ATYCLB

[Zoots]

8. Peace On Earth 6
9. When I Look At The World 6

But I disagree with pretty much everything else you said.

 

[Bottle Bono]

In your opinion, sure.

War is by far their strongest album ever.

It put them ahead of the game and from there they have reigned ever since.

The whole of the first side of the Album is an Explosion that “Bomb” never devilvered.

It is leaves behind a feeling that ATYLB could never touch.

It was U2’s first ever “listen to me!” album.

The Jewel.

In a time, the 80s, when there were about 100 fold more bands screaming for attention.

In the 00s, you would be hard pressed to find 10 bands that are competitive.



U2 have been on cruise control for 10 years since they got ridiculed for Pop and the Popmart tour with the “metaphoric” Giant Lemon.

Once bitten, twice shy.

Hey there is a good name for an Album.

 

[Irishteen]

I love ATYCLB and always have, it was my first U2 album and I completely fell in love with the band; even songs like Peace on Earth and Grace that people seem to hate, I think are great. And Wild Honey is brilliant, seriously people how can you not have fun when that song is on, it's a light breezy pop song and so what that's what it's meant to be, it doesn't try to be any more or any less and it's just great.

 

[The John Tree]

Whoa whoa whoa. If we're talking consistency here, I think ATYCLB is among the band's most consistent. The vibe is there for the whole record and all the songs are pretty much even in terms of strength: meaning if you like one song, you probably like the whole album, and if you don't, then you probably don't like the album.

But to call Pop more "consistent" than ATYCLB?! Really?

I think the only problem I have with Pop is best described by the band themselves: it starts out at a party and then very quickly turns into the next morning's hangover. I wouldn't say that "If God Will Send His Angels", "Staring At The Sun", and "Last Night On Earth" flow with Discotheque, Do You Feel Loved, and Mofo at all.

Sure, I love all those songs, but it seems like with Pop, you start off in the middle of a nightclub, slip off into an upstairs hotel room for sex with a stranger, come back downstairs into the nightclub, and then walk out the front door into the sunshine and heat with a hangover. Then suddenly it gets dark again with "Gone". Then it's back into the daylight and walking through the tropics with "Miami" and "Playboy Mansion". Then suddenly you're back in that hotel room again with "Velvet Dress". Then you're back to the darkness, the nightclub has been bombed for "Please". And then you walk back out into the sunshine trying to make sense of it all for "Wake Up Dead Man". I wouldn't say Pop has the same consistency ATYCLB has.

 

[The John Tree]

As for "Flower Child", it's by far one of my favorite U2 unreleased tracks. The only problem is it's a bit repetitive. I love it for what it is, don't get me wrong. It's a great melody and an especially great chorus. But I think "Wild Honey", ultimately, is a better song because it's more dynamic. It has both a lightness and a bittersweet quality to it that I find intoxicating.

 

[innocent_eyes]

I love how people think that ATYCLB is so beneath the 90s albums.

ATYCLB is an album that puts the band in a place they hadn't really been before, and that is experimental, for those that are so into using that term. ATYCLB is a pop/soul album infused with u2's distinctive rock voice, just as Pop is a dance/techno/electronic album infused with u2's unique rock sound.

There are also a lot of heavy themes and dark undercurrents running throughout the album's lyrics.

The album is laced with hints of it's soul theme, both musically and lyrically. The word Soul shows up in a lot of the lyrics and I loved how Bono tied the live version of Beautiful Day in on the Boston DVD, yelling "The goal is Soul!!!" not to mention Elevation lyric; "diggin up your SOUL, now, goin down, ex-ca-va-tion.."

Thematically, ATYCLB is one of the most consistent albums they have made. I also think the songwriting in Stuck; with the horns and lyric structure, In a little While, with the bluesy guitar playing and R&B type drumming, all denote soul/Pop/R&B/Soul music. Most of the songs on the album have this sort of thematic feel or tone in them.

I think a lot of people mistake it for "safe" or boring because this type of music is not as "sexy" or obviously experimental as the 90s albums, but it is experimental for U2 as they haven't really engaged this type of music previously in their career. by that definition, ATYCLB IS an experimental album, for them, because they hadn't really worked with Pop/R&B/Soul influences and themes before.

I also can't beleive the hate that Grace gets on these boards at the same rate that the Passengers album gets wanked. Grace would easily fit on The Passengers album, and would be a top 3 song on it.

To me, All That You Can't Leave Behind is the band's venture into soul, pop, and R&b type music, and experimentation with these genres, if you will. If you see it as a successful interpretation of these genres, rather than a failure to deliver the electronic shockwave of the 90s, you might actually appreciate the album, because of it's uniqueness and originality from the rest of the Band's back catalogue.

I'd be happy to discuss some of the specifics, in terms of where I hear some of these musical influences throughout the album!

