BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
Gotcha, it's been awhile since I've seen the movie...
BonoVoxSupastar said:
You still haven't shown me what's "challenging" about any of these examples.
toscano said:
Based upon what I've seen from you so far I doubt you'd actually understand.
If you can't see how a U2-audience-at-the-time might be challenged by UF after War, AB after the JT era or the Pop/Zooropa era, that's OK with me.
HTDAAB and ATYCLB was U2 common denominator. Radio-land. they succeeded. Their only challenge was how many hit singles, how much airplay, and how many grammy's they could collect. Mission accomplished. Enjoy it.
CPTLCTYGOOFBALL said:What does being "Challenged" by music mean anyway? It takes more than one listen "To Get"? So...?
toscano said:
Based upon what I've seen from you so far I doubt you'd actually understand.
If you can't see how a U2-audience-at-the-time might be challenged by UF after War, AB after the JT era or the Pop/Zooropa era, that's OK with me.
HTDAAB and ATYCLB was U2 common denominator. Radio-land. they succeeded. Their only challenge was how many hit singles, how much airplay, and how many grammy's they could collect. Mission accomplished. Enjoy it.
BonoVoxSupastar said:
Music doesn't challenge you. Lyrically it may make you think or question, but that's not a challenge. Art isn't competitive.
And like what's been said before Pop got more airplay in most areas.
toscano said:If you can't see how a U2-audience-at-the-time might be challenged by UF after War, AB after the JT era or the Pop/Zooropa era, that's OK with me.
XHendrix24 said:
Wouldn't the same apply to ATYCLB after Pop? That album was a massive departure from their 90's work and alienated some 90's fans such as yourself. But for whatever reason that album isn't "challenging"?
Oh, and to the guy with the last post:
While bands like The Beatles certainly were great, they rarely made music that could in any way be considered "challenging." I Want to Hold Your Hand, Twist and Shout, Can't Buy Me Love, Penny Lane, Yellow Submarine, Eight Days a Week - all great songs, but challenging? Give me a break. The same could be said for the majority of the music from the bands on your list.
Also, the next time you're attempting to gain any kind of musical credibility in an argument, I'd leave out any mention of 2 Live Crew and Ace of Base.
If you really think that adding in clicks and whistles here and there in certain places automatically makes a song like Staring at the Sun "challenging," well...you're wrong. SATS is to this day one of U2's safest, blandest, and most boring songs in their catalogue (in my opinion, blahblah). The synths and extra noises don't make it any better or more interesting, and it certainly doesn't make up for the white-bread plain structure of the song. Also, I'd rather have U2 take their own musical route as opposed to conforming to upcoming musical trends of the day like they have at certain times in the past.
U2 has never been a particularly "challenging" band. I don't see why anyone expects them to be that way now. They're U2.
All that being said, I still loathe ATYCLB as an album to this day. So if someone simply doesn't like the past two albums, that's fine. Just don't act like a pompous prick about it like you've got some kind of deeper understanding of the music that the people who actually like the music can't possibly begin to fathom. Because you're wrong.
ozeeko said:Sorry if I sound like a pompous prick.
CPTLCTYGOOFBALL said:
They got more radio airplay with Pop than either of these past albums, So quit with the revisionism crap.
catlhere said:Interference is definitely the wrong place to go for a reasonable discussion on U2 albums
ask every day U2 fans, imo iyo ieo
JMScoopy said:replace fooj with fuck. christ!
WhiteWolf said:Great thread, CKONE, and I'd like to add to your "Newbie" sentiment if I may.
BOMB is already standing the test of time. After so many multiple listenings the CD is worn thin, the songs (all of them) are still great, perhaps even getting better.
In my truthful opinion, BOMB is edging its way up between JOSHUA TREE and ACHTUNG BABY as time goes on. Just an awesome record, no matter what the "vocal minority" (as bonsai put it in the first page) may say. BOMB is one for the ages.
