ATYCLB turned 7 the other day

[MrPryck2U]

Wow, ATYCLB is already 7 years old. The album was released in the US on 10/31/2000. I just remember that one of my good friends was slowly, but surely able to download all of the songs before the album officially came out. So, I was pretty much able to fall in love with ATYCLB before it was even out in stores. Plus, I went to my favorite Mom and Pop music store and was able to get a copy of the CD on the Friday before it hit stores on that Tuesday. That was always a blast.

 

[The Disciple]

Wow.... 7 years....

 

[BANZAI]

A friend of mine also downloaded the album, before it was released. I know the first time I heared it I was very disappointed. Beautiful Day and Walk On were the only songs I really liked.

And now, 7 years later, I'm still a little bit disappointed in the album. Although it did grow on me... Kite, When I Look At The World and Stuck in A Moment are also great songs.

 

[roy]

Beautiful Day,
Stuck,
Walk On,
Kite,
In A Little While,
When I look At the World

all classics IMO.

 

[Salome]

great album
it doesn't seem like it's already been 7 years

 

[randhail]

I'm simply amazed that it's already been 7 years. While the album no longer reasonates with me like it originally did, it really was the catalyst for me falling in love with the band. I had been a casual fan for a few years, but my fandom really didn't go beneath the surface of the hits. After hearing ATYCLB, I went back and really gave Achtung Baby some solid listens and just fell in love with the band. So heres to you ATYCLB.

 

[Roland of Gilead]

This album is really shaping up to stand the test of time. A classic. I love it even more now than I did when it first came out.

 

[Nate Dogg]

I also appreciate it more now. I must say, I was underwhelmed the first time I heard Beautiful Day. After 9/11, ATYCLB took on a whole new meaning with most U2 fans. Beautiful Day is a monster song, by any band's standards. It was everywhere! It was hyped as a comeback for U2, but I don't think they ever left...they just abandoned the whole 90's image and sound. I remember U2.com(in it's infancy) posted short clips every few days, two at a time. Someone hacked the site and all of the clips were online before they were intended to be. Gotta love U2's clever, impatient fans!

 

[Axver]

This album is really shaping up to stand the test of time. A classic. I love it even more now than I did when it first came out.

I completely disagree. Initially, it seemed alright, an overall unremarkable example of pop-rock with a few nice tracks. Now, I think it is undoubtedly the single worst album U2 has ever made. I find it unlistenable.

Let's rewind the clock seven years and stop this thing from existing. Nobody deserves to have the nauseating pseudo-sincerity of Stuck In A Moment inflicted upon them.

 

[beegee]

ATYCLB came out about three weeks after I moved from California (where I'd spent most of my life) to Southern Nevada. I remember thinking how fitting the title was but that's about it. I didn't care much for the album back then and I still don't.

I don't remember going out and buying it, although I must have. In fact, I actually remember the day (back in 1987) when I went out and bought The Joshua Tree more clearly than I do this one. Go figure.

 

[phillyfan26]

Beautiful Day, Walk On, Kite, In a Little While.

Elevation live, Stuck acoustic.

So, 4 of 11 on the album. 6 overall good songs.

One of U2's worst.

 

[david]

how the world has changed since...

the album to me only represents how i felt at the time.

when i listen to it.. i can remember the time period and how i felt at the time.

it's weird. as if it's a timestamp on my my mind... my body and my soul at that time...

 

[ahittle]

Just listened again yesterday and was very pleased. I guess the record means different things to different people, but I love a lot of the sounds on ATYCLB. I like how it references JT on some of the vocal sounds but also includes loops and whatnot. It really is the record that they should have made at that time.

 

[zuropa_fit]

I feel like such a dork for remembering where I was and exactly what it felt like when I first heard this album. But I do and it was grand.

 

[coolian2]

I know exactly where i was and what i was doing when i first heard Beautiful Day.

Hello, Music!

 

[Trinity3000]

I'm simply amazed that it's already been 7 years. While the album no longer reasonates with me like it originally did, it really was the catalyst for me falling in love with the band. I had been a casual fan for a few years, but my fandom really didn't go beneath the surface of the hits. After hearing ATYCLB, I went back and really gave Achtung Baby some solid listens and just fell in love with the band. So heres to you ATYCLB.

Wow same for me...

