Roughly 3 months later, where does NLOTH fall in your album rankings

[Galeongirl]

I'm afraid I agree with Sue. After almost a year, NLOTH still has the same power it had over me when it came out. Damn.

I think I may actually have to give it 2nd place in my favourite albums list, since there's only one song I never listen to on NLOTH as opposed to most of the 2nd half of JT.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

1. J. Tree
2. Achtung Baby
3. Pop
4. The Unforgettable FIYAH
5. All That You Can't Leave Behind
6. War
7. Zooropa
8. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
9. Boy
10. October
11. No Line On The Horizon

I don't consider Rattle and Hum a proper album.

 

[65980]

1. J. Tree
2. Achtung Baby
3. Pop
4. The Unforgettable FIYAH
5. All That You Can't Leave Behind
6. War
7. Zooropa
8. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
9. Boy
10. October
11. No Line On The Horizon

I don't consider Rattle and Hum a proper album.

You're one of the few Interferences with whom I have almost identical tastes. The only exception being that I like Bomb more and you like Pop more.

And damn, the Blackhawks are good this year!!

 

[65980]

I had a revelation recently about why I don't like NLOTH. I was thinking to myself: "Self", I thought, "the tunes are good enough, and the music is fresher then usual for the 00s, which is fine. So, why do I not like this album?"

For one thing, I find ridiculous songs like "Crazy Tonight" and "Stand Up Comedy" calculated to bad ends, which turns me off. But "Vertigo" was also a highly calulated (and re-worked to death) song, and I think it's great. So, I was still left confused -- why don't I like this album? "Breathe", for example, has a great melody, cool guitar, and an awesome chorus -- yet I can't stand the song.

And then it suddenly hit me:

It's Bono's vocals that ruin it for me!

That is really what turns me off (besides the over-production, but that's inevitable when you're 5 years between albums). I cannot stand Bono's vocal treatment on many of the songs. His voice completely destroys whatever tension or artiness or whatever there is to "Moment of Surrender" -- he comes in right from the start with a high-pitched, full power screetch of a vocal that immediately kills the song for me. The absurd and unnecessary slip into falsetto on the first lines of "Crazy Tonight" (the worst U2 song I've ever heard) is in incredibly bad taste, and the storefront-preacher attempt at a vocal-treatment in "Breathe" is just something that Bono should never try again. Even "Magnificent", probably the best song on the record, is somewhat limited by his over-singing, especially in the opening power chords. (Actually, when he starts singing, I find myself thinking: "Bono, could you shut up so I can hear more of Edge's fine work?")

Besides that, the two songs I really enjoy are "White as Snow" and "Cedars of Lebanon", neither of which features a histrionic vocal (which is probably why I like them). And even "White as Snow" is badly overproduced, with far too many layers of sound for what is just a simple folk song. Nor are the vocals particularly good (but at least they aren't histrionic). "Cedars" is the one perfect song on the record, but it's much too little, too late.

I realize this all sounds kind of harsh, but I don't mean it to. I love Bono and I love his voice. But there's something about the way he's treating the songs recently, which turns me off. I hate to make this comparison, but has anyone ever heard Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey absolutely savage a classic tune? It's called "over-singing", and I think Bono is guilty of it on NLOTH.

 

[roy]

I had a revelation recently about why I don't like NLOTH. I was thinking to myself: "Self", I thought, "the tunes are good enough, and the music is fresher then usual for the 00s, which is fine. So, why do I not like this album?"

For one thing, I find ridiculous songs like "Crazy Tonight" and "Stand Up Comedy" calculated to bad ends, which turns me off. But "Vertigo" was also a highly calulated (and re-worked to death) song, and I think it's great. So, I was still left confused -- why don't I like this album? "Breathe", for example, has a great melody, cool guitar, and an awesome chorus -- yet I can't stand the song.

And then it suddenly hit me:

It's Bono's vocals that ruin it for me!

That is really what turns me off (besides the over-production, but that's inevitable when you're 5 years between albums). I cannot stand Bono's vocal treatment on many of the songs. His voice completely destroys whatever tension or artiness or whatever there is to "Moment of Surrender" -- he comes in right from the start with a high-pitched, full power screetch of a vocal that immediately kills the song for me. The absurd and unnecessary slip into falsetto on the first lines of "Crazy Tonight" (the worst U2 song I've ever heard) is in incredibly bad taste, and the storefront-preacher attempt at a vocal-treatment in "Breathe" is just something that Bono should never try again. Even "Magnificent", probably the best song on the record, is somewhat limited by his over-singing, especially in the opening power chords. (Actually, when he starts singing, I find myself thinking: "Bono, could you shut up so I can hear more of Edge's fine work?")

Besides that, the two songs I really enjoy are "White as Snow" and "Cedars of Lebanon", neither of which features a histrionic vocal (which is probably why I like them). And even "White as Snow" is badly overproduced, with far too many layers of sound for what is just a simple folk song. Nor are the vocals particularly good (but at least they aren't histrionic). "Cedars" is the one perfect song on the record, but it's much too little, too late.

