ATYCLB = over-rated

[Diemen]

- I think Kite is one of the greatest U2 songs ever.

- The last four songs are not in the same class with the Beautiful Day - Wild Honey run, but I still like them. GBHF I could live without; nothing special IMO.

- Summer Rain is not strong enough, better off as a B-Side.

- I too am hoping for a more raw, unpolished sound on the next one, I love ATYCLB but do not want a Part II.

- Elvis Presley & America is IMO the only song on UF that lets it down slightly.

- We do need a new U2 album to have something new to talk about.

Ditto (except I really like GBHF).

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Originally posted by One Tree Still Personally, I think it's quite a stretch to call ATYCLB a 'masterpiece'.

That's an interesting question, IMO. The whole might not equal the sum of its parts, but there isn't another album in the U2 canon that has 7 straight potential hit singles on it.

The lyrics are weak (for U2), the themes are all over the place and Bono's voice is sub-par. Plus, the jacket art is totally uninspiring.

I agree to some extent that the album has some weak moments, lyrically (but which album doesn't?). I must disagree with you about the theme being, "all over the place," however. Each song conveys the general theme of hope and leaving the baggage of the past behind. Each song is searching for that window of light to transcend past trappings, hurt, and the like. As for Bono's voice, I really have to disagree, but this is purely a matter of opinion I suppose. Out of curiosity, what about Bono's voice do you find sub-par? Personally, I find 'Kite', 'Walk On', and 'Stuck' to have some of Bono's finest moments as a singer. 'In a Little While' showcases a raspy, old school soul aspect that we have never really heard from Bono prior to ATYCLB. 'New York' is a great performance, too. Oh, without sounding strained, try hitting the high notes in the chorus of 'Wild Honey' which Bono hits with ease. That's always a good test.

 

[sue4u2]

I always look so forward to Peace on Earth & When I look at the World that I want to skip too them- but then again, I have trouble skipping over any U2 tracks. It always seems as if I've missed something. Which, of course, I have.

 

[Saracene]

I agree that ATYCLB's lyrics probably aren't on the same level with AB, Zooropa and partly POP. But for me they still work because they fit with what the whole album is about: direct, simple things expressed in a straightforward, simple way, without any attempts at being impressionistic or ironic or clever-clever. And I agree with Michael Griffiths, ATYCLB has some of Bono's best vocal moments. His voice has known stronger days but he's never been a better singer IMO.

 

[Leeloo]

Why the fuck do people feel compelled to make threads like this anymore? Are you trying to change everyone's opinion by stating in great length the reasons you don't like ATYCLB?? Hoping others will read your post and say "hey, he's right. And to think, I've been enjoying the album for almost three years. Stupid me."

I love ATYCLB. ...I like it all, and no one is going to change my opinion on that. If you don't like it, that's your business. Nobody really cares that much. Just like some like POP, some don't.

Right

I disagree with the person who complained about his voice. His voice was amazing on ATYCLB and during the tour, considering the problems he'd had in recent years.

 

[Tabby]

This thread is a message board cliche.

You're tellin' me

Once again, a 'newbie' or name with few posts appears to start the same old tired topic up. Why does anyone even bother answering these threads? Shouldn't they all just be merged?

 

[One Tree Still]

I think the bottom line is most of what we are talking about is a matter of opinion.

If you like a simpler U2, then more power to ya. I prefer the U2 that made me think - that challenged me intellectually and wrote lyrics that made my head spin.

If you like raspy Bono, that's fine. I prefer the balls-out Bono who hit the high notes and avoided talking his way through songs (Beautiful Day). Maybe that Bono is long gone?

I always thought listening to a post-War U2 album was kind of like going to a Broadway show. It was more of an event than a mere album. The themes that tied UF, JT, R&H, AB, Zooropa and POP (not as much) together made you want to listen to the next song to see where the story was going. I don't get that from ATYCLB - but if you do, then I have no problem with that at all. We'll agree to disagree.

