How do you rank NLOTH now?

[digitize]

After a fair bit of discussion over this in the previous thread, from 2009, I thought it may be wise to create a poll for how everyone would rate No Line On The Horizon now, after more than two years of it being on the market and the tour it "supported" being over. I think this'll prove very interesting.

For the record, I give it a 9, just as I did in 2009.

 

[corianderstem]

I like it very, very much. I do think those middle 3 songs are out of place (although the only one I outright dislike is Stand Up Comedy), but I still think it's a very good album.

I suck at ranking the albums, though (once I get past #1 and #2, forget it. Can't do it), so I won't rank it.

 

[waynetravis]

8.

Listening to the title track really loud the other day and was literally blown away

 

[Galeongirl]

Have to admit, I did lower my ranking. While I still fucking love this record to bits, and have come to love it even more overtime, I have to admit I prefer AB over it. So it's not their best, but comes damn close. Solid 9.

 

[nielsgov]

I lowered it from a 9 to an 8. I still love it but it has some flaws.

 

[TheEdge25]

Kept it at a 9.

It's either my 3rd or 4th favorite U2 album, behind Achtung Baby and Joshua Tree.

 

[mikal]

7.

if the middle 3 had been completely taken out or replaced by Winter and EBW, then we're looking at a 9.

 

[Salome]

10/10

 

[Rachel D.]

I think I gave it a 9 before, but I'm giving it an 8 now. The middle three songs still make it feel like they chickened out and had to stick some pop hits in there to be safe instead of making a solidly coherent album without regard to the charts. I still think it is some of the best U2 music ever made and I still listen to it.

 

[Niceman]

I lowered it from a 9 to an 8. I still shake my head at all the hate the middle act of the album gets - there are no bad songs on this album. At this point my biggest problem with the album is the opening chords to Unknown Caller. Beautiful song, but they didn't have to use such a (by now) cliched guitar sound.

 

[morgan1098]

I gave it an 8 just like in the other thread. It's their third best album behind Achtung Baby and Joshua Tree.

 

[Salome]

to me hatred of the middle 3 is like hating summer because it's more sunny than the other seasons

 

[prbiker15]

I gave it a 7 in 2009, still a 7 for me. Great, great album, love all the tracks. My fourth favorite U2 album, but just not as spectacular as my Top 3.

 

[super fly guy]

I gave it a 9 in 2009,and im giving it 9 now. Fantastic album.

 

[LemonMelon]

Great record: it exhibits a consistent level of high quality, something you should expect from experienced songwriters like U2, but it takes that one step further with the creative high points it achieves, something perhaps less commonly seen in bands their age. The opening trio is among the band's best work in over a decade, and the album's second half is filled with memorable, unique tracks (Fez, Cedars) and quality songcraft (White As Snow, Breathe) that adds up to a satisfying listen.

While the middle trio is a blight on the record that takes my score down at least a point, I'm happy with an 8 for now.

to me hatred of the middle 3 is like hating summer because it's more sunny than the other seasons

I don't understand this analogy, but I probably disagree with it.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Probably a 4 or a 5.

 

[Niceman]

to me hatred of the middle 3 is like hating summer because it's more sunny than the other seasons

Exactly. It has a different job than the other parts. A mono-chrome album is boring.

 

[Nick66]

I can't really rate it 1-10, just in comparison to other U2 albums. When it first came out, I put it at #4 behind UF, JT and AB and just ahead of ATYCLB. Now I think I might put it at #5...but still a pretty amazing album. While ATYCLB has more songs I like on it, the best songs on NLOTH are so good, it's easy to rank it higher

NLOTH for me is a tale of two albums...a few outstanding songs, a few mediocre, and a few lousy. I don't think there's any other U2 album that reaches such extremes.

 

[lemonfly]

It's an album of peaks and troughs. When it's good, it's astounding (NLOTH, MOS, Cedars) when it's bad, it's ghastly (the middle three). Then there are a bunch of songs that I feel completely indifferent about (Fantabulous, UC, White As Snow) which scares me - U2 songs have never made me feel that indifferent before. I also have to say the guitar solo on Fantabulous must be amongst the most 'phoned in' guitar solos Edge has ever played (the same series of bland notes played twice. Wtf?) I'd give it 5.5/10.

 

[LemonMelon]

The average of the last poll? 7.9.

The average now? 7.7.

HELLA CRISIS

 

[brooklynmike]

I went with an 8 on this. Judging not against the other albums but pure enjoyment of it that has continued through today.

