Reviews (page 11 of 13)
Bij het album 'War' noemde ik U2 een Knorr wereldgerecht en eigenlijk is dat bij dit album niet anders. De hele familie kan het vreten en misschien is er één familielid die het echt geweldig vindt omdat die de hongerwinter nog heeft meegemaakt en vergeleken met ongezouten bloembollen lijkt het nog heel wat. Sky Radio muziek. Gaandeweg ga ik me ietsjes ergeren merk ik. Die eeuwige kerkgalm, die half jankende stem van Bono (met af en toe een soort Hazesesque snik), de kopstemstukjes, de overgeproduceerde drums waar alle dynamiek en emotie is uitgefilterd en dan ook nog een gitarist die zichzelf 'the Edge' noemt maar ondertussen wel echt slaapverwekkend gitaarspel op de mat legt. Tussen de 2 en 3 voor mij.
That wasn't unpleasant. But I do not understand why this band took off.
Not really a U2 fan, but always think of this as their best period. And it does have some good songs, but mainly the singles, with The Fly a properly good song. Also, ...Wild Horses and Mysterious Ways But some of the songs are dull and overlong. Could have lopped off 15 minutes and had a really good 40 minute record.
Some 90’s hits that I’d forgotten about! Probably the peak of U2, don’t really know any albums after this
U2 is fucking overrated
Actually not a bad album, good background noise.
Great!!!
- Heard this before - Like The Joshua Tree, but I really don't like this one - Don't really get how this is considered a similar level, I genuinely think this is just a bad album that shouldn't be on the list - However, One is actually a really good song so I can't give it 1*
Vraiment bon, je ne connais pas beauocup U2 et je n'ai jamais vraiment été intéressé à cause du chaneur principale, mais bon je dois leur rendre que leur musique est tr`s bonne. 5
I remember that everyone freaked out when The Fly dropped as the first single from this record because "U2 had totally changed their sound". When I listen to this several years on though, it still sounds like a U2 record - it's not mashing the Americana buttons that the Joshua Tree did, but it's still instantly recognizable as a U2 album, especially in the context of everything that came after it. I recognize that U2 has different eras, but everything they do sounds like U2, that is a good rock band that is rarely exceptional. This is less of a groundbreaking album than it was hyped to be on its release.
Excellent. Have been a fan and revisiting this album solidifies it. The drums alone make this GREAT! Until the end of the World has been one of my favorite U2 songs .
Some really great tracks on this one. It's not my fave U2 album
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright.
Många fina låtar.
Listening for the first time in years, it's clear that one's memory has smeared this record by association with the execrable contributions that were coming next – Zooropa and Pop. The distance of years makes clear that one was both spot-on and slightly-off target. On one level, it's a great record, extraordinarily well executed with a multitude of winning cuts – "The Real Thing" and "One" and "Until the End of the World" especially. On the other hand, it's overlong and there's a real downgrade in the lyrical quality ("A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle" was a tired line a full decade before this was released). But the biggest issue is the obviousness of the career move. Yes, it's an impressive and mostly successful refresh of the sound, but a blatant brand repositioning of such a magnitude equates to cynicism and contrivance and, worse yet, outright commercialism, none of which attracted first-gen fans (oneself included); indeed, to those who had Boy on cassette U2 was anything but a brand. They played songs of political commitment, songs they seemed uniquely compelled to play, and didn't worry about dance numbers or what was happening in clubs. And in the long run this redirection did damage; they lost their way to near disastrous effect and this is the context in which Achtung Baby is rightly judged. Specifically, they began trying to sound like the times, rather than defining what the times should sound like. With AB, they caught the Zeitgeist in ways that didn't utterly ruin their legacy at that moment, but AB pointed them in a direction that very well might have ruined it if not for the rapid (and nearly as cynical) course correction after they become objects of ridicule. Their entry into this wilderness of relevance seeking and trend chasing is manifested most obviously by the gimmicky club-centric efforts that folllowed immediatly, but also in the rather sterile and synthetic "rock" records that came later, relieving many fans, but which sound clearly engineered for legacy protection or mid-market acceptance. A bedgrudging respect is what one feels mostly toward this record now, which, upon reflection is what one felt upon release; it was hard to like unreservedly for those astonished by the development from War to Unforgettable Fire. Longtime fans were right to have a sense of foreboding. One is even inclined to make the case that after AB, U2 ceased being U2; they came to exist on a plane more suited to global corporate brands rather than simple rock n' roll bands. Indeed, if Coldplay didn't exist to make them look good by comparison, U2 might have become the most cliched and laughable band on the planet. They aren't far from it in any case. NOTE: Editors' claim that less sophisticated fans were put off by this record is ludicrous; one's presence at the creation doesn't automatically cause one's ears to lose their callibrations over time, but rather to gain sensitivity toward gratuitous slippages in authenticity, at least relative to original visions.
pity zero stars isn't available
not bad but boring and generic rock
taas yksi ultra valtavirta bändi jota en ole hallunnut kuunnella koska pari kuuluisinta biisiä on on kuin HERNEROKKA ILMAN SIANSORKKIA!!! ja albumin biisit ovat kyllä parempia parempilaatuisia, luovempityyppisiä kappaleita mutta ei kyllä säväyttänyt (ei kelpo vitonen) yksitellen ehkö hassun hauska kuunnella mutta kokonaisuudessaan albumi kuulostaa ääniseinältä ja ei piru, piru vien, piru vien vaan kiinnosta mörsän virtaa... until the end of the world
Kinda ass men idk?
