How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb - a different view! A newbie's view!

[CKONE]

Here is a thread I posted on an 'anything goes' section of a football supporters website I run. It was my first impressions of HTDAAB. I am Mr SV on there and fooj is a swear filter alternative.

Thought I would share it with this new found community particularly as I notice a strong undercurrent of disapproval for an album second only to Joshua Tree (in my opinion). Enjoy (or not).

"Now I know that none of you understand my blind adoration for U2.

I know that U2 have few supporters within the collective (thats my football supporters site) what with all this modern fangled noise they call music but so as none of you miss out I will review How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb for you which is their latest album.

I have prepared two reviews. The first is a review following the first listen of the album which was in the car, during a stressful journey home and not under the appropriate controlled conditions required for a full and professional review. The second review was following several listens to the album in a dark room without interruption thereby meeting the aforementioned controlled conditions. Both were arranged with Volume control very foojing high indeed.

Review One!

THIS ALBUM IS foojing BRILLIANT!

Review Two

Anyone mad about any one thing always suffers a sense of anxiety, a nervously mild panic, a back of the mind doubt before said thing attempts to recreate or better itself. In this case and trying my hardest not to be wearing my U2 shaped spectacles and ignoring the chaffing from my Adam Clayton diamante thong, I waited with silly child like stomach butterflies to get my hands on U2's new album. A nervous energy brought on by massive anticipation of wonderment and inspiration was tempered with a niggling fear that they would let me down! They hadnt to date from the first time I listened to The Joshua Tree in 1987, through the backtracking of their earlier stuff and through each new release thereafter.

Better people than me had sewn seeds of doubt that after 25 years of being the best band in the world, constantly breaking new ground, fearless in their pursuit of excellence, rocking the world to its core with fantastic multi media stadium shows and selective private gigs alike they were just not good enough anymore. Mikey P thanks. Mad Dog thanks. Thanks for putting the doubt there to give an extra edge when testing the new album. What if they were right?, can I get laser treatment for the Bono tattoo on my underscrote? . It was enough to make me feel sick with self questioning dread!

As soon as Mrs SV came home with the gift I soooo hoped and knew she would I threw myself wholeheartedly into the album for at least the first 76 listens. Then knowing what a critical bunch of miscreants you lot can be I took a step back and took it all apart for the next 58 listens and here is the album in a nutshell for you all.

Vertigo leads you into the album with an intention to pull no punches on any front and sets their stall out for 12 songs that will get your full attention. A powerful guitar rocking punk siphoning opener giving a completely unsubtle nudge of a reminder to all the doubters that some things get better with age! foojing Brilliant

Miracle Drug brings you back to wherever Vertigo launches you and if you are not in love before you hear it you will be afterwards. foojing Brilliant

Sometimes You Cant Make It On Your Own is Bono's raw and open comment on his relationship with his father. The lyrics pull no punches describing the regrets and joys they shared accompanied by the pounding heartbeatesque Adam Clayton base line. foojing Brilliant

Love And Peace Or Else sees the Edge step forward as a true rock guitar god and is as dark as it is rollicking and lusty whilst Bono puts forward his policitcal comment like only he can. foojing Brilliant

City Of Blinding Lights is one of my favourites and builds with a classic Edge intro into a bittersweet lament. foojing Brilliant

All Because Of You has U2 going psychedelic with a banging bone shaking drum beat from Larry Mullen Jnr, over dubbed lyrics and all the flicks and tricks from The Edge. foojing Brilliant

A Man And A Woman is a sincere love song as good as With Or Without You and All I Want Is You but avoiding the same turmoil and angst. foojing Brilliant

Crumbs From Your Table is also a favourite and probably (neck out time) the best song on the album - a taste -
"You were pretty as a picture
It was all there to see
Then your face caught up with your psychology
With a mouth full of teeth
You ate all your friends
And you broke every heart thinking every heart mends"
foojing Brilliant

One Step Closer an intimate, open ballad about Bono's fathers death from Cancer in 2001. Say no more you just have to listen to it. foojing Brilliant

Original Of The Species was written for Holly Evans the eldest of U2's children and is both grand and touching. foojing Brilliant

Yahweh the near the end of album chat with god with a big dose of rock and possibly showcases Bono at his best! foojing Brilliant

Fast Cars - dont like it.......... .....yet!