I agree with a lot of the sentiment above. Middle 3 were unlistenable dogshit when NLOTH came out. However, they have grown on me over the 2 years.

 

[ramblin rose]

I voted earlier without checking the previous poll and now realize I actually upped by rating from an 8 to 9. MOS is in my top 5 U2 songs.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

"Went with Masterpiece (9). I really don't expect it to reach Best (JT for me), but who knows. I will, however, sign the contract stating that I can't change my opinion to anything lower than Extraordinary (8). I sell my soul on that. "signed!"

- I said this way back on Feb 19, 2009 on page 3 of that thread.

I give it an 8 now and I'm glad my "2009" self knew what was best for me 2 years later.

I think it's more like an 8.5. Still one of my favorites.

 

[digitize]

The average of the last poll? 7.9.

The average now? 7.7.

HELLA CRISIS

We're down to 7.24137931 now.

 

[theedgeu2]

7 is it's best for me. Middle three, or actually just Boots alone, I LOVE Crazy Tonight and SUC so there!, but Boots just kills it. Fix it around a little and maybe I'd give it an 8.5 to a 9. Maybe it'll grow more on me with more listens? Idk I just don't see how it's a masterpiece when it's really lacking in the middle of the album.

 

[The Panther]

Hey, when voting, are we supposed to choose a number relative to U2's discography (in which case I'd give it a 1 or 2), or are we supposed to objectively score it a number against the standards of pop music in general (in which case I'd give it a 6)?

 

[trevgreg]

I put average, but I could have easily put it up one for the stronger tracks on here. I don't hate it, but I certainly don't consider it one of their best. If you take into account a lot of the other songs that exist which didn't make it, I think this one could've been a lot more consistent if the weaker ones were taken out.

And for the heck of it, here's my song rankings, just for the sake of comparing.

01. Magnificent - Should've been the first single, no question about it. A great build-up, riff, and lyrical delivery puts it up with their best work.
02. No Line on the Horizon - The experimentation works on this one big time, and the lyrics do wonders for it along with the music. Takes me to another place every time it comes on.
03. Breathe - A pretty good rocker with a great chorus and outro. Always enjoyed listening to it.
04. Moment of Surrender - I don't quite consider this the 'best thing since sliced bread' that a lot of other fans seem to think it is. But I will admit that this is probably the most ambitious track they released in over 10 years, and I really respected that from the first listen. I've actually come to enjoy it a lot more in the past year or two. And yes, I like the live version and Bono's rap with it.
05. Unknown Caller - Musically, I like it, and I've come to like it more in the past year or so. I think some of it's a bit weak lyrically though, which takes away something for me. But there's some stand out moments on this one... the "oh, oh, oh oh"s on the chorus, the intro build-up, Edge's solo, etc.
06. Get On Your Boots - Not worthy of being the first single, and the riff itself is just "okay". But I enjoyed it live and it would've made a decent album track, if anything.
07. Fez-Being Born - I listened to it for the first time in awhile, and it does have some interesting things going for it mustically. A bit lacking otherwise or lyrically (obviously on the later), and I sense a sort of Passengers-vibe from it. But it did make a slightly bigger impression on me on the recent listen.
08. Crazy Tonight - I never really warmed to the album version of this (loved it live though, which saved it for me). My initial thoughts on it were "poor man's 'Walk On'", mostly from a musical standpoint.
09. Stand Up Comedy - I like the riff and everything, but I could never get into the rest of the song. Weakest lyrics on the album, imo.
10. White as Snow - Replace this with Every Breaking Wave, and I'd vote the album up a notch.
11. Cedars of Lebanon - Replace this with any version of Winter, and I rank the album up another notch.

Carry on.

 

[Airseven]

It's a solid 5/10. Mildly intriguing on early listens, but ultimately contrived and boring. It's like an empty box perfectly wrapped in glittering paper.

No Line On The Horizon - 8/10
Magnificent - 4/10
Moment Of Surrender - 7/10
Unknown Caller - 6/10
I'll Go Crazy Tonight - 5/10
Get On Your Boots - 4/10
Stand Up Comedy - 3/10
Being Born - 7/10
White As Snow - 3/10
Breathe - 5/10
Cedars Of Lebanon - 7/10

 

[cobl04]

I gave it a 6. Love the title track, MOS and Fez. Like White as Snow, Breathe and Cedars. The rest I can take or leave.

 

[RioRhodes]

Interesting to see the dislike of Stand Up Comedy here. I love that song.

Great album with no filler. A masterpiece to me. Love every song on the record. I tried doing favorites but I just love the whole album from start to finish.