The October Appreciation Thread

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"Stranger in a Strange Land is one of the worst U2 songs"?!?!?!?

Are you out of your fucking mind?

It's a gorgeous track and nowhere near their "worst". Geezus man! You obviously haven't listened to some of the shite they've put out the last two decades!!!

I love this post. Makes me dislike Stranger in a Strange Land even more.

With a Shout rules though. I'll always defend that song, from here to Jerusalem.
 
There is exactly one U2 album that I think is a bit of a stinker (that would be No Line on the Horizon). Pop is mediocre, for me, but still not bad.

The rest of them are all very worthy and noble, including October. Having said that, October is the least focused and (sounds like) the most rushed of the first 15 years of U2 albums. Bono in particular sounds a bit confused on it, but in an endearing way -- he's so earnest and passionate.

It's a good album, but it's just a bit rushed. The classic sophomore problem, when all the best early songs go on the first one, and then they're rushed on the second. But I still like it. An enjoyable listen.
 
I actually enjoy listening to October more than I do War...

Only so many time you can hear SBS and NYD i guess.
 
Great album. I feel like it gets pushed aside as a forgotten gem because everyone focuses more on the band overlooking Pop. Truthfully, I enjoy October a hell of a lot more though. :heart:

Also I would love to have I Threw A Brick Through A Window make a return and let Larry's drum outro bleed into Sunday Bloody Sunday. Maybe put a Seconds snippet in there somewhere too. Make it happen, U2!!!
 
I FINALLY got to hear Gloria the other night! Now I've heard TWO songs from this album!! (Scarlet)




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Great album. I feel like it gets pushed aside as a forgotten gem because everyone focuses more on the band overlooking Pop. Truthfully, I enjoy October a hell of a lot more though. :heart:

Also I would love to have I Threw A Brick Through A Window make a return and let Larry's drum outro bleed into Sunday Bloody Sunday. Maybe put a Seconds snippet in there somewhere too. Make it happen, U2!!!

A Day without Me/I Threw A Brick is my favourite one two combo from U2 ever, this would be great near the beginning of the show.
 
October is the only Christian rock album that I actually like.

Favorites:

Gloria
Brick
Tomorrow
Scarlet
Is That All

However, it doesn't hold up when compared to its predecessor. Which isn't surprising. They had years to write Boy.
 
U2's first two albums VS REM's first 2 albums.

That would be a good battle.

Blowout for REM. Murmur and Reckoning are two of the best albums of the 80s. Luckily, U2 only kept growing, whereas REM had a pretty early peak.
 
When comparing how significant the two albums for their respective careers are, Murmur and Reckoning win.
 
I think the order of quality goes something like;

Murmur > Boy > Reckoning = October?

Murmur is a classic, Boy is really good. Reckoning has one of the best Side 1's ever, but Side 2 is not so good, there's at least two songs that are filler. I think October has filler, too, but it's more interesting than Reckoning's filler - a song like the title track or Is That All? is at least something a little different within the band's discography at that point, whereas Second Guessing is literally R.E.M. by the numbers.
 
I know this is the October appreciation thread and all, but Reckoning comfortably beats October. Even if it JUST has one of the best side 1s ever, at least it's got something about it that's superlative. October's highlights are scattered all over the place and it never quite gets into a groove. It's one of the few pre-2000 U2 albums where it's tempting to skip around.

Murmur > Boy > Reckoning > October
 
Tomorrow is better than anything from Reckoning.
 
Right, but then With a Shout is two tracks later and it's nondescript. Honestly, the last track on October that I really love is the title track. The rest varies from pretty (Scarlet) to unmemorable (Stranger) to bad (Is That All). Talk about falling off in the second half.

The reviled October track I'll always defend is I Fall Down. The lyrics are garbage, but that piano melody is really something else.
 
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October is pretty great. I rank it in 6th place. I love almost every song on the album. "Stranger in a Strange Land" is the only one I routinely skip (and "October" if it isn't already over) but it's still okay.

I don't get the hate for "I Fall Down," "With a Shout" and "Is That All?". Two bad ass songs. This album is really a fast-paced rocker, which is, admittedly strange when you consider most of the lyrics focus on Jesusy stuff. But I'm not one who really cares all that much about lyrics, so this album is a hell of a listen.

Classic:
1. Gloria

Great:
2. Tomorrow
3. With a Shout
4. I Fall Down
5. I Threw a Brick Through a Window

Good:
6. Is That All?
7. Rejoice
8. Scarlet
9. Fire

Okay:
10. October

Eh:
11. Stranger in a Strange Land

Also "A Celebration" is amazing.
 
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