my thought on bomb....a year on...

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I've said this before... the production just kills this album. Bono says that there are great songs, but that they don't flow, well that's because each one feels like it was sort of cut and pasted onto the album in a mish-mash.

Not just the obvious like COBL and OOTS, but others like SYCMIOYO (the bass is too high, the guitar at the beginning is patchy, among other things...), Miracle Drug (a choppy hack-job going from verse to chorus, and a lazy job of dropping in the solo), Yahweh (the double tracked voice... ERR, and the instruments all meld into each other and make the song sound murky). Good songs done badly... IMO.
 
Needle_Chill said:
I've said this before... the production just kills this album. Bono says that there are great songs, but that they don't flow, well that's because each one feels like it was sort of cut and pasted onto the album in a mish-mash.

Not just the obvious like COBL and OOTS, but others like SYCMIOYO (the bass is too high, the guitar at the beginning is patchy, among other things...), Miracle Drug (a choppy hack-job going from verse to chorus, and a lazy job of dropping in the solo), Yahweh (the double tracked voice... ERR, and the instruments all meld into each other and make the song sound murky). Good songs done badly... IMO.
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lol all the songs you mentioned then are the ones i love :)
 
I loved it when it was released. Then after a couple of weeks it began to become a little boring. Then just resently I have really started enjoying it again.

It's a very good album with some great songs, but it is not as deep as for example Achtung Baby.

Vertigo 8/10
Miracle Drug 9/10
Sometimes… 8/10
Love and Peace or else 7/10
City of Blinding Lights 9/10
All Because of You 7/10
A Man and a Woman 7/10
Crumbs from Your Table 7/10
One Step Closer 7/10
Original of the Species 8/10
Yahweh 9/10
 
It was my 2nd favourite when it came out, now it's the 5th or 6th. Probably because it doesn't excites me at all to hear it as a whole. But I rate LAPOE, COBL and MD as U2 in their best. I also like Yahweh, Sometimes, Crumbs, Original and One Step Closer a lot.
 
Needle_Chill said:
I've said this before... the production just kills this album. Bono says that there are great songs, but that they don't flow, well that's because each one feels like it was sort of cut and pasted onto the album in a mish-mash.
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Where was Eno and Lanois when they needed them? Those guys are the only ones who seem able to create flow on a U2 album.

One thing to remember is that HTDAAB is basically a quickie album from a production point of view. Lillywhite came in and worked for what, 3-4 months? That's extremely fast by U2's standards. I think they took a chance after they dismissed the Thomas work. That chance was going after a direct, naked rock feel on most of these songs by not overthinking the production process. It's debateable whether or not the songs benefit. Most around here would say no judging by what we've heard from the Thomas takes.
 
OnFire said:

I'm vowing to not read any band members comments about upcomming albums. When I hear, "this is going to be a monster driven by Edge's angry guitar" and get this, I can't help but be disappointed.

Who knows, maybe they have the above discribed album on a shelf somewhere ready to dust off and release in the future.
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I really do believe that the original Bomb stuff was more based on that "angry guitar," based on what I've heard of the Thomas stuff and quotes by the band, such as Bono recently in Rolling Stone (he said something about how they were trying to do a naked rock album or something but it just wasn't working). I don't know if U2 will ever do a full-on raw-rock album, but it'd be nice. I at least hope the next album is less produced. If there has been one thing to complain about in both ATYCLB and HTDAAB, it's the production.

I agree with Bono in that How to Dismantle is their best collection of songs to date, but it's just that: a collection. Not an album. For most U2 albums I'm pretty happy with the track order and I wouldn't touch it, but for HTDAAB I'm always trying alternate tracklistings.

1. Vertigo 5/5
I don't care what anyone says or how "overplayed" it got, I love Vertigo. Boy for the 21st century. Edge's riffs is one of his best. When A-Bomb first came out it was low on my list because I was so excited about the other tracks, but now I think Vertigo is one of the best on the album. Very underrated here.

2. Miracle Drug 4/5
This was one of my favourites when the album first came out, I thought it was a classic U2 track (along with almost everyone else). Now it's fallen on my list of favourites, partially because the live version wasn't as good as I had hoped, and the intial excitement of OMG NEW U2 has worn off. The song is a little bit too typical U2 (also, "freedom has a scent like the top of a newborn baby's head"? come on). Still, the bridge with slide guitar and then Edge's solo and verse is perfect.

3. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own 4.5/5
I don't like this song as much as I used to, but it's still one of the best on the album. It kinda bugs me how Bono goes into falsetto at the beginning of SIIIIIIIIIING though, especially after hearing how much more powerful the note is live. Other than that, no complaints really, simple lyrics but they somehow avoid sounding trite. I must admit I really like the alternate version, but that version wouldn't have worked on this Bomb.