I realize this all sounds kind of harsh, but I don't mean it to. I love Bono and I love his voice. But there's something about the way he's treating the songs recently, which turns me off. I hate to make this comparison, but has anyone ever heard Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey absolutely savage a classic tune? It's called "over-singing", and I think Bono is guilty of it on NLOTH.

If you say you don't like something enough times you'll start do convince other people you're correct. Is that it?

 

[coolian2]

If you say you don't like something enough times you'll start do convince other people you're correct. Is that it?

hahaha

 

[65980]

If you say you don't like something enough times you'll start do convince other people you're correct. Is that it?

I think the people here (who aren't intellectual midgets) are interested in free discussion of ideas, thoughts, interpretations, and opinions. No one with half a brain or more is interested in trying to change anyone else's mind -- I am not a fascist.

Sorry if this concept is too democratic for you.

 

[mikal]

but at what point does "democratic" turn into "beating a dead horse"?

no disrespect or anything, just saying...

 

[65980]

Well, you've now made two pointless posts to bitch my comment, so who's beating a dead horse...?

 

[coolian2]

i'm going to assume you're not only forum taliban, mikal, but you're also an intellectual midget.

 

[65980]

I actually quite like Mikal -- but I bitched him back, so now we're even.

Wasn't metaphorically thinking of the Taliban. Are they really fascists? More like right-wing cavemen drones of some rich bastard's delusion sense of personal glory. I live in a place that was essentially fascistic until the 1990s...

By the way, Coolian, have you ever made a post that was longer than 1 sentence and not sarcastic?

 

[coolian2]

I actually quite like Mikal -- but I bitched him back, so now we're even.

Wasn't metaphorically thinking of the Taliban. Are they really fascists? More like right-wing cavemen drones of some rich bastard's delusion sense of personal glory. I live in a place that was essentially fascistic until the 1990s...

By the way, Coolian, have you ever made a post that was longer than 1 sentence and not sarcastic?

once, i didn't much care for the experience and don't plan on repeating it.

and you'll find the taliban comment was referencing something other than your post.

shit, multiple sentences and not completely sarcastic.

edit: and what the hell, while i'm on a record run i'll address the voice point you made earlier to say i couldn't disagree more. i found his voice on this album to be far less whiny and grating than either of the two before it. it was fucked on pop, but it wasn't whiny, which is the entire problem i've had with his voice since 30 october, 2000.

 

[Tyagu_Anaykus]

this is cool.

Hi intelectual midget!

 

[65980]

once, i didn't much care for the experience and don't plan on repeating it.

Heh, heh... That actually made me laugh!

 

[partygirl43]

UF
AB
NOLTH
October
War
Boy
ATYCLB
HTDAAB
JT
Pop
Zooropa

Honorable mention: Live at Red Rocks (I f*&^king love that EP)

 

[mikal]

Well, you've now made two pointless posts to bitch my comment, so who's beating a dead horse...?

i don't really want to get into a "i know you are but what am i" type argument. i'll just say this. i really don't care for the album version of "Crazy Tonight", but you probably didn't know that because i choose not to post about my dislike for the song every time a thread about it pops up.

 

[65980]

you probably didn't know that because i choose not to post about my dislike for the song every time a thread about it pops up.

That's true... but 98% of my post had nothing to do with 'Crazy Tonight'. Ah, well, I actually like your posts, Mikal, so I'm not complaining...

 

[Tyagu_Anaykus]

That's true... but 98% of my post had nothing to do with 'Crazy Tonight'. Ah, well, I actually like your posts, Mikal, so I'm not complaining...

I don't

He's such a Blinded Sheep taliban

 

[BVS]

i'm going to assume you're not only forum taliban, mikal, but you're also an intellectual midget.

 

[coolian2]

Heh, heh... That actually made me laugh!

and after blasting me for never addressing a point, jenny, you totally ignored what i had to say i'm going to go and cry now

 

[bram]

For anyone who's been around Interference for the last decade (I began lurking with the release of ATYCLB), what's really amazing about NLOTH is how much better it's been received by the online hardcore fan community than the previous two records. And interestingly enough, NLOTH is the record that's been the least well-received by the general public.

Are we just looking for different things in a U2 album? Or is it only related to having hit singles?

 

[coolian2]

For anyone who's been around Interference for the last decade (I began lurking with the release of ATYCLB), what's really amazing about NLOTH is how much better it's been received by the online hardcore fan community than the previous two records. And interestingly enough, NLOTH is the record that's been the least well-received by the general public.

