I always looked at it as heartfelt, I don't think there's anything generic about it, it does not sound like the rest of the crowd for 2004, U2 have never sounded like their contemporaries. I love individual songs, unfortunately it doesn't have the cohesion their best albums have, and the many starts and stops in production left their toll and some of the best material off the album, but overall OOTS, Sometimes, COBL, MD, are all extremely memorable songs, Vertigo's a great single, Crumbs and Closer are poignant, LAPOE rocked live... and ABOY was way better in its original form
(that's about the best I can say for it).
I will say that 'A Man and a Woman' has grown on me tremendously since 2004, mostly in the past year.
This post expresses my sentiments almost exactly! Except I'll say I can't find much wrong with ABOY, yes, the lyrics are a bit cheesy in spots, but who's gonna actually argue that there isn't much worse out there? I counted 15 cheesier songs just this morning on the "hit music" station here in Boston.
I get sick to death of people with a bias against this album hitting it over the head with "generic " or "watered down" or "pandering to the masses" or whatever. You don't like it, fine, but don't throw dishonest labels at it. End of rant, sorry.
Vertigo=great single, great energy, kick the shit out of everyone live track
I wouldn't have cried if Vertigo had popped up 2 times at a show I went to.(unless it kicked out Bad
)
ABOY=Great song to blast every now and then, pumps you up. The lyrics get a bit old a bit fast though.
Crumbs=Ok, nothing special, but not a bad song. U2's done better before, but they've done a hell of a lot worse.
AMAAW=Underrated. I think, as many have said already in this thread, its kind of the sleeper track that a lot of us look back on and say "jeez, this is not only NOT U2 by numbers, it actually is pretty damn unique in their catalogue." I like it. I had a love affair with it in early 2008 and haven't listened much since, though.
One Step Closer=Underrated as well. I thought "ok, what the hell, doesn't do much for me, U2's done this kind of thing better" at first. Its really grown on me, and I think it is beautiful, atmospheric and provides a nice contrast to some of the poor production that plagues the rest of the album.
LAPOE=No surprises here. Nice concept, a lot of potential clear from the album, but something, no alot, is missing from that version. Live, of course, it took on a whole new life and kicked all kinds of ass!
COBL, OOTS, Sometimes=For me, these are U2 at their best. Pure classic U2. I am not going to sit here and say "top 5 or 10 or 50" I find ranking songs from U2 damn near impossible as I dislike maybe 5 of them in the entire catalogue. However, these are damn good, top tier U2. Pure, unadulterated passion!
We get carried away here, myself included, with insanely particular hair splitting critiques. There is no way any of these 3 songs represent any kind of U2 blatant commercial baiting or U2 playing it safe and splitting the difference or anything else. The Grammys are of course not always the best indicator, but they don't hand "song of the year" out of a crackerjack box!
Yahweh=Good, solid closer. The album version reminds me a bit of 40. "How long to sing this song" and "tell me now, why the dark before the dawn?" Actually, I think I like Bomb so much because there is a lot on there that reminds me of early 80s U2(which I rank higher, BTW) even in spite of the obvious much, much worse production. I really buy into Adam's assessment of Bomb as a kick back to U2's early sound in some ways.
2 BIG PROBLEMS:
1.)Lack of cohesion. We all know this. U2 have discussed it themselves. Like them, I know it is not a cohesive album, has something missing, does not flow right, etc but don't ask me how to fix it!
2.)Production: I am NO EXPERT on this stuff, but to me, the problem seems like less of a loudness issue and more of a mixing issue. I mean, War was loud and bombastic but the musical atmosphere- the background rhythm section was very clear, in fact, they stood out without drowning out. Bomb is clearly the worst mixed U2 album. Bono and Edge are turned up screaming in your face loud, and Adam and Larry, well, pop in that album and for most of it, you would think one was at a fashion show with Green Tea and the other was on his Harley while it was being recorded! I think the only time I even noticed drums on this album was COBL and Vertigo, and the only time Adam stood out was just before the Edge's ending for LAPOE.
I remember getting NLOTH when it leaked, listening to NLOTH and Magnificent and saying "jeez, Adam and Larry, nice to have you guys back!"
I still like NLOTH better, but we put in Bomb last year around this time when we were out driving around my Uncle's house. I hadn't heard it front to back in a while and damn, I just forgot how good that album is!
I will say this for Bomb, despite its obvious flaws and the fact that it is unlikely to wind up on the general public or my personal list of U2 masterpieces:
Go up to anyone on the street and ask about NLOTH, and if, big if, they even know about it, they'll most likely say "yeah, I like it, but the last album was REALLY REALLY GOOD, won song of the year with Sometimes, etc." It definitely has the general public edge on NLOTH!
I can see why people don't like it, but I do.
It's very pretty anyways.
Hopefully they'll do a remaster of this album. And if bands are in fact recording at higher volumes to "beat" the other bands, then that's just plain ridiculous. Look I like my music LOUD. But there's a certain point where it's too much. I think the album is alright in terms of sound but I think a remaster would help. Go back and fine tune a few things. 
Love Vertigo, Love and Peace, All Because of You, A Man and A Woman, Crumbs from Your Table, and Original of the Species...
