The Bomb

[ozeeko]

I am relatively new to this forum, and can't believe the hostility surrounding this album. I personally don't like it, and I think it's their worst offering yet, but when I read fans intellectually explaining the album's shortcomings, I seldom ever find a useful argument from the other side. Most of the comebacks are limited to "you just hate U2" or "you just don't understand it." Hehe, I don't know personally what I'm supposed to understand about the new album. One excersize that I find helps to see the truth is taking each track and comparing it with all the other tracks from the other albums that share that song number position. For instance...compare "Sometimes You Can't Make it" to "Elevation" to "Mofo" to "Numb" to "One" to "Desire" to "With Or Without You" to "Wire" to "New Year's Day" to "Threw A Brick Through A Window" to "An Cat Dubh." IMO, SYCMIOYO doesn't hold a candle to any of these tracks. And I know, music is subjective, and I could see people disliking "Numb" and "Mofo"...but as for the others...come on. Do it for each song. How about this..just for the people who think this is their best album. Let's compare it to the well known trilogy (Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, and All That You Can't...). So you prefer Vertigo over "Where the streets, Zoo Station, Beautiful Day"? You prefer "Miracle Drug" over "Still Havent' Found", "Even Better Than The Real Thing" and "Stuck In A Moment"? And so on and so on...How anyone could like "City of Blinding Lights" over "Running To Stand Still" is beyond me.

Another thing: People who I've talked to about this album tend to accuse me disliking it's commercial appeal. And I say well...wasn't The Joshua Tree commercial? 2 #1 hits?!?! Achtung Baby? I heard that album sold well. You couldn't go anywhere at that time without hearing about U2. Did I cry sell-out? Hellz no, because I was digging the music. The new album is a turkey and many like it under the guises of their choice. The most popular of those guises being "It's an album seen through the eyes of men who are older and more mature" so let me get this straight... Hello, Hello, Hola, catorce etc. That's maturity? No, that's probably the most juvenile moment of U2's career. And talk about the scent of babies heads...that's the kind of lyric that makes me want to assassinate Bono. Science and the human heart there is no limit...with maturity you should realize it doesn't work that way. "Lay down your guns"we're in the middle of a war you idiot. Don't get all flower power on me. Snoogins.

 

[Judah]

I agree with what Bono said of this album (I think in Rolling Stone?); i like most of the songs individually, but the sum of the parts doesn't really convey a greatness that previous albums (UF, JT, AB, etc.) achieved.

 

[Utoo]

There have been many excellent "defenses" of the album. It's just that we're all tired of writing them over and over after a year of people knocking it.

 

[roy]

I don't think HTDAAB is as good as Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby but I do think it's their 3rd best album...certainly shits all over ATYCLB IMO.

 

[U2Man]

ozeeko, you don't seem to be aware that the people who hate HTDAAB here, hates ATYCLB even more.

 

[BVS]

I can't wait till something new to rag on is released...

 

[Zoots]

But at least your post made me go

Cos you're probably the first person ever that has clubbed ATYCLB with everything before it, instead of attacking both HTDAAB and ATYCLB!

 

[ozeeko]

I guess I'm in the minority on one issue: While ATYCLB is no masterpiece when considering U2's complete discography, it is one in comparison to "How To.." God dammit! For the love of Yahweh! When will U2 release a one word Album again! I'm sick of these long clever names. Go minimalist boyz!
Yeah, I actually liked their 2000 album. Nothing groundbreaking, but the songs were good. The newest one is like taking ATYCLB, putting it in a microwave, cooking it on High for 10 minutes, taking it out, feeding it to your dog, waiting for him to crap it out, taking the crapped out album, and reheating again. Basically, reheated shit.

 

[RademR]

love ATYCLB, love HTDAAB

i think im in the minority

 

[AtomicBono]

And talk about the scent of babies heads...that's the kind of lyric that makes me want to assassinate Bono. Science and the human heart there is no limit...with maturity you should realize it doesn't work that way. "Lay down your guns"we're in the middle of a war you idiot. Don't get all flower power on me. Snoogins.

o...kay...

ummm i like hutdab

 

[catlhere]

OMGWTFLOLBBQ
who noo peepul had differint opinyuns and muzik taysts. hur hur hur!!!1!

Seriously, get over yourself. Let people like what they want.

 

[popacrobat]

love ATYCLB, love HTDAAB

i think im in the minority

i love them both as well... AND pop.

