The ATYCLB > HTDAAB club

[WalkOn21]

This is not an HTDAAB bashing thread.
Then, what is it?

It's the proof that "no one likes ATYCLB more than HTDAAB" is a false statement.

It's a protest against grouping the two latest albums together as if they're equally good / bad.

It's walking on to follow a kite to New York on a beautiful day.

It's being elevated out of a moment you were stuck in.

It's gracefully looking for peace on earth while looking at the world.

And above all, it's a club which found its origins in a post by MumblingBono in this thread.

Join the club!

 

[xaviMF22]

yes! can I be a member?

 

[U2Man]

lol, I knew this thread would appear!

 

[xaviMF22]

lol, I knew this thread would appear!

stop lying

 

[WalkOn21]

yes! can I be a member?

Of course! What would a club be without members?

 

[U2Man]

stop lying

 

[BANZAI]

 

[namkcuR]

ATYCLB is still a step backwards from what they were doing between 83 and 98, but it's a lot more enjoyable for me than HTDAAB.

Especially the UK version, which as The Ground Beneath Her Feet on it.

 

[Justin24]

I love ATYCLB

 

[Zoots]

ATYCLB is still a step backwards from what they were doing between 83 and 98, but it's a lot more enjoyable for me than HTDAAB.

Especially the UK version, which as The Ground Beneath Her Feet on it.

What he said.

 

[LemonMelon]

 

[Justin24]

Boo to you Lemon Melon!! Booooo

 

[LemonMelon]

Boo to you Lemon Melon!! Booooo

It's nothing personal against the album (which I like to some extent), but this whole "make a thread for and against every single album" thing really needs to stop. The anti-HTDAAB thread was bad enough, but now another (sort of) anti-HTDAAB thread, both on the same page????

 

[WalkOn21]

It's nothing personal against the album (which I like to some extent), but this whole "make a thread for and against every single album" thing really needs to stop. The anti-HTDAAB thread was bad enough, but now another (sort of) anti-HTDAAB thread, both on the same page????

I think you're confused about what this thread is. Go read the initial post again.

This isn't an anti-HTDAAB thread. This is (sort of) an anti-people-who-think-the-latest-two-albums-should-be-tossed-on-one-pile thread.

 

[doctorwho]

ATYCLB is still a step backwards from what they were doing between 83 and 98, but it's a lot more enjoyable for me than HTDAAB.

Especially the UK version, which as The Ground Beneath Her Feet on it.

I loved ATYCLB when it came out - but I cannot join this club. Once I heard HTDAAB, I realized what ATYCLB could have been. So sorry, I'm a member of the HTDAAB>ATYCLB club (although both are very good albums, as is all of U2's catalog).

 

[Rachel D.]

I think they are my two favorite albums and I listen to them more than to the others. ATYCLB was my first U2 album and it is very special to me and listening to it still feels like getting a massage. And for some reason I don't get tired of HTDAAB. It's like a caffeinated version of ATYCLB.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Once I heard HTDAAB, I realized what ATYCLB could have been.

Once I heard HTDAAB, I realized what ATYCLB could have been. And I gained new found respect for ATYCLB, an album I'd previously just thought of as weak. I still think it's pretty weak as far as U2 albums go, but it's good and light to HTDAAB's evil and darkness.

 

[doctorwho]

Once I heard HTDAAB, I realized what ATYCLB could have been. And I gained new found respect for ATYCLB, an album I'd previously just thought of as weak. I still think it's pretty weak as far as U2 albums go, but it's good and light to HTDAAB's evil and darkness.

Ah, but I never thought of ATYCLB as "weak" no did I think of it as "good and light" vs. Bomb's "evil and darkness". In fact, both albums are full of joyous uplifting songs as well as questioning, challenging songs. "Peace on Earth" and "When I Look at the World" are challenging songs, akin to "Wake Up Dead Man" from "Pop" and "Love and Peace or Else" from HTDAAB.

And, this is typical of all U2 albums. For every "Mysterious Ways", there is an "Acrobat". For every "I Trip Through Your Wires", there is an "Exit". For every "Beautiful Day", there is a "Peace on Earth". U2's work has always explored both sides. Even their songs about faith are challenging and questioning. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is clearly about a man still searching for God in his life, despite all attempts to be at peace with God. "Elevation" is about a man who was so low he had nowhere to go but up. "Gloria" is about a confused soul, looking to God. It's all about questioning and challenging issues. The most challenging is clearly "Wake Up..." and "If God Will Send His Angels", two songs that basically directly ask if God is there and if He will help!

So good vs. evil? You'll find in on every albums - sometimes within one song.

 

[namkcuR]

Ah, but I never thought of ATYCLB as "weak" no did I think of it as "good and light" vs. Bomb's "evil and darkness". In fact, both albums are full of joyous uplifting songs as well as questioning, challenging songs. "Peace on Earth" and "When I Look at the World" are challenging songs, akin to "Wake Up Dead Man" from "Pop" and "Love and Peace or Else" from HTDAAB.

