finally got Passengers: Original Soundtracks 1

[U2girl]

1995.
The band was involved in recording but due to the bigger role of Brian Eno and some others working on it (Howie B, Pavarotti) it was not released under the name U2.

 

[Sicy]

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&satitle=passengers+original

 

[Axver]

Passengers is incredible. Remove Elvis Ate America and it would be incredible from start to finish.

Ever since I deleted EAA from my computer, Passengers has become even better. I don't even remember where it belongs on the tracklisting any more (as I never use my CDs). It just doesn't seem to fit.

This is such a great album. Beautiful, artistic, atmospheric, cohesive, and it has some wonderful songs.

 

[Yahweh]

Passengers is a very good album and it will always provide good fodder for the elitists that think U2 would have been better as an underground club band. The reality is that U2 can do any form of music and do it well and make it sound good, thats what makes U2 special, open your mind to all the different styles and tones of U2 and you will be much better for it.

Would I like to see a Passengers Volume 2 yes but I dont think it is going to happen in the near future anyway. And yes HTDAAB and ATYCLB are great albums and so is Passengers.

 

[tuwie]

8/10 - If U2's next album was Original Soundtracks 2, i would not complain.

hahahahah =)

 

[cobl04]

1. OS1 has a production that puts ATYCLB and HTDAAB to shame.
2. OS1 is cinematic while ATYCLB and HTDAAB are pretty bland in that department.
3. OS1 is experimental while ATYCLB and HTDAAB lack creativity.
4. OS1 is lyrically stronger than ATYCLB and HTDAAB.
5. OS1 has better songs.
6. OS1 is a more complete album.
7. Adam sings on OS1!

1. The songs aren't as loud, and I wouldn't even have noticed thta if it weren't for that other thread with showing how loud they made the songs.
2. It's an album with songs taken from movies, whereas HTDAAB and ATYCLB weren't intended for that, so obviously P:OS1 is more cinematic.
3. I hate it when the word 'experimental' and the abbrevations 'ATYCLB' and 'HTDAAB' are used the same sentence, so I won't argue that any more.
4. Only 5 of the 14 songs actually contain lyrics that resemble normal lyrics, i.e. they continue on in verses, not just one line, so I stronlg disagree with that point.
5. Slug, Your Blue Room, Miss Sarajevo and maybe Always Forever Now are the only songs IMO that would rival any songs from either ATYCLb or HTDAAB.
6. It has Elvis Ate America on it. I think Larry would disagree too.
7. Technically its not singing, in the liner notes it says that he has 'narration' on Your Blue Room, but...that's a great point. The way the songs finishes off as Adam 'narrates' is brilliant.

 

[cobl04]

Ever since I deleted EAA from my computer, Passengers has become even better. I don't even remember where it belongs on the tracklisting any more (as I never use my CDs). It just doesn't seem to fit.

It's between Corpse (These Chains Are Way Too Long) and Plot 180.

 

[Zoots]

Passengers is a very good album and it will always provide good fodder for the elitists that think U2 would have been better as an underground club band. The reality is that U2 can do any form of music and do it well and make it sound good, thats what makes U2 special, open your mind to all the different styles and tones of U2 and you will be much better for it.

Would I like to see a Passengers Volume 2 yes but I dont think it is going to happen in the near future anyway. And yes HTDAAB and ATYCLB are great albums and so is Passengers.

See, I'll bet you that a handful of people here are not inherently against the kind of music that fills up ATYCLB and HTDAAB. If it's done well, it can be amazing! But I think some people feel that U2 could've done an even better job while they were at it. Even though I like Passengers, ATYCLB as well as HTDAAB, I feel the latter two are good but not quite up there with the classics. Many people may disagree with that and that's fine. If there weren't any differing opinions, there wouldn't be a message board.

 

[tonyhotland]

1995.
The band was involved in recording but due to the bigger role of Brian Eno and some others working on it (Howie B, Pavarotti) it was not released under the name U2.

Thanks a lot!!!

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Depends on how you judge 'songs'. If you're simply looking for technically well written pop-esque songcraft, that's one thing, but a piece of music that takes you somewhere - different.

So on the Earnie Shavers Ranking Scale Of A 'Great Song':
Slug >>>>>>>>>> Original of the Species.

 

[angelordevil]

If there weren't any differing opinions, there wouldn't be a message board.

We'd all be like robots, and look like this




After years of study, crazed appreciation, and recent exposure to bands that inspired U2, I've come to the following conclusion: Zooropa, Pop...and, yes, Passengers, are the most original albums of U2's career.

