roy
Refugee
NLOTH, no contest.
Best Studio Album of the Decade
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God Part III
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
Earl-Of-IMDb
War Child
my first album was HTDAAB but I vote for No Line
kingofsorrow
Refugee
nloth-strongest album of this decade.
the other 2 don't even chart for me.
atyclb while having a strong, apparent concept, is transparent and can't hold my interest.
htdaab while resembling R&H in "style", lacks the few lovely gems found on that album.
the other 2 don't even chart for me.
atyclb while having a strong, apparent concept, is transparent and can't hold my interest.
htdaab while resembling R&H in "style", lacks the few lovely gems found on that album.
alanah
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
I've never loved HTDAAB, just like it and that's all I can say.. but I do love ATYCLB and NLOTH. 
Saracene
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
ATYCLB - the album that got me into U2, and still my favourite thing they've done along with UF. The last four songs aren't as good as the run from Beautiful Day to Wild Honey, but that doesn't ruin the album for me and I think it still sounds fresh, both melancholy and optimistic.
NLOTH - the three middle songs *really* don't fit in with the rest, which is a shame because otherwise it's a strong effort.
HTDAAB - it actually doesn't have a single song I dislike, but as a whole it just doesn't gel together. And it's probably U2's plainest album ever, lacking that feeling of mystery, magic, atmosphere whatever that I think is there on every other album, even the weakest ones.
NLOTH - the three middle songs *really* don't fit in with the rest, which is a shame because otherwise it's a strong effort.
HTDAAB - it actually doesn't have a single song I dislike, but as a whole it just doesn't gel together. And it's probably U2's plainest album ever, lacking that feeling of mystery, magic, atmosphere whatever that I think is there on every other album, even the weakest ones.
LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
I really have a hard time understanding how anyone could view Miracle Drug as a better song than Moment of Surrender, though.
It's not. The verses are awful. Thankfully, the song is arranged well, has an epic bridge, and builds well enough that you can forget about them somewhat. I still think MD is slightly underrated.
MOS is in a different league though. Vastly superior to nearly everything on Bomb.
Tyagu_Anaykus
New Yorker
powerhour24
ONE love, blood, life
The results of this poll were inevitable.
For me:
NLOTH
HTDAAB
ATYCLB
all 3 have excellent songs, but each suffers a bit from U2's second guessing of this era. The Bomb as a raw U2 guitar rock/Bono confessional would have been excellent, ATYCLB as the old and the new also would have been excellent had they kept some of the outtakes instead of some of the disappointing second-half tracks, and NLOTH shied away from some of its ambitions but is a step in a boldly artistic direction, with highly engaging songwriting and killer production.
For me:
NLOTH
HTDAAB
ATYCLB
all 3 have excellent songs, but each suffers a bit from U2's second guessing of this era. The Bomb as a raw U2 guitar rock/Bono confessional would have been excellent, ATYCLB as the old and the new also would have been excellent had they kept some of the outtakes instead of some of the disappointing second-half tracks, and NLOTH shied away from some of its ambitions but is a step in a boldly artistic direction, with highly engaging songwriting and killer production.
Vlad n U 2
Blue Crack Addict
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2008
- Messages
- 28,386
NLOTH is a dead easy choice, as it contains much of U2's best and most challenging work since Pop, listen to Unknown Caller, Fez - Being Born, Cedars of Lebanon to get what I mean. It also doesn't contain songs that I would usually skip, which would be prominent in the previous two.
ATYCLB, as much as I do actually enjoy listening to it, it's far from perfect and has a handful of songs that do absolutely nothing for me and which I would usually skip (IALW, WH, Grace). On the other hand it has gems like BD, Walk On, Kite, New York, When I Look at the World. A mixed bag for me.
HTDAAB, in my opinion U2's weakest album of the decade (maybe even career). Whilst thinking this I have come to enjoy quite a few of the songs situated on the album, although this is among skippable tracks like Vertigo, AMAAW etc. I dislike the production and Bono's lyrics, unfortunately, at the time, weren't really at his best standards.
ATYCLB, as much as I do actually enjoy listening to it, it's far from perfect and has a handful of songs that do absolutely nothing for me and which I would usually skip (IALW, WH, Grace). On the other hand it has gems like BD, Walk On, Kite, New York, When I Look at the World. A mixed bag for me.
HTDAAB, in my opinion U2's weakest album of the decade (maybe even career). Whilst thinking this I have come to enjoy quite a few of the songs situated on the album, although this is among skippable tracks like Vertigo, AMAAW etc. I dislike the production and Bono's lyrics, unfortunately, at the time, weren't really at his best standards.