More enjoyable than the other U2 album (Joshua Tree) but not as good as it’s made out to be. I’m starting to think U2 isn’t as good as they say
Sukks
всё уайт нойз кроме уан. потом немного расслушала остальные (осознала что мистириос уэйз тоже знаю). потом даже погуглила источники выражений донт лет зе бастардз грайнд ю даун и ин дримз бегин респонсибилитиз. в общем альбом не впечатлил но википедия даа
3.5
An ok album. Not a scratch on Joshua Tree and earlier work. I feel like this is where they started to go inside themselves abit
Pretty good
I remember liking this album quite a bit when it came out. It sounded cool. I expected to enjoy listening again and have all kinds of nostalgic feelings. Yes to the latter, for sure, but the music itself isn't as special as I remember. One is still a great song and I do like Mysterious Ways. This is still a good album, but that extra je ne sais quoi has worn off in the intervening decades, which I guess is fair enough. I do think U2 belongs on this list, which probably means this album also belongs on this list. But I imagine it will be a while before I visit Achtung Baby again.
Vocal harmonies on “zoo station” are really cool, it also has a nice driving bass line. Vocal “ahhh” harmonies give this a nostalgic, feel good sound, it’s cool they keep coming back to that. Sonically this holds up very well in general. “One” toes the line between “change the radio station immediately” corny and “get drunk and sing along with the boys” corny. Really the whole thing is corny, but a lot of it feels pretty good to listen to. Cover art: 4/10
Sounds exactly like what you’d expect from U2. Kinda cheesy but well made. Guitars sound cool af and fill up the space really well. The delay on all off the riffs and solos make all of the sounds sound huge. Makes up for some of Bono’s Bono-ness on songs like the fly where the guitar solo saves the song. The bass tone and bass lines also are solid throughout the album. Definitely easy to hate on U2 but I think it’s objectively well made with some catchy songs and is a decent 3 that I could understand people really liking.
Didn’t finish tbh and don’t rlly want to…kinda boring but I’m probably biased bc I hate U2 for reasons I don’t fully understand
Man some of these songs are catchy i can’t lie. Typa shit you don’t wanna like but just do. I’m like that Jay z gif quietly bobbing my head. I’d never be outspoken about this album but i really didnt mind it. Lyrics can be kinda cringe but Bonk has a style of singing that I kinda like for some reason Heard before: mysterious ways Top tracks: who’s gonna ride, mysterious ways, ultra violet
For some, U2 can walk on water. However, for me, it just doesn't do anything. While I can appreciate the album for what it is and the change in music styles, I just don't think I'll seek to purchase on vinyl.
Nobody actually cares about U2. Everybody claiming to be a "U2 fan" is a government plant. Bono isn't even real. His voice was made using speech synthesis and the guy on stage is a Serbian chap named Stanislav Jebović. Look it up. I know for a fact that the album cover was created after the guy who makes the artwork came to Bono with 16 concepts and told Bono to pick one, and Bono was like "I don't fucking know man. I don't work here. Just put them all on there somehow." Best U2 album I've heard so far. 2/5
não é por nada que os loco são mainstream, muito agradável o som
Extemely listenable. While doesn't reach the heights of Joshua Tree, it's instantly apparent why this was one of the biggest albums of the '90s. 3/5
listened to the first 3 or 4 songs and confirmed that i am not a fan of U2
U2 sucks big
I think both this and The Joshua Tree are probably my favorites, even though the "hit" songs are definitely overplayed. Having said that, I am not a fan of U2 at all. Someone once said the Clash was "the band that U2 wanted to be," which always made me smile. Having said that, you can't deny how the songs on this album work and fit together, even if the bandmates didn't feel it. Edge's guitar work... depending on the song, it works, like in "Acrobat" and "Mysterious Ways". Sometime it's just too janga janga janga like in "Ultraviolet". "Zoo Station" for some reason reminds me of Bowie's "Speed of Life" off of his "Low" album. I don't know if it was something they were going for or not, but it just has a similar feel for me. It's not necessarily a bad thing. I remember when they were doing the whole ZooTV tour, it seemed overblown to me, much like some of this album feels. But how else would you follow up The Joshua Tree? Hard to do, right? Still, a solid album.
I found I liked this album better than the Joshua Tree. I read they were trying to do something different and experiment with an industrial sound and I think the opener Zoo Station nailed it - I hadn't heard it before but I dig it. And to be honest, right through to Mysterious Ways is a pretty damn good 8-song sequence. I think One and Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses are two of their best penned, best performed songs in their catalog - really beautifully done, lyrics and vocal and musicianship. The other hits are almost as good (Mysterious Ways, The Fly, Even Better than the Real Thing) and the non-hits are also solid (Until the End of the World being my favorite non-hit - real solid). Like the Joshua Tree it runs out of steam a little bit at the end, but we're only talking the last four songs. I feel like it's close to a 4.5 but I don't think I'm ready to round up. But I must've listened to the album 10-20 times to see if I could get there.
Mediocre to a fault.
Another album where I’ve heard the singles a million and one times, but never had a strong urge to check the album. Not horrible, but not anything special either. First half of the album is stronger, towards the end my finger is was inching towards the track skip button. I liked maybe a handful of U2 songs before this. Listening to this album added one to the list. Success, I guess. Standouts: Until The End of the World 2.75
Not that big of a U2 fan, and found this a little weak. Mysterious Ways is the only real banger on it, End of the World also pretty good. The rest is as always competent rock, diminished by a little too much self-seriousness.
Paul’s second favorite U2 album
I’ve slept on U2 my whole life. Every song I heard from them was over played on the radio. Taking the time to explore this album enlightened me to the great musicianship and production that they have. The track “acrobat” really woke me up.
U2 have 3 good albums. And this is one of em. In a lot of ways this album set the tone for the stadium concert experience of the 90s
It’s alright.
U2's body of music is really hard to grasp sometimes. Half of their body of music is from my lifetime and half before. Their sound changes by decades, but always holds the same stadium appeal. I've heard a good amount of the songs from this album prior but listening this intently makes me appreciate their significance much more. This album feels more complete than All That You Can't Leave Behind and the songs I didn't know stood out more.
Such music. Much bono. How about that fly eh? Wow. I'm not under duress at all. You'd think that going to Ireland and one of my fellow boneyard brethren being a big fan of this album would influence this review and score but you're dead wrong. Wow.
