The Bomb and ATYCLB are not bad albums, they're excellent. Very high quality. It's just that to me and many others they are over there while U2's other 9 albums are over here. It's not so much a comment on their quality, just how they feel. I honestly - not just when talking about them here, not just when talking about them with friends outside of here (where I have to build some sort of defence against "U2 are f*cked now") - but in my own head, honestly can't even begin to compare those two against War or The Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby or Zooropa. There's one pile of comparable U2 CD's sitting on the left hand side of me, Boy through to Pop, and on the right hand side of me there's ATYCLB and HTDAAB. The only things they happen to have in common for me is the band name on the front, the names of the individuals who made them, and the fact that every now and then there's a sound or feeling that reminds me of the other band that made those other 9 records, but it's usually a pretty fleeting moment and generally a pretty superficial version of what it is it makes me remember. I'm sure there are many that are very happy with what U2 have become. I'm sure that's all genuine. I'm sure there are plenty of people who see no change and are sure without a doubt that the songs on these last two albums are as good and as deep and as creative and exciting as those on the other 9 albums. For me though, I wouldn't waste my time making an argument for Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own against Running To Stand Still, I honestly couldn't do it. Sometimes may or may not be a good song in one sense, on a technical level, but it's not, to me, even in the same category or genre as Running To Stand Still. The last two albums aren't bad, they're just not the same thing as the other nine. U2 are now in the business of making tight, tidy, high quality, safe, shiny pop albums. I will compare those two (and any others in the future along those lines - which sadly is what I bet we get) only with each other and say they are both outstanding in achieving their goal. But versus other U2 albums? Whats generally thought of as the worst of the other nine? October? It's not a great album for sure, but it's got more feeling and spirit in one track then these last two albums combined. What's generally thought of as the worst song off Achtung Baby? Tryin' To Throw Your Arms? So Cruel? Ultraviolet? What's regarded as the best off the Bomb? Miracle Drug? Original of the Species? An album of songs at the level of quality of So Cruel, or an album of songs at the level of Original of the Species. Holy shit, I know what I would choose in a heartbeat. I don't listen to the type of music that Elevation is. Or Crumbs. Or Original of the Species. Or All Because of You. Whether it's by U2 or anyone else. I find it dull and boring and uninspiring, even when it's technically outstanding songwriting, I give it respect for that, but it does nothing for me and if it weren't for the fact that it was U2, I would never have bought HTDAAB or ATYCLB. I would have downloaded Love & Peace and In A Little While, and Beautiful Day reminds me of a Canadian gymnast I was having a fling with during the Sydney Olympics, so I probably would have downloaded that (good times), but the rest....... comparing it to Stay? To Where The Streets Have No Name? To One? To Promenade? To Out of Control? Yeah right. That's only two steps away from comparing Creed to U2 with any seriousness.
Remember how everyone raved over ATYCLB, then HTDAAB was released and suddenly ATYCLB goes pummeling down everyones charts? Here's my prediction... If U2 indeed still have it in them (I believe they do) and still have the balls, and go and release another album of great, amazing music along the lines of their previous nine, there will be a collective sigh of relief from EVERYONE in here and a general feeling of "Ooooooh I forgot about how good they could do this", and HTDAAB will slide, slide, slide down those charts as well. I sincerely hope they prove me right by releasing such an album, rather then another one of these...
In summary: The Bomb doesn't suck. It's just not fair to compare an album in the category of The Bomb & ATYCLB to an album that falls into the category of Boy, October, War, The Unforgettable Fire, The Joshua Tree, Rattle & Hum, Achtung Baby, Zooropa & Pop.
