Don't trust first impressions about HTDAAB.

[laurent24]

People who heard the record like the four german fans and some other people said it sounded unfinished and the melodies and choruses confused. Therefore in there opinion it wasn't a very good record. For me Achtung baby was like that (Zoo station anyone?). I only got that record after countless listening sessions and it became my all time favourite. You got to give it time to grow on you. HTDAAB is probably not instantly accessible but the best records never are.

 

[Inner El Guapo]

or just say "listen and decide for yourself"

i.e. Stop reading reviews about it. It's only 3 weeks left.

And lets face it, when the album is out there will be fans all over Interference saying how "dissappointed" they are or whatever.

No matter how good it is, there are people somewhere out there, maybe even logged into Interference right now who think it's going to be better than JT or AB or even equal to. Those people will be in the minority and they will be vocal.

Let the bashing begin.

 

[Hoodlem]

We want so badly to read how people are "blown away" on there first listen to the new album, but in reality all of my favorite albums have been hard to listen to at first. It is almost more promising if people don't like it at first. The best albums just sort of creep up on you and one day it hits you that what you are listenning to is brilliant. If an album impresses me right away, it always worries me a little because I am sure it will wear thin quickley.

Achtung Baby, OK Computer, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Kid A
All of these albums left me a bit confused after first listenning to them. They are all classics in there own right.

 

[purpleblackeye]

hoodlem, you are right on with your comments. i totally agree.

and those albums you listed are in my top 10 list.

 

[what a bomb!]

for feck sake can you make a judgement at least till after the fecking record is released!

 

[Hoodlem]

hoodlem, you are right on with your comments. i totally agree.

and those albums you listed are in my top 10 list.

You have good taste.

I was going to ask you a while ago if your name is a Wilco reference. I guess I don't need to ask now.

 

[rjhbonovox]

People who heard the record like the four german fans and some other people said it sounded unfinished and the melodies and choruses confused. Therefore in there opinion it wasn't a very good record. For me Achtung baby was like that (Zoo station anyone?). I only got that record after countless listening sessions and it became my all time favourite. You got to give it time to grow on you. HTDAAB is probably not instantly accessible but the best records never are.

Absolutely agree with you. Achtung Baby, especially songs like The Fly and Zoo Station, not to mention songs like Love Is Blindness and Tryin to throw your arms around the world, oh alright then everything on Achtung Baby was not that immediate on first listening or even 5th listening...............but it still became the GREATEST EVER ALBUM EVER MADE!!!!!!!! I like the reviews that say it is not that immediate an album. cos it means it will be a grower, and thats how classic albums are defined.

 

[rjhbonovox]

Yes also agree that albums such as OK Computer & The Bends & Kid A are classic albums but on first listen they are not that immediate. .

 

[RademR]

And lets face it, when the album is out there will be fans all over Interference saying how "dissappointed" they are or whatever.

No matter how good it is, there are people somewhere out there, maybe even logged into Interference right now who think it's going to be better than JT or AB or even equal to. Those people will be in the minority and they will be vocal.

Thank you.

1. All Because of You (full TOTP Performance, Acoustic I-Pod performance) AWESOME
2. Vertigo (already released radio version) AWESOME
3. Miracle Drug (1:11 Beach clip of chorus and guitar solo) AWESOME
4. Love and Peace or Else (virtually the whole song, if you piece the two leaks together) AWESOME
5. Original of the Species (acoustic and rough first attempt at song with missed lyrics) AWESOME
6. City of Blinding Lights (full TOTP performance) AWESOME

thats 6/6 for me. the hell with the reviewers, I'll do my own in three weeks!

 

[intedomine]

POP is like "eh?" at first listen and for many a listen after that its like "Hmmmm" and many more listens after that it's like sex.

It always gets better POP...maybe THE BOMB will be the same.

 

[starsgoblue]

I think basing opinion on any first listen to a wonderful and innovative album would be unwise. If the album truly has the merit, then it should be disconcerting to listen to at first--simply because the album is expanding your mind to a new concept or sound. There will be be intricate nuances and hidden layers of meaning waiting to be uneartherd. That, simply put, is the reason that classic albums stand out from the rest...because they break the mold and push you out of your comfort zone. I'm hoping I'm going to be downright confuzzled after my first listen to HTDAAB.

 

[rjhbonovox]

POP is like "eh?" at first listen and for many a listen after that its like "Hmmmm" and many more listens after that it's like sex.

It always gets better POP...maybe THE BOMB will be the same.

You know what, your absolutely correct. I think "POP" in years to come will be known as their 2nd best album ahead of The Joshua Tree and just behind Achtung Baby. It is the album I listen to the most other than Achtung Baby, it is THAT GOOD!