One of my all time favourite albums. Look at some of the biggest albums in ‘91 and there’s nothing really like it and it’s a dramatic shift from Joshua Tree. Pretty much ever song is great.
I like the guitar effects on this album a lot - really interesting, out-there stuff, especially on The Fly (which is among my favourite U2 tracks, as is One). The sound of this album appeals to me slightly more than the traditional Joshua Tree style, and I respect the reinvention between the two. Like The Joshua Tree, there is a drop in quality beyond the singles, but, like The Joshua Tree, the other tracks did grow on me nicely after a while. 4.5 stars. It probably doesn’t deserve it, but I’m gonna round up. I think it’s because I listened to a lot of these tracks when I was about 13 and still feel an affinity today.
Meh.
Är väl nytänkande och välgjord, men näe. Har nog haft min dos.
Some all time great U2 songs here! This is a band I used to not enjoy that I've come to love
Nope still don't like U2
I don’t love it like I did when I was in college, but still enjoyable.
A couple good songs on here, but overall lackluster.
This is one of my favorite U2 albums. It has a lot to offer. Love Mysterious ways. I'm not really a huge U2 fan, but this one I like.
Listened to on 3/21/23 4/5 Favorite song: one I really enjoyed this album - it was easy to listen to but had interesting instrumentals.
One and Ultraviolet Light are my favorites. U2 did a good job.
Had a few songs I recognize that I haven’t heard in a long time. Overall was a good listen, might want to listen again sometime
It was good background music. I can totally see why people would really like this, but its not quite my style. If someone put it on in the car though, I would listen to it again
Not as offensive as so many U2 haters seem to lead you to believe. Besides Mysterious Ways it's pretty unremarkable, though. It got a little boring and repetitive by the end of the album.
Esse álbum é bom demais, um dos favoritos da vida!
Would have definitely preferred if this U2 album was automatically downloaded onto my iPhone. A couple boring songs, but a solid listen for sure.
I’m hearing there’s some anti-U2 rhetoric going on in here. Stop it. They’re good. A dull opening but songs 2-5 are classics. This is a very cool, edgy sounding (no pun intended) album for 1991. Probably a bit of a jolt to fans after Joshua Tree but think they hit on this. Say what you want about The Edge, he managed to find a unique style that doesn’t get old. Seeing them live in 2011 at Canad Inns Stadium was a highlight. After seeing so many losing performances in that building, it was nice to finally be in attendance for a winner. As the great Bono says “you better learn how to kneel” and give U2 the respect they deserve. On your knees Hargrave.
Sometimes list makers are wrong but I guess I'll listen anyways. U2 reminds me of cabbge. The excessive use of audio effects makes the songs take up space and seem like they'll leave you full but instead leave you hungry. Could Bono sound any less enthusiastic than on Even Better Than The Real Thing?
One of the most overrated bands. I didn't hate the album, but I sure didn't enjoy it.
C’mon man give these guys a break. These tracks rule. I kinda love how contrived they are lol. Some history: I saw this band in 2004, we drove to Minneapolis with friends and my brother bought us beer because he was the only one who was 21. Dashboard Confessional opened. U2 played Vertigo once during the set and AGAIN for encore! no Mysterious Wayz? they did us dirty. I genuinely enjoy Edge’s playing (even though it’s a bit delayed). I love to find contextual things in life so I can sing “even better than the real thing!”. I [illegitimately] used One in a scene of a movie that I made years ago and it never got copyright flagged bc it was only the part where he screams “LOVE IS A TEMPLE”. I have some memories tied to a lot of these songs so they’re good imo
For a guy with a massive ego, Bono’s voice isn’t what makes U2 good. The band talent is greater than the sum of its parts. This album accentuates that fact. The third record in a row with killer bass. This album is perfect when making a new pasta sauce recipe. It delivers a primer for focus and creativity, with a lively backdrop. For some reason, I wanted to give it a 3 very badly, I’m not sure why. But I couldn’t be So Cruel. It’s far better than that. Lastly, One is a masterpiece. A timeless classic that builds beautifully to a satisfying climax. But as I was up in the clouds, I found my favourite track of the album - The Fly. A hidden gem which I’ll be listening to until the end of the world.
U2 are boring and annoying (see:Ultra Violet)
I hate U2. They're all smug, self-important, pretentious assholes. I also am irritated by the standard U2 sound, with Bono doing improvised high up wailing vocals over Edge's jingling high pitched droney guitar nonsense on a bed of boring bass and drums. All that being said, this album was better than I expected. It is certainly plagued by a boring back end, where the drummer comes up with a single rhythm and just plays it with few fills for the entire song. And that rhythm is often the same across multiple songs to the point where the drums need to be there but are forgettable and can be mostly ignored. The bassist was good for coming up with at most one good riff per song, which is rarely improvised over. That riff is usually pretty good, but come on show some creativity. It is especially egregious in the transition from Mysterious Ways to Tryin to Throw, where the similarity of the single riff highlights the lack of creativity. Note that the bass is quite well mixed on this album however and stands out exactly when it should. Thankfully the guitar on this album is pretty good. Edge stays away from his high jingly garbage for the most part and lays down some pretty nice tracks. Guitar highlight for me is the extremely tasteful two-guitar opening to One. Bono is at his worst when he does the high wailing stuff, but mercifully that's absent from a number of these tracks. I would say overall that this album is mostly decent up to Mysterious Ways, then after that it is garbage other than the last track which I thought was a pretty decent closer. Mysterious Ways itself is more of a classic U2 sounds but man do I like that song. That bass groove is so nice, even if it never changes. The outro section kind of devolves into U2 garbage but I can forgive it. Another big highlight for me is the false rhythm opening to Until the End of the World, really like that. Anyways, impressed by some of this album but unlikely to go listening to much more U2.
Kind of boring but I didn’t hate it.