Maoilbheannacht
Refugee
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2005
- Messages
- 2,400
"How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb" is both the best U2 album this decade and the best album of the decade by ANY artist period!!!!
Its also U2's 3rd best album ever after Achtung Baby and The Joshua Tree.
Its also U2's 3rd best album ever after Achtung Baby and The Joshua Tree.
monsieur fly
War Child
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2008
- Messages
- 793
NLOTH by a landslide margin. ATYCLB has some fine moments (Beautiful Day, NY, Kite) but songs such as Peace On Earth and Grace were very insipid. HTDAAB is the worst album they've made. I would have accepted the genuine hard rock album Bono was promising but what we got was the worst of compromises- an overpolished cop-out that neither challenged nor rocked us (their best work does both- take UTEOTW and Breathe as examples). Vertigo remains a classic and A Man And A Woman shimmers with the beautiful ambiguity of their 90s work but the rest is hugely disappointing. Song after song culminates with Bono screeching fatuous slogans over recycled guitarwork. Contrasted to Magnificent and Beautiful Day, anthems like COBL MD and Yahweh sound forced and calculated- the ballads do little and OOTS is not half as inspired as the band thinks it is.
Fortunately NLOTH is much better- there is lots more to reward the patient listener, Bono's vocals are great and one gets the sense they were keen to innovate. It isn't a perfect record and they could have gone further but it's very rewarding all the same.
Fortunately NLOTH is much better- there is lots more to reward the patient listener, Bono's vocals are great and one gets the sense they were keen to innovate. It isn't a perfect record and they could have gone further but it's very rewarding all the same.
MEAT10AF
The Fly
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2007
- Messages
- 57
1. NLOTH
2. HTDAAB
3. ATYCLB
ATYCLB is easily my least favorite. It's got some great tunes (BD, Walk On, Kite), but most of the other songs frankly sound like b-sides to me. Even some of the catchier songs are, essentially, about nothing as far as I can tell ("Elevation", "Wild Honey", "IALW") And then there's "Stuck in a Moment". Oh my.... the horror.
HTDAAB was actually the album that got me into U2. I'll never forget discovering COBL. It's still my favorite song by them. Nevertheless, many of HTDAAB's songs feel too cookie-cutterish to me (namely LAPOE, ABOY, and "Sometimes..."). It's a decent album, but it has too many parts that simply lack the "magic" so to speak.
NLOTH is the most complex and thought provoking record since POP. Even songs like "Crazy" have a meaning, and that's doing much better than, say, "Vertigo" and especially "Elevation". I absolutely adore "Unknown Caller" as well. It's easily one of my favorites by them. The experimentation on NLOTH is the most we've gotten since POP. Songs like "Fez" and even "No Line" are pushing the limits when compared to songs off of U2's other albums from this decade. "NLOTH" is just a good, complex experience from start to finish, and every song has the "magic" that parts of HTDAAB fell short of.
2. HTDAAB
3. ATYCLB
ATYCLB is easily my least favorite. It's got some great tunes (BD, Walk On, Kite), but most of the other songs frankly sound like b-sides to me. Even some of the catchier songs are, essentially, about nothing as far as I can tell ("Elevation", "Wild Honey", "IALW") And then there's "Stuck in a Moment". Oh my.... the horror.
HTDAAB was actually the album that got me into U2. I'll never forget discovering COBL. It's still my favorite song by them. Nevertheless, many of HTDAAB's songs feel too cookie-cutterish to me (namely LAPOE, ABOY, and "Sometimes..."). It's a decent album, but it has too many parts that simply lack the "magic" so to speak.
NLOTH is the most complex and thought provoking record since POP. Even songs like "Crazy" have a meaning, and that's doing much better than, say, "Vertigo" and especially "Elevation". I absolutely adore "Unknown Caller" as well. It's easily one of my favorites by them. The experimentation on NLOTH is the most we've gotten since POP. Songs like "Fez" and even "No Line" are pushing the limits when compared to songs off of U2's other albums from this decade. "NLOTH" is just a good, complex experience from start to finish, and every song has the "magic" that parts of HTDAAB fell short of.
Maoilbheannacht
Refugee
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2005
- Messages
- 2,400
Wow, so I take you decided to not see the Vertigo Tour?
Very easy.
NLOTH
ATYCLB
HTDAAB
NLOTH is easily my favourite. I rank it in my top 3 U2 albums. I like every song on it and it has some brilliant songs. Fez-BB and UC are both epic. I also think it flows pretty well. The only song that's placed a bit odd is SUC.