It has everything, it lacks nothing, it inspires (me at least), it makes everything else I thought was brilliant mediocre and it draws some great sounds from the 60's and 70's lets Edge loose on them and fires them into now!!

Buy it and try it whether you like their previous stuff or not as you can only truly appreciate it by listening to it yourself.

It is in my unqualified, rarely coherant, barely earth based, not at all rounded, inexperienced yet humble opinion foojing brilliant "

 

[jacobus]

sorry, but i think you're a bit of brainwashed...? i think you need a doctor

 

[1stepcloser]

Well as you're from Brum there's a 50/50 chance you're a Birmingham City fan, so i guess if you are then you need something to brighten up your days

 

[ozeeko]

It's funny how you think every song is "foojing" brilliant except for Fast Cars when I think the exact opposite.

 

[U2girl]

Bomb is better than it's given credit for.

 

[roy]

I notice a strong undercurrent of disapproval for an album second only to Joshua Tree (in my opinion). Enjoy (or not).

That's just the vocal minority mate....you get these people on every internet forum. I believe HTDAAB deservedly came 4th on a recent best album poll, so it's well appreciated here.

It's a great album.

 

[DarkAcrobat]

YES, HTDAAB is a Great Album. I'm still loving it...

 

[An Cat Gav]

Good review mate, HTDAAB is a great album, possibly their 4th best.

 

[CKONE]

Well as you're from Brum there's a 50/50 chance you're a Birmingham City fan, so i guess if you are then you need something to brighten up your days

lol - no chance mate - I am a villan!

 

[CKONE]

Good review mate, HTDAAB is a great album, possibly their 4th best.

Cheers and cheers to Roy and DA aswell.

 

[Jim]

As a long time U2 fan I really think 'Bomb' is totally fantastic. On a day to day basis, it's fantastic, then (like all great albums) you have a day like I had yesterday, driving 3 hours home, sun shining playing loud and in a certain frame of mind and it becomes totally mindblowingly fantastic. So much so that today 'Yahweh' is the greatest U2 song ever as far as I'm concerned!

 

[bonsai]

Originally posted by CKONE


I notice a strong undercurrent of disapproval for an album second only to Joshua Tree (in my opinion). Enjoy (or not).



Originally posted by Roy:

That's just the vocal minority mate....you get these people on every internet forum. I believe HTDAAB deservedly came 4th on a recent best album poll, so it's well appreciated here.

It's a great album.


I'm glad to hear about that. I was thinking why everyone was moaning and bashing that album. IMO I think it's one of their best

Much better than ATYCL. To be honest, when I first listened to atyclb, apart from the first singles on the album, I found it really samey (don't stoen me). It has grown on me since then, and I do find it enjoyable, but personally I much prefer Bomb.

It totally deserved to win album of the year at the Grammy's, they made a good decision there

 

[CKONE]

this is restoring my faith in U2 fandom

would I be correct to assume that generally speaking fans of U2 (who have been for say 15 years plus) are big on Bomb and newer fans are less keen on Bomb?

 

[toscano]

this is restoring my faith in U2 fandom

would I be correct to assume that generally speaking fans of U2 (who have been for say 15 years plus) are big on Bomb and newer fans are less keen on Bomb?

Not me (20+ yr fan). It's U2-by-the-numbers, cookie-cutter fast-food U2, catchy non-challenging easy on the ear but ultimately forgettable. A perfect album for the state of the music industry today. Safe and geared for commercial success.

Now Pop, there's another matter. Creative, rocking, imaginative, a rhythm section which actually contributes something new. Discard the techno-crap, look below the surface, and you'll find some of the rockingest U2 songs ever.

HTDAAB was an album intended for airplay and awards, they succeeded.

 

[bonsai]

Well, I haven't been a fan for 15 years. I got into them 9 years ago, so I'm not exactly new to their music.

But heres my comparason, track by track, of the Bomb and ATYLB

ATYCLB BOMB

Beautiful Day Vertigo

It took me a while to enjoy Vertigo, and even when I did begin to like it, I never raved about it like other fans seemed to. But listeneing to it recently, it is great rock anthem. However, between these two tracks, I would pick BD everytime. To me it's a song you can never get bored of. Even when it used to be played on The Premiership constantly.