4. Love and Peace or Else 5/5
The lyrics are kind of vague and almost random, but who cares? Musically this song is way badass. From the dark, fuzzy beginning you know you're in for something awesome. Great Edge solo, I love how it sort of starts out "underwater." The production on this track is actually really good, for once.

5. City of Blinding Lights 4/5
I remember when this first came out everyone was like "OMG NEW STREETS" COBL can't hold a candle to Streets of course, but it's still a great song. The production on this track irritates me, though. The drums don't hit you like they should. And I hate that cheesy piano part. There was a live version once where for whatever reason they didn't have the piano and it sounded so much better.

6. All Because of You 3.5/5
Again, production issues - it seems too poppy. The single version that they released in Europe was much better, it rocked more and had elements of the alternate All Because of You, which is a much better song - possibly 5/5. It sounds more raw and has more energy and the lyrics are much better. Both have Edge's kickass solo though, classic U2 moment there.

7. A Man and a Woman - 4.5/5
Beautiful song, fantastic bassline, and I love the lyrics. It's not extremely experimental but it's a little different. Too bad we'll probably never hear it live.

8. Crumbs From Your Table 3.5/5
WHY IS THERE ACOUSTIC GUITAR IN THE BEGINNING? WHERE DID IT GO?? The production on this song pretty much sucks. Waaaay too chimey. Also, the chorus and solo sound way too much like Walk On. But I do really like the second verse lyrics and the end of the song. Very cool outro with Edge's solo. I just wish this song was a little angrier instead of just "ho hum crumbs yeah okay." I know Bono's angry, he just didn't put that into this song.

9. One Step Closer 4/5
This was my least favourite track when HTDAAB first came out, but it's grown on me. I love those understated, contemplative, VU-esque ballads. How to Dismantle needs this track. It's the only song that's not overly in your face.

10. Original of the Species 6/5
Better than anything on ATYCLB. I actually like the production on this one. I love how Beatles-esque the song is. It's different than anything U2's ever done, really. This shows that U2 has indeed mastered the art of songwriting. Why they didn't release it as a single is beyond me as it's the catchiest and best song on the album. I wish they'd play it live more because it's even better live!

11. Yahweh 3.5/5
Again the production butchers the song, it's too chimey. For some reason the alternate version seems so much better to me, 5/5. The lyrics for the chorus seem kind of random - "Always pain before the child is born"? I do like the DYFL-style verses though, and it was nice to have an album end on an uplifting note for once. The best part of this entire song to me is Edge's backing vocals toward the end.

12. Fast Cars 5/5
It's grown on me a lot. I love the lyrics and Bono's sort of rap/scat/whatever vocals and the Spanish vibe of the song. I think Xanax and Wine has more energy, but this song is more original and groovy. Amazing that they're playing it live, never thought that would happen!! Should really have been a single. Maybe it will be on some movie soundtrack and be a single that way.

Songwise I'd give HTDAAB 4/5, as an album 3/5. So I guess that averages out to 3.5/5. For me it's behind Pop, Achtung, Zooropa, and JT. It's probably about on par with Boy and ATYCLB. Better than October, War, UF, Rattle and Hum, and Passengers, if you count that.
 
namkcuR said:
It doesn't hold a candle to UF or Joshua or Achtung or Zooropa or Pop.
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Very true. The only tracks that are worth keeping off the album are Love and Peace Or Else and Original of the Species. Still 2 out of 12 aint bad I suppose.
 
I still like it....Bono is exactly right...great songs but together they just don't make brilliant
 
I love the album and all the songs are good, but for me it lacks the number of great/awesome/kickass songs that can be found on other albums. COBL and Vertigo are pure gold, but I think Miracle Drug is a poor man's Kite. I currently have Bomb ranked behind

JT
AB
Pop
UF
ATYCLB
 
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Vertigo 9/10
Great Rocking song, Edge´s riff is one of the simplest he´s ever done , but it stays easily in the back of your mind. Adam´s bass gorgeous

Miracle Drug 10/10
The lyrics are probably belonging to Bono´s ever best writing. Fantastic intro, superb solo getting into the last verse.

Sometimes You can´t Make it On Your Own 10/10
Bono´s voice is magnificent, on the record and most of all live. Its meaning cannot carry each of us.......

Love and Peace or else 10/10
The song that probably works best live, excellent groove, hitting bluesy guitar, and deep lyrics

City of Blinding Lights 10/10
One of the best Intro I´ve ever heard for a song, arpeggio and piano mixed together in an incredible way, another song with a fantastic bassline.

All Because of You 7/10
Not that Punk Rock Tune made on Venus, although it has a very likeable riff and Bono´s voice sounds amazing.

A Man and a Woman 6/10
Not a songs that makes you cry, but with a good production and an extraordinary bassline.