And, this is typical of all U2 albums. For every "Mysterious Ways", there is an "Acrobat". For every "I Trip Through Your Wires", there is an "Exit". For every "Beautiful Day", there is a "Peace on Earth". U2's work has always explored both sides. Even their songs about faith are challenging and questioning. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is clearly about a man still searching for God in his life, despite all attempts to be at peace with God. "Elevation" is about a man who was so low he had nowhere to go but up. "Gloria" is about a confused soul, looking to God. It's all about questioning and challenging issues. The most challenging is clearly "Wake Up..." and "If God Will Send His Angels", two songs that basically directly ask if God is there and if He will help!

So good vs. evil? You'll find in on every albums - sometimes within one song.

But your analysis seems to be focusing primarily on the lyrics. I think Earnie was focusing primarily on the musical nature of the records. ATYCLB has a breezy, poppy, light quality for the most part, while Bomb has a louder, stuffier, heavier quality for the most part.

 

[doctorwho]

But your analysis seems to be focusing primarily on the lyrics. I think Earnie was focusing primarily on the musical nature of the records. ATYCLB has a breezy, poppy, light quality for the most part, while Bomb has a louder, stuffier, heavier quality for the most part.

While there's truth in what you wrote, I always find that Edge's music often goes with Bono's lyrics (or perhaps the other way around). Regardless, the two flow. "Elevation" is indeed a light-hearted rocking song musically, but lyrically its simplicity is deceiving. Talk about a "mole digging in a hole" makes the song sound like superficial pop, but really, it's about spiritual enlightenment. Musically, I find this true as well. The "wah wah" pedal is used to great effect, emphasizing this spiritual elevation as the song grows and builds.

A look at "Vertigo" sees a similar pattern. A light rock song or one that is really multi-layered? Again, I think lyrically and musically, the song shows a growth and a spiritual build up. They are both songs about discovery and spiritual renewal. One can hear this not just in the lyrics, but in the music itself. This is why they are such fan favorites in concert - they songs are joyous!

Are there dark songs on HTDAAB? "Love and Peace" sure is, but then, isn't "New York" on ATYCLB - a song that also is musically darker? And "Peace on Earth" and "Grace" seem softer, but then, isn't "Yahweh" also the same?

It's clear these two albums are very related with similar themes both musically and lyrically. Even the stage design and overall clothing was similar with the two tours. The albums are connected. If "Bomb" seems darker, that could be due to more of one's personal perceptions of the work than what U2 intended. I actually find joy in the early part of ATYCLB, but great sadness in the second half. "Bomb" seems a far more level CD, keeping me reflective and even hopeful throughout.

 

[U2DMfan]

It's one thing to think they are both sub-standard for U2. They are two sides of the same token.
It's another to say HTDAAB knocked it out of the park and ATYCLB didn't, is there a fairly well articulated point that explains this?

 

[U2DMfan]

ATYCLB has a breezy, poppy, light quality for the most part, while Bomb has a louder, stuffier, heavier quality for the most part.

I can buy that.
But that might be just because of presentation (production).

 

[doctorwho]

It's one thing to think they are both sub-standard for U2. They are two sides of the same token.
It's another to say HTDAAB knocked it out of the park and ATYCLB didn't, is there a fairly well articulated point that explains this?

Well, I feel neither are sub-standard for U2 at all. And I really cannot understand those who say this. This argument has, unfortunately, been a common theme on these boards and it's beyond my comprehension. Both albums have songs very similar to past U2 work, yet they also explore new sounds and ideas. Before we had "I Still Haven't Found..." and "Wake Up...", now we have "Grace" and "Yahweh". The first two songs are about questioning God and searching for God, the latter two are far more about praising and accepting God. Similar ideas, but far different ways of presenting the themes. Musically, the songs explore new areas as well, from the fun of the "wah wah pedal" to an emphasis on more keyboards. Perhaps this isn't exploratory enough for some U2 fans, but I can't help but wonder, where do these fans want U2 to go? People praise Radiohead, but really, U2 have done those types of songs long before Radiohead even existed, with UF and JT. People praise "Pop", but do we want U2 to become more like Prodigy or the Chemical Brothers? I'm just not understanding where they want this experimentation to go? Experimenting just for the sake of experimenting leads to OS1 - an album that wasn't even embraced by all the members of U2! And besides, U2 already did that sound. So... I accept one saying these aren't their favorite U2 albums - they aren't my favorite either. But to loathe them as some do is incomprehensible.

As for HTDAAB being oceans better than ATYCLB, I concur with your sentiment. I don't believe either one is vastly superior to the other. In fact, I think the best album would have been a nice blending of the "best" songs on both. As that's not possible, I favor "Bomb" because I feel that this is the album U2 really wanted to make with ATYCLB. It just seems more focused to me - not as forced. U2 really seemed to be wanting to push that "pop" theme (where every song is a single) on ATYCLB. They seemed a bit more relaxed on "Bomb", IMO.