Just my 2 cents! Hope you at least found it an interesting read, even if you don't agree!

 

[namkcuR]

I'd also throw in the first seven songs of Zooropa.

Hell there is even a seven song stretch on the bonus disc of The Best of 1980-1990 that is far better.

Love Comes Tumbling - (version II)
Bass Trap - (instrumental)
Dancing Barefoot
Everlasting Love
Unchained Melody
Walk To The Water
Luminous Times (Hold On To Love)

To be fair, three of those weren't written by U2

 

[goblues4427]

Although this is moving on in a way. I have VERY high hopes for the next album. They can still do it at their age. They just have to want to and put the music first. This my, quick bullet list for the 2000's

1) ATYCLB- It is what it is. It's the album they wanted wanted to do, for better or worse. It's not unfocused. It's not a product of not knowing what they were doing. This is what they wanted to do and Eno and Lanois took them there. It's not my cup of tea, but some strong songs to hide in there, but the entire album is marred by weak vocals and some weak lyrics. Personally. I rarely listen to it.

2) Bomb- Bomb sounds like a band that's a little lost. It's truly the product of a band not quite sure what they wanted it to be. As a result, we have a mix of songs that are better than you find on ATYCLB and another group of songs which could have been so much more. It's an album of a band REALLY wanting to be a band again, but not knowing how to do it and wayyy too much over-analyzation. Take All Because of You. The Demo version is much better, rawer and interesting than the forced-sounding... released song... yet neither is TRULY successful.

3) New Album- I like that they've spent plenty of time on this one with the same producers. Yes. It's the same production team as ATYCLB, but I think U2's goal is different for this one. There wouldn't be an 8+ minute song if that were the case. I wonder if Mercy is Moment of Surrender (but that's another topic). I like the fact that Eno has done this 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off thing. Some sessions in Morocco. I see the potential for a lot of forced creativity with time for reflection in-between. This could be good. Very good. I'm not looking for War 2. Joshua Tree 2. AB 2, Pop 2. But if they can go out, do a good rock album (which is what they wanted to do with the Bomb)... put more emphasis on the drums rather than bury or soften them (which all the truly great U2 albums have had) it can be special and creative in a way U2 only can. Whatever that may end up being.

Ok. I'm rambling.

 

[Bottle Bono]

Ramble On.

 

[Screwtape2]

Although this is moving on in a way. I have VERY high hopes for the next album. They can still do it at their age. They just have to want to and put the music first. This my, quick bullet list for the 2000's

1) ATYCLB- It is what it is. It's the album they wanted wanted to do, for better or worse. It's not unfocused. It's not a product of not knowing what they were doing. This is what they wanted to do and Eno and Lanois took them there. It's not my cup of tea, but some strong songs to hide in there, but the entire album is marred by weak vocals and some weak lyrics. Personally. I rarely listen to it.

2) Bomb- Bomb sounds like a band that's a little lost. It's truly the product of a band not quite sure what they wanted it to be. As a result, we have a mix of songs that are better than you find on ATYCLB and another group of songs which could have been so much more. It's an album of a band REALLY wanting to be a band again, but not knowing how to do it and wayyy too much over-analyzation. Take All Because of You. The Demo version is much better, rawer and interesting than the forced-sounding... released song... yet neither is TRULY successful.

3) New Album- I like that they've spent plenty of time on this one with the same producers. Yes. It's the same production team as ATYCLB, but I think U2's goal is different for this one. There wouldn't be an 8+ minute song if that were the case. I wonder if Mercy is Moment of Surrender (but that's another topic). I like the fact that Eno has done this 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off thing. Some sessions in Morocco. I see the potential for a lot of forced creativity with time for reflection in-between. This could be good. Very good. I'm not looking for War 2. Joshua Tree 2. AB 2, Pop 2. But if they can go out, do a good rock album (which is what they wanted to do with the Bomb)... put more emphasis on the drums rather than bury or soften them (which all the truly great U2 albums have had) it can be special and creative in a way U2 only can. Whatever that may end up being.

Ok. I'm rambling.

Really good post.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

I have to disagree.

Even Better-One-UTEOTW-Horses-So Cruel-The Fly-Mysterious is tremendous. Every song on AB is great.

Discotheque-DYFL-Mofo-If God-Staring-LNOE-Gone is great as well.

Not to mention Streets-Still-WOWY-Bullet-RTSS-RHMT-IGC.

I like BD-Stuck-Elevation-WO-Kite-IALW-Wild Honey, but to me, it's not nearly as strong as those.

All imo of course.

When I said ATYCLB has arguably the most consistency of any seven song string, I meant from the start of an album. I should also have said consistency in pure melody. That is what I was thinking in my head when I wrote that. I just forgot to put it that way. I apologize. No other U2 album has 7 straight songs that are so focused melodically as ATYCLB. Perhaps only Atomic Bomb comes close. Atomic Bomb continues past the 7th song, though, and really only loses focus, melodically, during 'One Step Closer'.

