Some personal thoughts on No Line On The Horizon, 6 months after release

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bram said:
My issue with NLOTH is that it was this close to being a masterpiece. Stand Up Comedy and Crazy Tonight don't belong on the album whether or not you, I, or anyone else happens to like them. I like them OK, and I think they probably would have sounded damn good on the forthcoming Rubin album. However, NLOTH could have been an absolutely devastating bruiser of an album if these 2 had been replaced with (I'd say Winter, Kingdom, or Mercy, but each one of these comes with baggage on this site) probably any two songs on the upcoming Songs of Ascent album. Now, I know we haven't heard the album yet (maybe a couple bits), but based on the description/gameplan for SOA, I think this is a pretty safe bet. We could have had the most musically coherent (and maybe even darkest) album of their career, but instead they opted for a safer road.

But at the end of the day, NLOTH is still a fantastic work, easily top 5 for their career.
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^^^ Agreed. The songs in and of themselves aren't awful, but they take away from the deeper thematics of the album. Even Get On Your Cocks has a little bit of exotic flavor (and a lyric that is open to interpretation) that makes it fit better, and of course there should be some bit of levity.

And it's not like this is some kind of coincidence. We read how the band SPECIFICALLY wanted to shoehorn some pop tunes on there, and spent a lot of time polishing them over and over. That's shows a real lack of conviction with regard to the original vision, and I find it desperate. If the next album comes out at the beginning of next year, we can certainly play God and create our own fantasy version, but if we have to wait another few years, it's pretty much pointless because the material won't be coming from the same creative well anymore.
 
Irishteen said:
People are allowed to have opinions, if (s)he thinks it's their best then who cares? Their opinion isn't wrong
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Well it's either an opinion or a statement of fact. I have no problem with someone being of the opinion that NLOTH is U2's best album to date. Nor should you have a problem with me being of the opinion that that statement is hilarious.

nielsgov said:
Why do people get laughed at for saying NLOTH is their favourite album? It's something personal isn't it?
I like it a lot too.:love:
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But that's not really what the OP said - they said it was U2's best album to date. If they said "It's my favorite U2 album to date", I wouldn't have laughed, to be honest.

There's a difference between "best" and "favorite". In the absence of any qualifiers, "best" implies some sort of quantative criticism while "favorite" merely implies personal taste.
 
lazarus said:
^^^ Agreed. The songs in and of themselves aren't awful, but they take away from the deeper thematics of the album. Even Get On Your Cocks has a little bit of exotic flavor (and a lyric that is open to interpretation) that makes it fit better, and of course there should be some bit of levity.

And it's not like this is some kind of coincidence. We read how the band SPECIFICALLY wanted to shoehorn some pop tunes on there, and spent a lot of time polishing them over and over. That's shows a real lack of conviction with regard to the original vision, and I find it desperate. If the next album comes out at the beginning of next year, we can certainly play God and create our own fantasy version, but if we have to wait another few years, it's pretty much pointless because the material won't be coming from the same creative well anymore.
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Very well-said re: the intentionality and mindset behind the muscling in of those two tracks. There's a reason Lillywhite came in to work on these songs, and let's just say that it wasn't to unify the album's musical motifs and vision. I think it's a safe bet that if Eno had the same power/standing as he had in 1984, we would have a very different middle section to this album. Even for someone as well-pleased with the album as I am, this is frustrating.
 
It's pretty hard to expect flawless decision-making from a band whose members are pushing 50, I guess. Part of me feels we should consider ourselves lucky to even have the adventurous tracks that ARE on there.
 
bram said:
My issue with NLOTH is that it was this close to being a masterpiece. Stand Up Comedy and Crazy Tonight don't belong on the album whether or not you, I, or anyone else happens to like them. I like them OK, and I think they probably would have sounded damn good on the forthcoming Rubin album. However, NLOTH could have been an absolutely devastating bruiser of an album if these 2 had been replaced with (I'd say Winter, Kingdom, or Mercy, but each one of these comes with baggage on this site) probably any two songs on the upcoming Songs of Ascent album. Now, I know we haven't heard the album yet (maybe a couple bits), but based on the description/gameplan for SOA, I think this is a pretty safe bet. We could have had the most musically coherent (and maybe even darkest) album of their career, but instead they opted for a safer road.
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Agreed completely! And what did they get from opting for the safer road??? Worst reviews of the decade! Numerous critics like that ass clown's article in EYKIW about how they've lost it. Take some fucking notes, Bono! If you're experimenting, go all the fucking way! What's with the pussying out for the middle section? :doh:
 
U2 have lost the feeling for making timeless music. their output after POP is just a bunch of songs. the last three records are imo not albums, because they lack a lot of musical and lyrical quality as they had until 1997. those three records after 2000 are overproduced, cheesy and already dated.:down: i prefer all their excellent albums from BOY to POP:up:
btw i really like FALCO (R.I.P.) Vienna Calling:YouTube - Falco Live Vienna Calling this song has so much:applaud: energy
 
I revel in the reception it's received, actually.

I love that the pop culture and hipster critics think it's a flop.
It's so god damned typical.

It gives me even more solace that I find it to be a good album.
In other words, I know I'm not crazy (read: right). All too predictable.

The most perplexing thing: The reaction by some to Unknown Caller.

I think there has been a 'generalized' backlash from those who were sucked into the HTDAAB hype (critics and fans). Like that album or not, the positive reactions were 'over the top'. Some people are now writing it all off (post-POP), especially if they are currently caught in an anti-trend trend of their own.
 
elevated_u2_fan said:
you just don't understand those songs Zoots, but that's ok :)
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LOL. Don't be condescending, you sycophantic jerk! You Canadian slime! I do "get" it! :fist:

Seriously, I do like those 3 songs (well, not so much SUC though musically it's okay) but they should've been saved for a later project cos they do not fit in here!
 
First of all, what the heck does Falco have to do with anything? :huh:

Second of all, Falco died??? How did I miss that one?
 
Some are still here, only to serve to remind us that there are, and always were (at least) two different types of ATYCLB/HTDAAB critics.

Those who genuinely thought they were sub-par and/or didn't like the creative turn.

And those who are truly stuck in a moment they can't get out of.
 
corianderstem said:
First of all, what the heck does Falco have to do with anything? :huh:

Second of all, Falco died??? How did I miss that one?
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good point corianderstem. you are right Falco doesn't have to do anything with U2. i did post the Falco video as a symbol. a symbol that one thing doesn't necessarily have to do with another thing. imo the songs on NLOTH doesn't have to do anything with each other. same on HTDAAB and ATYCLB. these records are just song collections but they never are albums in the sense what an album has to be.

Falco died on Feb. 6 in 1998 in a car crash in the Domenican Republic.
Falco was a great charismatic artist.:up:
 
Niceman said:
Are you having a hard time learning, or do you get it???

I'm betting you don't get it! :cute:
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I argued my case and he completely understood where i was coming from. Said he's actually ashamed of that vocal and wishes he could back in time and fix it.
 
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