 

[jacobus]

GibsonGirl: Passengers is incredible. Remove Elvis Ate America and it would be incredible from start to finish.

i always loved EEA, because its so cool and is full of black sense of humor. OST 1 is brilliant and just perfect for the foggy days to come here in central europe. i have it on my stereo while driving on the winding roads of our narrow valleys on late autumn afternoons.

 

[An Cat Gav]

1995.
The band was involved in recording but due to the bigger role of Brian Eno and some others working on it (Howie B, Pavarotti) it was not released under the name U2.

U2 were a bit more than "involved" in recording it. Bono and The Edge were every bit as involved in the writing of these songs as Brian Eno. I know not many agree, including most of U2, but to me this album is every bit as much a U2 album as the others, I love it just the same.

 

[An Cat Gav]

I know that Brian Eno had a massive input into OS1 but to be fair, he and Daniel lanois have a huge input in the making of all the U2 records they produced, they could reasonably becalled the fifth and sixth members of the band, contributing probably more than the rhythem section themselves maybe.
So, the same is true of OS1, an album with ENo as an "equal" member, not the most significant one. This album is about him, Bono and The Edge, Hollie, Pavarotto and howie b only appear on one track each.
If U2 want to say that OS1 is in no way a U2 record, then why is track 7 on the U2 best of??
I love this record very much and its a bit annoying when people dismiss it as a non U2 album, when clearly it is more of a U2 album then the band like to admit.

 

[U2girl]

I know Bono and Edge were involved in writing, I know Eno and Lanois have a big role in U2 albums, it's just that Eno this time, rather than the producer was, as Bono put it, "captain of the ship".

As for track 7 on the Best of, true, but I remember a qoute from Edge where he said they felt they needed a couple of U2 songs on Passengers so he and Bono wrote Miss Sarajevo and Your blue room.

 

[An Cat Gav]

Elvis Ate America is pure Bono, albeit with Howie B producing and Theme from Lets go native is just the band playing.
The Unforgettable Fire also features tracks that are as much about Brian Eno as U2, for example 4th of July and Elvis Presley and America, probably Promenade also.
I know what you're saying U2girl, but I get a little annoyed when U2 try to distance themselves from certain albums. In particular I absolutely detested when Adam used to go on about how he only counts U2 albums from The Joshua Tree onwards, the stuff before were just demos....That's a bit of a slap in the face for those fans who were really into all of those albums before, he was quite happy for eveybody to go out and buy them,

 

[waynetravis]

just bought this today for £3.50

i've only heard Miss Sarajevo and Blue Room from Best Of

 

[An Cat Gav]

No need to hide my friend, anytime is a good time to discover passengers!!
Best to listen to it after dark, preferably after midnight, especially if you can't sleep!! I hope you will enjoy it!!

 

[gareth brown]

what (s)he said. Since getting it last week I've mostly listened to it when in bed falling asleep...i wouldn't say it's an experience since that's glorifying it a bit too much but it's certainly the best time to listen to it!

 

[Zoots]

After years of study, crazed appreciation, and recent exposure to bands that inspired U2, I've come to the following conclusion: Zooropa, Pop...and, yes, Passengers, are the most original albums of U2's career.

Amen, brotha!

And they're all from the 90s!

 

[Axver]

After years of study, crazed appreciation, and recent exposure to bands that inspired U2, I've come to the following conclusion: Zooropa, Pop...and, yes, Passengers, are the most original albums of U2's career.

I think I'd include The Unforgettable Fire (and possibly remove Pop) from that ... the change from War to UF is just huge, and within a U2 paradigm at least, the band were doing something hugely original.

And wow, when you take out EAA, Passengers has a beautiful, cohesive atmosphere of rich soundscapes to rival UF.

 

[MCF74]

I have only recently become aware of the greatness of this album as well, and am very glad that I did. It is inspiring in its originality, and really shows how out-of-the-box creative the guys were in this phase, and I admire the guts that it took to put this out. From "United Colours" to the album's end, it is really interesting, good stuff, and it is kind of sad that it is underappreciated. Anyways, glad someone posted on it because I was about to do the same.

 

[Salome]

contains some really good tracks but when I try to listen to it from start to finish it turns into background music somewhere along the way

good album

 

[Mogi]

I just love some of the transitions of the songs here. From Beach Sequence into Miss Sarajevo is so smooth.
Ito Okashi is so beautiful. I remember sitting in my car in Japan, staring at temples with falling snow in the evening, while this song lulled me into a subconcious state. Then BAM!! One Minute Warning. I just loved getting jolted like that. Was quite a surprise.

