Would you say HTDAAB is U2's third masterpiece?

[Sleep Over Jack]

Because it destroyed the Lovetown era, the greatest era of them all. I resent a lot of U2's change.

But that was a tour, not a creative masterpiece of an album...

 

[Zoots]

I was referring to stuff like "one love, one life, when it's one need in the night", "baby, baby, baby, light my way", "take the money, honey", and all of Even Better Than The Real Thing.

Achtung Baby has its fair share of dodgy lyrics. Love the album all you want, but it's not perfect. One is not an anthem because it's lyrically brilliant (it's NOT), it's an anthem because of its emotional impact.

I agree that One's brilliance is not necessarily in the lyrics. It's in the emotion that the song stirs in me every single time I listen to it (esp. while driving on a gloomy and overcast day... the Berlin video is the culprit). And who said it's only the lyrics that decide if an album is a masterpiece or not??? Okay, In my opinion Achtung Baby is a masterpiece because it has the perfect mix of all the elements, everything a good collection of songs should have and was released at the right place and the right time. The totally innovative sound, the afore-mentioned lyrics, the dark and brooding feel of the 90s... everything! To me, HTDAAB sounds nice but has a lot more weak lyrical content than Achtung. And it just does not have the magic of 1992.

P.S: Oh, I got it! The sound of them chopping down the Joshua Tree! That's what's missing in HTDAAB.

 

[Axver]

Oh, I got it! The sound of them chopping down the Joshua Tree! That's what's missing in HTDAAB.

And that would be what I love about it.

 

[U2DMfan]

Because it destroyed the Lovetown era, the greatest era of them all. I resent a lot of U2's change.

Well it's not like the 2000-current era captures anything like Lovetown either.

It's different, it's all different.

My guess is that you don't enjoy Achtung/Zoo era as much as I do and I don't enoy the current era as much as you. I think you are 17/18 right? Well I was 17/18 in 1992/1993, so I really think there is something to the emotional baggage attached to that music.

I get chills listening to Zooropa to this day, and ATYCLB or HTDAAB aren't even remotely close, yet I know that all 3 are comparably good albums.

It's just different, ya know?

 

[Axver]

But that was a tour, not a creative masterpiece of an album...

Achtung Baby and the entire Zoo era was basically the destruction of everything that was Lovetown. The band changed almost beyond recognition. They went from an earnest, sincere, passionate rock band into ... whatever the hell that was in Achtung Baby. I'm not denying it was creative and had many moments of brilliance, but I dislike some elements of it. I particularly hate the sleazy, trashy rock star elements.

And U2 are always better on tour. The live music of Lovetown pisses all over Achtung Baby, and just about every other studio work released by U2.

Edit: I'd just like to say that I really enjoy the music on Achtung Baby and love ZooTV bootlegs. Just lately, my anti-Achtung side has come out and I've been focusing on the negatives rather than the positives. I apologise for any misconceptions I have given.

 

[Zoots]

Well it's not like the 2000-current era captures anything like Lovetown either.

It's different, it's all different.

My guess is that you don't enjoy Achtung/Zoo era as much as I do and I don't enoy the current era as much as you. I think you are 17/18 right? Well I was 17/18 in 1992/1993, so I really think there is something to the emotional baggage attached to that music.

I get chills listening to Zooropa to this day, and ATYCLB or HTDAAB aren't even remotely close, yet I know that all 3 are comparably good albums.

It's just different, ya know?

YES! That's it I think. People are usually most partial to the type of music they listened to growing up, esp. in the teen years. I was 13 in 1992 and remember being blown away by the videos of Even Better.. and One. And of course 18 in 1997 when Pop came out. Correct me if I'm wrong Axver. It is pretty evident you're crazy about Lovetown even though you were too young to catch it. But I think I know why you're partial to U2 of the last 5 years.

 

[Zoots]

The band changed almost beyond recognition.