Would have rather listened to shoegaze. Bono sings like. He just ran a mile. That saturated chorus effect they keep using, blah, blah, no, stop. Every element of production was underwhelming in almost every song. Everything was soft, nothing stood out. Nothing was memorable other than the popular mysterious ways, but maybe that's only because I'm already familiar with it. I wasn't upset at it, I just was... quite disinterested. And disappointed.
Great production. The tones all sound great. Very pleasant to listen to sonically. But it's boring. And monotonous. Okay second half and coffee. It's got some variety and soul. I wanna dislike it for bono but it's got some good tunes. First take highlights: so cruel. Love is blindness.
A couple absolute classics but overall still not a huge U2 guy.
This wasn’t it
True Masterpiece. And superb production.
Favorites: -Mysterious Ways -Ultraviolet (Light My Way) -Acrobat
Terribleness incarnate
Listened to this one a bit when I was younger. Good album but not their best.
A completely forgettable experience!! I know One and LIB. That being said, I didn't realise Love Is Blindness is a Bono original. You learn something new everyday! Saved tracks: Zoo Station, So Cruel, Acrobat, Love Is Blindness
Own on Vinyl
This is not bad per say, I recognize the quality of the production and of many songs here, but I found it really boring as a whole. Not a lot of hooks and Bono's delivery is not that good. 5,5/10
I'm ready for the laughing gas
Classic.
This is a decent album. U2 gets a lot of hate for their attempts at being way too deep and how they portray themselves but overall their music is pretty good. They’ve been around for 4 decades and have made hits. This album is a bit more relaxed and the instrumentals are more upbeat. There are a couple songs that are replayable and have some worth. The song writing isn’t as depressing and this album is pretty solid. 6.7/10
The start of the decline. Obviously no album with One on it is actually bad. But it's not great. You can tell that they've started wearing shades and leather and thinking they're the shit. Idiots. Not as good as Achtung Bono by Half Man Half Biscuit, which is far more deserving of a place on this list.
Nice
Great album
Much better than I expected. Sometimes a bit overly dramatic
Just a very decent album with some nice highlights
It is meh. Its classic pop rock which I'm not really into and most of the songs were boring and weren't gripping at all.
I liked really early U2 - the Boy era, when they were a bit more raw and hard. They still know how to write a catchy tune though. Happy to sing along to Mysterious Ways and my favourite on this album, – ‘Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses’. Apparently they’ve never been able to play that song live because they can’t recapture that emotion. I guess that’s why I like it then.
Not my favorite U2 album but I still enjoy these tunes. I remeber getting this album on cassette when it came out. It has some good vibe attached to it. My band from the mid 2000s covered "One" and I still like how we interpreted that tune. I haven't listened to this album recently (I don't have a cassette player in my car anymore) but I remember all these songs. Bono's vocals can be annoying but it's fun to sing along and annoy those around me. I can say this band is awesome but they are consistent and found a sound that is all their own and easily identifiable. The production on their earlier albums was rough (which I liked) but I think this album was well produced and fit the era very well... maybe a bit overproduced and commercial but I still enjoy this album.
The only criticism I have is that most of the songs go on a little too long.
I was on the U2 train earlier than most. A high school buddy was a big fan and introduced me to Boy and October before War and "Sunday Bloody Sunday" started to break the band. He even had these bootlegs (on cassette) of the band's earliest demos, which were terrible. Like, still figuring out how to tune a guitar terrible. So I felt a personal connection — I watched these guys grow into a real band. I saw them on the Unforgettable Fire tour, and it was one of the more spiritual concert experiences of my life. The crowd was fully invested, the band was in peak form, Lone Justice opened. Good night. Then Live Aid happened and the bubble burst. Funny that many discovered them at that time, but it was like the veil was lifted and I saw the band, and Bono, more specifically, for all its ambition. The honesty was gone. I think they really started buying into the hype and I was outta there. So, for a decade or more, I couldn't listen to the band. It was all schlock to me. This album falls right in the middle of that era. Three of the four U2 albums on the 1001 list do (groan). I seriously shed all of this, or at least acknowledged it, and gave this as objective a listen as I could. Nope. I don't buy any of it. Every plaintive groan, every strained whispery word, every gravelly note, every lyric. It all sounds so terribly self-aware. It's all show. It's like the band is watching itself under its own microscope. I get that my personal bias clouds my judgment on this one. But I just don't enjoy listening to this era of this band. "Mysterious Ways" is a legitimately good tune, even Bono's melodrama doesn't destroy that, though they follow it up with one of the worst songs in their catalog for good measure. I expect this album is probably better than my take on it, so I've raised my rating to a 3 to compensate. I bet you guys can't wait to hear more from dre's personal diary when Joshua Tree gets served up.
I was never much of a U2 fan, mostly because I always thought Bono was a twat. But when this album came out, it blew me away. The sound seemed at once timeless and revolutionary, turning even slight songs into majestic beauties. The production is just so rich and juicy and deep. Even today I was hearing things I'd never heard before. So, sound-wise, this is a 5/5 for me. Songwriting-wise, though, it's less stellar (3/5), which might be why, after obsessing over this album for several months after I got it, it fell out of favor with me, and, except for hearing its hits in the wild, I haven't listened to it since 1991. Beautiful sounds, though. And that simple, swooping bass line in Mysterious Ways is one of my favorite musical things ever. I think this album informed my musical tastes more than almost any other album of that time (except for maybe Loveless), so, Imma have to give it at least a 4.
Forgot how much I LOVE this album and U2. Always loved Bono's vox and The Edge is just the coolest with his wild reverbs and chiming timbres. This listen took me right back to starting life on my own in Philadelphia. Achtung Baby was the soundtrack to that time and place.
Each U2 album an atmosphere and set of anthems we know like a multiplication table. With this new sound, they go it right again. Even if you see it as a product like Madonna, this was on very Heavy Rotation on cassette my car. So good to listen to it in order. My brain still knows it this way. Resolution: listen more to the favourite albums of youth. They press the buttons so well. Enjoyed that.