 

[SkeeK]

tabby, the way i see it the dude's got a right to an opinion, and how is he to know that this has been discussed into the ground. threads like this with topics as universal to u2 fans as the content of bono's lyrics to the world are bound to crop up now and then.

the one thing that's bugging me though, is how he got away with calling Dirty Day crap and no one called him on it. Wonderful tune, especially live.

As far as ATYCLB is concerned, it's a really good album, but I don't like it as a direction for U2. While I like the first songs better, I appreciate the second half more because it seems more creative, exploratory, and interesting, while the first half of the album is more catchy, uplifting, hooky, wellcrafted, catchy etc. What keeps this album from being a masterpiece (imo) is that these two qualities are not present throughout the entire album, like on Achtung or JT. I have concluded that I think the album would be much improved with different production.. because the live versions of the songs do elevate them into classic U2 territory.

I dunno if my opinions have changed though, because I haven't listened to the album for maybe 6 months. maybe i should give it another whirl and see what i think.

In A Little While does rank among my favourite U2 ditties of all time, though.

 

[U2girl]

I thought Bono's singing on the last album was one of his better ones. From the wails on Walk on and Kite, to the soulful raspy IALW, to the haunting Stuck in a moment - through all the album he sings with passion and conviction IMO not heard since the 80's. Yes he doesn't have the power like he used to but then again you can't expect him to achieve things he did 15 years ago.
(I think he does more actual singing - less muttering and no effects either - than he did in a while, and I prefer his voice over the IMO weakened, tired voice on Pop. And I thought the idea was to be direct and straightforward, not "simple". Besides U2 - except the 90's - was always known to be just that.)

 

[Tabby]

tabby, the way i see it the dude's got a right to an opinion, and how is he to know that this has been discussed into the ground.

Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah I know I know the dude has a right to this SAME opinon over and over and over and over. As long as he has a 'right' to this redundant opinion, I will also have a right to my same redundant opinion, until one day everyone wises up and ignores it as overdiscussed, or posts links to all the twins and cousins of it. Haven't we all got the message by now, some person/people here have it in for ATYCLB so badly they will go to great lengths to make it look like everyone hates it. But the sales tell a different story, and that's all that matters.

I have a right to my opinion! All opinions must be respected!!

 

[Red Ships of Scalla-Festa]

and i have the right to say that tabby's opinions are quite irrelevant to me, and that her constant bitching about other peoplse bitching is slightly hilarious.

get over it.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

And I have a right to say that your bitching of everyone else bitching of your bitching is also quite hilarious, not that I'm bitching or anything.

 

[Red Ships of Scalla-Festa]

yes you are bitching.

and thats not cool.

unless your bitching about

u2.

that busta rymes!

 

[Strato Edge]

El fin.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

yes you are bitching.

and thats not cool.

unless your bitching about

u2.

that busta rymes!

I may be bitching, as you say, but it *would* be in the "cool" sense (as in "you are bitchin', man...daamn brotha!").

At the very least, clever bitchin'

 

[cujo]

I would like you all to listen to Bad right now.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Funny you say that, Cujo. I was listening to my mp3's on my computer last night. 'Pride' from the Nelson Mandela benefit was playing, and I got quite into it...but then 'Bad' live from Lovetown Dublin came on, and there was really no comparison. Bono at his peak was like a totally different experience altogether. I suddently imagined what 'Bad' sounded like today (Elevation tour), and it was totally different. The vocals from that version of 'Pride' just kind of went with the song, wheras the vocals from the Lovetown 'Bad' *propelled* the song -- and actually pushed the band higher. That's what I miss the most I guess. But, anyway, the contrast between the two eras was really quite startling.

 

[cujo]

No. Read the lyrics.

Let it go buddy.

Let it go.



Fade away damnit.

 

[Saracene]

If you like raspy Bono, that's fine. I prefer the balls-out Bono who hit the high notes and avoided talking his way through songs (Beautiful Day). Maybe that Bono is long gone?

That's strange, cause I always felt that Bono started "talking" his way through the songs ever since AB.