XHendrix24 said:
It's all right. Sorry I didn't pick up on extremely thinly-veiled sarcasm on the internet without any indication at all that you were kidding. Plus, considering a lot of the other stuff you've posted, I wouldn't have been very surprised if you were completely serious.
As for the rest of your post, I'll give you Dylan (for lyrical content, even though his music is based off of traditional folk), Zeppelin (even though a lot of their stuff is based off of traditional blues), and the VU (well, the VU just rule). And the point I was trying to make about the Beatles isn't that they never challenged their listeners, but rather that a large amount of their catalogue wasn't anything that could be considered challenging. I mean, what do you mean exactly when you reference their challenging music? Revolution 9?
I mean, of course tunes like I Am The Walrus and Helter Skelter are completely awesome and different, but even those songs are rooted in catchy melodies and are fairly immediate. Once again, not arguing that the Beatles never did anything challenging, but they aren't exactly the pinnacle of "different" music (even though they may be the pinnacle of pop music in general).
Personally, I tend to think of modern U2 as sort of a parallel to White Album-era Beatles, considering the whole "back to roots" ideas both eras represented. I mean, going from something like Magical Mystery Tour to something like the White Album was just about a big of a jump as from Pop to ATYCLB (actually, probably a bigger jump). But I'm getting off topic. I think. What were we talking about again?
Oh, yes. That's right. HTDAAB rules.
shaun vox said:im sorry but HTDAAB is a medicore pop adult contemporary
album!!
where have the days gone when u2 were good!!!
CKONE said:
Ozeeko and XHendrix24,
quality discussion that you will never resolve.
the 'challenging' argument is another impossible to be right about. what is challenging?? to some it is the music - complexity, melody, technicality, new style, new ground or new sound - to others its the lyrics, the content, the subject, the format, the poetry - and to some its the performance, the passion, the emotion and of course the effect it has on each individual listener. for others it will be the combination of all of the above.
You cant compare challenging with the beatles as they were just toss. an original example of the dross we get from Take That, Backend Boys, Britney Spears etc. Their songs fed the audince of young girls at the time - not at all challinging imho. Once they were on their pedastool they could have released any old shit (and some would say they did) and their fans would have bought it!(I accept reluctantly that this criticism could be levelled at U2 though!)
The music of U2 (and every other band) is measured individually by the listener. Its quality is therefore impossible to discuss to conclusion but great fun to discuss none the less.
you can stress your opinion as much as you like, but certain people will always belive there opinion is much more important than yoursdesertfan said:Wow...I can't believe the 20+ year U2 fan called HTDAAB a "cookie-cutter" album made for "airplay and awards".
You must be joking.
Yes, it won awards and rightly so.
Frankly, I think it's as good as anything they've ever done.
In fact, I think the last two albums stack up with anything they've ever done.
Certainly the Joshua Tree will always be held in high esteem and it was a fabulous album, but the last two are simply works of art.
I'd give a slight edge to Bomb, but ATYCLB isn't far behind.
Beautiful Day, Elevation, Walk On, Kite and When I Look at the World are all incredible songs.
Auchtung Baby is still one of my favorite U2 albums and I've been rediscovering some of the better tracks from Pop of late (Gone, Last Night on Earth, Please, Staring at the Sun, Do You Feel Loved), but these last two albums are both outstanding efforts.
Joshua, Auchtung, All You Can't and Bomb are clearly their best four albums. The ranking order just depends on personal taste.
hola desertfan, IMO your're only half-right. TJT & AB both are on the quality top end of U2 releases. ATYCLB & HTDAAB aren't...thats my point of viewdesertfan wrote: Joshua, Auchtung, All You Can't and Bomb are clearly their best four albums. The ranking order just depends on personal taste.
shaun vox said:I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!
shaun vox said:i still cant believe that people like htdaab!!
i personally cant stand City of blinding lights!!(hate that song)
WAR/JT and achtung baby are miles ahead off Bomb and Atyclb!!
the vocals/instruments/musicianship/song structure and lyrics were all better on their previous albums!!
Doesn't anybody notice this?I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!
lol