The Guide to U2
Submitted by lbangs on Mon, 05/23/2005 - 12:10
Tags:
- Boy (1980) - ****
- October (1981) - ***
- War (1983) - *****
- Under a Blood Red Sky (1983) - *** 1/2
- The Unforgettable Fire (1984) - **** 1/2
- Wide Awake in America (1985) - ***
- The Joshua Tree (1987) - *****
- Rattle and Hum (1988) - ****
- Achtung Baby (1991) - *****
- Zooropa (1993) - ****
- Pop (1997) - ***
- The Best of 1980-1990 (1998) - **** 1/2
- All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000) - **** 1/2
- The Best of 1990-2000 (2002) - *** 1/2
- How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004) - **** 1/2
Author Comments:
This appears just like my CC series, but there is one crucial distinction. This list is the combined opinions of me and the critics in the critical consensus series. My vote counted for one point just like the vote of each critic.
Essentially, this is simply an update of the CC series with my little voice tossed in as a drop in the critical pool.
Scale:
***** - Masterpiece
**** 1/2 - Classic
**** - Great
*** 1/2 - Good
*** - Above Average
** 1/2 - Average
** - Below Average
* 1/2 - Bad
* - Terrible
1/2 - One of the worst albums ever
I can't believe that All That You Can't Leave Behind and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb both get 4 1/2 stars. They're both good albums, but don't come anywhere near U2's peak. My guess is that right now, many critics are still elated that the band turned away from the experimentalism of the 90's, and so are overrating the albums; as the years go by, the ratings will drop, at least a little...
Johnny Waco
As it was, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb just barely scraped by with its rating. I have little doubt that time will lower its rating.
While I enjoy both of the albums, I also am pretty amazed at the high esteem most critics currently hold them in. I find it especially odd that they both rated higher than a few of the four-star rated albums.
Yep, I suspect time will sort this matter out!
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
By the way, I thought you might be interested to hear that Bono wishes to cry, "re-do," on Pop.
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
I hope they do release another version, just because I'm curious about it--whether it would actually be better, I have my doubts. The few albums I can think of that were released in different versions later on usually illuminate the originals, but don't replace them.
Besides, I think Pop is quite a bit better than most people give it credit for being (including, I guess, Bono)...
Johnny Waco
I know what you mean. Will they title it Pop... Naked?
Still, I would be curious to hear this attempt, since so much of what bothers me about the weaker points in the album is the uneasy combination of classic U2 writing with electronica touches. In that particular sense, only Mofo shines. A little more effort to integrate the two worlds might make for a more engaging listen (to these ears).
Or, of course, it could just prove embarrasing...
Shalom, y'all!
L. Bangs
Saw the list and was about to send exactly the same comments as yours before i saw the post. Have always regretted the fact U2 retreated from the brink of their experiments after Pop's unfortunate lack of Popularity. I didn't really rate that album at first but it has grown to second in my affections after Achtung Baby; some of the songs are bleedingly heartfelt which is so rare next to dance music and I even like the wierd snippety songs like Playboy Mansion and If you wear that Velvet Dress. I know they put a lot of their convictions into it, including some pretty direct appeals from man to God which one cannot at first believe you are hearing on so brash and mainstream a rock album. Perhaps, along with its hideous artwork, the reason it didn't sell so well. Not suprised Bono wants to polish it, I hope it works. Saw their last tour and it was fun but have to agree every album since Pop has been vastly over-rated. Radiohead have taken their crown in terms of musical inventiveness but are as existentially downbeat as U2 were questingly spiritual. The blandness of the latter's recent music seems to have snuffed even this remaining merit though.