Best leaning on a shovel getting paid for not a whole lot gig in pop music? Bass player for U2. And wait there's more, you get song writing royalties to go with it. What a boring band, seriously boring. They are so boring it was actually interesting to listen across this entire record just to see the boring depths to which they could plunge. Here they are so self consciously trying to uncouple themselves from being U2 they do a U2 and produce an album that sounds like U2 trying not to be U2. I love how the guitarist is constantly fighting to not play his signature one and only style of playing, but then about a minute and half in he rips it out regardless. This is the pop music equivalent of wallpaper. If there was a Pop Music Hall of Boring not only would they be one of the first inductees, they'd be the first Immortals.
At the time this came out, I wasn't a fan. I preferred their earlier style to their reinvented one, as much as I knew that every band needs to evolve (and apparently, they really felt it - nearly split up). However, on a closer listen - and getting beyond the "hey we're different now" announcement of the opening track - there's a lot to like. Sure it's a bit overdone in places, but for the most part these are good songs with good arrangements. Not sure i'd reach for it in preference to other U2 albums, but definitely 3.5 stars.
I auite enjoyed early U2, but I’d pretty much given up on them by the time this album was released. The only 2 tracks zi knew from this album before today were One(hard to avoid) & Mysterious Ways, which I quite liked. I just listened to the whole album & there’s nothing there that I’ll ever listen to again. I’m bewildered as to it’s high rating with the critics. It did give me a real laugh though - Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses? Were they serious? Prince could get away with that sort of lyric, but not Bono. Disappointing listen for me.
This is my favourite U2 album. I generally find U2 a bit bombastic and earnest, a bit too polished and almost completely devoid of swing. But this is the record where they discovered noise, irony and even a modicum of funk. I love industrial music, so the noisy production style really appeals to me. And, despite the deliberately trashy presentation, there are some really strong songs here, including One, which I would argue is the best song they ever wrote. I saw U2 once in the early 2000s, and I was surprised at how closely Bono stuck to the vocal arrangements from the records, occasionally throwing in snippets of other songs (with mixed results) to try and keep things fresh, but I really got the impression that, despite his great pipes, he doesn't think on his feet particularly quickly in a musical sense. I suspect in the studio he works really hard until he finds the best performance, and that is generally locked in forever. But when he sang One, I felt that this was a song he deeply understood, musically, and it was not just a replaying of the record. His performance was much more fluid and in the moment. While not nearly as hard-edged as a lot of the records I was listening to when this came out (Einsturzende Neubauten, Skinny Puppy, Nine Inch Nails, etc etc), this had the advantage of having really great songs at the core (which you would certainly not accuse Skinny Puppy of. The only late 80s, early 90s industrial band with really good songwriting was Nine Inch Nails). I listened to this album a lot when it first came out and is still probably the first U2 album I would pull off the shelf (a close tie with Joshua Tree). I listened to this record a lot, and each track still stands up for me. The songs are less ambitious, global, worthy and important, and much more human and morally ambiguous. There is a quite a bit informed by the Edge's divorce, and the band's own near-divorce. It was a bold swing at a real change, and one that paid off for them, extending their career that had perhaps run out of obvious places to go. Bono is still annoyingly full of himself, but the more self-reflective approach on this album tones that down just enough to be palatable. Interestingly, having heard some of the demos, I think a LOT of the greatness of this album comes down to the production and mixing team of Eno, Daniel Lanois, Flood and Steve Lillywhite, who took some pretty half-baked ideas and crafted them into an amazing record. Lanois can record, Eno can edit, Lillywhite can mix, but for my money, the real secret sauce is Flood. This is Flood starting to move into the big time from the alternative bands he had worked with previously. The band threw everything and the kitchen sink on tape, but it is the editing and mixing that really lifts this into something special (and I think Flood's distinctive work can be clearly heard here). I am noticing how often Flood's name turns up on records from the late 80s and 90s on this list. He gets my Most Valuable Player award.
Echt, ik probeer er echt zonder vooroordeel in te gaan. Maar al bij de eerste noten komt mijn afkeer van U2 omhoog. Wat een drama van een eerste nummer. Het is goed dat One enigszins optijd komt, want dat is natuurlijk een goed nummer, maar de rest... Bluh. Ik weet ook niet wat het U2 is, tenminste, een ding weet ik wel: die 'wall of sound' is dramatisch. Alles op maximale reverb waardoor niks echt naar boven komt, ik vind het helemaal niks. Ik dacht nog dat One deze naar 2 sterren kon tillen, maar nee, 1 ster voor mij.
My preconceived notions about U2 either influenced my disdain for this album, or validated. I don't know which and really don't feel the desire to discern which.
I had no idea I was going to know pretty much every song on this album. Not sure if this means my dad was a surprisingly big U2 fan while I was growing up or just how ubiquitous they were. At this point, U2 is essentially a meme so I wasn’t expecting greatness. But it was good - definitely not as derivative as you’d expect from online chatter. Would probably even listen again!
Its a good album, its not u2s best
Niet de grootste fan van U2, maar dit album is wel goed! Het kalme van One met de dansbaarheid van 'the real thing'
3.8 very cool
I mean, it’s alright. It doesn’t suck, but I never liked U2 all that much and, while this is an enjoyable listen, it’s not super great. Also, did they just have too many album cover ideas and cram them onto one instead of picking one?
For one (lol) reason only, I need to highlight Achtung Baby for at long last allowing me to realize why U2 don't really elicit any meaningful reaction from me: it's Bono. No, not his obnoxious persona or politics, as I'm one to separate art from artist in a majority of instances, though he does come off as a special and pretentious brand of prick. No. It's his voice that really irritates me. It's so breathy, warbly and imprecise, as if he's intently circling around every note he sings without ever quite hitting it. It's so distracting to me that all the technical skill in the world couldn't really make me interested in most of these songs, and I'm sure it can be found in spades on this LP. I think Brian Eno's involvement is the saving grace here; probably what makes this album sound more ethereal than it should (a good thing).
