POP Revisited

[Bunbury]

Playboy Mansion is the only song I don't like on POP.

 

[firstlove]

i think that, with u2 having SO MUCH music and SO MANY excursions into different genres, themes and ideas, that you cant REALLY have a best u2 album . . .

 

[elevation2u]

despite it's few flaws, pop is one of my favorite cds ever

 

[WinnieThePoo]

it's a club record , good lyrics , nice party , big boom , no bob geldof ,

 

[U2_Guy]

Wonderful post, nope I love U2 80's as well but their new stuff is getting worse. Their albums are going down hill unfortunately, although the new album has a couple of classic tracks there are too many fillers in there, even though their new fans seem to love it. Tracks such as Miracle Drug, All Because Of You, City Of Blinding Lights & Crumbs From Your Table are mediocre attempts at sounding like their back in the 80's and it has shown U2 up to being lacking in ideas and direction. Well the only direction their going in is back to the 80's and that is why Bono says this is their 1st album so that their new fans think that this is original material that sounds fresh when if your really honest it doesn't. I still love U2 and their still the best band in the world, but where is the opposition these days.

Hey rjhbonovox, keeping the tradition of my now "bisext" posts i should say: don't try answering the 90's bashers...ya know, ol' Keith says: "somethings never change, price of bullets remains the same". Wise Keith said too: "the bitches keeps bitchin' snitcher keeps snitching"... Let them...

 

[rjhbonovox]

Yeah I like a good argument hehehehe.

 

[purpleblackeye]

i started this thread, and i didn't praise POP and bash another album. i love the new album. it's just a little softer around the edges in comparison to POP

 

[AtomicBono]

It's much better 2 weeks after its release than Pop ever was or ever will be. I can't understand it being held up as an example by a handful of you here. JT, AB, sure, but not Pop! If anyone is lamenting the bygone days of Pop, perhaps they can understand how many 80's fans felt while enduring the Pop era. Sometimes it looks like there are people here who only like Pop and not the rest, is that it?

Good job editing your post, because saying "Pop is the worst album U2 has ever made" like it's some understood fact is a bit ridiculous. Everyone is entitled to opinions, but I didn't see anyone here trying to pass of "Pop is U2's greatest album ever" as a fact...no reason to do the opposite either.

As for me, I adore every single U2 album, but my favourite is either Achtung Baby or Pop (How to Dismantle... is third). Pop is the album that got me into U2, I've probably listened to it a hundred more times than all my other U2 albums combined (the song Discotheque anyway... ) because for awhile it was all the U2 I had, and boy did I play that sucker over and over. Pop has so many memories for me... it's kinda funny, some people took years to digest Pop, but I loved it the first time I heard it at age nine (though I didn't really get into If You Wear That Velvet Dress til a few years later when my love for Bono had blossomed ). Pop may be the most "un-U2" U2 album, but for me it is U2. Does that make sense? Probably not... anyway, I'm not an ATYCLB-basher, I think ATYCLB is brilliant, and I think How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is a masterpiece - I'm beginning to wonder if it is truly a PERFECT album. However no album can ever replace Pop in my heart, because it's an album I grew up with. Those songs will ALWAYS be a part of me.

 

[teebee]

On more than one occasion, friends of mine - well versed in music but not U2 fans per se - have said to me when I played Pop for them on my stereo ... "who knew this album was so good?"

 

[jick]

Another POP gushing thread. Wake me up when it's all over.

Cheers,

J

 

[Yahweh]

I liked POP better then ATYCLB but in my opinion the Bomb walks all over these 2 albums and much of U2s back catalog...having said that POP is probably in my top half of U2s material I argued for hours with people on the Internet to give POP time...hopefully some of them did.

 

[lazarus]

I'd like to point out to everyone that J's email address used to be pop4ever. No joke.

While I feel that The Bomb is probably a more solid work, it's hard to put into words the rush of excitement I felt when hearing POP for the first time. Halfway through HTDAAB, you pretty much knew what was going on. There weren't a whole lot of surprises. Comforting stuff, really. But with POP, you just had no idea what they would pull out of their magic hat next. Every song had little innovations and sounds you've never heard before. And considering Brian Eno wasn't around for the sessions, that's pretty impressive.