And I like both Bonos.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Yes, I know what you were on about! But as far as this thread goes, I'm simply amused by it. I have very little to say toward the discussion at hand. I just wanted to talk about the difference in approach between the live performance back then and now...granted, this thread isn't for that purpose, but it's an interesting question, don't you think?

 

[cujo]

No I don't think Michael. I have nary the capacity for it.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Poor sport!

 

[Saracene]

I probably wouldn't get into U2 as much if there wasn't a more-subdued Bono to balance out the 80s Bono, whose vocals were admittedly completely out of this world, but whose bellowing, "I-feel-so-strongly-about-everything" oversinging was also at times grating.

 

[tchlowlife]

blah!! the album(ATYCLB) sucks!

 

[jick]

I agree. ATYCLB is overrated. People just thought it was great because it came after such a poor effort which was POP. So ANY album that would come after POP would be hailed as genius, as the redeemer, as the one that lifted them up from off the pits and into the miry clay.

All U2 has to do is make a shit album, then whatever album will come after that will be hailed as genius. What made ATYCLB great was the timing of the release. It saved U2's greatly tarnished image.

But at the end of it all, it doesn't rank up there with U2 only real masterpiece, The Joshua Tree. Then again, no other U2 album does measure up to that high standard of excellence U2 had set (but never equalled) back in 1987.

Cheers,

J

 

[Saracene]

Er... jick, exactly how many of you are there?

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Jick -- I'm curious as to how you feel about the "new industrial pop" of the early 90s and, more specifically, the incarnation of that form in the album known as Achtung Baby, which of course revolutionized, to some extent, the musical and cultural palate of that time, and gave rise to possibly the single greatest tour spectacle of all time. Also, I'm curious as to how you feel about the significance of 'One' being likely the best song U2 have ever recorded, but in a time when they fell below the "high standard of excellence U2 had set (but never equaled) back in 1987".

 

[Saracene]

Michael, I went and looked -everywhere- on my AB album, but nowhere did I find a sticker which said, "contains the Best Song U2 Ever Recorded",

BTW, how about Gone being squeezed in between Miss Sarajevo & Kite in your official sequence of best U2 songs?

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Saracene, that is why I said, and I quote, "...the significance of 'One' being likely the best song U2 have ever recorded." Besides, it is enough to discredit Jick's little theory that it is considered to be one of their best songs by pretty much everyone.

PS. Your copy didn't come with the sticker? You must have the collector's issue!

As for 'Gone', a great song, but for me, it isn't better than either of those two songs.

 

[jick]

Jick -- I'm curious as to how you feel about the "new industrial pop" of the early 90s and, more specifically, the incarnation of that form in the album known as Achtung Baby, which of course revolutionized, to some extent, the musical and cultural palate of that time, and gave rise to possibly the single greatest tour spectacle of all time. Also, I'm curious as to how you feel about the significance of 'One' being likely the best song U2 have ever recorded, but in a time when they fell below the "high standard of excellence U2 had set (but never equaled) back in 1987".

Achtung Baby is actually a good sequel to the success of Joshua Tree (R&H wasn't a sequel, it was a spin-off). But just like in the movies, the sequels don't quite measure up. Achtung Baby would never had been as successful had U2 flopped with Joshua Tree. A lot of Achtung's success was because of the popularity U2 got from Joshua Tree, kinda like how ATYCLB's being overrated was simply because it followed the POP ("flop") album. But I don't want to take anything away from Achtung Baby, it is indeed a very very good effort by U2 to attemp to emulate the Joshua Tree's success using a different formula (do any of you notice how different AB and JT sound?).

As to the song One, I do believe it highlights Bono's songwriting strenghts - intentionally vague lyrics so that it can convey a universal meaning. It could be a man talking to himself, a son talking to his father, a lover talking to his lover, or a conversation between two people of the same "alternative" sexual preference. Or it could just be a universal love song that applies to all creatures of this earth. One is surely among U2's better songs, no question about that.

Cheers,

J