 

[Blue Room]

Bomb is a good album, nowhere near their best though. I actually like it as well as ATYCLB. Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby are still their best albums to me.

Oh, and about JT being commercial. It was a commercial success. At the time though it sounded unlike 90% of the stuff out. So while it seems mainstream now, it really didnt sound all that mainstream in 1987. I think that was a reason it was so popular. Great music that was different from most of the rest of the mainstream. You can apply the same to Achtung Baby as well.

 

[AtomicBono]

i love them both as well... AND pop.

ME TOO!!

in fact, i love every U2 album. is that bad? maybe I'm a "blind follower."

 

[Sting]

I am relatively new to this forum, and can't believe the hostility surrounding this album. I personally don't like it, and I think it's their worst offering yet, but when I read fans intellectually explaining the album's shortcomings, I seldom ever find a useful argument from the other side. Most of the comebacks are limited to "you just hate U2" or "you just don't understand it." Hehe, I don't know personally what I'm supposed to understand about the new album. One excersize that I find helps to see the truth is taking each track and comparing it with all the other tracks from the other albums that share that song number position. For instance...compare "Sometimes You Can't Make it" to "Elevation" to "Mofo" to "Numb" to "One" to "Desire" to "With Or Without You" to "Wire" to "New Year's Day" to "Threw A Brick Through A Window" to "An Cat Dubh." IMO, SYCMIOYO doesn't hold a candle to any of these tracks. And I know, music is subjective, and I could see people disliking "Numb" and "Mofo"...but as for the others...come on. Do it for each song. How about this..just for the people who think this is their best album. Let's compare it to the well known trilogy (Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, and All That You Can't...). So you prefer Vertigo over "Where the streets, Zoo Station, Beautiful Day"? You prefer "Miracle Drug" over "Still Havent' Found", "Even Better Than The Real Thing" and "Stuck In A Moment"? And so on and so on...How anyone could like "City of Blinding Lights" over "Running To Stand Still" is beyond me.

Another thing: People who I've talked to about this album tend to accuse me disliking it's commercial appeal. And I say well...wasn't The Joshua Tree commercial? 2 #1 hits?!?! Achtung Baby? I heard that album sold well. You couldn't go anywhere at that time without hearing about U2. Did I cry sell-out? Hellz no, because I was digging the music. The new album is a turkey and many like it under the guises of their choice. The most popular of those guises being "It's an album seen through the eyes of men who are older and more mature" so let me get this straight... Hello, Hello, Hola, catorce etc. That's maturity? No, that's probably the most juvenile moment of U2's career. And talk about the scent of babies heads...that's the kind of lyric that makes me want to assassinate Bono. Science and the human heart there is no limit...with maturity you should realize it doesn't work that way. "Lay down your guns"we're in the middle of a war you idiot. Don't get all flower power on me. Snoogins.

So your telling us were wrong for liking the album because it in lots of peoples opinions it was a crappy album?

I like the album. I don't like how you seem to think your opinion is right and everyone elses is wrong. If I like HTDAAB more than Joshua Tree(I don't, but in theory) than thats up to me.

Get over yourself. You just like different albums than some people. Your a fookin' dick.

And by the way, I think dressing like The Village People is pretty juvenile. gives "Hola" a run for its money. (its called being goofy... if U2 kept trying to be serious all the time than they would be laughable)

 

[Miroslava]

can't believe the hostility surrounding this album.

The newest one is like taking ATYCLB, putting it in a microwave, cooking it on High for 10 minutes, taking it out, feeding it to your dog, waiting for him to crap it out, taking the crapped out album, and reheating again. Basically, reheated shit.

I definitely believe the hostility given posts like that...

I personally love the album, but I am one of those blind following sheep.

baaaaaaaaaaaaaah

 

[Utoo]

ME TOO!!

in fact, i love every U2 album. is that bad? maybe I'm a "blind follower."

Join the club! We're handing out membership cards.

 

[cjboog]

Hmmmm... lets see

I like Vertigo better than Streets, Beautiful Day, and Zoo Station (all by a hair)

I like Miracle Drug better than I Still Haven't..., Stuck in a moment...and Even Better Than...