I'd like to go on record as saying I NEVER liked the single versions, and absolutely DETESTED the do-overs on the best of. While the guitar solo on the single version of Please has that funky beat that was present in the live performances, the keyboards and string-synths cause the bass and drums to lose the power on the album version. Last Night on Earth--I prefer the middle section of the album version more, minor changes here. IGWSHA was one of my favorites from the start, although I know others didn't like it. It takes a little too long to pick up, and the single version didn't really remedy that.

The best of versions are sonic abominations that should be scratched off every CD in existence. Gone possessed a quality of sadness that is one of Bono's finest, most naked moments, and I don't feel Edge's backing vocals on the chorus are necessary, live or on the remake. I remember reading that when this was recorded Bono felt as though someone had died. Why the hell would you try to replace something like that?

Discotheque--don't get me started. One of the coolest songs they've ever done. It was one of the songs that was supposedly finished! The remake just took the perfect dance-rock hybrid and turned it into a musical miscarriage that should have been an abortion.

Numb suffers the least here, but it just leaves me asking, what's the point? No improvement.

I think people hear "unfinished" and WANT to hear something better in the updated attempts. I can understand how a lot of people prefer the newer LNOE or Please, but the others--there's just no excuse. This album may not have been tinkered with as long as some of the others, but it's a bigger accomplishment as is than most bands ever achieve in their entire careers.

Can you name an album by another artist that has that kind of diversity of styles, with brilliant lyrics questioning their own faith, their own career, and the state of our culture?

I didn't think so.

 

[Bunbury]

it's a club record , good lyrics , nice party , big boom , no bob geldof ,

Not sure about that, it ends with a funeral 'Wake Up Dead Man' I love U2's depressive side

 

[U2girl]

Question: WHY do some of you feel the need to keep touting Pop and how great it is and how much the new albums suck? Are some of you still that insecure about Pop's bad rep? Isn't 7 years enough to get over it? Put it to bed already.

Exactly.
It would be also nice if not every "POP is great" or "90's were their best work" thread wasn't a "ATYCBL/HTDAAB is crap" at the same time.

ATYCLB was better, and HTDAAB is better than POP and ATYCLB easily.
Perhaps jealousy on some people's part?

 

[Aardvark747]

Another POP gushing thread. Wake me up when it's all over.

Cheers,

J

Legend.

Cheers,

A747

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Pop is a fine album but it makes me laugh when people say its their best album, masterpiece or whatever..I mean, some of the attempts to incorporate dance beats come off as a bit awkward..sort of how Achtung Baby could have ended up if they didn't get it right..


Still, I like it, Disco, Gone, Dead Man, Please, Staring At the Sun are great songs...



8/10

 

[NYbrowneyedgirl]

I also love POP, it has some great songs on it. AB and POP are my top two U2 albums.

 

[U2Kitten]

Exactly.
It would be also nice if not every "POP is great" or "90's were their best work" thread wasn't a "ATYCBL/HTDAAB is crap" at the same time.

ATYCLB was better, and HTDAAB is better than POP and ATYCLB easily.
Perhaps jealousy on some people's part?

Right! I have always thought that jealousy and bitterness over Pop's unfavorable reputation compared to the later albums was the root of the bashing. I try to tell myself, oh well, if it makes them feel better have at it, they will always be in the minority among U2 fans. But it does get redundant and annoying and it's beyond time to let it go.

 

[bsp77]

Right! I have always thought that jealousy and bitterness over Pop's unfavorable reputation compared to the later albums was the root of the bashing. I try to tell myself, oh well, if it makes them feel better have at it, they will always be in the minority among U2 fans. But it does get redundant and annoying and it's beyond time to let it go.

You are doing the same thing as the ATYCLB bashers - insulting others' viewpoints so that you can make yours stronger.

Some people like one album better, others like the other better. And just maybe some people like Pop better simply because they like it better, not out of jealousy. Accept differing viewpoints.

 

[ponkine]

ATYCLB was better, and HTDAAB is better than POP and ATYCLB easily.

Better for what ???? I know many people thinks HTDAAB is better than many U2 albums, or is a masterpiece just because it´s the new U2 album

ATYCLB is horrible and clearly below Pop, speaking about art and music. ATYCLB contains perhaps 3 or 4 worst U2 songs ever: Grace, Wild Honey ( the worst U2 acoustic number ever ), In A Little While and Peace On Earth. It isn´t experimental at all, also it isn´t fresh and new at all. It´s just a failure promise to return to their "classic" 80´s sound, that´s all. The outcome ? a safe and uninspired soup. . ATYCLB is not an album, it´s just 11 songs putting togheter. The same thing happen with HTDAAB. Despite it´s better in terms of music and compositions, overall it´s worst ( and this is the reason why many fans disliked HTDAAB ) because comes from ATYCLB, that´s clear. HTDAAB is another safe hyped album, pretty much ATYCLB, being another safe and uninspired 11 songs putting togheter, not an album like Pop or Achtung Baby were.

