Pop vs. ATYCLB

[Liesje]

I want to see the Pop bedroom! Post some pictures!

OK. I've actually slightly reorganized a few things since I took these pics. And I got a new Pop poster that is now hanging in that big blank space above the shoes:

The LNOE poster above the desk is my person favorite:

The 5 x 3 ft posters:

The 2 x 3 ft posters:

Every once in a while I find a new one on eBay and have to rearrange again. I just love Pop stuff

 

[Liesje]

Oh, and the outside of the door needs something POP (though it does nicely feature Beckham's namesake )

 

[ABEL]

Contrary to popular belief.... i love "Smilies"

i smilies too!






as far as Pop and ATYCLB, i love them both.

 

[mystery girl]

Great debate, but there is no clear winner here. Both albums come from different times and places (even though they were, more-or-less back to back). If I had to choose between the two I take ATYCLB. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy Pop, but it's just a bit (I mean a little bit at that) disjointed for me.

When I first heard Pop, back in '97 it sounded like a bunch of B-sides to me. This is mostly due to the fact that it was very experimental and nothing like I had heard (mostly from Bono in the news) it was going to sound like. It wasn't really techno, and it definitely wasn't straight ahead rock, so I was confused. It has grown on me tremendously, but I still think the beautiful songwriting and the "completed" songs on ATYCLB make for a stronger set of songs. I admit it, I like "pop" songs, "ear candy" if you will, and that's what ATYCLB gave me. That said, I am truly more of a fan of hard rock and metal, but I like the sing-along, tap your foot kind of song as well.

Now I'm not saying ATYCLB is that much better than Pop, but it is a better "album", because it's a bit more cohesive than Pop. I wish that Pop had that extra month that Larry has talked about to finish it the way they wanted. Then I think it would've been a very successful as well as special album (meaning I think it is a special album, just not successful).

I think ATYCLB is a good album, but I'm glad U2 released Pop the way it was. If U2 had spent more time on it, they would probably have changed a lot of the songs - the way they changed, for example, "Gone" on the "Best Of" album. I like the Pop version of "Gone" a lot more than the "Best Of" version, so I'm glad they didn't get a chance to do this! But I agree that if they'd polished the songs a bit more, Pop would probably have been easier to listen to for some, and so it would probably have been more commercially successful.

By the way, that Pop bedroom is the coolest. I have bedroom envy!

 

[Matthew_Page2000]

Lay off the Mountain Dew LivLuv.
Cool set-up though.

Edge is ridiculously cool to hang out with us--even briefly.
Thanks Edge!

 

[starsgoblue]

Dammit...LivLuv! I have a Pop poster that you don't have but now after seeing your room I feel like you should have it. There's several that are out of print--if I were you I'd frame them and keep 'em pretty. Your cat is super cute...we'll trade!

 

[Saracene]

No contest really, since ATYCLB is tied with UF for my favourite U2 album. Whereas I find POP very hit-and-miss and there are really only 5 songs that do it for me: Discotheque, Gone, Wake Up Dead Man, Last Night on Earth and Staring at the Sun. Do You Feel Loved, If God Will Send His Angels, Velvet Dress and Please aren't exactly bad but I always feel like they're missing something; although after being completely blown away by Jools Holland version of Velvet Dress I wonder if I'd llike these better if they were reworked somehow. Mofo has great lyrics but feels rather dated now; Playboy Mansion and Miami I find cringeworthy.

 

[Tomer]

Testje

indeed

 

[TheWho4Life]

I like both albums, but I think I like ATYCLB better, but I don't know... cause on pop there are songs I really like too. I used to hate the album though... but now I don't... hhmm... don't know...I'll just say they are equal for now I love all U2 albums... can't choose one over the other unless we were comparing Achtung Baby to another one... maybe.... wait no, never mind too hard to answer these "vs" threads

 

[Joshua_Tree_Hugger]

Funnily enough I was listening to POP last night and I was reminded of what a great album it is. Believe it or not I would nearly put it on par with JT (but with AB in first place).

I think both Pop and ATYCLB have strong starts but ATYCLB fizzles out a bit with songs like "Wild Honey", "Peace on Earth", "When I Look At The World" and "Grace", which aren't bad[/b] but don't really compare to the likes of "Walk On" and "Kite. POP has only one low point so to speak, "The Playboy Mansion", and even that isn't too bad. It has a stunning two-track ending in "Please" and "WUDM".

