Which is better: HTDAAB or ATYCLB?

[starvinmarvin]

I think that although HTDAAB is better, more consistently good album than ATYCLB (the second half of which is the aural equivalent of a coma), the best songs on ATYCLB outperform the best songs on ATYCLB.

Beuatiful Day is better than Vertigo.
Kite is better than Sometimes.
Walk On is better than Yahweh

the list goes on....

HTDAAB is more even, but ATYCLB's highest points tower above the new album's best moments. This is part of the reason why the setlists for the Vertigo tour have been less than satisfactory - the new songs don't quite match up to the rest of the classic songs the band plays as much as the best ALTYCLB songs did during Elevation.

What do you think?

 

[MrBrau1]

HTDAAB is one of my favorite U2 albums. If feels complete. And I don't think there's a weak song on the album.

But, Kite is better than anything off HTDAAB.

 

[Lemon&Lime]

Beautiful Day better than Vertigo: Agree
Kite Better than Sometimes: Agree
Walk On better than Yahweh: Absolutely

BUT

Everything else on HTDAAB > Everything else on ATYCLB

For me HTDAAB is the superior album.

 

[Zoocoustic]

HTDAAB is the better overall album, but ATYCLB has better individual songs - I agree.

Bono sort of speaks to this the official program from the Vertigo tour: "On ATYCLB, I think we had the best collection of songs. I don't think that the whole was greater than the sum of the parts, in the way that JT had some songs that weren't quite as good, but the overall feeling of that album was that it takes you over, same on AB. Don't think we quite got there on ATYCLB...althought I think there's better songs. I hope on this album we have both...but only time will tell."

I don't think they have both on this album - they have a better "overall feeling" as Bono puts it - but not nearly enough "great songs".

 

[RademR]

But, Kite is better than anything off HTDAAB.

well said, I'll also say the same about "Beautiful Day." That song still does it for me after hearing it a million times on the radio. Amazing.

but "the bomb" is much better as a whole album, I still listen to the whole thing all the way through. Great record, as was ATYCLB, but it's just better to me.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

how to dismantle an atomic bomb

 

[Roland of Gilead]

No question really, the Bomb is a far superior album than All That... . Kite is a favorite of mine and it is probably better than everything but City... and Original... . However, if you just consider the cohesiveness of the two albums, you can't deny that one album falls short and the other ends as good as the start. I'm not even considering Fast Cars for this either. Even if we were to add Ground Beneath... and Fast Cars to this discussion, it makes it even more obvious.

 

[starvinmarvin]

No question really, the Bomb is a far superior album than All That... . Kite is a favorite of mine and it is probably better than everything but City... and Original... . However, if you just consider the cohesiveness of the two albums, you can't deny that one album falls short and the other ends as good as the start. I'm not even considering Fast Cars for this either. Even if we were to add Ground Beneath... and Fast Cars to this discussion, it makes it even more obvious.

Are you saying that Fast Cars is superior to The Ground Beneath Her Feet?

 

[elevation2u]

ATYCLB has in a little while...

HTDAAB has crumbs...

 

[bathiu]

HTDAAB is faaaaar better.
It sounds like produced in the 90's, with a feel of the 80's, there's life in this music. (thanks to Mr Lee, I'm sure). The production is just GREAT.
...and it's my personal 3rd favorite album, behind only 'Achtung Baby" and 'Boy'.

ATYCLB is such a bad album, that I even doubt it was realy released by U2. I sometimes wonder if it was U2's work or a product of the record lebel that wanted to make bigger money on U2.
Think about it, the sound is pop, sweet... without life, videos are like made for pop-bands... BTW this Khan guy just made video for BackstreetBoys... ... that's great, now we can link U2 not only to the best rock bands in history, but also to boysbands ...
This is a black hole in U2's videos for sure.
I also have no idea what happened with Eno/Lanois... they were there to produce an album of "4 guys in a room playing music"... so what's with this intro to "BD"? what's happening in Stuck (horns????), Elevation, New York, Grace... actualy in every song... there's more loops and noise in the background than on POP... just that those on POP were at least irritating, sometimes annoying but worked for the songs... those on ATYCLB are simply ridiculous and cheezzzzey!

HTDAAB is the album that I was expecting to get in 2000 after the band's talk and also after the MDH soundtrack.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

Are you saying that Fast Cars is superior to The Ground Beneath Her Feet?

I am saying the lady with the ground beneath her feet was struck by a car. A very fast car!

 

[Chizip]

why are we comparing walk on to yahweh anyway?

yahweh is the last song on the album when walk on is the fourth track on its cd.

it would be better to compare walk on with miracle drug, and id probably pick mircale drug, though both songs are great

yahweh should be compared to grace, and id give the edge to yahweh there.

But in total I have to agree with everybody who says HTDAAB is much better than ATYCLB. I think HTDAAB is what ATYCLB should have been in the first place. I look forward to seeing every song off the Bomb live, while it wouldn't disappoint me if they didnt play anything from ATYCLB at a show.

 

[MacPhistoPT]

I agree with what you guys said... HTDAAB is more consistent and regular than ATYCLB but ATYCLB has walk on and kite, the 2 best songs from the new millenium. It also has Beautiful Day but I think MD or COBL are better.