C'est une bonne idée de la part de U2 de vouloir viser le public germanophone, mais le propos est loin d'être assez agressif pour que ce projet soit réussi. Je les invite à prendre exemple sur Laibach et leur album Opus Dei.
Un album de bonne qualité, même si la déception est palpable eu égard à l'absence totale d'allemand sur toute la durée du disque. Quel dommage de ne pas avoir rendu hommage à la langue de Nietzsche et autres Mario Götze. U2 aurait bien été inspiré de suivre l'exemple de Laibach, qui nous avait offert il y a de cela quelques mois une composition parfaite dans un germain des plus impressionnants.
Pretty Good
Kind of boring to me. The signer seams to have very limited tones making each song too similar. The doomsday feeling of the song is a little to heavy for me. Just not my bag.
Fine.
An extremely enjoyable album
U2 enters the 90s with a darker sound, becoming more critical of modern society and amping up the attitude. And yet for all that, the remarkable tenderness of “One” might be the album’s highlight.
This barely squeaks out a 3 for me. I’ve never been a U2 fan and this album is no different. I speak of uncanny valleys a lot, but I think U2 is uniquely uncannily between rock and pop.
absolutely biased here. i’ve never liked u2, and this doesn’t do anything to change that for me.
I don’t know why this was so boring. It seems like it should be more interesting.
Well, you know, they're U2. So you know you're gonna get big pompous choruses, tryhard vocals and The Edge's schtick. If you're a fan it's not a bad thing I guess, but I think I only liked two tracks on this and they were the last two. Everything is big with U2, but it's really annoying to me, there's something fake, or should I say distant, with Bono's presence, almost like if he was concentrating hard to play a rock star instead of being one. Anyway, I'm not a fan and I actually prefer Zooropa over this one.
Truth is, it's not very good for how "big" this is supposed to be
Boring one from U2
This album was incredibly boring to me and the kind-of wannabe emotive vocals of Bono are annoying to a point it completely ruined the album. U2 can be great, especially in their early 80s phase, but... What was that?
I honestly can’t say I’m a fan of U2, mainly because Bono just seems super annoying. I remember years ago I read about him getting a private jet to fly his hat from Ireland to USA. This is the guy shouting about climate change. He must have really needed that hat. Songs I already knew: Even Better Than The Real Thing, One, Mysterious Ways Favourites: Even Better Than The Real Thing I was expecting this album to be bad and annoying just because I don’t like Bono. His voice was as whiny and annoying as expected, but the music itself was actually ok. It wasn’t anything amazing, but it was fine. Fairly uninspiring, but fine as pop music. Typical radio music, but nothing I’d ever go seeking out. Overall, it was better than expected but still pretty mid.
The previous albums I listened to using this at least stuck with me. 'Aqualung' by Jethro Tull stuck with me. 'Berlin' by Lou Reed REALLY stuck with me. 'Revolver' by the Beatles stuck with me. The only thing this album stuck with is my Apple Music 'Recently Played' list. I'd call it musical wallpaper paste, but wallpaper paste actually adheres to stuff.
An absolute classic. Love this record.
Not my fave, but appreciate the time that it was made and the influence they have had on music
Ugh.
CD
Roadblock..
the other best U2 album. start to finish hits
Kelpo vitonen...Noh…, subjektiivista tällä kertaa… lyriikoista en tiedö….
listened to again i don't really like U2 but i love listening to the guitar FX revolution that is the Edge
I'm just not meant to be a U2 fan. The Edge's playing and Bono's singing just make me feel empty, in a bad way.
There was a time when I would've given this album a 5, but listening to it now, it sounds a bit overproduced. Still, the power of their songwriting shines through, especially on anthems like "One." Perhaps their last truly great album.
Objectively it's iconic and a "good album" but I just personally can't get into it much, mostly due to Bono and his vocal style. Best parts are the interesting guitar stuff, personally.
I never used to like U2, mainly because of The Fly video, but suprised myself and liked a lot of this album
Interesting story behind this album, but the music fell flaaaat for me. I've never taken to U2, so I'm coming in with a bias. But like, the author told a story about the band's struggles and how they wrote 'One' and it's the song that saved the band. That's the song that saved the band?! I nearly fell asleep during it. - Sincerely, a confused heathen.
Me gustan las guitarras con sonido seco, metálico, mezcladas con las acústicas y las cuerdas, las influencias industriales y Electrónicas
Notes - U2’s 5th album - Were aiming for something more “dark” and personal - I have some issues with the mixing and production of this album - The drums have no life to them - Surprising since Brian Eno is involved - The songs are okay, there’s a couple of classics but the rest are mostly forgettable - The songs are definitely creative, U2 using their usual formula but leaving room for experimentation and unconventional stuff Fav - Mysterious ways - Love the extra percussion and guitar sound on here Least fav - So cruel - Bit of a snooze, goes on for a while 3/5
Loved this album when it came out, haven't listened to it for a while, good to hear it again.
Niet zo fan, maar ook niet per se slecht.
Really enjoyed the way this album came together. Definitely some hits
Death
I hate it
I won’t be listening to this album.
Honnêtement très ordinaire
U2s last good album and following Joshua Tree, this was not a good album. 4.5/5.
This is lame, boring, and cringe. The album cover is garbage too.
U2bad this one is their best album because it is not u2good
Amazing album. This band is always putting out great, powerful, relevant, creative music. Much like Radiohead, they are constantly reinventing themselves. One of the most creative guitar/vocal combos in popular music, and the bass and drums are always flawless both live and in the studio.
Not a fan
I was unfairly cynical about this album when it first came, but over time the singles and Zooropa wore me down and then seeing the magnificent spectacle of the Zoo TV tour near its end won me over completely. Maybe a couple of the tracks are better as their single mixes (get at least the 2CD version if you can), but it's a five star classic for me.
