Roughly 3 months later, where does NLOTH fall in your album rankings

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Surprised to see this album so high up on people's lists!

For me, 'Passengers' was the last great U2 (or project that involved U2), everything since has been sub-par.

Of course, like every post-passenger album, NLOTH has its moments, but over all, it lacks that special U2 quality.

I hate the false experimentation on it, if you're going to experiment, really go for it. Don't just dress up a bunch of retreads in some squiggles and squawks and call it a Picasso.

For me, U2 albums are as follows:

1.) Zooropa: Yes, that's right. I think Zooropa is the bands true zenith, a masterwork in post-modern rock music. No pretensions, just a world weary romanticism and the most gorgeous melodies the band has ever put on tape. I love the playful U2, despite popular belief, Bono hasn't always had his head up his own ass.

2.) Achtung Baby: Almost as good Zooropa. A lovely re-working of the bands sound and the last great rock n roll album. Yes, that's right. It not only had the dark sexuality of rock's best, it had the characterization of Bowie and that mythical tour that will forever define the ensuing paranoia of the 90's.

3.) Original Soundtracks 1: Of course, I highlight this as it isn't really a U2 album. But I do feel there is an undeniable U2 fingerprint on every song. This album is like the perfect after thought to the ZOOTV tour. If AB and Zooropa were a night out in Tokyo neon, this album is the sound of the lights turning off and the world going home.

4.) Joshua Tree: A great album, not a classic, but a great album none the less. The first three songs are probably the greatest opening to an album ever. But for me, the album hasn't aged as well as their 90's material. Compared to Zooropa, it feels a little...dry?

5.) Pop: For me, the faults in this album are enormous, but so to are the triumphs. It was the last U2 album to throw caution to the wind. It has a bit of personality in it. Yes, it's contrived. Yes, it is too ironic for its own good. But damn, it's a nice slice of apocalyptic pop music from the bottom of a trash can in Miami ain't it?

All other albums are very rarely listened to.
 
Surprised to see this album so high up on people's lists!

For me, 'Passengers' was the last great U2 (or project that involved U2), everything since has been sub-par.

Of course, like every post-passenger album, NLOTH has its moments, but over all, it lacks that special U2 quality.

I hate the false experimentation on it, if you're going to experiment, really go for it. Don't just dress up a bunch of retreads in some squiggles and squawks and call it a Picasso.

For me, U2 albums are as follows:

1.) Zooropa: Yes, that's right. I think Zooropa is the bands true zenith, a masterwork in post-modern rock music. No pretensions, just a world weary romanticism and the most gorgeous melodies the band has ever put on tape. I love the playful U2, despite popular belief, Bono hasn't always had his head up his own ass.

2.) Achtung Baby: Almost as good Zooropa. A lovely re-working of the bands sound and the last great rock n roll album. Yes, that's right. It not only had the dark sexuality of rock's best, it had the characterization of Bowie and that mythical tour that will forever define the ensuing paranoia of the 90's.

3.) Original Soundtracks 1: Of course, I highlight this as it isn't really a U2 album. But I do feel there is an undeniable U2 fingerprint on every song. This album is like the perfect after thought to the ZOOTV tour. If AB and Zooropa were a night out in Tokyo neon, this album is the sound of the lights turning off and the world going home.

4.) Joshua Tree: A great album, not a classic, but a great album none the less. The first three songs are probably the greatest opening to an album ever. But for me, the album hasn't aged as well as their 90's material. Compared to Zooropa, it feels a little...dry?

5.) Pop: For me, the faults in this album are enormous, but so to are the triumphs. It was the last U2 album to throw caution to the wind. It has a bit of personality in it. Yes, it's contrived. Yes, it is too ironic for its own good. But damn, it's a nice slice of apocalyptic pop music from the bottom of a trash can in Miami ain't it?

All other albums are very rarely listened to.

:up::up: There is much I agree with here and you make your case very eloquently. JT certainly sounds dry these days, I think it is good but overrated. I, too, think the band's 90s work is superior to their efforts in other periods and love Passengers. I would disagree on two areas. Firstly, I rate TUF very highly, because in some ways, its experimental sound prefigured their 90s work. I think most 90s fans would consider TUF their favourite 80s album. Secondly, I am inclined to rate Pop a little more highly than you. I would place it second behind AB with the still-excellent Zooropa in third. On the whole, however, there is much we agree on :D
 
5.) Pop: For me, the faults in this album are enormous, but so to are the triumphs. It was the last U2 album to throw caution to the wind. It has a bit of personality in it. Yes, it's contrived. Yes, it is too ironic for its own good. But damn, it's a nice slice of apocalyptic pop music from the bottom of a trash can in Miami ain't it?

All other albums are very rarely listened to.

Nicely put! I'm a Pop fan myself in the end, so that was a cool spin on it.

Can't say I'm big on the Passengers album though...
 
They are too old (and set in their ways) to do another re-invention Achtung/Zooropa phase, and they've already playd their "back to basics/retro" card. So what can they do now?

They should make the album they want to make rather than 2nd guessing what is required to be cool with the kids. They've moved beyond that.

However many albums they sell doesn't matter. They can still do a huge tour if they have the appetite for that. But please go into the studio and be selfish. At least your hard core fans will respect you for it. The wider public may not but they'll still come to see you play live.

The adjustment required is that they have always intrinsically linked together new album + new tour. That doesn't need to be the case, but I'm not sure they can make the adjustment.

The easiest way to keep their old approach alive is to give up on touring in stadiums. Do an REM and go underground. Do something for your fans.
 
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