Great songs indeed...

As for City of "Bling" lights... have I missed something or are U2 going "chav"?
Sorry, poor humour, I know...

 

[mikal]

i personally love the 80's, 90's(a real lot), and the 00's. this decade, the band is having fun and writing great music. is it groundbreaking? no. does it have to be groundbreaking to be considered great? no.

my highlights are:

Kite
Walk On
When I Look At The World
New York
Vertigo(yes. i love this song too much. it's been in my head since last fall.)
Love And Peace Or Else.
City Of Blinding Lights
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own

 

[hedgehog]

i personally love the 80's, 90's(a real lot), and the 00's. this decade, the band is having fun and writing great music. is it groundbreaking? no. does it have to be groundbreaking to be considered great? no.

Agree with all that, Im a big fan of their 90's stuff but I still love the music they have put out so far in the 00's.

The music doesn't have to be daring or ground breaking to be great, sadly there seems to be a good number on here which disagree with that strongly.

 

[MacPhistoPT]

The 00's albums maybe aren't so relevant as JT or AB, but they are a punch of great songs.

Beautiful Day, Walk On, Kite, In a Little While, When I look at the world, New York

Sometimes, City of Blinding Lights, Crumbs, One Step Closer, Yahweh

Great stuff.

I can understand people that dislike one or two of this songs, people that don't have these albums on the top of their preferences but I simply can't understand people that 100% bash this 2 albums and say they prefered that U2 had ended after POP. Yeah, this was said once here.

U2 can't make albums like Zooropa, or Pop, or Joshua Tree, or ATYCLB forever. They change. They find new paths. They don't make music for you or for anyone especifically.

Thank God, I like their 11 albums, so I don't have to say some shit that some of you say around here.

 

[Joshua87]

Im probably the only person here like this, but I love ATYCLB and HATE the Bomb, I just hate it.

1. THe Unforgettable Fire
5. ATYCLB
11. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

 

[thetitans2k]

Two Great albums.

 

[Sevikins]

Beautiful Day, Elevation, Stuck... I loved them all (Grace was a bit too slow for me and New York had to be grown on me) on ATYCLB and HTDAAB was a good album. They could both be played on repeat and I'd never really get tired of them.

 

[mikal]

Thank God, I like their 11 albums, so I don't have to say some shit that some of you say around here.

 

[djerdap]

All That You Can't Leave Behind is disappointing for me.
How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is excellent. Everything that ATYCLB should have been.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

i personally love the 80's, 90's(a real lot), and the 00's. this decade, the band is having fun and writing great music. is it groundbreaking? no. does it have to be groundbreaking to be considered great? no.

. Thank you.

*Appreciates both albums* There's really, like, one song on each that I'd have to be in the right mood for to listen to ("New York" on ATYCLB, and "Yahweh" on HTDAAB). But everything else, really no complaints.

I should go listen to these albums later. It's nice to see some positive talk about these two for a change .

Angela

 

[MacPhistoPT]

I almost ignored New York on the first listenings but now it's one of my favs in ATYCLB. Excellent lyric, great rocker, even better live.

 

[Axver]

1. The Unforgettable Fire
2. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
3. The Joshua Tree
4. Boy
5. War
6. October
7. Zooropa
8. Achtung Baby
9. Rattle And Hum
10. All That You Can't Leave Behind
11. Pop

All That You Can't Leave Behind

It's probably rather unfair for this album to be rated so low, as it contains some exceptional tracks and goes to show that even one of U2's 'weaker' albums is fantastic. Heck, it'd definitely be a classic if it were written by anyone else. Walk On and Kite are two of the greatest songs ever written, When I Look At The World combines great and cutting lyrics with quality music, and Grace is a beautiful, tender, and soothing little number that eloquently closes the album. Besides those four favourites, Beautiful Day is obviously U2 doing what they do best, Elevation is incredible live, New York rocks, and Stuck In A Moment and Peace On Earth can have some serious emotional power given the right situation. What holds this album back for me is In A Little While, which I consider to be junk besides the "a man takes a rocketship" verse, and Wild Honey, which is like a Party Girl for the 2000s, only it doesn't have the same fun factor.

I must say that I am glad I have the Australian edition, as The Ground Beneath Her Feet is an incredible song, one of U2's best, and definitely deserved to be on an album. It should've taken In A Little While's place. I also think something like Summer Rain or Flower Child should've been on the album rather than Wild Honey.

At the end of the day, the ATYCLB era produced some truly fantastic songs. Walk On, Kite, and The Ground Beneath Her Feet are often overlooked classics.

How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

When this came out, I couldn't believe how good it was! What's best is that it still sounds just as great after a ridiculously large amount of listens. City Of Blinding Lights is the single best song recorded since Heartland, and Crumbs From Your Table is one of U2's best political rockers with the best lyrics on the album, and Love And Peace Or Else is the fiery political U2 I love from the days of War. One Step Closer has been overlooked greatly, but it's a fantastic track that you need to savour: sit back and let its subtle and tender beauty wash over you.

There's so much goodness on HTDAAB that I could write much, much more. My only regret is that Smile was not included on the album.

... and that Vertigo wasn't also put last.

 

[roy]

Great Music.