I like SYCMIOYO better than Elevation, One, and WOWY

I like City of Blinding Lights WAY more than Running to Standstill, Who's gonna ride..., and Kite

I like All Because of You better than Walk On, So Cruel, and Red Hill Mining Town

I like Crumbs better than Mysterious Ways, Peace on Earth, and Trip Through Your Wires

I probably also like the OOTS single version better than other corresponding song but I'm too lazy to check

I probably also like One Step Closer better than other corresponding song but am once again too lazy to check


And several more points Ozeeko:

1. Any view you have on specific songs is simply your own view. It may be beyond you that anyone can like COBL better than RTSS, but it's just the opposite for me. It's all a matter of perspective.

2. You also don't realize how much hatred there is for All That You Can't Leave Behind. On MacPhisto's recent album contest, HTDAAB was the 5th favorite album on the thread and ATYCLB was the 9th favorite...

3. I personally think that lyrics like "Hello Hello" and "Unos dos tres catorce" are U2 having some fun. They can't always be so uptight, and the lyrics like top a of newborn baby's head to me are brilliant.

4. And what's with the flower power thing? I would generally think that people laying down their guns would be a good thing

 

[jacobus]

the socalled BOMB is not a good album - its lame and boring
ATYCLB is not a good album but imo its a little bit better than the socalled BOMB
the last good album was POP
i don't like the long album titles at all because it transfers something that suggests some kind of psychoanalizysis/midlife crises. imo the biggest failure of the last 2 albums is the blurry cheesy type of sound. its way too overproduced. e.g. even the more rocking tracks like vertigo, LAPOE are a bit of pseudo raw. bring on another producer next time. we need more rockers!

 

[Ellay]

I personally think Vertigo is one of their all time greatest songs.

There you go.

 

[Clark W. Griswold Jr]

I am relatively new to this forum, and can't believe the hostility surrounding this album. I personally don't like it, and I think it's their worst offering yet, but when I read fans intellectually explaining the album's shortcomings, I seldom ever find a useful argument from the other side. Most of the comebacks are limited to "you just hate U2" or "you just don't understand it." Hehe, I don't know personally what I'm supposed to understand about the new album. One excersize that I find helps to see the truth is taking each track and comparing it with all the other tracks from the other albums that share that song number position. For instance...compare "Sometimes You Can't Make it" to "Elevation" to "Mofo" to "Numb" to "One" to "Desire" to "With Or Without You" to "Wire" to "New Year's Day" to "Threw A Brick Through A Window" to "An Cat Dubh." IMO, SYCMIOYO doesn't hold a candle to any of these tracks. And I know, music is subjective, and I could see people disliking "Numb" and "Mofo"...but as for the others...come on. Do it for each song. How about this..just for the people who think this is their best album. Let's compare it to the well known trilogy (Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, and All That You Can't...). So you prefer Vertigo over "Where the streets, Zoo Station, Beautiful Day"? You prefer "Miracle Drug" over "Still Havent' Found", "Even Better Than The Real Thing" and "Stuck In A Moment"? And so on and so on...How anyone could like "City of Blinding Lights" over "Running To Stand Still" is beyond me.

Another thing: People who I've talked to about this album tend to accuse me disliking it's commercial appeal. And I say well...wasn't The Joshua Tree commercial? 2 #1 hits?!?! Achtung Baby? I heard that album sold well. You couldn't go anywhere at that time without hearing about U2. Did I cry sell-out? Hellz no, because I was digging the music. The new album is a turkey and many like it under the guises of their choice. The most popular of those guises being "It's an album seen through the eyes of men who are older and more mature" so let me get this straight... Hello, Hello, Hola, catorce etc. That's maturity? No, that's probably the most juvenile moment of U2's career. And talk about the scent of babies heads...that's the kind of lyric that makes me want to assassinate Bono. Science and the human heart there is no limit...with maturity you should realize it doesn't work that way. "Lay down your guns"we're in the middle of a war you idiot. Don't get all flower power on me. Snoogins.

THe Bomb sucks!! Worst Album ever!! Every song is lame!! Bono's fucking lost it!! AB was way better!! People are stupid to listen to it!! My pie hurts!!!

It's a very good album that's not universally appreciated. Oh, the horror! Time to move on.

 

[Clark W. Griswold Jr]

The newest one is like taking ATYCLB, putting it in a microwave, cooking it on High for 10 minutes, taking it out, feeding it to your dog, waiting for him to crap it out, taking the crapped out album, and reheating again. Basically, reheated shit.

