I'm sure if this forum existed in 1987 or 1991, people would've been saying the same things about JT and AB. It's impossible to not compare to past albums.
We must remember that we've had nearly 18 years (!) to digest JT. Yes, it is a classic. It's not one of my personal favorite U2 albums, but there's no denying how strong of an album it is. We've also had over 13 years (!) to enjoy AB. Again, it too is a classic. With that much time, the songs on JT and AB have made a home in our hearts and heads - we can't imagine life without those songs; they have helped define who we are.
Poor HTDAAB hasn't even had 2 months (!!!!) since its release. The fact that we are comparing it to JT and AB is actually a tremendous compliment to HTDAAB.
People may dislike ATYCLB, but it was time for U2 to shift again. Just like we saw signs of U2 changing on R&H, we saw that on "Pop". Had U2 continued their experimentation this decade, they wouldn't have succeeded at all. Instead, "Beautiful Day" is now a song that's becoming part of our world.
HTDAAB needs time. There is so much that might happen in 2005 that it's impossible to hate/love this album yet.
However, for the moment, I do enjoy HTDAAB far more than ATYCLB - and I really liked ATYCLB.