So in conclusion, POP POP POP!

 

[Liesje]

Dammit...LivLuv! I have a Pop poster that you don't have but now after seeing your room I feel like you should have it. There's several that are out of print--if I were you I'd frame them and keep 'em pretty. Your cat is super cute...we'll trade!

Which one? I've lost a few auctions on eBay and some of those were my favorites (particularly, a giant red one w/ bubble suit Bono, from Japan I think, and also the nvy blue Sarajevo one). I know there's at least 4 posters that I don't have that I want. There's a few Pop ones I don't like b/c they don't really fit (SATS w/ Adam I think, Discoteque w/ Bono) or they look too similar to what I've got or I just thinkg they're ugly (the shot of them against the wood wall or whatever). The 5x3s are impossible to frame unless someone does a custom job. Otherwise, all but my two newest 2x3s are framed.

 

[arw]

OK. I've actually slightly reorganized a few things since I took these pics. And I got a new Pop poster that is now hanging in that big blank space above the shoes:

The LNOE poster above the desk is my person favorite:

The 5 x 3 ft posters:

The 2 x 3 ft posters:

Every once in a while I find a new one on eBay and have to rearrange again. I just love Pop stuff

I love it! I can't wait to move so I can put all of my U2 posters all over the place.

 

[U2Kitten]

Your computer looks just like mine that died Is it an E machine?

 

[Seconds]

About 5 people have said "POP is a masterpiece"

I wonder if those people would believe that if anyone but U2 would have made that album.


Anyways, I prefer ATYCLB, BUT if U2 would have had time to actually finish POP, i'm sure I would have prefered POP.

 

[Lancemc]

OK. I've actually slightly reorganized a few things since I took these pics. And I got a new Pop poster that is now hanging in that big blank space above the shoes:

The LNOE poster above the desk is my person favorite:

The 5 x 3 ft posters:

The 2 x 3 ft posters:

Every once in a while I find a new one on eBay and have to rearrange again. I just love Pop stuff

you officially have the greatest room on Earth. POP WOOOO!

 

[bollox]

no contest, pop takes it easily. i think alot of u2 fans were turned off by the "electronica" elements of pop; however, only a few songs really sound techno-y, at heart it is a classic u2 album. mofo is a perfect example: it sounds like a complete electronica song, but the lyrics are among some of bono's most personal.

atyclb is easily my least favourite u2 album. it also seemed to be a direct reaction to the critical savaging of pop, to make a "back to basics" album. it sounds completely dull, at least pop showed an attempt to evolve the band's sound whereas atyclb is several steps backward.

btw, hello everyone

 

[indigo tree]

The Edge has spoken.

Bootleg, you officialy have the coolest room ever.

Anyway, I adore both POP and ATYCLB, but I would say I like the latter a bit more. Its what got me into U2 in the first place.

 

[U2Kitten]

You should see U2SJ's JT room, well really she has all eras. I hope she will come back and post her pics too!

 

[AquariumDrinker]

no contest, pop takes it easily. i think alot of u2 fans were turned off by the "electronica" elements of pop; however, only a few songs really sound techno-y, at heart it is a classic u2 album. mofo is a perfect example: it sounds like a complete electronica song, but the lyrics are among some of bono's most personal.

atyclb is easily my least favourite u2 album. it also seemed to be a direct reaction to the critical savaging of pop, to make a "back to basics" album. it sounds completely dull, at least pop showed an attempt to evolve the band's sound whereas atyclb is several steps backward.

btw, hello everyone

Welcome!

I agree with you that ATYCLB is a reaction to the criticisms of Pop.
U2 has done this before (from R&H to AB).Whether we like it or not, U2 has always been conscious of how people perceive them.

However, I don't think ATYCLB is several steps backward and this is coming from someone who doesn't rate it highly. It's simply a different direction from what they were doing. Some people loved it, and others didn't like it. Whatever the case, it's like any other U2 album: the culmination of everything they've learned in their career.

ATYCLB is full of songs that had its ideas executed perfectly. Pop is full of songs with ideas that weren't executed very well. This debate really boils down to what the listener prefers: trying to do something not done before and failing to get it across the way it was hoped for; or to know exactly what you are doing and doing it at a really high level.