STUCK IN A MOMENT MIRACLE DRUG

When I first listened to Bomb, MD was the stand out track for me.I think they should have released either this or OOTS in the UK instead of ABOY. SIAMYCOO was the first track that started getting my mum into them. I really love Bono's voice on it. I've downloaded the accoustic version as well, and Edge's voice sounds better IMO, on this version. Verdict: Stuck In A Moment

ELEVATION SOMETIMES

Elevation is one of my fav tracks on ATYCLB. I don't care if the lyrics don't make any sence, I just appreciate it for being, for me, one of their best rock anthems with an unusual guitar effect. I love both the album and the single version. However, Sometimes is very personal and has great build up to it. I think this is one of their best. Verdict: Sometimes

WALK ON LOVE AND PEACE OR ELSE

To me LAPOE is their weakest song on the Bomb, I know many of you disagree, but this is just IMO. I used to think Walk On was boring, but now, although perhaps their weakest single of the album, it has a lovely melody and Bono sings perfectly on it. So I would choose Walk On

KITE COBL

I understand Kite is a very emotional song, and it has a great melody, but COBL is a fantastic midtempo anthem. It has to be one of my fav tracks on the album. Verdict: COBL

IN A LITTLE WHILE ALL BECAUSE OF YOU

As I said earlier, I don't think they should have realeased this as a single. The reason why they did, I imagine, is because most of the tracks are ballard to mdtempo anthems. Other than Vertigo, LAPOE and ABOY there is no other anthems. Anyway, I prefer In A Little While.

WILD HONEY MAN AND A WOMEN

Man and a Women, as a love song in similar vein to In A Little While, is much stronger musically and lyrically. Lyrically I feel it's the strongest on the album. I do find the double vocal production during the bridge annoying, as someone else once brought up in a recent thread. But overall I would pick A Man And A Women

PEACE ON EARTH CRUMBS

Peace On Earth is a nice song, with soem thought provoking lyrics, but Crumbs is a better tune lyrically and musically. Again, I'm not keen on the vocal production (especially the You Ate all your fiends bit), but I still choose Crumbs.

WHEN I LOOK AT THE WORLD ONE STEP CLOSER

I find When I Look At The World the most boring track on the album. I know many people will say the same thing about One Step Closer on Bomb, but I like it. It's much better than When I Look At The World

NEW YORK ORIGINAL OF THE SPECIES

New York, I feel, is one of their best album tracks, but I absolutely love OOTS. I think it's one of their best tunes they have done for ages.

GRACE YAHWEH

Grace is nice spiritual song but Yahweh is far stronger IMO.

GROUND BENEATH HER FEET FAST CARS

Being quite partial to world music, and I actually possessing various albums that you would find in this section in record stores, I love the Spanish guitar in fAST Cars. I find guitars sexual anyway . but the Spanish guitar on fast Cars is . The eery effects on TGBHF is cool, but I would choose Fast cars, I find it sexual, especcially when it's played live.

 

[Aygo]

Again... IMO, HTDAAB = U2's best album. Most complete, it doesn't have a weaker song and it's the kind of album that we can listen over and over again (due to 'Yahweh' leaving the feeling of... it ended here? I want to listen to it again..).

I think ATYCLB is a great album too (in fact, I love every album, there's not one that I don't like) but, contradicting some people's opinion, HTDAAB is not ATYCLB part II. There are several differences between them.
Despite, they marketed ATYCLB as a "back to basics" album, it doesn't mean that we're 100% rock again.
That's what The Bomb is.
If we pay attention, 90% of HTDAAB is rock music... in ATYCLB there are a few songs that we can't call that (mainly in the second half).
Perhaps it can be an evolution from the predecessor, but it's not a collection of outtakes... no!...

 

[U2girl]

this is restoring my faith in U2 fandom

would I be correct to assume that generally speaking fans of U2 (who have been for say 15 years plus) are big on Bomb and newer fans are less keen on Bomb?

That's what I think too. It's not the fans from the 80's that complain the most, it's the fans from the 90's.