I also like the other two albums. I don't think HTDAAB is a disaster as some people. But it just has some weak songs, like Yahwey and AMAAW. I really love MD though.
ATYCLB is fun album to listen to. But Grace puts me asleep and POE is pretty boring too. It does have some beautiful songs like Walk On, Beautiful Day and New York.
NLOTH
ATYCLB
HTDAAB
NLOTH is easily my favourite. I rank it in my top 3 U2 albums. I like every song on it and it has some brilliant songs. Fez-BB and UC are both epic. I also think it flows pretty well. The only song that's placed a bit odd is SUC.
I also like the other two albums. I don't think HTDAAB is a disaster as some people. But it just has some weak songs, like Yahwey and AMAAW. I really love MD though.
ATYCLB is fun album to listen to. But Grace puts me asleep and POE is pretty boring too. It does have some beautiful songs like Walk On, Beautiful Day and New York.
1. All That You Can't Leave Behind. I think this contains 4 of U2's top 15 songs in Walk On, Beautiful Day, When I Look at the World and Kite. Ground Beneath Her Feet, Stuck in a Moment and In a Little While are contenders for the bottom of my top 50. Elevation and New York are interesting to listen to and jolt some needed energy to the album. Peace on Earth and Grace are solid filler, nothing special, but very listenable on the album. The emotion in this album connects more with me than the other two. Bomb has some incredible songs in COBL, One Step Closer, SYCMIOYO, and to a lesser extent Vertigo but filler like Love and Peace, ABOY, A Man and a Woman keep it from being near ATYCLB.
I loved NLOTH because it showed me U2 is not the Stones. They are still trying, they are maxing out, pushing and stretching themselves, and not just throwing stuff out as an excuse to tour and sell records. They made a lot of good songs but only 1 top 15 song (Moment of Surrender). While No Line on the Horizon, I'll Go Crazy, Breathe, Fez, and Cedars of Lebanon are top 50 tracks in my mind there isn't enough elite stuff to knock off ATYCLB.
ATYCLB seems somewhat less forced. They aren't so worried about pushing themselves and pushing their sound's boundaries and are just worried about making songs that express feelings well.
1. ATYCLB
2. NLOTH
3. Bomb
I loved NLOTH because it showed me U2 is not the Stones. They are still trying, they are maxing out, pushing and stretching themselves, and not just throwing stuff out as an excuse to tour and sell records. They made a lot of good songs but only 1 top 15 song (Moment of Surrender). While No Line on the Horizon, I'll Go Crazy, Breathe, Fez, and Cedars of Lebanon are top 50 tracks in my mind there isn't enough elite stuff to knock off ATYCLB.
ATYCLB seems somewhat less forced. They aren't so worried about pushing themselves and pushing their sound's boundaries and are just worried about making songs that express feelings well.
1. ATYCLB
2. NLOTH
3. Bomb
These album names are too freakin' long.
I love All That You Can't Leave Behind. Some of their music this decade has felt overtly designed, but songs like Elevation and Stuck exceed their counterparts released later mainly on the strength of their craft. Simply, U2 writes some great pop music.
While a little sketchy on the back end, there's an awfully good run in ATYLCB. Easily my favorite of the decade.
I love All That You Can't Leave Behind. Some of their music this decade has felt overtly designed, but songs like Elevation and Stuck exceed their counterparts released later mainly on the strength of their craft. Simply, U2 writes some great pop music.
While a little sketchy on the back end, there's an awfully good run in ATYLCB. Easily my favorite of the decade.
bono_212
Blue Crack Distributor
ATYCLB, easily.
cobl04
45:33
good to see some atty club love here.
i have a very hard time rating U2's albums, but i think All That You Can't Leave Behind probably just edges out No Line on the Horizon for mine. but only very slightly. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is comfortably third.
How to Dismantle used to have a place in my heart, as it was my first U2 album, and home to my favourite song (and first avatar and username obviously) for a very long time. but i haven't listened to it in a very long time.
All That You Can't is a happy record and i love Stuck so i think it wins.
i have a very hard time rating U2's albums, but i think All That You Can't Leave Behind probably just edges out No Line on the Horizon for mine. but only very slightly. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is comfortably third.
How to Dismantle used to have a place in my heart, as it was my first U2 album, and home to my favourite song (and first avatar and username obviously) for a very long time. but i haven't listened to it in a very long time.
All That You Can't is a happy record and i love Stuck so i think it wins.
