psshaw
all this hate for HTDAAB is so overblown
HTDAAB is their most consistant album since POP, and that was their most consistant album since Achtung Baby.
Yahweh would not stand out as poor on Rattle And Hum. Rattle And Hum stands out as poor just fine on its own.
funny thing to me is (and i have always noticed this) is that there is a group of U2 fans out there (and i would put them in the majority) who always stand by the following quote:
"Eh, yeah... U2 was good until they released (insert the name of their last album)"
When Achtung Baby came out, they said it about Rattle And Hum
When Zooropa came out, they said it about Achtung Baby
When Pop came out, they said it about Zooropa
When ATYCLB came out, they said it about Pop
and now that HTDAAB came out, they say it about ATYCLB
like there is this 2 album lag that follows their career everywhere.
it is a trite and tired argument and it has been around for decades.
I remember when Pop was out and it was all i listened to, and everyone was saying "i liked them until Zooropa came out, then they got all weird" and their US stadium tour didn't sell out and U2 was lambasted by the press (some of us remember)
And now that we are 2 albums past Pop, the tables have turned to "they were good until they went all "U2" on ATYCLB, and lost that POP edge that everyone loved so much"
It doesn't hold water. I happen to be in the set of fans who holds POP as one of their best records (depending on the day, I will argue that it is their best)... but to say they have lost their edge because of an opinion regarding a weak track is a lame argument. All the albums have their weak tracks...
the truth of it is that HTDAAB is the U2 album that most closely resembles POP in terms of sonics. (And NO, it most definitely is NOT zooropa)
in fact, Love And Peace could be a POP outtake. It would fit neatly beside Miami.
And ATYCLB is the U2 album that most closely resembles The Unforgettable Fire
Grace would fit neatly beside promenade and 4th of july.
All of these are opinions of course. but the fact remains that there will always be naysayers of the current era who overglorfy the release from two albums past.
and those same people will complain that U2 aren't playing music with HTDAAB's sound after they release their 2007 and 2010 albums.
and for the record. YAHWEH is a much better closer than Grace. Best one since Wake Up Dead Man.
Suckas!