ImOuttaControl said:
In a way I agree. HTDAAB is much more of a pop album(maybe more immediate is a better word) than ATYCLB was--at least for me. The songs on HTDAAB were put together well, even if it is "U2 by the numbers" and were polished into slick pop-rock songs.
I think ATYCLB is the most immediate album U2 have ever done.
I think ATYCLB is also the most polished album U2 have ever done.
If I were to make an argument for any other album, it would of course be the other poppy, polished, easily digestable immediacy of HTDAAB. Both albums aim and accomplish the same things. Despite minor differences in song X vs song Y.
I know these opinions are all entirely subjective, but let me just say I couldnt possibly disagree more with what you said.
If anything, if you are to assert that one of them is a pop album, then they both are. If I had to argue one side, I'd say HTDAAB is probably slightly more rock and roll, but neither are very much.
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R&B influences on two different songs:
In A Little While vs Love and Peace or Else
I think most would agree IALW is the more "pop" song.
LAPOE is a bluesy rock number.
Beautiful Day or Vertigo both pop rock songs. So I don't know how one would differentiate. Both have sort of the ode to Bono's father Kite vs Sometimes, both are pop.
Elevation is the sing along stadium rocker vs COBL, both are poppy rock songs.
Walk on vs All Because of You probably the truest to form rock and roll either album has to offer. Essentially it could easily be pop-rock, hooky choruses with a big melody.
Grace vs One Step Closer:both ambient moody music
Original of the Species vs Stuck In a Moment
Beatles Let it Be era vs Motown sing-along, pure pop in both cases
When I Look at the World vs Yahweh
God songs, probably neither too much rock or pop. WILATW is probably more rock and roll.
Wild Honey vs A Man and A Woman
both pop deluxe
New York vs Miracle Drug
NY has a rocky bridge, MD has a rocky solo and outro
both are in the same vein as all the other stuff. pop rock.
Peace on Earth vs Crumbs From Your Table
God and poltics, Crumbs is decidedly the more rocky song.
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Point is, there aren't any real rock and roll arguments going on here, it's all pop, the few differences in the "genre" type comparisons lean slightly to HTDAAB as a more rocky album, but noone is really convinced of that.
I wouldnt make a big effort to personally champion HTDAAB as a rock album but certainly NOT ATYCLB. That's, I guess my disagreement, how could you say on one hand that HTDAAB is more of a pop album, when ATYCLB clearly is cut from the same cloth. They are BOTH pop albums.
U2 have always had a sense of pop music and it is exhibited heavily in ATYCLB and HTDAAB, which depsite certain song differences, production and such, are essentialy two sides of the same coin. U2 as a pop rock outfit, writing songs with catchy hooks and melodies and the occasional meandering off the path that produces a Grace or a One Step Closer is not enough, IMO, to distinguish the albums apart on a rock vs pop basis.
They are both pop albums in the same ways. The only thing really to be distinguished is which has better songs. I don't find it to be really all that subjective to call them both pop albums. I mean to me, that's what they are. I guess if one considered that an insult they may argue against it. I'd say to those people don't consider it an insult, U2 don't, they are doing it on purpose, you know? They are trying to make pop records.