 

[Lo-Fi]

Like most of you, I am glad that the record isn't as immediate as ATYCLB for example. I always feel with U2 records they should take time to settle in with you and grow on you rather than give you a quick fix that's quickly forgotten. I like to be challenged by U2's music, we'll just need to wait and see if this album is the challenge I want.

I doubt it'll be as good as AB to be honest, I'm not expecting a classic either. But if the songs are a challenge as I hope, I'm sure it'll be a great record.

 

[U2FAN4LIFE]

You know what, your absolutely correct. I think "POP" in years to come will be known as their 2nd best album ahead of The Joshua Tree and just behind Achtung Baby. It is the album I listen to the most other than Achtung Baby, it is THAT GOOD!

nope... HTDAAB will be known as their 2nd best album

Seriously... Pop on its own as an album IMHO cannot be U2's 2nd best... I love it but I think part of the admiration comes from the great live performances of some of the tunes... even if U2 never toured and never did videos AB and JT would be the true masterpieces on their own as albums... WUDM and SATS didn't really strike me as "masterpieces" until I heard the live versions

 

[BEAL]

I think everyone in here needs to take a break. Come back after the album has been out for a week or two, and then post their comments.

Every U2 album takes many, many listens. We probably spoiled that a little with ATYCLB because of it leaking onto the internet a few weeks before the album hit stores.

I don't like coming here as much anymore because it seems everyone has such a strong opinion, and 75% are negative. It's wrong to judge music or whatever it be, before you can experience it for yourself.

If someone doesn't like the album after one brief listen, oh well. Even if this person is the most diehard U2 fan and loves every note the band has every played, eventually, something may come around that they don't like.

It could be that since it's so easy to push everyone's buttons in here, people are giving less than outstanding reviews.

I will continue to check this site out, just so I can get my U2 news, but I refuse to keep reading these fan reviews that offer nothing but headaches.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

Word!!

 

[jackboy]

People who heard the record like the four german fans and some other people said it sounded unfinished and the melodies and choruses confused. Therefore in there opinion it wasn't a very good record. For me Achtung baby was like that (Zoo station anyone?). I only got that record after countless listening sessions and it became my all time favourite. You got to give it time to grow on you. HTDAAB is probably not instantly accessible but the best records never are.

you have hit the nail right on the head my friend!! when i saw these reviews today my heart was warmed up nicely...i am now going to wait until the big day as i know we have a great lp on the way...WHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rjhbonovox]

nope... HTDAAB will be known as their 2nd best album

Seriously... Pop on its own as an album IMHO cannot be U2's 2nd best... I love it but I think part of the admiration comes from the great live performances of some of the tunes... even if U2 never toured and never did videos AB and JT would be the true masterpieces on their own as albums... WUDM and SATS didn't really strike me as "masterpieces" until I heard the live versions

None of the live versions on POP are as good as the album versions apart from Please which maybe an improvement. The album versions are fantastic and the remix version they released of Staring At The Sun was CRAP compared to the original. Gone is EASILY one of the five best songs they have ever done.

 

[U2FAN4LIFE]

None of the live versions on POP are as good as the album versions apart from Please which maybe an improvement. The album versions are fantastic and the remix version they released of Staring At The Sun was CRAP compared to the original. Gone is EASILY one of the five best songs they have ever done.

OK, that's you're opinion... my personal feeling is that as great as POP is, for me some of that shine comes from the disappointment I felt (at first) with ATYCLB and also some of the performances I've seen of the tunes.

I think to state that "Gone is easily one of the five best songs they've ever done" as if this were a fact is probably a little presumptuous (I love Gone BTW)

 

[cseggleton]

We want so badly to read how people are "blown away" on there first listen to the new album, but in reality all of my favorite albums have been hard to listen to at first. It is almost more promising if people don't like it at first. The best albums just sort of creep up on you and one day it hits you that what you are listenning to is brilliant. If an album impresses me right away, it always worries me a little because I am sure it will wear thin quickley.

Achtung Baby, OK Computer, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Kid A
All of these albums left me a bit confused after first listenning to them. They are all classics in there own right.

It is kinda like the LA / New York thing about reviews. In LA people will tell you how much they love what you did and then laugh behind your back

New York people give it to you straight

So while I agree you can not really give a good review of the album after 1 listen. I tend to side with the fans review at this time

I am really pleased that the album seems to end on a high note...I really thought ATYCLB could have been a GREAT album if they would have finished that album properly (IMO)

so all in all I think there will be some really good songs and then a couple that people do not like...just like every other album....except AB and JT

 

[gherman]

I don't give a fuck about what thos dicks from germany said. After seening and hearing the performances so far. I don't need any convincing this album and tour will the most exciting and most fun of them all. When I first heard vertigo it realy did impres me that much but now it just blows me away with it energy. There just so much divesity on this album. And I agree with amny people about Achtung Baby, at first listens EBTTRT was my favorite track. It is a little different now. I tend to like the songs that not very accessible at first because those are the ones you can build a close relationship with that lasts a life time.