Just think what´s happening now: after 13 years, 100% fans think Achtung Baby is a masterpiece, their "Sgt Pepper", etc . Many and many fans realised how brilliant and different is Pop, and they finally started to name as a truly classic, essential, masterpiece, etc. On the contrary, more and more fans started to dislike and even hate ATYCLB. And because of their ATYCLB hating, they hate HTDAAB. For many fans ( including me ) ATYCLB isn´t a classic at all, filled with snappy and catchy pop singles, but without any attitude, any honesty, any white flags, nor TV, nor discotheques... NOTHING. ATYCLB gives me nothing, as well this HTDAAB.

Finally, I really believe some fans still think ATYCLB is better than Pop just because U2 said that

 

[U2Kitten]

You are doing the same thing as the ATYCLB bashers - insulting others' viewpoints so that you can make yours stronger.

Some people like one album better, others like the other better. And just maybe some people like Pop better simply because they like it better, not out of jealousy. Accept differing viewpoints.

U2girl and I have been trying to analyze the reason behind the bashing for ages now, and I think that has something to do with it.

If it's not out of jealousy, then why do some people have to praise it by bashing the new stuff? It's like they have to make this whiney point, why are these more popular when (in their opinion) Pop was so much better? See, that always comes into it. If you really love it so much, praise it. I have no problem with the people here who have posted their love for Pop without adding the bashing of the newer albums.

 

[bsp77]

U2girl and I have been trying to analyze the reason behind the bashing for ages now, and I think that has something to do with it.

I understand that it can get tiresome to always hear the Pop lovers/ATYCLB bashers, I just don't think you should resort to the same thing they are doing. Don't sink to their level, you are better than that.

Maybe I just don't feel strongly enough about either album to argue about one album over another. To me, Pop is both extremely underated and one of U2's weakest albums at the same time. If that makes any sense. But it is always better to say why you think one is a great album versus why the other is a bad album and how people are wrong.

 

[U2girl]

Better for what ???? I know many people thinks HTDAAB is better than many U2 albums, or is a masterpiece just because it´s the new U2 album

ATYCLB is horrible and clearly below Pop, speaking about art and music. ATYCLB contains perhaps 3 or 4 worst U2 songs ever: Grace, Wild Honey ( the worst U2 acoustic number ever ), In A Little While and Peace On Earth. It isn´t experimental at all, also it isn´t fresh and new at all. It´s just a failure promise to return to their "classic" 80´s sound, that´s all. The outcome ? a safe and uninspired soup. . ATYCLB is not an album, it´s just 11 songs putting togheter. The same thing happen with HTDAAB. Despite it´s better in terms of music and compositions, overall it´s worst ( and this is the reason why many fans disliked HTDAAB ) because comes from ATYCLB, that´s clear. HTDAAB is another safe hyped album, pretty much ATYCLB, being another safe and uninspired 11 songs putting togheter, not an album like Pop or Achtung Baby were.

Just think what´s happening now: after 13 years, 100% fans think Achtung Baby is a masterpiece, their "Sgt Pepper", etc . Many and many fans realised how brilliant and different is Pop, and they finally started to name as a truly classic, essential, masterpiece, etc. On the contrary, more and more fans started to dislike and even hate ATYCLB. And because of their ATYCLB hating, they hate HTDAAB. For many fans ( including me ) ATYCLB isn´t a classic at all, filled with snappy and catchy pop singles, but without any attitude, any honesty, any white flags, nor TV, nor discotheques... NOTHING. ATYCLB gives me nothing, as well this HTDAAB.

Finally, I really believe some fans still think ATYCLB is better than Pop just because U2 said that

Better where it counts - the songs.

BD, Stuck, Kite and IALW are better than anything on POP, except maybe SATS and Gone. Even ATYCLB's weakest songs are way above Pop's worst, Miami.
It is more even and balanced than POP.
It had a better tour and Bono's voice is better.
It achieves its goal - pop/soul album with 11 potential singles, better than the "experimental masterpiece" which POP hoped to be but failed.
Unlike POP's obvius attempt to be better than AB - and copying some of its and Zoo TV ideas and from Zooropa - ATYCLB very rarely sounds like U2 from the past.
HTDAAB has more sounds from U2's past, simply because U2 accepted their sound - Edge is comfortable sounding like Edge. What's wrong with that?

