Originally posted by holyjoe5:
JT's first three songs are as great as rock can get, but then we get such duds as Bullet The Blue Sky (which later on the ZOOTV-tour morphed into a great live-song), Mothers of the Disappeared (which, frankly, is the worst album-closer in the band's career).
Generally, the album just doesn't excite me anymore at all.
I see some great song-writing, but IMHO, the album isn't as consistent as the ones mentioned above.
Bullet the Blue Sky, a dud?!? You've got to be kidding me, right? BTBS arguably is U2's best pure ROCK song. IT has great guitars, meaningful lyrics, thumping drums, powerful base....and, as you mentioned, is one of if not their best live song....
I agree with you on some of the other points, especially the one about JT being inconsistent. Side A is one of the greatest, most complete sides to an album ever. Side B, although pure and lyrically more profound than Side A, doesn't seem to match the emotional factor to the preceeding side.
Over the years I have become fed up with JT at times b/c it seems that EVERYONE loved it, the first 3 songs are played out on the radio even to this day and JT marked U2's ascend to Worldwide glory. Although the worldwide success is coveted and appreciated, I sometimes miss having that feeling of retaining U2 to a more dedicated, passionate following. I guess you can't have it all.
One more thing, although many mainstream critics and fans alike consider JT one of the greatest and U2's best album, I strongly disagree. Achtung Baby is by far a more challenging, creative, lyrically diverse, ground-breaking, original and experimental album than JT. By creating AB, U2 did what practically every other band(Beatles not withstanding) would love to do but is unable to do: create a new sound and image, yet maintain enormous popularity. Becoming the BBITW is very difficult; maintaining that position is even harder.
With that said, they are both 2 of the greatest ever....
[This message has been edited by MBH (edited 05-23-2002).]