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

I completely disagree. Initially, it seemed alright, an overall unremarkable example of pop-rock with a few nice tracks. Now, I think it is undoubtedly the single worst album U2 has ever made. I find it unlistenable.

Exactly, this album then seemed a nice idea, something like "U2 back to the roots" – but listening to the result even then, you heard, that this slogan was clever marketing only. Even with their best producer all what we got was a safe album, made for radio transmission(s) – including this flaw and pointless sound in the mix, I don't like at all with studio albums in general. Plus: This album was the 1st album not being a real U2 album in my ears, because it was much more a "collection of tunes & song ideas". This because, I didn't lose the feeling, Bono threw away his ability of in deep songwriting, but now turning to be the man, using simple, common language instead of poetry for his lyrics.
Why all this, I asked myself even then. The answer was and is simple: It was the way, to get away from the experiments, that characterized the 90ies albums: Achtung Baby, Zooropa, Pop (and in a way even the soundtrack album for Passenegers & Million Dollar Hotel). These albums, by the way, stand along fine, passing the test of time.
ATYCLB however has nothing for me to offer as an album; I don't listen to it and find it as a whole quite boring. From the "collection of tunes" however some came to real blossom, when played live, ironically especially in those rare outings for 2006: "Walk On", "Kite" or even "Stuck In A Moment", which hasn't been performed that fine in 2001. And, yes, "Beautiful Day" is one of the most overrated tunes in U2's history. It is a marketing juingle, folks, that's all. Listen to a real album, its pre-decessor Pop, listen to one of those real songs, "Please" for example – then you might understand, what I mean ...

 

[U2girl]

I completely disagree. Initially, it seemed alright, an overall unremarkable example of pop-rock with a few nice tracks. Now, I think it is undoubtedly the single worst album U2 has ever made. I find it unlistenable.

Let's rewind the clock seven years and stop this thing from existing. Nobody deserves to have the nauseating pseudo-sincerity of Stuck In A Moment inflicted upon them.

Don't you mean AB and One instead ?

 

[coolian2]

Listen to a real album, its pre-decessor Pop, listen to one of those real songs, "Please" for example – then you might understand, what I mean ...

In a sense, i agree with you.

It doesn't have the album flow of a Pop or Boy, but it is a great collection of tunes (IMO, of course). Ever since i put my own tracklisting together i love it so much more.

Admittedly my tracklisting includes Electrical Storm, which comes from after the ATYCLB release. I may also look at adding Window In The Skies, because i can't find a spot for it on HTDAAB.

However, after listening to Pop i still love the original ATYCLB.

 

[Axver]

Exactly, this album then seemed a nice idea, something like "U2 back to the roots" – but listening to the result even then, you heard, that this slogan was clever marketing only.

Yep. I think the "back to their roots" talk was really daft anyway, because U2's roots - i.e. the band's original sound and most prominent early influences - lie in post-punk! Now, do you hear post-punk on ATYCLB? I sure as hell don't. It sounds nothing like Joy Division or The Chameleons or early The Cure or even Boy and U2's non-album 1979-80 songs.

The better slogan would have been "U2 back to formulaic hits that won't cause a backlash from the general public". Now, I don't want to depict U2 as cold, calculating fiends who don't believe in their music and are just in it for the success, as you can tell simply by the tone of Bono's voice that he was burnt out and looking for a new direction by the end of Popmart's third leg, but I think they made a few really bad decisions. Especially the radio friendly over-production. Songs like Stuck In A Moment and Beautiful Day sound too slick.

From the "collection of tunes" however some came to real blossom, when played live, ironically especially in those rare outings for 2006: "Walk On", "Kite" or even "Stuck In A Moment", which hasn't been performed that fine in 2001. And, yes, "Beautiful Day" is one of the most overrated tunes in U2's history. It is a marketing jungle, folks, that's all.

Given U2's habit of considerably improving their songs live, I don't think it's much of a shock that some of the dodgy ATYCLB songs are actually enjoyable live. Elevation and Beautiful Day are pretty good fun at a concert - though I agree with you about Beautiful Day in general and I don't understand some of the massive praise it receives here.

PS Have you heard from Matthias lately?

 

[last unicorn]

For me, the album is already a classic. I love it so much. The overall atmosphere of he album is hopeful and uplifting. For me, it's a more coherent album than there last one and I'm unable to detach the album from the tour and all the things that happened in the world afterwards. I can see why it had such a strong impact. U2 really returned to the world stage with this album. I guess I, personally, underappreciated it for some time, but in the last months it just occurred to me again how great this album is.
In a little while is one of my favourite all time U2 songs. And Kite has become one of my favourites again after they played it live in Australia. Timeless music.