As far as I can tell, majority of fans enjoy and like HTDAAB. Except of course, the vocal 90's worshippers. Majority of fans still likes ATYCLB, too. This would be proven even more if we went outside the internet and ask among the older fans. The reviews of ATYCLB and HTDAAB were, in a convincing majority, very positive.

The only fans who disliked ATYCLB from the start - and it's happening the same with HTDAAB - are the fans that worship the 90's U2 above all.

Lastly, I don't think anyone - including the band - ever said ATYCLB is a classic. Or POP. (Bono hype excluded)
It's too early to tell HTDAAB, but it has potential IMO.

U2 most definitely didn't say ATYCLB is better than POP, and it's insulting to post generalizations about fans like that.
What U2 did say - and most fans DO feel this - is that POP was unfinished.

 

[JOFO]

I don't know how u2 would've "finished" POP anyways.....sounds great to me as is.

it's only when they started screwing around with the "single versions" and "remixed versions" that I started to not like those tunes anymore ("Staring At The Sun" best of version anyone? )

that album had balls.

 

[cardosino]

Better for what ???? I know many people thinks HTDAAB is better than many U2 albums, or is a masterpiece just because it´s the new U2 album

ATYCLB is horrible and clearly below Pop, speaking about art and music. ATYCLB contains perhaps 3 or 4 worst U2 songs ever: Grace, Wild Honey ( the worst U2 acoustic number ever ), In A Little While and Peace On Earth. It isn´t experimental at all, also it isn´t fresh and new at all. It´s just a failure promise to return to their "classic" 80´s sound, that´s all. The outcome ? a safe and uninspired soup. . ATYCLB is not an album, it´s just 11 songs putting togheter. The same thing happen with HTDAAB. Despite it´s better in terms of music and compositions, overall it´s worst ( and this is the reason why many fans disliked HTDAAB ) because comes from ATYCLB, that´s clear. HTDAAB is another safe hyped album, pretty much ATYCLB, being another safe and uninspired 11 songs putting togheter, not an album like Pop or Achtung Baby were.

Just think what´s happening now: after 13 years, 100% fans think Achtung Baby is a masterpiece, their "Sgt Pepper", etc . Many and many fans realised how brilliant and different is Pop, and they finally started to name as a truly classic, essential, masterpiece, etc. On the contrary, more and more fans started to dislike and even hate ATYCLB. And because of their ATYCLB hating, they hate HTDAAB. For many fans ( including me ) ATYCLB isn´t a classic at all, filled with snappy and catchy pop singles, but without any attitude, any honesty, any white flags, nor TV, nor discotheques... NOTHING. ATYCLB gives me nothing, as well this HTDAAB.

Finally, I really believe some fans still think ATYCLB is better than Pop just because U2 said that

All of the above is a load of crap.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
(see what happens when you present as fact rather than opinion?)

 

[rjhbonovox]

And as Bono said back in 97', "People aren't gettin POP, they don't seem to understand it but they will". Obviously Bono has done an about turn since and said unfinished album blah blah. It just makes him look a tw#t now if he says unfinished cos when he supported the album back in 97' he was telling what he felt.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Pop is amazing, in my opinion, and so is HTDAAB, but in a different way.

I've learned to appreciate each U2 album on their own, though I'll be the first to admit a fondness specifically for their trio of 90's work.

 

[deltau922]

I like Pop including Miami. If it's not in my top three U2 albums then it's No. 4.

 

[ZeroDude]

The 90's work is class

 

[phanan]

This is my first post, so don't bash me too much! I actually think that Pop is a very good album - the only song I really don't care for is Miami. However, I must admit that the single versions of Last Night On Earth and If God Would Send His Angels make it even stronger. I think the mixes are better than the originals. And while I can't stand the Best Of versions of Discotheque and Staring At The Sun, the mix of Gone works very well. Put those versions in and it makes for a much stronger disc (not that it wasn't strong to begin with).

And if you really want to get into it, place Pop Muzik at the beginning, move Mofo to the second track, and then go into Discotheque. Sounds kinda cool!

On another note, I can't see how one can compare Pop to HTDAAB. They are totally different, and I don't think one is so much better than the other. I think they are both excellent albums, in their own way.