Achtung Baby is a bit jarring to the untrained ear with 'Zoo Station' and 'The Fly'. Joshua Tree gets bogged down a bit with 'Bullet the Blue Sky'. 'Mofo' isn't really the most poppy sounding tune, as aren't most of Pop's songs. October, War, and The Unforgettable Fire are quite inconsistent in terms of melodic songwriting as well.

 

[Screwtape2]

When I said ATYCLB has arguably the most consistency of any seven song string, I meant from the start of an album. I should also have said consistency in pure melody. That is what I was thinking in my head when I wrote that. I just forgot to put it that way. I apologize. No other U2 album has 7 straight songs that are so focused melodically as ATYCLB. Perhaps only Atomic Bomb comes close. Atomic Bomb continues past the 7th song, though, and really only loses focus, melodically, during 'One Step Closer'.

Please explain what you mean by pure melody. Elevation doesn't sound anything like the other six songs.

 

[U2DMfan]

I would argue that the first 7 songs on ATYCLB have more consistency than any other 7 song string on any U2 album. I would also argue that despite Atomic Bomb not offering anything super stellar, it is probably their most consistently "good" album to date in terms of each song being quite solid. U2's earlier albums (up to about The Unforgettable Fire) were far more hit and miss when it came to good vs undisciplined songwriting.

It's a shame that these albums don't consist of 7 songs then, huh, MG?
When I said they were all over the place, I meant the whole albums. The last 3 albums might have benefited from being EP's but that sort of highlights the overall problem doesn't it? At least for me.

Ill give you a better response tomorrow, if you want to argue.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Please explain what you mean by pure melody. Elevation doesn't sound anything like the other six songs.

I mean, "melodic". 'Elevation' is very melodic as well, despite it sounding nothing like any of the other songs. Actually, none of the songs on ATYCLB sound alike. That's one of the album's biggest strengths. I remember when it first came out, I read someone say it sounded like 11 different U2s. I thought that was a very apt description.

 

[U2DMfan]

Just wanted to add I did listen to ATYCLB for the first time in ages the other day.

You know what track stood out as something I had forgotten about? Peace on Earth.

A little subtlety goes a long way.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

It's a shame that these albums don't consist of 7 songs then, huh, MG?
When I said they were all over the place, I meant the whole albums. The last 3 albums might have benefited from being EP's but that sort of highlights the overall problem doesn't it? At least for me.

Ill give you a better response tomorrow, if you want to argue.

I wouldn't really call that "all over the place," then. More "lop sided", don't you think? Not that I would want to start an argument or anything

Bomb on the other hand is quite consistently melodic throughtout. I would say 'One Step Closer' is the only point where the melody dims, and the album sort of needs it to by that point anyway. The 2nd half is - oh, here's that word again - arguably the strongest 2nd half of any U2 album.

 

[U2girl]

I would also argue that despite Atomic Bomb not offering anything super stellar, it is probably their most consistently "good" album to date in terms of each song being quite solid.

QFT. Maybe not a cohesive album but a fine collection of songs, and that's what they were all about in this decade anyway. Their most consistent work since AB.

Personally I think COBL is stellar, more so than the overhyped BD.

 

[vivaSA]

This album has some of the best U2 tunes, but at the same time it also has some of the worst songs that I absolutely can't stand listening to. For example, there's Walk On, Stuck in a Moment, Kite, When I Look at the World and Beautiful Day which are excellent, while on the other hand there are songs that I absolutely can't stand, such as Elevation and Wild Honey.

 

[U2DMfan]

I wouldn't really call that "all over the place," then. More "lop sided", don't you think? Not that I would want to start an argument or anything

Bomb on the other hand is quite consistently melodic throughtout. I would say 'One Step Closer' is the only point where the melody dims, and the album sort of needs it to by that point anyway. The 2nd half is - oh, here's that word again - arguably the strongest 2nd half of any U2 album.

Children's albums are consistently melodic throughout as well.

I'm talking about sheer quality of songs.

Something Like
Good song
crap song
great song
shit song
bland song
b side
embarrassment
awesometastic
forgettable
uniquely cool
boring

All over the place.

One of the common praises about Bomb is that every slotted song, while maybe not all great, are solid. Which gives weight to the album overall.

I'd rather have the 5 shining stars on POP or ATYCLB than the mediocre 7 or 8 from Bomb. So that's just subjective taste at play.

I'm interested in the great U2 that I hope still exists, making an album that has 7 or 8 shining stars rather than passing off average competency as 'brilliant'. Give them a Grammy, by God!!! They are U2!!

I don't think anyone could expect 11 straight 'winners'.
Give me 7 or 8 rather than 5, that's good enough.