This is what makes U2 the best. The same band that made Angel of Harlem, Man and a Woman, and Wild Honey can also do Slug, United Colours and a freakin Japanese song. Who else could pull this off?

Also, this could have very well been the Kid A of its time had U2 gone headstrong into this. Actually think it did influence Radiohead to a certain degree. No doubt.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

I know that Brian Eno had a massive input into OS1 but to be fair, he and Daniel lanois have a huge input in the making of all the U2 records they produced, they could reasonably becalled the fifth and sixth members of the band, contributing probably more than the rhythem section themselves maybe.
So, the same is true of OS1, an album with ENo as an "equal" member, not the most significant one. This album is about him, Bono and The Edge, Hollie, Pavarotto and howie b only appear on one track each.
If U2 want to say that OS1 is in no way a U2 record, then why is track 7 on the U2 best of??
I love this record very much and its a bit annoying when people dismiss it as a non U2 album, when clearly it is more of a U2 album then the band like to admit.

I agree with you, but by the same token one can apply the same logic to The Million Dollar Hotel soundtrack as well. Would you agree that the MDH sountrack is also a U2 album? For it has Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois omnipresent throughout as well and, not including the original version of 'The First Time', Bono is involved in 9 of the tracks, while at least one member of the rest of the band appear in 6 of them. Plus there are two new U2 songs with all members of the band.

In the end, it can become a little grey as to what defines a proper U2 album, but if Passengers makes the cut, I think there's a strong case for the MDH soundtrack as well. By the same token, if you don't agree that the MDH soundtrack is a proper U2 album, then it is hard to argue that Passengers should be without being inconsistent with the points made above (in the quoted post).

 

[An Cat Gav]

I agree with you, but by the same token one can apply the same logic to The Million Dollar Hotel soundtrack as well. Would you agree that the MDH sountrack is also a U2 album? For it has Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois omnipresent throughout as well and, not including the original version of 'The First Time', Bono is involved in 9 of the tracks, while at least one member of the rest of the band appear in 6 of them. Plus there are two new U2 songs with all members of the band.

In the end, it can become a little grey as to what defines a proper U2 album, but if Passengers makes the cut, I think there's a strong case for the MDH soundtrack as well. By the same token, if you don't agree that the MDH soundtrack is a proper U2 album, then it is hard to argue that Passengers should be without being inconsistent with the points made above (in the quoted post).

I dont think that the same applies to MDH for a few reasons. Firstly it is a propper soundtrack not a proper album, although it pretended to be OS1 was not a soundtrack album. MDH features mood music etc but isn't full of 14 individual tunes like Passengers. Secondly there are a few cover versions, Anarchy in whatever it was and a few versions of Satellite of Love, these covers detatch U2 a bit from the overall creative process as they didnt write them. Next, I would say that its not really a U2 album because most songs on it feature artists thar arent in U2, Passengers has a couple of guest stars, but thats all they are, guests.
Also, the MDH Soundtrack features the MDH band more than U2. Only a handful of the songs(albeit the best ones) are written by members of U2.
I think MDH can't be treated as a U2 album as it is a genuine collaboration of loads of artists, using covers and new music not all written by U2.
Passengers does count in my book, as it features U2 and their long term producers as the only real music collaborators.
The fact that they distance themselves from OS1 and labelled themselves Passengers is more because they are embarassed about any negative media reaction to it, not because they dont see it as a U2 record.
That's just my opinion anyway.

 

[cobl04]

I agree with you, but by the same token one can apply the same logic to The Million Dollar Hotel soundtrack as well. Would you agree that the MDH sountrack is also a U2 album? For it has Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois omnipresent throughout as well and, not including the original version of 'The First Time', Bono is involved in 9 of the tracks, while at least one member of the rest of the band appear in 6 of them. Plus there are two new U2 songs with all members of the band.

In the end, it can become a little grey as to what defines a proper U2 album, but if Passengers makes the cut, I think there's a strong case for the MDH soundtrack as well. By the same token, if you don't agree that the MDH soundtrack is a proper U2 album, then it is hard to argue that Passengers should be without being inconsistent with the points made above (in the quoted post).

On a lot of U2 lyrical websites that I used to use, MDH is included a U2 album, but only the U2-tracks are included. So Stateless, Falling At Your Feet, The Ground Beneath Her Feet, Never Let Me Go, and there's one other I think...Dancing Shoes?