 

[Axver]

All That You Can't Leave Behind

1. Beautiful Day - 9/10
2. Stuck In A Moment - 7/10
3. Elevation - 7.5/10
4. Walk On - 10/10
5. Kite - 10/10
6. In A Little While - 0/10
7. Wild Honey - 1.5/10
8. Peace On Earth - 8/10
9. When I Look At The World - 10/10
10. New York - 7/10
11. Grace - 10/10
12. The Ground Beneath Her Feet - 10/10

How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

Vertigo - 8/10
Miracle Drug - 10/10
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own - 9.5/10
Love And Peace Or Else - 10/10
City Of Blinding Lights - 10/10
All Because Of You - 8/10
A Man And A Woman - 8.5/10
Crumbs From Your Table - 10/10
One Step Closer - 10/10
Original Of The Species - 9/10
Yahweh - 10/10
Fast Cars - 8.5/10

 

[MacPhistoPT]

One Step Closer has been overlooked greatly, but it's a fantastic track that you need to savour: sit back and let its subtle and tender beauty wash over you.

I subscribe your appreciation 100% excluding In a Little While (I really love it) and Stuck in a moment (IMO the worst song in the album, the worst song from 00's, one of the worst and most annoying songs they ever made. AAAAHHHH )

Glad to see someone who puts HTDAAB in 2nd as I do.

btw

1) Joshua Tree
2) Atomic Bomb
3) Achtung Baby
4) War
5) The Unforgettable Fire
6) Pop
7) Boy
8) ATYCLB
9) Rattle&Hum
10) Zooropa
11) October

off-topic: R&H, Zooropa and October are the 3 last but I still love them. Especially R&H for Heartland, Hawkmoon, All I want is you, God Part II and the live ones, Helter Skelter and Bullet the Blue Sky.

 

[hedgehog]

If I was to rate the albums, Id rate them like this...

All That You Can't Leave Behind

1. Beautiful Day - 8/10
2. Stuck In A Moment - 6/10
3. Elevation - 7.5/10
4. Walk On - 9.5/10
5. Kite - 10/10
6. In A Little While - 5/10
7. Wild Honey - 6/10
8. Peace On Earth - 8/10
9. When I Look At The World - 7/10
10. New York - 6/10
11. Grace - 4/10
12. The Ground Beneath Her Feet - 9/10


How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

Vertigo - 7/10
Miracle Drug - 8/10
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own - 9/10
Love And Peace Or Else - 10/10
City Of Blinding Lights - 8/10
All Because Of You - 8/10
A Man And A Woman - 9/10
Crumbs From Your Table - 9/10
One Step Closer - 6.5/10
Original Of The Species - 9/10
Yahweh - 9/10
Fast Cars - 8/10

 

[Irishteen]

1. Beautiful Day - 9/10
2. Stuck In A Moment - 9/10
3. Elevation - 9/10
4. Walk On - 9.5/10
5. Kite - 8.5/10
6. In A Little While - 7.5/10
7. Wild Honey - 7/10
8. Peace On Earth - 8.5/10
9. When I Look At The World - 8/10
10. New York - 8/10
11. Grace -6/10
12. The Ground Beneath Her Feet 8.5/10

 

[MacPhistoPT]

If you want this...

(10/10)
ATYCLB
Beautiful Day 9
Stuck in a moment 0,5
Elevation 5
Walk On 10
Kite 10
In a Little While 8
Wild Honey 6,5
Peace on Earth 7
When I look at the world 9,5
New York 9,5
Grace 7,5
The Ground Beneath Her Feet 9

HTDAAB
Vertigo 6
Miracle Drug 8,5
Sometimes 9,5
Love and Peace 9
City of Blinding Lights 10
All Because of You 5
A man and a woman 7
Crumbs 9,5
One Step Closer 9,5
Original of the species 8
Yahweh 10

 

[Joshua87]

ATYCLB

1. Beautiful Day 8.5/10
2. Stuck in a Moment 7/10
3. Elevation 7/10
4. Walk ON 10/10
5. Kite 10/10
6. In a Little While 8/10
7. Wild Honey 7/10
8. Peace On Earth 7/10
9. When I Look at the World 10/10
10. New York 8.5/10
11. Grace 7.5/10
12. The Ground Beneath her Feet 9/10

HTDAAB
1. Vertigo 7/10
2. Miracle Drug 7/10
3. SYCMIOYO 5/10

4. Love and Peace 9/10
5. City of Blinding Lights 8/10
6. All Because of You 5/10
7. A Man and a Woman 7/10
8. Crumbs From Your Table 9/10
9. One Step Closer 7/10
10. Original of the Species 7.5/10
11. Yahweh 7/10

Despite numerically the rankings not being that much different, the reason ATYCLB is my 5ht fav and the bomb is my least favorite is the fact that ATYCLB floes probably as good as the Joshua Tree, while the Bomb sounds nothing like an album at all. But more like a greatest hits compilation of some so-so band. Some songs on it I like a lot, but the album as a whole is so bland.

1. The Unforgettable Fire
2. The Joshua Tree
3. Achtung Baby
4. Pop
5. All That You Can't Leave Behind
6. Boy
7. Zooropa
8. Rattle and Hum
9. War
10. October
11. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

...1,2, and 3 switch incredibly often, they're just so good

 

[Irishteen]

Never posted my view on hTDAAB

HTDAAB
1. Vertigo 8.5/10
2. Miracle Drug 7.5/10
3. SYCMIOYO 9/10
4. Love and Peace 9/10
5. City of Blinding Lights 9/10
6. All Because of You 7/10
7. A Man and a Woman 7/10
8. Crumbs From Your Table 8/10
9. One Step Closer 7.5/10
10. Original of the Species 7.5/10
11. Yahweh 8/10