Some interesting comments here. I do think something has been lost on all U2 albums starting with Pop (well, there are only 4). What's been lost is haste and urgency. All the last 4 LPs were made over LOOOONG periods of time, in most cases with multiple producers, and in several cases songs were worked and reworked and maybe over-worked. ("Stand Up Comedy", for example, they apparently worked on for two years or something, and the end-result hardly justifies the labor.)
I don't fault them for it, though -- it's just the inevitable result of (a) having limitless money to spend while recording, and (b) releasing one album every four or five years. When you do the latter, you cannot afford to have a stinker. The result is that they fine-tune everything and depend too much on craft, trying to cover all bases out of fear that an album going too far in any one direction will cost them their massive profile. Hence, we get (overly) calculated albums now...
But overall, I'm still pleased with their recent output. For some 50-year-old dudes, they're quite impressive.
I don't fault them for it, though -- it's just the inevitable result of (a) having limitless money to spend while recording, and (b) releasing one album every four or five years. When you do the latter, you cannot afford to have a stinker. The result is that they fine-tune everything and depend too much on craft, trying to cover all bases out of fear that an album going too far in any one direction will cost them their massive profile. Hence, we get (overly) calculated albums now...
But overall, I'm still pleased with their recent output. For some 50-year-old dudes, they're quite impressive.
cobl04
45:33
how can you think Vertigo is better than anything else that's been released this decade?
i know there's subjective opinions and all, but wow...
i know there's subjective opinions and all, but wow...
boystupidboy
Refugee
1 - Bomb
2 - NLOTH
3 - ATYCLB
Bomb has some cracking tunes so gets the nod from me
Bollox to all the haters .......
2 - NLOTH
3 - ATYCLB
Bomb has some cracking tunes so gets the nod from me
Bollox to all the haters .......
dan_smee
ONE love, blood, life
Yay! Another thread for people to bash 00's U2!
Just what interference needs...
Every time I read the same nonsense from the same people, I find myself judging songs I love more harshly than I want, and that makes me sad. I think I will sign off every post from now on with...
FUCK THE HATERS!!!
Just what interference needs...
Every time I read the same nonsense from the same people, I find myself judging songs I love more harshly than I want, and that makes me sad. I think I will sign off every post from now on with...
FUCK THE HATERS!!!
The Sad Punk
Blue Crack Addict
NLOTH, and it's still not even that good.
Oops, I didn't read the rest of the thread, am I sort of being a jerk?
Oops, I didn't read the rest of the thread, am I sort of being a jerk?
dan_smee
ONE love, blood, life
smartarse
FUCK THE HATERS!!!
FUCK THE HATERS!!!
The Sad Punk
Blue Crack Addict
Galeongirl
Galeonbroad
gvox
Ghost of Love
I like all 3 albums pretty much equally, there are some brilliant tunes and some not so great tunes (actually, my feelings for those ones lean more towards "REALLY SUCK") on each album. Here are my picks for standouts:
ATYCLB:
Beautiful Day
Walk On
Kite
In A Little While
When I Look At the World
Peace on Earth
Grace
Stuck
HTDAAB:
Miracle Drug
Sometimes You Can't Make It
A Man And A Woman
Crumbs From Your Table
Original of the Species
City of Blinding Lights
Yahweh
NLOTH:
Unknown Caller
Breathe
Magnificent
Moment Of Surrender
Crazy Tonight
No Line On The Horizon
If I were to rate just by the total number of songs I like from each album, the order would be:
1. ATYCLB
2. HTDAAB
3. NLOTH
If I modify this to take into account how much I like each of the songs that I've listed, then the ordering becomes:
1. NLOTH
2. ATYCLB
3. HTDAAB
ATYCLB:
Beautiful Day
Walk On
Kite
In A Little While
When I Look At the World
Peace on Earth
Grace
Stuck
HTDAAB:
Miracle Drug
Sometimes You Can't Make It
A Man And A Woman
Crumbs From Your Table
Original of the Species
City of Blinding Lights
Yahweh
NLOTH:
Unknown Caller
Breathe
Magnificent
Moment Of Surrender
Crazy Tonight
No Line On The Horizon
If I were to rate just by the total number of songs I like from each album, the order would be:
1. ATYCLB
2. HTDAAB
3. NLOTH
If I modify this to take into account how much I like each of the songs that I've listed, then the ordering becomes:
1. NLOTH
2. ATYCLB
3. HTDAAB
monsieur fly
War Child
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2008
- Messages
- 793
You are correct yes. Miss Sarajevo and Zoo Station aside, I have no regrets about that. This year, I went to the Don Valley stadium and thoroughly enjoyed it!
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