 

[jasonlee]

Screwtape, nobody cares what you don't like.

 

[Screwtape2]

Screwtape, nobody cares what you don't like.

Thanks for letting me know.

 

[jasonlee]

Please stop acting like you're 16, even if you are.

 

[Screwtape2]

You have 13 posts and two of them are insults towards a forum member. Thanks for bringing a lot to Interference.

 

[jasonlee]

Not sure what you think are "insults." But if you thought two of my posts were insulting, please, let me know what they were.

I haven't been here long, but in the short time I have been here, I've noticed that there's a common theme to your posts.

Obviously, this specific thread was started in celebration for Behind, and you, as it appears you often do, felt the need to insert some negativity because you're attention-starved.

Even when you're trying to be "polite" with your criticisms, it comes off as both annoying and boring, which is doubleplusungood.

And I'm certain this isn't the first time you've heard this, right?

Best,
Jason

 

[The John Tree]

Sometimes I wonder why U2 fans can't simply discuss music without it turning personal.

I swear, I'm a member of so many online fan communities, but U2 has, without a doubt, the most elitist, uncompromising fans ever. Sometimes people like different things, that's okay right? Not everything is great and not everything sucks. That's okay, right?

I swear. This band went through their Achtung and Pop phase, but this forum always has the demeanor of the band around the Joshua Tree.

 

[cobl04]

Sometimes I wonder why U2 fans can't simply discuss music without it turning personal.

I swear, I'm a member of so many online fan communities, but U2 has, without a doubt, the most elitist, uncompromising fans ever. Sometimes people like different things, that's okay right? Not everything is great and not everything sucks. That's okay, right?

Watch for a swathe of posts regarding your "JT demeaour" claim there. Someone might even start a thread.

 

[jasonlee]

BEHIND was the first U2 album I listened to, even if my first U2 song I heard was off of TREE. I remember thinking the album was completely weird, not necessarily bad, but completely unlike anything I had had heard on the radio. But after hearing Kite, I fell in love with the album. I really love Edge's subtle guitar work, which is really evocative as well. Adam's bass is awesome right at the start, and the drums are perfect, and the lyrics really hit a nerve with me.

I do admit that I didn't like the second half of the album as much as much as the first, but after a while, I finally started to dig Wild Honey, and surprisingly, Peace on Earth isn't actually a bad song...

 

[Bottle Bono]

The first album I listen to was BOY

 

[Nick66]

I love ATYCLB. It's not "perfect", in that I love every song on it as I do on TUF, JT and AB, but I still think it's an amazing record, and far superior to the records that came directly before and after it. It hovers around #4 or #5 on my all time U2 list, switching places with NLOTH depending on my mood.

More than that, it was a crucial record for U2 when it came out, right up there with AB. It seems like fait accompli now, but when ATYCLB came out, on the heels of Pop, it's success was by no means a given.

When final history of U2 is written, the importance of ATYCLB (and Beautiful Day) really can't be overstated.

 

[Globo14]

Bump!

I'm going to say something that some may not a gree with: I think All That You Can't Leave Behind is U2's third best album, only behind the obvious two of Achtung Baby and The Joshua Tree. And it's not very far behind the latter. Though the first half is considerably better than the last. There's quite a few alright songs, but the good songs are SOOOO good, that they pretty much outweigh the others.

1. Beautiful Day has it all: good verses, soaring chorus (especially the "touch me" part), and prominent guitar. Brilliant comeback single.
2. Stuck is alright to me. It's not single-worthy, nor is it worthy of it being played after 10 years very often. It's not bad, just not excellent.
3. Elevation is a good, solid rocker, and is a good opener. But PLEASE DROP IT FROM LIVE SETS. DO YOU HEAR ME, U2?!?!? I do never listen to the album version, though. Only the Tomb Raider mix.
4. Walk On is absolutely brilliant, in my top 5 U2 songs for sure. It's majestic, from the solo, to the chorus, to the "home" bridge, to the "all that you fashion" part. Perfection.
5. Kite is a great, introspective song. Passionate vocals, and a powerful chorus make it a seemingly obvious choice for a single. Why it wasn't, I don't know. It really turned into something special after Bono's father passed away.
6. In a Little While is another alright one. I could do without it.
7. Wild Honey. See thoughts for In a Little While.
8. Peace on Earth was a great intro to Walk On after 9/11, and it fit. Decent song.
9. When I Look at the World is pretty good. Nothing extremely special about it, but by no means bad.
10. New York is excellent, IMO. Some call the lyrics cheesy, I find them interesting and different. And the chorus seems so massive in contrast to the quieter verses. It gets some unnecessary slack.
11. Grace is a nice way to close the album. Though I think Walk On could've taken this spot, just like during Elevation concerts. How nice would it be to have one of the last lines on the album be "all that you can't leave behind", from Walk On. It would totally wrap it up.