HelloAngel

By G. Melton
2005.01


Having been a fan of this amazing quartet for 20 years now, it's nothing short of an event anticipating the next release by U2. What songs are going to stick in my head for days on end? What look and feel are these guys going to have this time? Will it affect pop culture? Will this release sound and feel sonic, rocking, ethereal or all of the above? Harmonica or wah-wah pedal? Distorted voice or fat lady falsetto? Drum sequences and loops or piano and acoustic guitar?

In those 20 years of following the band, I've only felt the way I feel right now one other time, a feeling of, wow, kind of mystified and not used to this, but this is a pretty lousy album. The titles of the songs sound great, the hype machine was in place, "Vertigo" is catchy with a vibrant iPod commercial accompanying it, and supposedly Bono was crazy about this album. Edge was in better form than ever, the riffs were supposed to be some of his best, angriest, well, you all know the rest from the publicity machine that is Bono in interviews for the most part. Sadly, though, it looks better on paper—this album's a real dud.



The other time I've felt like this about a U2 album was when the band released "Pop", the only other crap album in U2's illustrious catalogue. The similarities between the two albums are there: the first single is the first song on the album, it sounds exciting, pushing into a new direction, yet distinctively U2, upbeat and rocking, then track number two comes on and I'm scratching my head wondering whether this meandering song is gonna be representative of the rest of the album. Then a less than stellar album unfolds.

As with "Pop," the boys traipsed in a handful of—collaborators, producers, engineers, mixers, et al—and on most tracks none of them were named Eno or Lanois. Also like "Pop," there is the problem of the middle songs, the fillers. These are the type of songs that start out with the feel of a rock 'n' roll song: tempo is good, steady, the strum of the E chord, the rock 'n' roll time signatures, tapping my foot, wanting it to work, then, nothing, forgettable, rock 'n' roll songs with no soul, no great chorus, no nothing, nada, nunca, catorce! These are the worst types of songs for bands, these are the songs that when played live, people leave to get another beer or go to the restroom, the songs that U2 stayed away from for most of their career, the songs the band may have been jazzed about playing live when recording them, only to find they didn't go over that well live and are never, ever dusted off and brought out again on subsequent tours. The middle of this album is chock full of them—“All Because of You," their next single, the disastrous "Love and Peace or Else," "City of Blinding Lights" with it's incredibly hokey and attempt to pull at the heartstrings, and the oh-so-close-but-naaaahhhh-forgettable-in-no-time-track "Crumbs From Your Table."

Part of the reason U2 has managed to stay away from fillers thus far is that guy to Bono's right we affectionately know as The Edge. The stuff he came up with was too good, too original, too rhythmic to be just a strumming-chord-change-type-of-song. Not on this album, only the riff on "Vertigo" will be remembered. Shame, this was supposed to be a guitar album, and Edge can definitely shape an album. Whether flickering and full of ringing, hypnotic notes ("Joshua Tree") or the "I'm taking a front seat on this one" with slide guitar, distortion, sonic solos and a wah-wah peddle that's also, well, danceable ("Achtung Baby") or just plain atmospheric and moody, yet sleepy and melodic ("The Unforgettable Fire"), Edge has always been the other dynamic component in this band, with Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. holding down the bottom end with pulsating rhythms. On this album Edge either got tired of coming up with rhythmic, sustaining, signature riffs or he had a lapse and thought he was in every bar band in the history of time that thinks it has a chance in rock 'n' roll. When he does come out of his lapse from time to time, he falls back on the ole Edge stand-bys and imitates himself with unoriginal riffs or notes that sound like me playing Edge on my Fender Stratocaster.

This album's not without it's little flashes of brilliance here and there; this is U2, afterall. The choruses in "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" and "City of Blinding Lights" are beautiful, harmonic, melodic and gone before you know it. "A Man and a Woman," though not a rocker, is a tightly constructed, poignant little ditty that explores "The mysterious distance between a man and a woman." This track is the other standout besides "Vertigo" and should be the next single, then the band should cut their losses. "Yahweh" sounds like four men in sync, but by then it's too little, too late. A throwaway cut, "Fast Cars," that I guess is only on limited releases, is surprisingly good and sounds like U2 meets the acoustic side of Jane's Addiction. By then, though, the only thing I'm humming is a line from "All Because of You," Bono proclaiming, "I'm not broke/But you can see the cracks."

Yes we can, Bono, yes indeed.

U2democrat

It's interesting how people's opinions range from "it's almost as good as achtung baby!" to "it's awful."

Elvis

Yah... personally... I dont think its the worst, but I dont think its the best.

zooropa83

You are so full of crap. This album is no way similar to Pop. If you don't want to hear the songs live, then don't show up and let the rest of us enjoy.

HelloAngel

Let's be nice. Everyone's entitled to their opinions.

Elvis

I dont really agree with the writer's opinion, but it is their opinion... and everyone has one. I've never seen U2 fans as divided as they have been with this album.

