Good God ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND is brilliant!!!

[monkeyskin]

It's an album that I can listen to once in a while and appreciate, but if I listen to it a few times close together I tend to get a bit bored during the second half. It's not an album that seems to reach out, knock me on the head and tells me to pay attention, it's much more relaxed than that. It's most definitely an album made by four 40 year old men confident in their abilities and not needing to show off anymore, more content to just find the right melody.

I'm not sure where I would rank it among my favourite U2 albums, it tends to hover around the middle. One of the problems I have with it is that it also takes me back to the autumn in which it was released, and most of what I recall from then is just dull, drisly grey skies. So that doesn't help But oddly enough Achtung Baby reminds me of the Christmas I got it, with it's early, dark nights and flickering, orange lights. Perfect, IMO *grins*

 

[Bono'sTyee]

Yeah I agree with that, ATYCLB is okay, but I can't listen to it in row much. But Achtung Baby...

 

[monkeyskin]

Bloody Hell this place is fast and active

 

[Bono'sTyee]

Yeah I got a lot of time on my hands at the moment....

 

[monkeyskin]

Not so much that, but as I was typing my post there was at least another four posts up. Hehe anyway, straying off topic now...

 

[unoscatorce]

Beautiful Day and Elevation are two of their best live songs now, imo! The light show when the chorus to BD starts is just awesome. And you can't beat singing the ooooh oooh part of Elevation with thousands of other U2 fans.

 

[LJT]

Moneyskin i kinda agree with your seasonal idea...except ATYCLB is my summer U2 album...HTDAAB is Autumn, Achtung lead up to Christmas, Pop New Year..Boy Spring...October/Rattle Autumn too...Zooropa Winter too...Unforgettable anytime it fits...War late summer

I think U2 albums suit mood and seasons and weather really well....even certain times of day

 

[unoscatorce]

Well that just proves that U2 is a band for all seasons.

 

[cobl04]

I forgot U2 were in their forties!

In the UK the closer is The Ground Beneath Her Feet, which is better, I think, but I do feel towards the end it tails off a bit, whereas with Bomb it remains fairly strong. I can't say which is better because I happen to think they're not very similar and they both have strengths and weaknesses.

I'm glad with the support this thread has achieved. It really is a great album, but their are some valid points about it's second half. It isn't as strong as the top half, but luckily my version has The Ground Beneath Her Feet, which I think is terrific. You have a point there about Bom being stronger at the end. Just comparing:

Wild Honey < A Man and a Woman
Peace on Earth < Crumbs From Your Table
When I Look at the World > One Step Closer
New York < Original of the Species
Grace < Yahweh
The Ground Beneath Her Feet > Fast Cars

ATYCLB 2, HTDAAB 4.

Fantastic album. Wrongly criticized as 'weak' by people who think there's been nothing good since Pop or AB or JT or War.

That's the message I was trying to get across because some people don't like ATYCLB or HTDAAB because they think that they don't 'compare' with Pop or AB or JT or War.

The way I got into AB was listening to it for two weeks non-stop and nothing else. People out there who aren't ATYCLB or HTDAAB fans try doing that.

 

[Zoots]

Well that just proves that U2 is a band for all seasons.

What a great avatar!


I agree with bsp and monkeyskin's assessment of this album. Definitely warmed up to this one over the years. It's no doubt a grower! When the Bomb was released, I was so pleased with all the guitar I was hearing (albeit recycled licks) that I was certain it was a better album than ATYCLB. But now I could go either way. I don't adore either album like I do Achtung, JT, Pop, War, Zooropa, UF etc. But I do like listening to these two every once in a while. And ATYCLB is without a doubt, better produced than HTDAAB and is a lot more pleasing to the ears!

 

[LJT]

U2 just did an coustic Walk On tonight

 

[jonnytakeawalk]

My taste of songs in ATYCLB is a bit weird, I love the songs people hate on it and am not that fond of some of the songs people love on it.

I really do love In a little while, Grace, Peace on earth and elevation.
I honestly think walk on, kite and beautiful day are all rather overated

I do agree that it's better than bomb though!

 

[JMScoopy]

When I Look at the World

 

[guill]

The B-sides are very good too. Great album, great b-sides.

 

[Aardvark747]

A lovely album. I wouldnt say Grace is the weakest, New York would take that 'honour' imo.

I watched the Boston DVD last nite, and New York blew me away! I have 'finally' discovered the song!