 

[namkcuR]

As that's not possible, I favor "Bomb" because I feel that this is the album U2 really wanted to make with ATYCLB. It just seems more focused to me - not as forced. U2 really seemed to be wanting to push that "pop" theme (where every song is a single) on ATYCLB. They seemed a bit more relaxed on "Bomb", IMO.

See, it's interesting how we can have such contrasting opinions.

I happen to think the exact opposite - I feel that Bomb sounds much more forced, whereas ATYCLB sounds much more organic. I feel the band sounds more relaxed on Elevation than on Vertigo, on Beautiful Day than on City Of Blinding Lights, on When I Look At The World than on Miracle Drug, on New York than on All Because Of You, etc.

I concede that every song on ATYCLB sounds like it wants to be a single, but than I think the same of Bomb. I just think ATYCLB succeeds at it where Bomb doesn't as much.

Of course neither of us is right or wrong - it's all just opinion after all - but I just find interesting how the same set of material can invoke such contrasting opinions in different people.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

I'm with namkuR. HTDAAB sounds so forced they were lucky to get out of there without all having aneurisms.

My light/dark, good/evil remark was not an assesment of lyrics or themes or music, but about the place where the songs came from.

 

[xaviMF22]

See, it's interesting how we can have such contrasting opinions.

I happen to think the exact opposite - I feel that Bomb sounds much more forced, whereas ATYCLB sounds much more organic. I feel the band sounds more relaxed on Elevation than on Vertigo, on Beautiful Day than on City Of Blinding Lights, on When I Look At The World than on Miracle Drug, on New York than on All Because Of You, etc.

I concede that every song on ATYCLB sounds like it wants to be a single, but than I think the same of Bomb. I just think ATYCLB succeeds at it where Bomb doesn't as much.

Of course neither of us is right or wrong - it's all just opinion after all - but I just find interesting how the same set of material can invoke such contrasting opinions in different people.

completely agree...take vertigo for example it seems they forced themselves to have the hit single...they did

beautiful day was a hit single...but I doubt that was the bands intention.....

I could be wrong though

 

[U2DMfan]

completely agree...take vertigo for example it seems they forced themselves to have the hit single...they did

beautiful day was a hit single...but I doubt that was the bands intention.....

I could be wrong though

Totally subjective, but I think Beautiful Day from Always not only seems like a natural progression, it's just a better song, a clearly better version.

Native Son to Vertigo is nothing close to that.
Native Son seems like the inspiration and Vertigo seems like the inspiration turned into a promotional vehicle. Native Son, IMO, is a better song 9 times out of ten, in a raw sense. The presentation of Vertigo sounds better, it was fully mastered and got a pretty good treatment, sonically it's hard to argue that it 'sounds' worse, it does sound better. At least for radio.

I think Beautiful Day was more organic, maybe in a lot of ways, but the one thing we can tell from the predecessors, is that they took different approaches both times. On Always, they said "we can make this a better song" and changed it up quite a bit, with Native Son, they said "we can make this a hit", so the music stayed the same pretty much and Bono gave us some different lyrics. It's a different approach, at least something to discuss.

 

[WalkOn21]

Totally subjective, but I think Beautiful Day from Always not only seems like a natural progression, it's just a better song, a clearly better version.

Native Son to Vertigo is nothing close to that.
Native Son seems like the inspiration and Vertigo seems like the inspiration turned into a promotional vehicle.

I agree. It doesn't only seem that way, it's fact. In interviews Bono has said that Native Son evolved into Vertigo because "Native Son wouldn't have worked as a single" or something to that extent.

Now before this turns into a 'Vertigo is clearly better than Native Son / no it isn't' discussion: I'm not saying anything about which is the better song. I'm only saying that, according to U2, the main reason to convert NS into Vertigo was commercial in its nature.

 

[An Cat Gav]

I think i will have to join this club, but my opinion of these two chops and changes a lot!! I have to say that I really like them both and i love many songs on them both. But they just dont do it for me in quite the same way as other U2 albums.
Let me explain that to me, listening to U2 is a semi religious exerience, listening to TUF, JT, POp, AB or whatever takes me to another worl, brings me closer to God in some ways. In the book Race of angels, the author explains that mankind has been trying to get back to its former state it enjoyed before the fall and that music is a way to piece back the umbelical chord between God and mankind. This is how i fel about U2, i feel more full of grace after listening to October for example than I do after sitting through Mass! Ther music has helped see me through some really tough, horrible experiences and i will love it forever.
In relation to this post, (sorry that i strayed from it a lot), I just feel that HTDAAB doesn't have that extra factor that only U2 have, that something that takes me to another place and time.
Sorry if this post doesnt make sense, its just how i feel. HTDAAB is a great album and I'm not bashing it, just by U2's standards its not their best.

 

[An Cat Gav]

I ijust re-read my post an i sound like a bit of a religious nut
Just to clarify, I dont think you have to believe in God or anything to love U2, just that's part of what I get out of it.
HTDAAB rocks, but ATYCLB had more of the ingredients that I love and makes U2 unique.