Crumbs from Your Table 9/10
Maybe too overproduced, but another great arpeggio and again, Bono sounds very good. Maybe too much repetitive drums parts.
Angry lyrics.
One Step Closer 10/10
Just a Dream..............................

Original of the Species 10/10
I would´ve never imagined they could´ve take out a song, where everything passes together in an almost perfect harmony. Great work at synths, Bono´s voice superb.

Yahweh 9/10
The live version is simply another thing, much more better than the album version. But on the album another great guitar work by edge
Fast Cars 10/10
Amazing song, the spanish rhythm is carrying you on note by note. Probably Larry´s best piece, and Bono sounds live like on the record.
 
I like Miracle Drug, Crumbs from your Table and City of Blinding Lights. Three quality tracks there.

The rest of the album, I can take it or leave it to be honest.
 
this album really has grown on me lately...for me, there is not that one epic track that is usually characteristic of U2 albums...but this is a truly great album...i mean
COBL, Love and Peace, Vertigo (yes vertigo, as i know it is often maligned here), Crumbs, SYCMIOYO, OOTS, yahweh, MD...i really like all of these tracks
beautiful album, and getting better every day imo
 
I tried to love the album when it first came out. I really, really did. It just didn't work. Within a week I had burned about half the songs, plus Fast Cars and Are You Gonna Wait Forever onto a CD-R and put my actual copy of HTDAAB back in my CD rack, never to come out again. And then I started repeatedly skipping a few of the tracks on the CD-R whenever I played it.

I have to say Love and Peace or Else is still my favorite track. Fast Cars would be right up there too, if you are allowed to count it (it wasn't included on my version - I just downloaded it from iTunes.) If those two songs are any indication of the direction U2 is going in the future, I will be very, very happy. They are way more exciting than anything else on HTDAAB, or ATYCLB for that matter.
 
I miss the experimental U2 of the 90s, not the generic, Disney-fied band they have become. HTDAAB is a reflection of what they are now and thus although I admit some of the songs are pretty good on it, I can't listen to this record or ATYCLB right now because they make me slightly nauseous.
 
I love the album, but apparently I'm the only one who has come to hate "vertigo". I was excited about it at first, but lost interest in it quickly. Them playing it twice in concert nailed the coffin shut for me.

Most everything else on the record sounds good; "sometimes" is my least favorite.
 
My rankings for HTDAAB

I still love it after a year. U2 is the kind of group where certain songs need to be heard alot of times before you can really get into them. For example I wasn't really into Miracle drug when I first got it. But now it is my current favorite. I will say that SYCMIOYO has been overplayed and I am tired of it, but that doesn't take away from it's initial value. After listening for a couple of days my 3 favorites were COBL, Vertigo and Crumbs. Anyway enough rambling my ratings.

Vertigo
9.5/10
A great song with a beat you can dance to and the hook is so catchy that you have it stuck in your head all day. :whistle:

Miracle Drug
9/10 This song captures bono's compassion for human life. There is a line in it that comes from Levitate (a b side that I was just introduced to from ATYCLB)

SYCMIOYO
8/10 Still a powerful song because of the subject matter. I can really relate to it cuz my dad and I don't always see eye to eye.

Love And Peace
6.5/10 I like this song but there are elements I don't like. It is a little to repetative with all the "Love and Peace". I love the Jewish heritage reference. They still can't seem to stop fighting over there. They should all just listen to U2 and shake hands. :bono:

COBL
10/10 I can't get enough of this song, though I was rather disapointed with the video. I imagined it being shot at night in New York or even Vegas would have been better than just a concert. That intro riff that the Edge plays is like taking a bite of sweet chocolate it is so good it makes ya tingle. This song is my 3rd fav. U2 song overall

ABOY
6.5/10 I was way into this song for like a few months in the summer then it kinda fizzled out. Still a decent single for U2.

AMAAW
9/10
This song captures love perfectly. You can't tell the kind of relationship that this song is based on is a strong one. Ok that was kinda lame. It is just a great song.

Crumbs
8/10
I like the synthesizers and the guitar on this song. It is a peaceful song that I can listen to and unwind.

One Step Closer
6/10 I think this is my least favorite song. Not by much though. I think it is a better song than my least fav. from ATYCLB which was When I Look At The World. It is like a song for moving on with life. One step closer to knowing what happens next.

Original of The Species
7.5/10
Someone said it is gonna be the next single. I hope so because this is a great song. It carries on a conversation that is deep and profound. Not sure on the meaning of kneel but I still like the religious symbolism. It is a common theme on a lot of songs (MW, V).

Yahweh
8/10
There is no denying the religious symbolism of this song. To give up ones self and the parts of you that God doesn't want you to have. Then as part of Christ's sacrifice he takes us and makes us clean. Wow!!:angel:

Overall that is 88/110 which is a very strong album.
 