 

[scha]

I always loved anything U2 has ever done, so I liked ATYCLB as well, but I found the magic in it only three weeks ago.
I went far away from my home, from Hungary to England to be a trainee at Plymouth and the travel did not go well. Our flight was delayed for 12 hours, when we arrived to London we had to wait another 5 hours at a cold terminal... I was tired and depressed, I missed my home, my friends...somehow everything was wrong.

Then, on the bus I started to listen to this album... Beautiful day... when everything is going wrong, you just think about something or somebody you love, and you discover that there is still sunshine in the world...Stuck In A Moment..."get yourself together...these tears are going nowhere, baby"... Walk On..."All that you can`t leave behind..."

Finally, when I got to bed at my new "home", I fell asleep with the picture in my head about the video of Beautiful Day...and I thought that even though I left behind my home, my family, my friends, I did not leave behind their love and support...!

Now you may understand why I not only love this album but also feel so grateful for the boys that they made it.

 

[andyuk]

it is a fantastic album which appeals to the masses! how can you not like beautiful day? its one of those songs which appeals to everyone in the world!

 

[gareth brown]

first U2 album I bought. Perfect the whole way through. Loved it then and I still love it now.

 

[Numb1075]

don't know if someone answered somewhere else in this thread, but yes, Wild Honey was played live on the Elevation Tour. I forget the exact date, but I was at the show at the Meadowlands in NJ

 

[RademR]

Great album. Had a few filler songs on in the second half, but a very strong effort and has some great classics on it.

"Kite" is one of my favorite songs of all time and B.D. is up there on my top u2 songs list.

NY is amazing too

 

[U2Kitten]

Yes, it really is!

 

[U2Jadey]

All in all i think its a brill album but i do not like New York or Grace im afraid..

 

[cobl04]

Just for the record...my ratings

Beautiful Day - 4.5
Stuck - 3.5
Elevation - 3.5
Walk On - 5
Kite - 5
In A Little While - 3.5
Wild Honey - 3.5
Peace on Earth - 3.5
When I Look at the World - 4
New York - 3.5
Grace - 3
The Ground Beneath Her Feet - 5

I am greatful they made it too. Which songs are on the Boston DVD?

 

[Windmilllane]

ATYCLB should have won Album of the Year at the Grammys.

 

[Queen Bee]

I am greatful they made it too. Which songs are on the Boston DVD?

Elevation
Beautiful Day
Until the End of the World
Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of
Kite
Gone
New York
I Will Follow
Sunday Bloody Sunday
In a Little While
Desire
Stay
Bad
Where the Streets Have No Name
Bullet the Blue Sky
With or Without You
The Fly
Wake Up Dead Man
Walk On

 

[chickadee]

IALW on Boston DVD is amazing.

 

[LastEdgeOnEarth]

ATYCLB is the album tha U2 became men. The lyrics, melodies, and music are the most serious and mature material they had put out to that point. Walk On, Beautiful Day, Stuck, and New York are nothing short of brilliant. And it will forver stand on its own, far different frm any other U2 album. Some can say HTDAAB is the sequel, but I disagree. ATYCLB started out a a rather awkard experiment for the band and by the end of it(especially after 9/11) the album had become the soundtrack to millions of people's lives around the world. Walk On became NYC's anthem and I couldn't think of a better song in the universe to unify the people.

 

[cobl04]

Elevation
Beautiful Day
Until the End of the World
Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of
Kite
Gone
New York
I Will Follow
Sunday Bloody Sunday
In a Little While
Desire
Stay
Bad
Where the Streets Have No Name
Bullet the Blue Sky
With or Without You
The Fly
Wake Up Dead Man
Walk On

No When I Look at the World?

 

[LuvandPeace1980]

I watched the Boston DVD last nite, and New York blew me away! I have 'finally' discovered the song!

Well it's about time, it's one of the best songs on the album.
Great raw guitar with excellent lyrics and a bitter/sweet undet tone.

 

[cf]

i think BOMB is better. elevation and walk on are better in the single version than on the album (so is city), there are some very good songs as BD, elevation, NY, kite, but i think the album is too pop, it remind me to a coldplay album.
i think they make ALL THAT to reach the top of the charts and the relevance to all the pubblic (not only their fans) they lost with POP (wich is, in my opinion, better than the last 2).
then they kept the courage to make songs as lovepeace and vertigo or fast cars, that are more fresh than anything on ALL THAT.
so, now that they are the best band in the world again, i think (and hope) that the next record will be more surprising.
but i think that the ALL THAT songs live are way better than the BOMB ones. only yahweh, vertigo and city are better live than on the record, but BD, elevation, kite, NY, walk on and even stuck are better live (more raw).
in my opinion the could re-make all that with more guitars instead of pop.
only my opinion.