great article/preview from musicweek

[JOFO]

well, the reviewer says that vertigo is a return to u2's early 80's glory days.
really? don't sound like that to me....sounds unlike most anything else they've done (not most anything that's BEEN done; just done by them.)

 

[chocky]

I would never, ever, ever consider ATYCLB an album of 'hard rocking'.

Imagine if you had one or two listens to ATYCLB and then wrote a review.

You'd think about & write about the most immediate/powerful songs like Elevation, Beautiful Day, Walk On & New York. Even the "ballads" Kite & SIAMYCGOO have a power to them.

By the time you'd finished writing the article it would make the album appear to be a rocker.

But after a dozen more listens, you add PoE, Grace & WILATW to the mix and it's more middle-ground. I guess that's why we have to be more wary of these one-listen reviews.

 

[Miggy D]

What even is the definition of hard rocking? I wouldn't classify Beautiful Day necessarily as 'hard rocking', at least not all the way through. it doesn't reach that status until the chorus, which is why it got so much rotation on adult contemporary stations. Walk On as a hard rocker? Are we listening to the same song? Do you go running to Walk On? Do you dance and head bang to it? Walk On is a great song, and classic U2, but not hard rocking by any means. Same goes with most of New York. The chorus is good rock though. An album doesn't have to be hard-rocking to be good, and ATYCLB proves that. Let's not label the album hard-rocking though.

HTDAAB does sound like it rocks a lot more than ATYCLB. And I'm super-psyched.

-Mike

 

[Teta040]

The review states that as usual, it takes several listens to "get into" a U2 album. This was not always the case. Their 80's albums just grabbed you first up by the roots of your hair and slammed you over the head like a sledgehammer, even on UF, with songs like the title song from that disc, that were softer rockers (soft being a relative term in those days where Larry still practiced his Artane Marching Band style of drumming--something I'd really wish he'd return to, and which I hope to hear) but the keybords mesmerized you.

I think having half be more subtle songs is an unavoidable product of age. If there are 4 instant classics here, no problem.


It sounds like the album setup is similar to JT, which had the 4 "big" songs first, and the slower, subtler stuff later.

Then again, I know that Side 2 of JT is a lot of people's favorite side of that disc. It has the better lyrics! Ot the best song structures..

(Come on now, sing with me: "OHHHH great OCEANN, Oh GREAT SEA-ah, RRRR---UUUNNN--UNNN to the OCEAN, RUN to the SEA...." I'm "singing" this at top volume..who could resist?!??!)

I'd love to be able to take apoll on here and ask JT era fans how many of you upon first listen thought that was A) the beginning of the next song B) the end of One Tree Hill...or C) (in my case) What the heck is this????


I have a feeling this album might be that way too.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

You can read through reviews pretty easily. I like this one because it 'reads' like someone who knows U2 pretty well. The way he talks about certain tracks as the 'big' tracks (popular, potential singles), but then refers to others as the 'classics' is good. That's a U2 fan talking. Kinda like if it were a JT review he'd be calling Streets 'big' but be pointing to 'Exit' as a classic. Make sense?

Also, the way he doesn't just blow the horn of some of the tracks straight off, but says they'll take a few listens, but he gets the feeling that once they grow they'll be his favourites. That's pretty much always the case with U2's music for me.

Mindless hype reviews are obvious (The Sun one for example). The more thoughtful ones are just as obvious, so I put a bit of weight behind this one.

 

[bathiu]

....but come on....LAPOE does not sound anything like mofo.

all you hear from the "beach recording" is vocal, guitar and some drums...

You don't agree with: Reminiscent of Mofo on Pop, it flaunts distorted basslines and dampened drums, yet manages to be simultaneously progressive.

...so lets see what all other reviews talk about this track:

An industrial growl and host of Nine Inch Nails-style noises

A thumping bassline makes it all
sound a bit like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Clayton: “The scary bass sound you hear on that isn’t
actually me. It’s name is Brian.”

it starts with a rumbling, half-hearted sound like distant
gunfire before a raw blues riff takes over

hhmmm.... MOFO anyone?


--------

There were:
4 times "Pop" camparisons,
2 times "AB" -----///------
(half of the album)
"many" times to the 80's U2
...and what's the most important: only once to ATYCLB

 

[sue4u2]

You can read through reviews pretty easily. I like this one because it 'reads' like someone who knows U2 pretty well. The way he talks about certain tracks as the 'big' tracks (popular, potential singles), but then refers to others as the 'classics' is good. That's a U2 fan talking. Kinda like if it were a JT review he'd be calling Streets 'big' but be pointing to 'Exit' as a classic. Make sense?

Also, the way he doesn't just blow the horn of some of the tracks straight off, but says they'll take a few listens, but he gets the feeling that once they grow they'll be his favourites. That's pretty much always the case with U2's music for me.

Mindless hype reviews are obvious (The Sun one for example). The more thoughtful ones are just as obvious, so I put a bit of weight behind this one.

Well said ES. That's what I got from the review also
Some of the albums I loved on first listen. A couple grew on me as I played them over & over.
Reminds me of the saying :
If it sounds too good to be true, (it must be U2)
Took a little creative license on that phrase
Can't wait to hear the rest of this one.