Wow, it sounds like you speak from a wealth of experience about this procedure. Do you let it sit overnight, or do you just gulp it down right away? What does it taste like? I'm sure you can tell us.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Interesting points, I do think HTDAAB is their most overrated album. It's incredibly flawed, but most of the ATYCLB-haters were going to like anything new that came out.......but whatever, if they actually think it's stronger than War or Zooropa or The Unforgettable Fire, they're just kidding themselves.

Oh, and people thinking that folks that like ATYCLB and like HTDAAB less is rare are just absurd. Half of the negative reviews I saw on Amazon for the new album start with "I really loved the last album, but"......while many best album ever polls indicated that ATYCLB has a large group of people that REALLY love it. I've yet to see HTDAAB make any of those recent best ever reader's choice polls. So aside from U2 nuts on the web, ATYCLB is way, way preferred.

 

[annie_vox]

I'm from hating The Bomb but I have to say that I agree that U2 have powerful creations that cannot be compared to almost every song in the bomb.

For instance...compare "Sometimes You Can't Make it" to "Elevation" to "Mofo" to "Numb" to "One" to "Desire" to "With Or Without You" to "Wire" to "New Year's Day" to "Threw A Brick Through A Window" to "An Cat Dubh." IMO, SYCMIOYO doesn't hold a candle to any of these tracks.

But in this list I have to say that I completely disagree with Elevation or Desire... Comparing them to SYCMOYO is a little to much, at least in my point of view. Elevation is just a funny song, it's good live but for me that's all... And Desire... honestly I don't like it. Maybe I'm the only one but this is my least favourite song of U2.

 

[annie_vox]

sorry the double post but in the beginning I meant "I'm far from hating the bomb"

 

[YBORCITY]

Most times I sit back and watch these threads go on and on, everyone flaming each other. But isn't music very like most other things subjective to the listener?
It would equal me saying that my favorite color is blue and all other colors pale in comparison. Not one person should like any other color because it is my favorite. I'm right and all of you and everyone else for that matter is WRONG!!!!

Do I think HTDAAB is even close to other Albums by this band? No Fuc ing way!!! It doesn't hold a candle to AB, Joshua Tree, Pop or even TUF for that matter. But that's just my own opinion and I'm not going to go on and on about other members of this Forum being stupid or silly because of there personal taste for this album.

Here's a point though I would have to bring up after thinking about all of this. Now don't forget this is just my own opinion.

I have to say U2 better think twice about rushing out another release just to get something new on the market. IMHO, this next Album is huge for them. I think there has to be some pressure on the Band to get something more than just average out there. If they do another okay album I feel they will become as non-relavent as say the Stones in thier later years or Aerosmith, The Who and so on..............

But hey, that's just me and my humble Opinion.

 

[Utoo]

Originally posted by ozeeko
For instance...compare "Sometimes You Can't Make it" to "Elevation" to "Mofo" to "Numb" to "One" to "Desire" to "With Or Without You" to "Wire" to "New Year's Day" to "Threw A Brick Through A Window" to "An Cat Dubh." IMO, SYCMIOYO doesn't hold a candle to any of these tracks.

Why on earth do people feel that comparing Track #3 on one album with Track #3 on another album makes sense?? Judging openers or closers simply as openers or closers to an album kind of makes sense, but you can't use physical position on an album to judge the quality of the songs. What the hell does the fact that two tracks are Track #3 have to do with the quality of a song? When people compare two albums song-by-song in order of the tracks---that's just plain stupid IMO.

 

[jacobus]

YBORCITYOBL wrote: If they do another okay album I feel they will become as non-relavent as say the Stones in thier later years or Aerosmith, The Who and so on..............

they already have become non-relevant - musically.

but hey, that's just me and my mega-humble opinion

 

[MacPhistoPT]

HTDAAB is slightly better than ATYCLB. ATYCLB has more embarassing songs, although Walk on and Kite are better than anything in Bomb. But I like both.

Now, of course both aren't groundbreaking and yeah, both became a bit boring after some time. They don't have that "album feeling". I listen many times to ATYCLB and HTDAAB songs but not to the album straight through.

You know, call me "middle of the road fan" but I think this is the natural way of things... see other bands like Pearl Jam... Yield, Binaural and Riot Act are still good but not so interesting when compared to their first albums.

 

[YBORCITY]

they already have become non-relevant - musically.

but hey, that's just me and my mega-humble opinion

Do you really feel they have become non-relevent?

How about any one else here?