 

[gman]

"Beuatiful Day is better than Vertigo.
Kite is better than Sometimes.
Walk On is better than Yahweh"

Thats exactly what I said on my Elevation Vs Vertigo tour thread. SPOOKY stuff!
For what its worth....I think ATYCLB is a superior album. But hey...theres no accounting for taste! For me U2s strong point has always been the catchy choruses and I dont think apart from yahweh that they pull it off on Bomb as well as they have right up to and including ATYCLB.

 

[U2DMfan]

my favorite 11 from both
1-Beautiful Day
2-Walk On
3-All Because of You
4-When I Look at the World
5-Kite
6-Sometimes...
7-Crumbs
8-Love and Peace
9-OOTS
10-Vertigo
11-COBL


I agree with some of the others. ATYCLB is TOP HEAVY.
4 of my top 5 are ATYCLB, but they are the only 4 on the list.
The other 7 are HTDAAB, and then I could add Yahweh and Miracle Drug before getting back to ATYCLB.

I only think the top 7 are really good, probably 7 more right near good or average. And the bottom 7 or 8 I don't care much for at all. Hit and miss for me.

 

[jacobus]

both albums are too much polished. but i go for the BOMB as the better album.

 

[Aardvark747]

HTDAAB 4 me

 

[God Part III]

All That You Can't Leave Behind... all the way.

 

[MsMofoGone]

5 favorites and 3 dis-liked songs from "All That You Can't Leave Behind" ...
3 favorites and 4 dis-liked songs from "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb" ...

"All That You Can't Leave Behind" ... the winning choice !!

 

[Party Boy]

HTDAAB by a country mile (which is a very long distance btw)...

 

[yimou]

HTDAAB

 

[U2Soar]

How about combining both albums?

ALL THAT YOU DISMANTLE AND LEAVE BEHIND

1. Vertigo
2. Elevation (Tomb Raider Version)
3. Beautiful Day
4. Miracle Drug
5. In a Little While
6. Original of the Species
7. Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own
8. Love and Peace or Else
9. City of Blinding Lights
10. Walk On (Single w/ Hallelujahs Version)
11. Yahweh

 

[ImOuttaControl]

HTDAAB is a slightly better collection of songs, but there is no flow or consistency which doesn't make it a very good "album." Horrible production. Haven't the producers ever heard of fading in and out? The way Vertigo "flows" into Miracle Drug and Sometimes goes into LAPOE is just horrible.

ATYCLB on the other hand is a great album in the true sense of what an album is. It has a consistent theme and "feel" throughout it and flows nicely.

 

[dudeman]

HTDAAB is a slightly better collection of songs, but there is no flow or consistency which doesn't make it a very good "album." Horrible production. Haven't the producers ever heard of fading in and out? The way Vertigo "flows" into Miracle Drug and Sometimes goes into LAPOE is just horrible.

ATYCLB on the other hand is a great album in the true sense of what an album is. It has a consistent theme and "feel" throughout it and flows nicely.

i agree about the flow of ATYCLB vs the bomb.
all that being said, i've already listened to HTDAAB more times than i'll ever listen to ATYCLB, so i can't argue with my gut - HTDAAB wins!

on a (un)related note, the artwork for both suck.

 

[djerdap]

But in total I have to agree with everybody who says HTDAAB is much better than ATYCLB. I think HTDAAB is what ATYCLB should have been in the first place.

Amen, brother.
The Bomb rules. All That You Can't Leave Behind is a disappointment. Always will be for me.

 

[Infinity]

HTDAAB is a slightly better collection of songs, but there is no flow or consistency which doesn't make it a very good "album." Horrible production. Haven't the producers ever heard of fading in and out? The way Vertigo "flows" into Miracle Drug and Sometimes goes into LAPOE is just horrible.

ATYCLB on the other hand is a great album in the true sense of what an album is. It has a consistent theme and "feel" throughout it and flows nicely.

ohhh mannn, everything you say is 100% correct. this is the exact same reason i don't like 'Bomb' as and album, yet i like the individual songs. in fact i was gonna post what you just said in a forum, yet you beat me to it lol.

yes, HTDAAB has no mood, im afraid so. every other U2 album has this mood, except for Zooropa, I THINK. I've yet to figure out the reason for this, but I think it has a lot to do with the overpromotion of 'Vertigo.' I still don't get WHY Vertigo was chosen to be the first single, it is arguably the worst song on the album. So many people think that U2 sucks because of this overpromoting, because they think that 'Vertigo' is a typical U2 song. 'All Because of You' or 'Miracle Drug' would have been 10 times better.

 

[U2girl]

In some ways HTDAAB - it's more consistent (a better second half).

ATYCLB would win if the other half kept up the first 5 song start.

 

[Nube Gris]

tough choice
the two are very good albums
ATYCLB is a pop rock masterpiece
HTDAAB is more a rock album. Brilliant also, one of my favorite U2 records, and probably will go down as the strongest album the irish quartet ever wrote

Vertigo
COBL
Sometimes
Miracle Drug
OOTS
Yahweh

Already classics

 

[Nisse]

How to leave behind the atomic bomb you can't dismantle

1. Beautiful Day
2. Miracle Drug
3. Vertigo
4. Elevation
5. Sometimes
6. Walk On
7. When I Look At The World
8. Crumbs
9. City Of Blinding Lights
10. LAPOE
11. New York
12. Original
13. Grace

 

[Achtung Joshua!]

Beautiful Day better than Vertigo: Agree
Kite Better than Sometimes: Agree
Walk On better than Yahweh: Absolutely

BUT

Everything else on HTDAAB > Everything else on ATYCLB

For me HTDAAB is the superior album.

I agree with you 100%.