Are we just looking for different things in a U2 album? Or is it only related to having hit singles?

great point. that's why i find it so hard to listen to the people who make outlandish claims like "u2 have lost it" because of this album. if you don't like it and the media doesn't like it, but the overwhelming majority of other fans love it, how can you make such a claim?

the upsetting part is the band themselves won't listen to the fans, they'll listen to the media. they're past that point of their career where they need to worry about that.

 

[joerags]

I still can't get tired of this album......

 

[U2girl]

For anyone who's been around Interference for the last decade (I began lurking with the release of ATYCLB), what's really amazing about NLOTH is how much better it's been received by the online hardcore fan community than the previous two records. And interestingly enough, NLOTH is the record that's been the least well-received by the general public.

Are we just looking for different things in a U2 album? Or is it only related to having hit singles?

Online fan community.

U2 fandom worldwide seems to like ATYCLB/Bomb better than NLOTH, considering the sales...and the reviews were better for the first 00 albums.

 

[coolian2]

Online fan community.

U2 fandom worldwide seems to like ATYCLB/Bomb better than NLOTH, considering the sales...and the reviews were better for the first 00 albums.

what makes you think the online fan community feels differently than the (apparently?) bigger exact same set of fans without computers?

 

[U2girl]

The reception of ATYCLB and Bomb vs NLOTH on the net compared to the reception of those albums in the - apparently - big(ger) picture. Obviously not the exact same set of fans.

 

[coolian2]

so basically, media vs hardcore fan community.

 

[U2girl]

Media and "outside world" fan community vs internet fans.

There are differences of opinion on the last few albums (basically anything after AB). As for Are we just looking for different things in a U2 album? Or is it only related to having hit singles? the former probably is true. I'm not sure hits help - Discotheque was a top 10 US hit and look at that album's reputation...edit - also U2/America go through cycles usually, after being loved (JT, AB-Zoo TV, ATYCLB-Elevation-Bomb-Vertigo), for some reason the band suffers a little backlash (Rattle and Hum, Pop-Popmart, NLOTH-360 - the tour is loved but the album wasn't as popular as the previous releases - maybe not as villanized as Rattle and Pop but the overall impression in this album is more like "meh", plus increased Bono backlash in the last few years).

 

[coolian2]

Media and "outside world" fan community vs internet fans.

There are differences of opinion on the last few albums (basically anything after AB). As for Are we just looking for different things in a U2 album? Or is it only related to having hit singles? the former probably is true. I'm not sure hits help - Discotheque was a top 10 US hit and look at that album's reputation...edit - also U2/America go through cycles usually, after being loved (JT, AB-Zoo TV, ATYCLB-Elevation-Bomb-Vertigo), for some reason the band suffers a little backlash (Rattle and Hum, Pop-Popmart, NLOTH-360 - the tour is loved but the album wasn't as popular as the previous releases - maybe not as villanized as Rattle and Pop but the overall impression in this album is more like "meh", plus increased Bono backlash in the last few years).

let's face it, the outside fan community are more casual fans who are likely to follow the media lead, while your average internet fan is more likely to be hardcore. but we digress.

there's definitely an element of backlash against u2. the funny part is that the backlash i've seen has been led by atyclb and htdaab, where people labelled those albums as crap and assumed no line on the horizon was yet another one of those. poor marketing really leads to that, plus the general perception of what u2 are (rightly or wrongly) without hearing the material.

bono has been saying for years that u2 are the biggest niche band in the world. i'm obviously paraphrasing, but this album is the first time this has actually been relatively true. they'll release an album that sells millions of copies but only so many people will claim to like it and actually really want it, the rest of the sales are because of the larger than life image u2 have.

i'm really rambling, i hope some of my point made it across. if i even had one.

and just following up on one other thing you said, i haven't actually seen much/any backlash/hate from the united states to this album. almost all of the negative press i've seen comes from europe - or specifically, the united kingdom. the united states still seems pretty in love with u2.

 

[U2girl]

I think the "internet fan" is younger than average outside fan, and likely someone that became a fan in the 90s. So indeed they won't like much about All that... and Bomb. It seems that the older fans that were maybe put off by Zooropa and Pop came back for the 00's albums. I really don't think the entire increase of sales can be attributed to new fans coming on board, much as the band likes to believe - and hype - it.

Maybe some assumed nloth is like the other 00s albums. Does that alone explain the relative lower sales and the poorer critical reception ? The choice of the opening single didn't help obviously (though even someone like U2 may not sell 10+ millions worldwide anymore), I just don't think the U2 fans are responding as massively this time as they had with ATYCLB and Bomb. In a way this is reminiscent of their Pop era, where they were a big band coming off a big album and tour, but it (pop and popmart) didn't catch on as well as AB and Zoo TV.

The tour ? Definitely U2 is still loved. The album reaction just seemed a little more lukewarm this time around. I don't know if it's US or UK, I do know there were more Bono-related comments this time around ("tax dodger/hypocrite rich rock star preaching about poverty" line for one, possibly followed by the "rich jerk trying to monitor the internet" soon ?).