 

[AtomicBono]

You know what, your absolutely correct. I think "POP" in years to come will be known as their 2nd best album ahead of The Joshua Tree and just behind Achtung Baby. It is the album I listen to the most other than Achtung Baby, it is THAT GOOD!

In my opinion it IS their second best album. Sometimes tied for first. I love Pop so, so, SO much, and I'm sure I've listened to it hundreds of times more than any other U2 album (largely due to the fact that it was the first U2 album I had and I didn't get any others for a while after, and as a kid I didn't mind listening to the same thing 927345 times, that thing often being just the song 'Discotheque' ). Pop...


Uh, anyway... personally I like reading reviews and hearing different opinions. I'd be worried if ALL the reviews said "OGM LIEK HDTABA IZ T3H BEST ABLUM 3VR!11111" It's GOOD to hear some differing viewpoints and various insights into the songs... also interesting to compare analysis of songs and the album to my own interpretations upon getting it. For example, the reviews all said Interpol's "Antics" was a lot "happier" and "more positive" than "Turn on the Bright Lights," but I didn't get that impression at all. I found it to be darker if anything, but still brilliant...if people didn't see different ways life would be boring

That said, my current impression of HTDAAB is very positive... everything I've heard is great. A masterpiece? That's something that can't really be determined until it's been around a few years... everyone was hailing ATYCLB as U2's third masterpiece after JT and AB but now it seems people aren't so sure. Regardless, I think - hell, based on the songs I've heard, I
know - that HTDAAB will be a great album. Not nessecarily U2's best but great nonetheless... of course in my opinion every U2 album is great. IMO U2 has never made a crappy album or even come close, I mean October was a bit overly-religious for me and hard to get into but I still think it's brilliant...

just my two cents...where the hell did that saying come from anyway??

 

[The_acrobat]

I think at the first few listens, you will be disapointed. But as you start to grow into it, you'll start to appreciate it more. That's what I'm predicting. REM is my 2nd favorite band. They just put out a new album "Around the Sun". At first, I hated it. I thought "Leaving New York" was good, and the rest sucked. But I started getting into it a little more. I saw them live in Cincinnati last week, and the new songs were awesome live. Now I can't get enough of their new album. I recommend everybody go get it.

But that's what I think will happen with this album. I mean, I've been waiting for this album since the ATYCLB machine shut off in early 2002. I've read every little rumor and quote about the new album from the time of it's infancy. I remember when we were predicting the tracklisting two years ago, using songs like "Lead me in the way I should go", "Xanax and wine", "Bulldozer" and "Full Metal Jacket." So the anticipation has grown really strong, and in spite of my best efforts, I have a certain expectation for the album. No doubt the actual album will differ from what long term expectations I've had, and I'll be disapointed. But I will eventually accept the album for what it is, not what I want it to be.

 

[intedomine]

I think at the first few listens, you will be disapointed. But as you start to grow into it, you'll start to appreciate it more. That's what I'm predicting. REM is my 2nd favorite band. They just put out a new album "Around the Sun". At first, I hated it. I thought "Leaving New York" was good, and the rest sucked. But I started getting into it a little more. I saw them live in Cincinnati last week, and the new songs were awesome live. Now I can't get enough of their new album. I recommend everybody go get it.

But that's what I think will happen with this album. I mean, I've been waiting for this album since the ATYCLB machine shut off in early 2002. I've read every little rumor and quote about the new album from the time of it's infancy. I remember when we were predicting the tracklisting two years ago, using songs like "Lead me in the way I should go", "Xanax and wine", "Bulldozer" and "Full Metal Jacket." So the anticipation has grown really strong, and in spite of my best efforts, I have a certain expectation for the album. No doubt the actual album will differ from what long term expectations I've had, and I'll be disapointed. But I will eventually accept the album for what it is, not what I want it to be.

Yeh regarding Around the Sun. It really is awesome after a couple of listens.

Worst Joke Ever
Electron Blue
The Outsiders
Wanderlust
I wanted to be wrong
The Ascent of Man

all get better with every listen

 

[Jim]

I don't give a fuck about what thos dicks from germany said. After seening and hearing the performances so far. I don't need any convincing this album and tour will the most exciting and most fun of them all. When I first heard vertigo it realy did impres me that much but now it just blows me away with it energy. There just so much divesity on this album. And I agree with amny people about Achtung Baby, at first listens EBTTRT was my favorite track. It is a little different now. I tend to like the songs that not very accessible at first because those are the ones you can build a close relationship with that lasts a life time.

Why are they 'dicks from germany' exactly? Comments like that make you come across as really, erm... what's the opposite of 'intelligent'??