Obviously the thread was started with sarcasm in mind, but I really feel that that sarcasm can be used to look at this album in an important/vital way.
First of all, I do like the album--I like it quite a bit, actually! I think that it is a great album (for U2 or anyone else), but nowhere near classic; maybe time will change my perception, but I don't know yet.
I don't feel let down that the album doesn't ROCK ROCK ROCK hard enough--as MANY people have very astutely pointed out, U2 never really was a straight-up ROCK ROCK ROCK band. Unless he was shrieking the words during a Zoo TV show, that sort of...style, I guess...never did play into U2's sound.
I don't think that U2 has to record some sort of silly Metallica-esque album in order to not be pussies or whatever some people might think. But I do feel sorta' scammed, as others have, by Bono's goofy-talk during production. He always does this kind of stuff (Lou Reed once sang, "Her bellybutton was her mouth/Which meant she tasted what she said," and I think he should've sang something to let people know that Bono's ass is his mouth, apparently--a LOT of bullshit comes outta' there and sometimes it's hard to swallow), but it is still sort of crappy.
I've posted similar sentiments elsewhere a few times, and I think that they're valid. The fact is this: we were sort of promised something different, and we didn't get it. If the album consisted of 10-12 insanely heavy rock numbers, I would prefer it to this polished, very listenable, super-tuneful, but PREDICTABLE AT EVERY TURN album; even if those insane rock numbers weren't quite as great as this album, I would dig on the band's balls to record such an album, you know? It would NOT suck (cuz this is U2, and even the last album had its moments), and I'd rather hear an interesting, minor failure than a boring-as-fuck success at a rehash. If the album were all ballads and really slow numbers, I would prefer that to what we got, as well: it would show that the band is still willing to challenge themselves.
Was it tough in the studio with Chris Thomas? I'm sure it was, but remember that they were REALLY doubting their direction when they were in Hansa, back in the day. Great things often come from great struggles....even, perhaps, great failures.
So, yeah...I really do enjoy the album very much. But I'm still disappointed with how by-the-numbers it all feels. I knew these songs before I ever even heard (of) them, you know? That disappoints me, rawk or no rawk.