Ok, here's the rankings song for song:

Vertigo: 3/5 - decent, I guess the choice for the first single. As with Love and peace and somewhat Yahweh, the lyrics drag it down - that said this is meant to be a fun song so it's forgivable. Energetic musically, and Bono is hitting notes I think most of us thought were lost.

Miracle Drug: 3.5/5 - I think Bono's singing keeps this one from being better. Also, the "wooo yeah oooo"s drag on album, works better live. Improves vastly right afterwards with the solo and ending.

Sometimes: 5/5 - great, for me. Comparisons to One from the magazine reviewers were justified. I like how Bono paints the love/hate relationship with his father and the "can you hear me when I sing?" peak is one of best U2 all-time moments.

Love and peace: 2.5/5 - "we need love and peace" and "lay down your guns" verse bring down the otherwise perfectly good song. Luckily, Edge saves this one - everyone says "Bono's voice is back" but he is IMO equally, if not a bit more, the star of the Bomb.

City of blinding lights: 4/5 - I thought "Streets part II" when I first heard this one, but I like it better now, also one of Bomb's best live songs. Enjoy the lyrics evoking innocence of the young U2 first coming to shores of America, and the "time" slide peak brings it that extra notch above.

All because of you: 3.5/5 - this song really gets too much bashing. The best of the rock trio, certainly has the best lines. Edge roars through it like he hasn't in years, one of their best rock out endings after the "WAAAAH!" scream.

A man and a woman: ?/5 - the one song that I didn't get any reaction from on the Bomb. And I usually like their more acoustic-guitar songs.

Crumbs: 3.5/5 - this is the part - around song 8 - when U2 albums usually start sinking. Not this one, Bono is at his most political in years and the band provide the backdrop nicely.

One step closer: 4.5/5 - probably my favorite lyric on the album. My only comment is the unimaginative ending with repeating "one step closer to knowing".

Original of the species: 5/5 - hadn't it been for Sometimes this would be my favorite song. THE pop song they were looking for in this decade, one of Bono's better performances on the album. Edge's guitar on this is probably the most joyous sound the band has ever made and for all this, I can forgive the repetitive lyrics.

Yahweh: 3/5 - good closer. No more, no less. I like the synth/piano; really helps getting the epic sound. Wish the chorus would be more like the live versions.
 
Some of you people must be mad!! Mad I tell you!! The Bomb is one of the best U2 records ever....#3 for sure behind JT and AB. Okay, there is merit to it not flowing well and it isn't quite as good to me as when I first heard it but I still think it is the best 'Non masterpiece" album of them all. Yes, even better than UF. To me, only One step closer is the only not-so-great track on the album and COBL, Vertigo, OOTS, Crumbs, and ABOY are among their best ever!!:madspit: :madspit: :madspit: :madspit:
 
obviously it's still good

HTDAAB is still revelant and kicking. It won 5 grammy awards last week and had a 512% rise in sales due to that. That is not because it is a sub par album. That is because it is an awesome U2 album behind JT and AB.
 
My U2 experience so far pretty much revolves around HTDAAB and The Vertigo tour....

I became a fan after Beautiful Day...went and bought ATYCLB, and as much as I love it, it's not all that strong of an album....so I was uber excited when HTDAAB came out, and promptly went to purchase the album....

I listend to it that night, and was rather depressed...I thought that I became a U2 fan right at the end...that nothing was ever going to be as good as the '80s and '90s again, and they were spiralling out....

However, then I saw U2 in concert...and it was just so amazing....all of the Bomb tracks sounded great to me...

I went back home, and listened to the album all the way through for the first time in months, and was amazed....honestly I don't now how I coudl've hated this album before....

Anyway....long story short....Bomb is so much better a year later than it was when it first came out.
 
HTDAAB doesn't rate very highly with me. The album is way behind Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, Zooropa, ATYCLB and just on par with POP. U2 IMO need to start experimenting with there music again instead of putting out such a boring album in HTDAAB. The name is the best thing about the album. The songs are just average.

I still love U2 though and am looking forward to there next album which hopefully sounds nothing like HTDAAB.


SecretFly
 
namkcuR said:
I loved it at first, just because it was new U2. It's gone up and down since then and right now it's pretty low. It doesn't hold a candle to UF or Joshua or Achtung or Zooropa or Pop.
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yep. everyone else is way off 'cause this post is right on.
 
Re: obviously it's still good

mediaman44 said:
HTDAAB is still revelant and kicking. It won 5 grammy awards last week and had a 512% rise in sales due to that. That is not because it is a sub par album. That is because it is an awesome U2 album behind JT and AB.
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hahahhahhahahhhahahhahahhahahahhhhahahahahahahahahahahahahhahhahahaha :happy:
 
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