Pretty much what I expected from them at this point in their career - safe, over-produced, more effects than guitar playing, but still very enjoyable. "...wild horses" and "the fly" probably my favourite tracks, but so many of them are classic rock staples already.
I hate it.
Honestly, I made a mental groan when U2 popped up today. I had this annoying acquaintance back in the day who LOVED LOVED U2 and have had a strange aversion to them ever since. Time seems to be on my side on that. BUT, Achtung Baby is better than I gave them credit for. There are a couple of good songs on this album and I always appreciate a coherent whole album, which this does, even though each song may sound a little too similar to the last at times. And then Bono's voice still gets tiresome about halfway through.
As obnoxious as U2 can be and has been. They have created some amazing music and this album is proof. Frank Sinatra said the song One is the greatest love song ever written, and its my second favorite song on this album. Favorite Track: Until the end of the World Who is this music for? People who like good music. When do you play it? When you're getting it on. Or not getting it on.
A few singles on here that I already knew. They remind me a lot of the 90s, when I was a youngster. Never been a huge fan of U2 but this album is alright. The singles stand out the most the other album tracks kinda passed me by…
Inoffensive and forgettable, but thankfully nowhere near as pretentious and insufferable as The Joshua Tree.
It’s very good. Several good songs with no filler.
hate u2
Strong album. First 4 tracks all good. Don't need who's gonna ride your wild horses. The fly rules.
Great album I haven't heard in a while. Listening to Bono's book so now was a good time to revisit this one.
Decent rock album. Not too much else to say.
Not a U2 guy. I did listen all the way through this. It sucked. U2 sucks.
Less synths, more rock. That's a good decision, U2.
This album is a bloody mess. Apologies to the fanboys but what even is going on here? There are two good songs and the rest are just wandering, ho-hum pop songs. The driving rock band who made "The Joshua Tree" seems to have gone on vacation and put cardboard stand-ins on stage instead. The songs are simple, the production is over-mixed, and the performances are flat. It only earns 3 stars because "One" and "Mysterious Ways" are so good. Too bad the rest of the album doesn't even come close to the level of those two songs.
One of the greatest records of all time, if not the greatest. This album paved the way for so many bands, as well as creating a new sound for the 90s alternative scene to hear. This album is perfect. 1,000/5.
Juu juu voimaballadia. Melkein kaikki U2 kuulostaa samalta paitsi hitit (jotka on hyviä ja maailmaasyleileviä). Ei voi inhota, ei rakastaakaan.
Tylsää, soinnillisesti mautonta, suurelta osin kertosäkeetöntä. Eikö heillä ole mitään tapoja?
Ugh, U2. I tried, I did
I liked this one, not a huge U2 fan
A personal favorite
занудьненько like usually .....
Excellent.
Okay this rules
On paper, this should be a 5/5 for me. I mean 'The Fly', 'Mysterious Ways', 'Ultra Violet (Light My Way)', and 'Acrobat' are all great. And this is without even mentioning 'One', the most out of place wedding song since 'Every Breath You Take'. But I have always felt that there is something missing on Achtung Baby. Just that special feeling that is present on The Joshua Tree, but I cannot find here. Maybe it's the vast emptiness that Eno and Lanois managed to capture on the previous record which just suits Bono's vocals and The Edge's sound so well. Oh well, still a great one!
Yet another great U2 album - a perfect transition to the 90’s. Some of the tracks are among the greatest ever written by the band; “One”, “Mysterious Ways”, “Ultra Violet (Light My Way)”.. What a collection of songs. The leaning into more industrial territory, especially on the drums, doesn’t sit that well with me though. I’ve always felt rather alienated by “Zoo Station” for example. That being said, I don’t hate it. It just doesn’t hit me in the same way as the sound on The Joshua Tree does it - even though Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois once again did an awesome job producing this.
I went into this thinking I would only know the big singles, but the whole thing is very familiar to me. I must have absorbed it as a child. Really enjoyed it, it’s a different direction after their first few albums and it sounds fun.
Many will say this is U2's best album, and that's all well and good for them. U2 very rarely hits for me, and a vast majority of this album didn't hit. It felt like it dragged, and it was a chore to get through. However, Mysterious Ways is on this album, which was a mega hit for them, and is an okay song in my book. I liked The Fly as well, which edged closer to my tastes. Otherwise, this was meh to me.
Industrial influences Processed vocals + guitars, mechanical drums, synthesizers Produced by BRIAN ENO!!!!! Which is why it sounds good for a U2 album If people think NIN is gateway industrial, this is the gateway to gateway industrial. The general atmosphere of some of the songs makes it difficult to get the point of the lyrics across sometimes. The instrumentation in Who's Gonna... is way too upbeat for what Bono sings about. A lot of these songs feel a little dragged out, especially when most of them have no big changes over the course of the song. This is the case with So Cruel, where the song is 5 minutes long but has no big evolutions or changes. The Fly resolves almost every problem I've had with the album so far. Mysterious Ways is one of my favourites so far. It's not overly complicated, doesn't overstay its welcome and contains some great guitar work from The Edge. This album is very hit or miss, with the misses still being listenable and the hits "pretty good" at the best. Overall, its an ok album but would take a lot of effort to listen to the whole thing at once, as it is very draggy. Sounds like Muse but good.
I can see how U2 were the biggest band in the world for a bit. This is some impressive song writing and polished sound engineering. If they didn't push their tripe onto every IPhone in the world that one time, and Bono was a bit less Bono, I'm sure I'd like them a bit more. I might just go and quietly listen to The Joshua Tree.
Well that's my quota of U2 for the year. 'One' is a legitimately great song. The rest, meh.
Well before Coldplay, there was U2 to fill the airwaves and the stadia... and they also are masterful pop songwriters - anthems that transcend even decades after they were released. I'm not too happy about it - but I cannot deny great craftmanship when it comes along. When they are great they are great, when they are middling, they are awful - but this album balances it well - peppering the hits strategically and sounding gorgeous. Didn't know Eno produced this, so I guess it adds to the pedigree.