The only thing that, for me, keeps Bomb from being Top 3 U2 album, is that it's lacking the sense of tracks being a part of a whole, and a strong theme (like War, JT and AB). Some of it is there - songs on Bono's life (his father, his marriage, his work in Africa) it's just not as strong as the above mentioned albums.

 

[BVS]

Not me (20+ yr fan). It's U2-by-the-numbers, cookie-cutter fast-food U2, catchy non-challenging easy on the ear but ultimately forgettable. A perfect album for the state of the music industry today. Safe and geared for commercial success.

Since when did music become like chess? Why do you need a challenge? What is challenging about other U2 albums? I've never got this "challenging" bit.

Now Pop, there's another matter. Creative, rocking, imaginative, a rhythm section which actually contributes something new. Discard the techno-crap, look below the surface, and you'll find some of the rockingest U2 songs ever.

Discard the "techno-crap" and that album is pretty much like any other U2 album. IGWSHA could easily fit on the last two albums. Please could fit on ATYCLB. Gone, WUDM, SATS, and LNOE could easily fit on any of the 90's albums...

 

[catlhere]

Bomb

Most definitely in the top half of their albums to date

 

[CKONE]

i'm so glad i am not going as mad as i thought i was. cheers all.

 

[bonsai]

I didn't mean to imply that Bomb was merely ATYCLB prt 2. The only reason why I made that comparason was because when people are having a debate about Bomb, many of them (and not just on this forum) do tend to compare it with ATYLB, and which one they prefer. You then end up with these two different camps. I think the reason why people do that is because of these albums are a return to roots after the 90's.

I can appreciate that ATYCLB and HTDAAB are both completely different albums, the latter, I think is more rock, whilst the former is more pop/rock (if that makes any sense). I would be happy to compare any of U2's album track by track, including Pop.

I just wanted to clear that up.

 

[ozeeko]

Discard the "techno-crap" and that album is pretty much like any other U2 album. IGWSHA could easily fit on the last two albums. Please could fit on ATYCLB. Gone, WUDM, SATS, and LNOE could easily fit on any of the 90's albums...

Gone, WUDM, SATS, and LNOE do fit on a 90's album. The album's called POP and was released in 1997.

 

[BVS]

Gone, WUDM, SATS, and LNOE do fit on a 90's album. The album's called POP and was released in 1997.

Aren't you clever...

 

[toscano]

Since when did music become like chess? Why do you need a challenge? What is challenging about other U2 albums? I've never got this "challenging" bit.

Oh sweet irony !

I can certainly put it in simpler terms for you, even give you some f'rinstances that U2 has done (the style change from War to UF, the whole AB sound/concept), releasing WOWY as a single, those are clues....


[/B][/QUOTE]
Discard the "techno-crap" and that album is pretty much like any other U2 album. IGWSHA could easily fit on the last two albums. Please could fit on ATYCLB. Gone, WUDM, SATS, and LNOE could easily fit on any of the 90's albums... [/B][/QUOTE]

Look past the hype that this was a "dance" or "techno crap" album might have been an easier to interpret phrase

 

[toscano]

Aren't you clever...

Guess he was able to navigate the "challenge" !

 

[BVS]

Oh sweet irony !

I can certainly put it in simpler terms for you, even give you some f'rinstances that U2 has done (the style change from War to UF, the whole AB sound/concept), releasing WOWY as a single, those are clues....

Oh sweet irony my ass!

You still haven't shown me what's "challenging" about any of these examples. Yes WOWY was very different structure wise than what was on the radio at the time, but it was a great song, how did WOWY challenge you? Yes AB was an evolution for U2 but it didn't challenge me as a listener.

You said:

catchy non-challenging easy on the ear but ultimately forgettable

I think people abuse these terms to describe music to sound cool.

 

[BVS]

Guess he was able to navigate the "challenge" !

By stating where the songs came from? Wow, what a big challenge. Now you make even less sense.

 

[ozeeko]

By stating where the songs came from? Wow, what a big challenge. Now you make even less sense.

It just feels so good to be right. There's nothing more exhilerating than pointing out the shortcomings of others, is there?

 

[BVS]

It just feels so good to be right. There's nothing more exhilerating than pointing out the shortcomings of others, is there?

Come again?

 

[ozeeko]

it's a quote from the movie "Clerks"