I abhor comparisons to JT and AB.
First, I don't think JT is "all that".
Second, JT has been with us for nearly 18 years!
AB has been with us for over 13 years! To compare HTDAAB - an album that's only been around for 3 short months - to those two albums is ridiculous. Those albums are considered classics because not only did they perform magnificently upon their release - as HTDAAB is doing - but because they have remained in our collective memories for over a decade. Will HTDAAB do so? Many will say "no", but hey, let's give it a decade and find out!
When JT was released, some thought that it would sell around 3 million copies in the U.S. That is a grand sum, but few thought it would become the monstrous album it became. Likewise, when AB was released, initially it wasn't that impressive. "The Fly" performed poorly in the U.S. (as a lead-off single) and while the album had a #1 debut, it was a weak one. However, second and third singles from AB cemented the album's status.
ATYCLB and HTDAAB clearly focus more on the song than on album themes. UF, JT and R&H were definitely thematic. AB and "Zooropa" had more song focus, but again, themes ran throughout the albums. As U2 have explored themes for 5 albums (and arguably more with The Passengers and even the more techno-sounds of "Pop"), they have shifted to a new style: the song.
Focusing on the song doesn't mean U2 is abandoning the album. Even Bono feels that the album is still better than each song. However, because the shift is on songs, it's little wonder that the overall feeling you had with JT and AB aren't the same.
Is this a bad thing? Maybe in your mind, but I consider it yet another transition. U2 have explored themes - quite well. There's no need to do that again. Instead, U2 have shifted how they write songs. It's very possible the next album will be a shift again. Clearly what inspires them at that time will play a significant role.
My ultimate point is that many keep comparing present U2 to past U2 and that's not necessarily a good thing. U2 have already written their "Sunday Bloody Sundays" and thematic albums. They've experimented with ambient sounds and techno sounds. These last two albums are clearly more focused on pop song structure. As a result, this may not be for everyone. But to say that the current U2 isn't as good as the past U2 is not only ridiculously subjective, but perhaps even erroneous. Do you really want U2 to make songs like they did? What's the point? They've already done that - time to move on.