That is what made it brilliant! Adapting to the times! Wearing many masks. That's where you get to see the talent. Variety is the spice of life. Iron Maiden isn't.

 

[Axver]

Well it's not like the 2000-current era captures anything like Lovetown either.

It's different, it's all different.

My guess is that you don't enjoy Achtung/Zoo era as much as I do and I don't enoy the current era as much as you. I think you are 17/18 right? Well I was 17/18 in 1992/1993, so I really think there is something to the emotional baggage attached to that music.

I get chills listening to Zooropa to this day, and ATYCLB or HTDAAB aren't even remotely close, yet I know that all 3 are comparably good albums.

It's just different, ya know?

Yes, I recently turned eighteen, and I would agree on the emotional baggage front. And it's true that the recent incarnation of U2 doesn't recapture the Lovetown era either, but they're back to being the sincere and passionate rock band that I love from that era.

And I absolutely LOVE Zooropa. It's right behind UF, HTDAAB, and JT for me. The creativity in that album is simply off the charts and Edge is doing some mindblowing stuff. I prefer it to Achtung Baby and I'd be prepared to call it a masterpiece. Then again, U2's music, all of it, inspires all kinds of emotions and feelings in me like nothing else can, and I'd be inclined to label about half of their albums as masterpieces for one reason or another.

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Achtung Baby and the entire Zoo era was basically the destruction of everything that was Lovetown. The band changed almost beyond recognition. They went from an earnest, sincere, passionate rock band into ... whatever the hell that was in Achtung Baby. I'm not denying it was creative and had many moments of brilliance, but I dislike some elements of it. I particularly hate the sleazy, trashy rock star elements.

What are you? a hand-wringing priest? They're a rock band, what do you expect?

 

[Axver]

YES! That's it I think. People are usually most partial to the type of music they listened to growing up, esp. in the teen years. I was 13 in 1992 and remember being blown away by the videos of Even Better.. and One. And of course 18 in 1997 when Pop came out. Correct me if I'm wrong Axver. It is pretty evident you're crazy about Lovetown even though you were too young to catch it. But I think I know why you're partial to U2 of the last 5 years.

I grew up on the music of Achtung Baby and The Joshua Tree. If you ask me to name the songs most engraved into my musical consciousness, I will tell you Mysterious Ways and With Or Without You in the same breath. AB was an important part of my childhood, and when I realised I have a musical memory from before its release (visiting my U2-mad uncle's house in 1990), I found it thoroughly bizarre, like something crucial was missing. So it's important to my life and clearly means a lot.

All That You Can't Leave Behind, I consider it to be one of U2's weaker albums. That said, the whole image of the band and stuff like that, yes, then the theory probably holds water. And HTDAAB was perfect, it has suited everything perfectly for me, just like I imagine Achtung and Zooropa would have for those my age then.

 

[Axver]

What are you? a hand-wringing priest? They're a rock band, what do you expect?

Heh! I admire U2 because they're different and defy the stereotypes and the norms - right from their early days in not being what many bands are through to today, defying the stereotypes of age.

 

[Nube Gris]

Dont know if its the 3rd masterpiece, but of course it is a masterpiece

And for those of you who think it isn't, just wait until the end of the tour or maybe some years from now.....
Then most of you will agree that HTDAAB was indeed a Masterpiece

It has all the elements and you know it
All you people are joking right?

You want them live? Well be prepared cause these tunes will kick your asses, and you will have to eat your words

Remember

 

[Zoots]

Oh man. It's evident to me, more than ever before.. of how subjective music is. There's so many personal things in our lives that we associate with the music we enjoy. Everyone's in a different place, time, emotional state and mindset when listening to the same album. Think about that for a minute. We should not even be arguing about anybody's opinions of any of these albums.

 

[allbecauseofu2]

i always felt war joshua actung and all that you can't were u2 classics, while josh and act are rock classics to the rest of the world.