TUF cemented my love of U2. Exactly like Jofo so eloquently said that album.... not only Pride but Bad, ASOH, TUF Promenade all of that album was different in the music landscape. In my high school you had fans of Led Zep, The Who, Pink Floyd and yes Rush Van Helen got alot of attention I can go on and on. But those songs and videos, ASOH watching the band walk through those frozen landscapes. The songs took me there. Bad possibility the best U2 sing of all time. When I think of that album it takes me back to that place and time, those songs spoke to me. Now if you ask me I have a hard time saying which of TUF, JT, AB is my favorite, it could just be the mood I'm in at the time, because I like them all. But I will forever love U2 because of TUF.
You know, a lot of what makes an album special, besides the actual
songs (i.e. lyrics/melodies instrument parts) is HOW these sounds are recorded. They had something really special on UF....that open sound and feel is no pro tools reverb plug in.....that's the sound of a band playing in an open space captured by well positioned microphones (props to Eno/Lanois/Lillywhite).
I agree with all that have praised all the songs on UF....to me there's not a dud amongst them.
Bad, MLK, ASOH, Pride, Wire, Promenade, UF, EPAA, even ISS....the original recordings of those songs still bring a , I dunno....sense of foreverness (if that's a word).
BTW, Miles Davis, one of the greatest jazz, or any style, musicians who ever lived, died in 1991. If you don't know his legacy, look it up. It's something to behold. Anyways...
The story is that while on his death bed, Miles requested to hear The Unforgettable Fire over and over. Now, I don't know about any of you, but that is some heavy fucking shit to me, and Miles was not even close to being a fan of rock and roll, except for Hendrix and Michael Jackson....and he said some kind words about Sting.