Like I said earlier, I dont think it's the best album... but I really think it's going to come alive in a live setting.

2Hearts

If I had written this article, the title would have been:

"Coping With the Second Best Album From My Favorite Band"


So many people seem to have been victimized by the 'hype' surrounding this release. It seems to have had a strange effect on people. Personally, I waited until I heard the album to determine in my heart and mind whether it was classic or whether it was crap. I bought my copy on the release date, and I still listen to it almost every day. Sometimes I have to stop myself from playing it b/c I'm afraid I'll get tired of it. Well, that hasn't happened yet.

U2girl

I was wondering if U2 could do a really good album without either/both Eno and Lanois, and I think this album is proof. And it definitely is a guitar album - I haven't heard this much Edge in a U2 album since maybe Achtung Baby.

As for the hype, if at this point anyone seriously thinks U2 can do another Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby...good luck.

Yahweh_OMG

There is only one Achtung Baby in a band's career, I agree with you U2girl. I don't know why people expect "the best u2 album" everytime U2 release an album..... it's crazy, it's like asking a 100 meter runner to beat the world record everytime he runs! What other band has 4 Achtung Babys in his repertoire? I don't know any.....I think we are all lucky (us U2 fans) to have album of this quality after 25 years of music!!!!! Who else has done it? Half of the bands split and the other half commit suicide or get killed! We are so f.... lucky to love this band! If not, go listen to Robbie Williams or Britney Spears, you should enjoy, they won't sing for 25 years with that much energy and soul.

Yahweh

Its interesting to see that this person liked ATYCLB but doesnt like this album which its far better back to front with the same general feel to it instermentation wise.

This album is at least as good as Joshua Tree and maybe not quite as good as Joshua Tree so therefore I think it is pretty damn good.

Comparing it to U2s previous work to say this album is worse then Boy or October is unrealistic, and it is actually unrealistic to compaire its quality to the majority of U2s cataloge on a song by song basis because overall this album walks all over most albums if you compare track to track.

the tourist

I also was a little disappointed due to the hype.... But I still love this album to no avail. Sure I'd love to hear those rhythmic 16th notes, muted to sound like drums a-la Where The Streets Have No Name or Wire or In God's Country or the desert ghost town driving in the mountains at dusk feel of Promenade or Heartland or even the adventure of comic book proportions that it Achtung Baby (for some reason that album reminds me of superheroes in cosmic epic battles?). But all in all the album has so many hooks, good riffs, classic U2 moments that I couldn't live without....

__________________
Starflyer 59: "rocking your world since '93"

get into it.

biff

I agree, everyone is entitled to their opinions, but that person's response was somewhat understandable (though perhaps not excusable), as a reaction to the way this "review" is written. Instead of saying, for example, "I don't like this album and these are the reasons", the writer states bluntly that the album is a "dud" and that Pop was "crap". These comments present opinions as absolute statements of fact, and suggest that anyone who disagrees is just plain wrong. That's a problem I see in so much of the commentary in EYKIW, and it's what leads to so much conflict there. It's an intellectually lazy way of making an argument.

TheFly84138

Whoever wrote this reviews lacks musical knowledge and ability to critique the U2 catalog. While I agree with the basic argument of the album being weaker than others, saying Pop was a "crap album" shows no taste or understanding of music. The album has some real duds like "The Playboy Mansion" and "Miami," but the rest of the songs are brilliant and represent U2's culmination of creativity and artistic merit, heard only perhaps in Achtung Baby. "Do You Feel Loved" should only leave you scratching your head in worshiping its sheer perfection. "If You Wear That Velvet Dress" is another nonperil U2 recording that shys away from the standard delay effects and enormous sing-a-long choruses, not to mention just great musical ideas for the vocal and minimalist instrumentation. Do yourself a favor and listen to the album. As for crap albums, look no further than The Unforgettable Fire. Had "Pride" and "Bad" not appeared on the album it would have ruined their career.

Jamila

Simply can't agree.

For me, HTDAAB is the fulfillment of all the roads that U2 has travelled, all the experiences that U2 has had over their lifetime.

U2 has literally POURED THEIR HEARTS OUT TO US and the entire world in this album.

It is sad when we want to keep U2 in a box - to fulfill our hopes and dreams to what a U2 album should be, instead of just accepting them for who they are and for what they have to share with us at this moment in time.

U2 has always given their audience UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. it's sad when we can't give it back to them.

YOU GIVE ME SOMETHING I CAN FEEL....

rev hesed

It's sneaky business writing and reading amateur reviews...the root of the amateur is love, but they often times mimic something else when writing about their interests/passions. A fan is someone who doesn’t make sense anymore. Their judgment is skewed; they’ve turned fanatical. I think U2 is a figment, a big idea that is not essentially quantifiable but still can be charted in terms of ticket and album sales. If you love this music, whichever album, you ought to do that. Play it in your car and while you’re making dinner. Wear it out. But don’t strangle it with over-analysis. Let the life blood flow in it, dance, laugh and take it for what it is.