dotmusic.com's review

[U2_Guy]

Is it just me or does this album seem to do real well with the American audience/critics and less well with the ROW audience and critics. Not everyone, but a few..take ponkine and U2_Guy, from what I gather they are not American, and I don't think the guy from Launch was either.

Just something I noticed.

By american - i guess - you mean a citizen from the USA, which we are not.

rjhbonovox isn't from the USA either.

I guess you are right, the main HTDAAB critics on this forum are non-USA citizens.

I have many theories and conclusions about this. But i'm not saying any. The 2005 U2_Guy is a peaceful man under any circunstance - well, not ANY circunstance, try messing around with me to see...

 

[KUEFC09U2]

i really used to be botherd about reviews like this.. and the amazon reviews.. but now i cant even be botherd to read them.. i mean at the end of the day i love the new album... so why the hell do i want to read about someone that dosent?

 

[doctorwho]

i really used to be botherd about reviews like this.. and the amazon reviews.. but now i cant even be botherd to read them.. i mean at the end of the day i love the new album... so why the hell do i want to read about someone that dosent?

Years ago, I'd be a bit bothered too. Then I realized that even if a reviewer gave something a 10/10, 4 out of 4 stars, A+ or whatever is the highest "grade" for something I loved, I still didn't care. What matters is what *I* think of the music.

Now, I have no problem with a music writer stating how he/she loves a certain artist and how we should check them out. Fair enough - check them out. I'm always happy to be exposed to someone new. For example, it's thanks to Bono that I discovered the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club! But I don't want any critic telling me that this album is crap or this artist is brilliant. Movie critics, at least, provide a summary of the movie. However, that's not possible with music - so the profession should be eliminated.

I'm doing my part by refusing to ever read another review of ANY artist - good or bad - ever again.

 

[RademR]

I HAIT DIS ALBIM!1!!!!!11 I PUKE!!! I LUV DIS GUY!1!1!! HE HAS BEST EARS!1!! DIS ALBIM IS ALSO AMAZIN REKORD!111!!

 

[Axver]

I guess you are right, the main HTDAAB critics on this forum are non-USA citizens.

And so are some of the main praisers, such as myself.

It's also worth noting that HTDAAB is selling best per capita in the UK.

 

[boystupidboy]

i'm in England and i love the album....bollocks to what anyone else thinks

 

[Matthew_Page2000]

I used to be bothered by the critics as well. Particularly during the Rattle and Hum era because the reviews weren't just negative--they were vicious.
Then I got over it. It helps if you actually know a few critics personally. It puts it all into its obvious perspective. Most pop music critics don't know any more about music than you or I. Many can't play or sing worth a lick. Many more are failed musicians with an agenda. More than a few are jealous pricks.

What I'm learning to get over now is the negative opinions in the U2 fan base. I used to consider the online U2 fanbase a kind of family. Loosely knit maybe, but a family of sorts. So I was a little bummed out by all the negativity when Pop and PopMart came out, and to a lesser extent by the negativity fermenting on Interference right now.
But I'm over it. It's nice to have a place to share my love for my favorite band, but the WWW isn't that place. Or maybe U2 just isn't the right band. They're so big and have such a diverse catalogue and fanbase that we'll never agree on anything. And there's something about the anonymity of the Internet that encourages whining, bitching and carping.
A lot of you seem so unhappy all of the time. Perhaps MacPhisto will leave a gift for each of you: A bottle of anti-depressants!
I still check out Interference daily but I'm usually feeling a bit glum by the time I log off.