 

[Liesje]

you officially have the greatest room on Earth. POP WOOOO!

Thanks guys! I got paid today so maybe I can find a few new Pop posters on eBay I still want. There were two auctions that closed a few days ago, but I only has $20 total in my bank account. I've got tons of other U2 posters too, but I decided to only hang the PopMart ones in my room since they all kinda have the same feel about them and they match all the other stuff I already had.

 

[Discoteque]

I like Miami. The guitar, the lyrics... U2 experimenting... It's a great brave song.

Pop is much much much much much better than ATYCLB. Pop IS a masterpiece.

I wholeheartedly agree! I think people ragt on it because it's SO un-U2like in every aspect - the experimentation, the electronics, the beat...overall Pop has become my favorite U2 album. ATYCLB ranks, IMO, closer to the bottom of my list but will forever hold a place in my heart as the "9/11 album" (to me).

Pop rocks.

 

[bonosloveslave]

I can't pick, they are just 2 completely different albums - but Gone is my fave from Pop and Kite is my fave from ATYCLB

 

[Diemen]

I like both albums for different reasons, but overall I think I prefer Pop. Even though U2 has said they didn't get to really polish it like they'd wanted, I find myself actually preferring the overall roughness to the relative polish and shine on ATYCLB. I think in terms of songwriting ATYCLB might be stronger - all the songs could easily be singles, but I think Pop was way more daring and risky. Some of the risks may not have paid off (the video for Discotheque - some find it extremely funny, some find it extremely embarassing), but that's what I like it about it - U2 were putting themselves out on a limb with some of the material and paths they went down, but they did it and I think overall as an album and concept it works really well.

I also find myself feeling stronger emotions when I listen to Pop. It's a very dark album with some really depressing thoughts hanging around, but I guess I tend to find myself more drawn to the darker side of emotions - I like exploring that side more, and Pop goes to town in that respect. It is even more hopeless than Achtung Baby and Zooropa, and sometimes I just can't listen to it because it is so dark. Actually, that may be it's greatest weakness (imho) - that it is too bleak and hopeless. In many respects it does not have that characteristic U2 brand of hope infused into it's core. And that makes for a difficult listen at times, but I think a rewarding listen nonetheless.

Enough rambling on my end...

 

[hippy]

Pop rocks.

mmm.... pop rocks.


Lies, I love that bedroom! I used to have the massive ATYCLB promo poster hanging in my dorm room... but now that I've moved, I don't have enough wall space for it.


And honestly, who needs to decide between the albums? ATYCLB got me really interested in the band. And, like some others, I shied away from Pop because of a few people's posted opinions. Boy was that a mistake! Pop is perhaps my favorite LP overall. (And it's provided a heck of a lot of material for my column!)

"Mofo" and "Elevation" are tied for the # of times I've almost gotten stopped for speeding while listening to the song

 

[starsgoblue]

Why is it that so many of us have either had close calls or have had U2-induced speeding tickets?! I had close call #3 today....

 

[MrBrau1]

Beautiful Day
Do You Feel Loved?
Stuck In A Moment
Elevation
Gone
Walk On
Please
Kite
Playboy Mansion
In A Little While
Staring At The Sun
Wild Honey
New York
Wake Up Dead Man

Looks like a good tracklist to me. I'd really miss any of these songs if they'd never been written or recorded.

 

[Miggy D]

although after being completely blown away by Jools Holland version of Velvet Dress I wonder if I'd llike these better if they were reworked somehow.

Any way I can get a copy? I thought IYWTVD had a lot of potential, but didn't quite 'get' there. Can someone give me this mix? Or heck, if there's a better mix...could you send me that? Thanks!

-Mike
thecallahan@gmail.com

 

[Shygirl]

Contrary to popular belief.... i love "Smilies"

I love smilies as well Edge.....

 

[UKTan]

Any way I can get a copy? I thought IYWTVD had a lot of potential, but didn't quite 'get' there. Can someone give me this mix? Or heck, if there's a better mix...could you send me that? Thanks!

-Mike
thecallahan@gmail.com

Miggy, do you still need a copy of this?..I can send you it if you do.

 

[follower]

What Diemen said ...and nothing much to add...I can say I like ATYCLB...but I love Pop, every single bit of it, including Miami.

MT