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8. Peace On Earth 6
9. When I Look At The World 6
But I disagree with pretty much everything else you said.
8. Peace On Earth 6
9. When I Look At The World 6
In your opinion, sure.
I'd also throw in the first seven songs of Zooropa.
Hell there is even a seven song stretch on the bonus disc of The Best of 1980-1990 that is far better.
Love Comes Tumbling - (version II)
Bass Trap - (instrumental)
Dancing Barefoot
Everlasting Love
Unchained Melody
Walk To The Water
Luminous Times (Hold On To Love)
Although this is moving on in a way. I have VERY high hopes for the next album. They can still do it at their age. They just have to want to and put the music first. This my, quick bullet list for the 2000's
1) ATYCLB- It is what it is. It's the album they wanted wanted to do, for better or worse. It's not unfocused. It's not a product of not knowing what they were doing. This is what they wanted to do and Eno and Lanois took them there. It's not my cup of tea, but some strong songs to hide in there, but the entire album is marred by weak vocals and some weak lyrics. Personally. I rarely listen to it.
2) Bomb- Bomb sounds like a band that's a little lost. It's truly the product of a band not quite sure what they wanted it to be. As a result, we have a mix of songs that are better than you find on ATYCLB and another group of songs which could have been so much more. It's an album of a band REALLY wanting to be a band again, but not knowing how to do it and wayyy too much over-analyzation. Take All Because of You. The Demo version is much better, rawer and interesting than the forced-sounding... released song... yet neither is TRULY successful.
3) New Album- I like that they've spent plenty of time on this one with the same producers. Yes. It's the same production team as ATYCLB, but I think U2's goal is different for this one. There wouldn't be an 8+ minute song if that were the case. I wonder if Mercy is Moment of Surrender (but that's another topic). I like the fact that Eno has done this 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off thing. Some sessions in Morocco. I see the potential for a lot of forced creativity with time for reflection in-between. This could be good. Very good. I'm not looking for War 2. Joshua Tree 2. AB 2, Pop 2. But if they can go out, do a good rock album (which is what they wanted to do with the Bomb)... put more emphasis on the drums rather than bury or soften them (which all the truly great U2 albums have had) it can be special and creative in a way U2 only can. Whatever that may end up being.
Ok. I'm rambling.
I have to disagree.
Even Better-One-UTEOTW-Horses-So Cruel-The Fly-Mysterious is tremendous. Every song on AB is great.
Discotheque-DYFL-Mofo-If God-Staring-LNOE-Gone is great as well.
Not to mention Streets-Still-WOWY-Bullet-RTSS-RHMT-IGC.
I like BD-Stuck-Elevation-WO-Kite-IALW-Wild Honey, but to me, it's not nearly as strong as those.
All imo of course.
When I said ATYCLB has arguably the most consistency of any seven song string, I meant from the start of an album. I should also have said consistency in pure melody. That is what I was thinking in my head when I wrote that. I just forgot to put it that way. I apologize. No other U2 album has 7 straight songs that are so focused melodically as ATYCLB. Perhaps only Atomic Bomb comes close. Atomic Bomb continues past the 7th song, though, and really only loses focus, melodically, during 'One Step Closer'.
I would argue that the first 7 songs on ATYCLB have more consistency than any other 7 song string on any U2 album. I would also argue that despite Atomic Bomb not offering anything super stellar, it is probably their most consistently "good" album to date in terms of each song being quite solid. U2's earlier albums (up to about The Unforgettable Fire) were far more hit and miss when it came to good vs undisciplined songwriting.
I mean, "melodic". 'Elevation' is very melodic as well, despite it sounding nothing like any of the other songs. Actually, none of the songs on ATYCLB sound alike. That's one of the album's biggest strengths. I remember when it first came out, I read someone say it sounded like 11 different U2s. I thought that was a very apt description.Please explain what you mean by pure melody. Elevation doesn't sound anything like the other six songs.
I wouldn't really call that "all over the place," then. More "lop sided", don't you think? Not that I would want to start an argument or anythingIt's a shame that these albums don't consist of 7 songs then, huh, MG?
When I said they were all over the place, I meant the whole albums. The last 3 albums might have benefited from being EP's but that sort of highlights the overall problem doesn't it? At least for me.
Ill give you a better response tomorrow, if you want to argue.
I would also argue that despite Atomic Bomb not offering anything super stellar, it is probably their most consistently "good" album to date in terms of each song being quite solid.
I wouldn't really call that "all over the place," then. More "lop sided", don't you think? Not that I would want to start an argument or anything
Bomb on the other hand is quite consistently melodic throughtout. I would say 'One Step Closer' is the only point where the melody dims, and the album sort of needs it to by that point anyway. The 2nd half is - oh, here's that word again - arguably the strongest 2nd half of any U2 album.
Screwtape, nobody cares what you don't like.
Sometimes I wonder why U2 fans can't simply discuss music without it turning personal.
I swear, I'm a member of so many online fan communities, but U2 has, without a doubt, the most elitist, uncompromising fans ever. Sometimes people like different things, that's okay right? Not everything is great and not everything sucks. That's okay, right?