 

[Axver]

Don't you mean AB and One instead ?

Good call.

Achtung's only my second least favourite, though. After all, it has The Fly and Acrobat.

 

[ZOOTVTOURist]

PS Have you heard from Matthias lately?

Yes, my "Slow Dancing"-mate from Aotearoa, I have heard from him lately. We do phone each other quite often. He's fine. Just told him, we meet here frequently, just to give the "Beautilful Day"-cult a new perspective ...

 

[U2girl]

Yep. I think the "back to their roots" talk was really daft anyway, because U2's roots - i.e. the band's original sound and most prominent early influences - lie in post-punk! Now, do you hear post-punk on ATYCLB? I sure as hell don't. It sounds nothing like Joy Division or The Chameleons or early The Cure or even Boy and U2's non-album 1979-80 songs.

The better slogan would have been "U2 back to formulaic hits that won't cause a backlash from the general public". Now, I don't want to depict U2 as cold, calculating fiends who don't believe in their music and are just in it for the success, as you can tell simply by the tone of Bono's voice that he was burnt out and looking for a new direction by the end of Popmart's third leg, but I think they made a few really bad decisions. Especially the radio friendly over-production. Songs like Stuck In A Moment and Beautiful Day sound too slick.

I think the "back to the roots" line would be better used for Bomb. It is after all the sound of U2 picking up bits and pieces throughout their career. I think the collection of songs idea was better done on Bomb. In that sense, it's almost hard to compare these two to the other U2 records that were - more or less succesfully - aimed at being pure albums.

Anyway, I preferred them saying "it's a pop album" (and the slick production comes from that IMO), and it is. I don't believe the often mentioned image of U2 as cold-blooded calculated machine since 2000, but I do believe they ran out of inspiration on parts of ATYCLB and quite a bit of Bomb.

 

[Axver]

Yes, my "Slow Dancing"-mate from Aotearoa, I have heard from him lately. We do phone each other quite often. He's fine. Just told him, we meet here frequently, just to give the "Beautilful Day"-cult a new perspective ...

Oh, that's good. I haven't heard from him in a while and was getting a little worried - tell him to e-mail me! I'm wondering if he maybe got a new address and simply forgot to let me know, or if the Internet's just being weird ...

And next tour, we'll make sure they play Slow Dancing!

 

[Aardvark747]

I completely disagree. Initially, it seemed alright, an overall unremarkable example of pop-rock with a few nice tracks. Now, I think it is undoubtedly the single worst album U2 has ever made. I find it unlistenable.

Let's rewind the clock seven years and stop this thing from existing. Nobody deserves to have the nauseating pseudo-sincerity of Stuck In A Moment inflicted upon them.

 

[Axver]

I think the "back to the roots" line would be better used for Bomb. It is after all the sound of U2 picking up bits and pieces throughout their career. I think the collection of songs idea was better done on Bomb. In that sense, it's almost hard to compare these two to the other U2 records that were - more or less succesfully - aimed at being pure albums.

I'm still not sure "back to the roots" really fits HTDAAB either, but I certainly agree that it brings together threads from throughout the band's career more effectively than ATYCLB does - or even tries to do. I can at least get a hint of U2's early days from a handful of songs on HTDAAB, albeit one watered down by the processing machine that was retained from ATYCLB. Namely Vertigo and ABOY. Ironically, those are my two least favourite songs on the album besides SYCMIOYO, yet it's no secret I love U2's early days. I guess it's simply that I'd prefer the real deal rather than a slick pseudo-resurrection.

Don't worry, we still have Heartland.

 

[Canadiens1131]

It's U2-lite, but it's pretty damned good at that. At least some genuine sentiment shines through the shitty production/arrangements on the B-side of the record. There's no cardboard-cutout songs (a la Miracle Drug) on the record.

 

[The Sad Punk]

I think this also means I haven't listened to the full album in 4 years.

 

[Saracene]

ATYCLB, eh?

Still my personal favourite. My only gripe is that it does run out of steam a little bit near the end, but then again my overall gripe with U2 is that, to me, they never really managed to make a consistently great, perfectly flowing album that I'd play without skipping a single track.