November 22, 2004 - 6th Anniversary of How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

[namkcuR]

Today - November 22, 2010 - is the 6th anniversary of the release of that most polarizing U2 record(other than Pop) and most bashed-on U2 record in the eyes, ears, and hearts of (most of)Interference. I don't think it's close to their best, but I've recently, in the last two years, come to enjoy it again. It doesn't approach the greatness of U2's best works, and it's often last in my U2 album rankings, but I still enjoy it. There are some solid tracks here, as well as some (imo) improved versions on the "Unreleased & Rare" compilation.

This was also the release of "The Complete U2" on ITunes(well, the next day when HTDAAB was released in the U.S. was)

which included the "Unreleased and Rare" compilation.

And finally, additionally, while released nearly a month earlier, it goes with the theme:

 

[prbiker15]

6 years already? Damn.

I like this album, and have been liking it more and more. It definitely is a guitar album.

Sure it's not up there with the others, but it's a good one.

Uno, dos, tres, seis!

 

[theedgeu2]

LOVE this album! Haters of HTDAAB can suck it. This album is damn awesome. It's the first U2 album I ever owned and I remember getting it around Christmas time '04. Popped it right in the CD player and fell immediately in love with U2 all. over. again. I also got the Vertigo Chicago DVD from the tour and watched that as if it were the only film left on earth. It's about that time of the year where I pull out the CD and DVD and do it all over again.

COBL is the first track that was really glued to me and constantly on repeat. Vertigo was the big hit but I loved COBL so much more. Miracle Drug is a terrific song. I remember shouting along with Bono in the car. I always associate this record with Chrismas and remember putting the CD in my little CD player and sitting in the backseat of the car listening to the album on repeat while we whizzed past houses lit up with Christmas lights. It was magical and I place this album as the best of the three we got this past decade. Sorry all you NLOTH people.

 

[Moser]

Such a good album! We people just like to criticize!

 

[purpleoscar]

I don't like how loud mixed it is but I love it nonetheless.

 

[DondeEsta]

happy birthday to the most under-appreciated band's most under-appreciated effort

 

[theedgeu2]

I don't like how loud mixed it is but I love it nonetheless.

Agreed. My CD copy does not, or rather did not clip but my iTunes downloaded copy does. I ended up lowering the volume on the entire album on iTunes but it still clips on the guitar solo on Miracle Drug. Stupid idiots who master music these days. It just has to be that loud huh?

 

[purpleoscar]

I need a vinyl version.

 

[mikal]

this album has actually grown on my quite a bit over the last year. it will never be one of my favorites, but i definitely like it. i made my own tracklisting that flows really well:

1. City Of Blinding Lights
2. Vertigo
3. Miracle Drug
4. SYCMIOYO
5. ABOY (alt mix)
6. Fast Cars
7. Mercy
8. Smile
9. OOTS
10. Yahweh
11. Crumbs From Your Table
12. One Step Closer

 

[The_acrobat]

At midnight tonight will be the 6th anniversary since me and a few friends went to wal-mart to buy it at midnight. We had a friend working at wal-mart, so we all spent about an hour opening boxes searching for the U2 cd. It was the week of black friday, so there were a lot of cds to sort through. I stayed up all night listening to it. It rarely left my cd player for the next year.

6 years later and I still love the album, don't really get the hate. I agree with what Bono said about how it's not a cohesive album, just a great collection of songs. But I think this album (and all other U2 albums) are much better than NLOTH.

 

[Axver]

Are we commemorating every anniversary now? I hope there's a 6 years and 1 month thread for HTDAAB so I can have another opportunity to say "fuck Yahweh".

 

[digitize]

Meh.

 

[joerags]

Nov. 22, 2005 was my first U2 concert.

 

[bonocomet]

It's the album that made me love U2. And the vinyl sounds absolutely gorgeous.

 

[tommycharles]

so I can have another opportunity to say "fuck Yahweh".

The song, or.... ? ;-)

 

[cobl04]

my first U2 album, so it set me on a great path.

i haven't listened to it in a long time though, and have no desire to.

City of Blinding Lights is one of the best songs of the decade.

 

[Popmartijn]

Are we commemorating every anniversary now? I hope there's a 6 years and 1 month thread for HTDAAB so I can have another opportunity to say "fuck Yahweh".

Well, a '6 years and 1 month' thread is maybe a bit too much. But you can always drool over Vertigo again.

 

[Tyagu_Anaykus]

Are we commemorating every anniversary now? I hope there's a 6 years and 1 month thread for HTDAAB so I can have another opportunity to say "fuck Yahweh".

Someone is in a bad mood...

 

[Galeongirl]

my first U2 album, so it set me on a great path.

i haven't listened to it in a long time though, and have no desire to.

City of Blinding Lights is one of the best songs of the decade.

Same and same. I still love Miracle Drug. And Cobl is brilliant.


For the sake of this thread, let's take a trip to the past and reminisce the day the album leaked.

Vertigo:

THIS IS SO FUCKING INCREDIBLE I CAN'T STOP REPLAYING IT!

IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS, YOU HAVE NO TASTE AT ALL.

AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

U2 HAVE DONE IT AGAIN!

THIS ALBUM IS FUCKING PERFECT.

Miracle Drug and LAPOE are songs for the ages. ESPECIALLY Miracle Drug. BEST SONG ON THE ALBUM.

OH WOW. I AM IN HEAVEN. I have gone incoherent, truly. It is physically impossible for me to talk right now.

Even Shaun liked it!

fuck this album is great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And ofcourse, how could we forget our favourite ragekidontheinternet: Maddoxx!
The eleven worst songs of 2004.

 

[Vlaco]

They're worst album including they're most overrated song of the last 10 years: COBL.

 

[Galeongirl]

*their.

 

[Vlaco]

Sorry I made a typo.

 

[coolian2]

the only thing worse than that typo is that opinion!

 

[daygloeyes2]

New age mystic bullshit.

 

[Galeongirl]

Sorry I made a typo.

Twice, on the same word no less. That's hardly a typo. It's a grammar mistake.

 

[Vlaco]

Twice, on the same word no less. That's hardly a typo. It's a grammar mistake.

Probably because I was typing too fast without thinking properly, but whatever.

 

[U2girl]

I place this album as the best of the three we got this past decade. Sorry all you NLOTH people.

We NLOTH people are sorry you feel that way.

Decent record, way too much overhated. Not horrible/the worst, not great/the best either. About there with All that Pop.

 

[powerhour24]

I don't like how loud mixed it is but I love it nonetheless.

Agreed, had they gone with their gut and put a little more thought into tracklisting it'd be a great album. A lot of Interferencers look back and whine about the lyrics, the creativity etc.. But as a guitar-rock version of U2, and with Bono's deconstruction of himself/father in a number of the tracks, I still really respect it, I like it more than ATYCLB because that album falls apart in the middle. Still, with Native Son in place of Vertigo, the original version of ABOY and the 2004 Mercy closing things out, this would have been something uber-special.

 

[nielsgov]

Good album, far from their best but decent nonetheless. And Miracle Drug is still my favourite from the album.

 

[Lazlow]

so true, i remember listening to this album anytime i could, and i got it not to long after it came out. This era reminds me of Christmas the most.