Anyway, you make a good point, one that I'd never thought of before. But I think An Cat Gav is right as well because MDH was actually a movie with a soundtrack whereas Passengers included 14 songs from 13 movies.

 

[U2girl]

I know what you're saying U2girl, but I get a little annoyed when U2 try to distance themselves from certain albums. In particular I absolutely detested when Adam used to go on about how he only counts U2 albums from The Joshua Tree onwards, the stuff before were just demos....That's a bit of a slap in the face for those fans who were really into all of those albums before, he was quite happy for eveybody to go out and buy them,

Well, that is just his opinion. Bono also said not too long ago he felt their post JT work was better than pre JT work and I'd disagree with him too. Who knows what they'll be saying about something like ATYCLB or Bomb in a few years' time?

I just think the band didn't feel they should call Passengers a "U2" album with Eno being more involved and the collaborators like Howie B and Pavarotti.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

I dont think that the same applies to MDH for a few reasons. Firstly it is a propper soundtrack not a proper album, although it pretended to be OS1 was not a soundtrack album. MDH features mood music etc but isn't full of 14 individual tunes like Passengers. Secondly there are a few cover versions, Anarchy in whatever it was and a few versions of Satellite of Love, these covers detatch U2 a bit from the overall creative process as they didnt write them. Next, I would say that its not really a U2 album because most songs on it feature artists thar arent in U2, Passengers has a couple of guest stars, but thats all they are, guests.
Also, the MDH Soundtrack features the MDH band more than U2. Only a handful of the songs(albeit the best ones) are written by members of U2.
I think MDH can't be treated as a U2 album as it is a genuine collaboration of loads of artists, using covers and new music not all written by U2.
Passengers does count in my book, as it features U2 and their long term producers as the only real music collaborators.
The fact that they distance themselves from OS1 and labelled themselves Passengers is more because they are embarassed about any negative media reaction to it, not because they dont see it as a U2 record.
That's just my opinion anyway.

Ah, now these are different reasons than you originally gave! The MDH sountrack does comply with your original post's album criteria (ie, Eno and Lanois as unofficial members of the band, 3 songs with all members of U2, 9 songs with at least one U2 member, etc). Now, as for these new reasons for it not being a proper U2 album, I can see your point. However, I disagree that it being a soundtrack album should have anything to do with whether it should be considered a proper U2 album or not. Let's not forget, 'Stay' was a soundtrack song, and written specifically for a movie. Would you not consider 'Stay' a proper U2 song? What if every song on Zooropa was written for that same movie? Would it no longer be a proper U2 album? If not, then it is hard to argue that 'Stay' is a proper U2 song, as the same logic should apply. Also, many artists have written albums for soundtracks, but they are still considered albums by the artist who wrote them. Tom Petty comes to mind.

Secondly, I don't think whether the album is full of "mood music" or "tunes" should make any difference. There are numerous jazz albums that are much more mood pieces than individual songs, but they are still considered albums. Even Passengers is full of mood music! It's just for a different mood. Most of them aren't exaclty songs with obvious melodies and hooks and choruses and the like. With the exception of 'Miss Sarajevo', 'Your Blue Room', and maybe 'Slug', I wouldn't really call most of them "tunes" in any case. MDH has more "tunes" actually, but that's neither here nor there. It shouldn't matter what type of music it is. U2 could record the rumblings of the asteroid belt around Saturn, and I'd still consider it an album!

As for it including a cover song - well, once again, it's a grey area. A lot of bands and artists do cover songs and put them on their albums afterall.

But I agree with your point that it does include other artists that form the Million Dollar Hotel Band - and this is probably the only reason that actually challenges the notion of the MDH sountrack as being a proper U2 album. I suppose, to me, it's a collaboration album between U2 and The Million Dollar Hotel band - an album that is produced by Bono (he is exectutive producer) and has the U2 spirit throughout, but is ultimately wider in scope and influence than a traditional U2 album. It's difficult to distill however. The U2 soul is packed in their pretty tightly!

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Not to beat a dead horse or anything, but I just realized something: Passengers actually has more guest artists contributing than does the Million Dollar Hotel soundtrack. Not including Brian Eno or Daniel Lanois, Passengers has 8 extra musicians, while Million Dollar Hotel only has 5.

Could it be that the final nail in the coffin (against the Million Dollar Hotel soundtrack) has just been pulled out?