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  1. Except on Achtung Baby and Pop, what a curiosity. Two of the best who got bashed at first and praised later.
  2. Every time U2 release an album, they say "its our best ever." Then everyone gets excited and loves it for the first few months. Then, after we listen to it 2 or 3 thousand times, we get sick of it and say, "it just doesn't compare to the Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. Its overproduced, not very original, the lyrics suck, its not cohesive as an album, etc."

    If and when U2 release their best album ever, they will preview it by saying, "hey, we recorded some new songs and are putting it on an album for our fans. Hope you like it." When U2 released Joshua Tree, Bono said, "its not going to be our best."

    You can't judge an album until 10-20 years after its release -- because its quality depends not just on the album itself, but on its reception and the influence it has over time.





  3. It's not their best, though. It has their best singles, but the album tracks were somewhat lacking.
  4. Originally posted by Droo:[..]

    It's not their best, though. It has their best singles, but the album tracks were somewhat lacking.



    That's subjective, of course. In terms of the casual music fan in general, that is U2's definitive and best record.
  5. Originally posted by BelgianBono:[..]

    True, but everybody also loved Get On Your Boots when it came it.
    I remember reading stuff like "that's the best rocker in ages" , " I LOVE it" etc.

    Probably just the excitement of hearing something new.


    For the record, I always said GOYB was bad, it's musically interesting, but hamstrung by terrible lyrics. The idea was good, the execution was not.

    But yes, loads of people on here thought it and the album itself was amazing, critics like myself ( I said it was a good album not a masterpiece) were definitely in a minority at first.

    Originally posted by shkee23:[..]

    That's subjective, of course. In terms of the casual music fan in general, that is U2's definitive and best record.



    Yes, JT and AB are the only real contenders for the best album spot, recognised as such by fans, casual listeners, critics and the music industry in general.

    IMO, Joshua Tree largely suceeds due to the 'Trinity' of Streets, WOWY, ISHFWILF which are all time classics, then you have Exit, RTSS, In God's Country, BTBS (which I don't particularly like, but most do) which are also great - the rest of the album has weaker tracks like TTYW and One Tree Hill so as a collection of songs AB is probably stronger, but the atmosphere the JT conjures has a certain magic.
  6. ''the rest of the album has weaker tracks like TTYW and One Tree Hill''

    WHAT?!?! One tree hill.. you gotta be kidding me

    I suggest you listen a few times to that Point Depot version


  7. lol!
  8. Originally posted by BonoIsTheMessiah:And then there's the Joshua Tree that might have been.

    Side One:
    1. Where The Streets Have No Name
    2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
    3. With or Without You
    4. Bullet The Blue Sky
    5. In God's Country
    6. Running To Stand Still

    Side Two:
    1. Red Hill Mining Town
    2. Trip Through Your Wires
    3. Silver and Gold
    4. One Tree Hill
    5. Exit
    6. Mothers of the Disappeared




    this is like sacrilegious, Joushua Tree is perfect. Sorry, but usually if you add a song to an existing album you then have to take one song off of said album...and here silver and gold aint replacing anything on that album, they had it right the way it is and i thank them for it...
  9. Originally posted by BonoIsTheMessiah:You can't judge an album until 10-20 years after its release -- because its quality depends not just on the album itself, but on its reception and the influence it has over time.


    Agree with everything except the bit I've highlighted - don't think critical or fan reaction has anything to do with it. Some of the best albums (and films for that matter) have bombed on initial release
  10. You are right, sometimes commercial failures are great albums. I was thinking of reception more over time.

  11. Breathe should have been track #1 - and I agree with your earlier post of removing tracks 5-7. None of them are very progressive when compared to the rest of the album. Imagine:

    Breathe
    No Line On The Horizon
    Magnificent
    Moment of Surrender
    Unknown Caller
    Fez (Being Born)
    ...
  12. Originally posted by RUMMY:[..]
    Breathe should have been track #1 - and I agree with your earlier post of removing tracks 5-7. None of them are very progressive when compared to the rest of the album. Imagine:

    Breathe
    No Line On The Horizon
    Magnificent
    Moment of Surrender
    Unknown Caller
    Fez (Being Born)
    ...


    I always liked the idea of a longer Fez intro opening the album and then the second part of the 'story' starting with Breathe.

    All the songs on the album could start the album off in fine form except maybe Crazy, Surrender and Stand Up. If it was a more drums-bass-guitar piece record, then Boots could have easily started off the album with the drum intro and then having Stand Up right after that. Dunno - it's definitely got the best running order of songs since Zooropa.

    I think Stand Up in a way is meant to disorientate the listener from going to a pop-rock song then to something more Floyd-ish sounding and you sort of go ''Well, that was different''. The same as the 360 shows where the Crazy Tonight remix is meant to progress the show from fun to politically-charged as Bono says.

    Keeping 5-7 I think is meant to be the way to get the fans of HTDAAB and ATYCLB (that style) to be interested in part of the album, as they know those who love the straight-up rock sound of Vertigo would like something straight up as those songs whereas Fez and White As Snow are oddballs in the way they are for U2 - stripped right back to their core. But oddly enough, it didn't work.
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U2start is run by fans for fans. Help us reduce personal costs. Consider to make a donation to support us.
U2start is run by fans for fans. Help us reduce personal costs. Consider to make a donation to support us.