My favorite U2 album. It’s packed with great songs. There are plenty of the dramatic and cinematic songs U2 is best known for, along with songs that lean more toward alt-rock and even a dash of funk. “Mysterious Ways” is my fav U2 song too. Excellent album cover - captures the energy of the music.
I'm surprised this is the first U2 on this list! Unless I'm mistaken? I think U2 are great. I think some of their hits are some of the rest rock songs of all time. This album has all of the elements that make U2 great- good groove riffs, super tight performances, heartfelt vocals, outside-the-box guitar playing, and hooks. "One Love" is a great song that anyone who is a fan of any genre can listen to and say "hey yea I know that chorus!" "Mysterious Ways" is a song that I am tormented with that is genuinely stuck in my head on repeat when I hear it for like a year after hearing it so I'm cursed now until 2024. Overall I think it's a high 4/5. It's close to being a 5 but it's just shy of that "legendary" mark that I've been reserving for the 5's.
its a good one 4
This is good stuff. Such an easy and enjoyable listen. Had never heard some of these but can’t pick out a bad one
3.8
Comes out of the gate with a lot of great stuff. Just went a bit too long and less than stellar toward the finish.
Never forget when U2 hacked everyones iTunes. There are a couple bangers on this album but not my vibe. I’ll be generous with a 2.8 even though my head was still hurting during this album
U2 sucks ass
Very "meh" to me. Nothing much stands out.
Quite pleasant rock album - easier to listen to than some of U2's other offerings
U2 doing the whole rock and dance thing that was popular in the U.K. Underground at the time. Not only did they do Joy Division but badly, they also did a New Order and Stone Roses but subpar as well. “The Fly” and “Mysterious Ways” are the most interesting and listenable tracks. “One” seems to be the schematic that many Brit bands, Coldplay and after, from which drew their sound. Not the biggest fan of U2, their best is “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me”, on the Batman Forever soundtrack. 30th Anniversary version has some very annoying remixes on it, including a really bad version of “Can’t Help Falling In Love”. Bono is the worst, but I do have love for the rhythm section.
This album does not belong on this list. Instrumentally it does not offend me, but it does not stand out as exceptional. Of note is Eno’s involvement to help salve the festering wound of a bloated but injured industry darling, trying to recapture something fleeting in earlier days. Bono’s approach in particular make it difficult for me to listen to. I have a hard time understanding the argument that anyone would need to hear this album before leaving this life. If I ever have to listen to Bono whisper in my ear again I might leave this life before making it through this ridiculous list.
Had a few gems but overall not that exciting.
I loved this album when it came out and I still love it. It was the next chapter for U2 after The Joshua Tree. Great songs.
4/5. As much as I respect this album, it’s not something I would listen to on repeat. Great songs, but the general vibe is not for me.
I enjoyed listening to this one. Same feelings as when I listened to Joshua Tree. Maybe I like U2 after all.
👏👏👏
Okay I guess.
Classic
72/100: U2 sounds a lot more like Coldplay than I remember them sounding. U2's clearly a great band, but this wasn't their best stuff. I admittedly don't know much about U2's discography and don't listen to them regularly, but I really hope this isn't considered one of their better albums, because it's very mediocre. Like I said, sounds like Coldplay. Generic pop rock.
Don´t like this "reinvented ourselves" U2
Timeless classic - perhaps not as good as The Yoshua Tree or The Unforgettable Fire -but probably shared number 3 with Boy and War in the top 5 of Best U2 albums.
Back then I wanted to like this album, but just could not get into it. Today I am still struggling to enjoy it. Yes, there is some good guitar work from The Edge (the main riff on Mysterious Ways, and also Acrobat springs to mind), but the majority of the songs themselves are not compelling enough for me, and at times Bono's vocal delivery even starts to irritate me a little.
I’ve never really been a fan of U2, but this wasn’t terrible. I’d probably listen to it again.
Most overrated band in history
"Then it all made sense to me. How could Bono be so talented, so caring, and yet seem like such a piece of crap? Because he is crap. Don't you get it? Bono is not the record holder..." "He's the record." - South Park
Solidno. Bilo je par pjesama koje su bile puno bolje od ostalog ali necu se vracat na ovo. Ostaje dad music
Okej je i ima dobrih dijelova, ali neću se sad baš nešta posebno vraćat na ovaj album, a pogotovo na u2.
Upalim ovo prvi put u kolko mjeseci s namjerom da poslušam i budu i ovi. Jedina razlika ovog albuma i otvorenog je sto otvoreni ima bengera tu i tam, jebiga takav dojam mi je ostavio.
the bomb
It's U2. I'm never going to be a fan of these guys. I can see why folks enjoy them, but I can't help but feel like I have to scrub the pretentiousness off me after listening to this.
Mouse again, slow at work, dragged out of the house, but decent? Kinda tired/overwhelmed
1 This sucks 2 Ok its not that bad 3
No estoy seguro
I didn't hate it, I thought it was fine enough. Not something I'm going to listen to anytime soon. 2.5/5
2.5/5. This is fine. Not the best I've heard from them, and kind of bland and boring as a whole.
I don't have much experience with U2. I like a few of their songs, but I've made no effort to seek out more U2. This was okay. Some songs did nothing for me, but there were a few songs I enjoyed. I wonder if I'll end up liking Joshua Tree more or less than this. My favourite songs were probably So Cruel and Mysterious Ways.
amazing album with a ton of great standalone tracks and defined the tone of the early 90s singlehandedly. Absolutely one of the best albums of all time. 5/5
I guess I don’t hate U2
U2 had long jumped the shark by this record. They revel in the indulgences of hedonistic arena rock, but they wear their own caricature well on the whole. It’s definitely less remarkable than either of their first two records, but I was pleasantly surprised to hear the emotional punches land as well as they do. They haven’t gone full 90s wah-wah rock just yet. The overall sonic impression is a bit confused as the group found itself in a bit of an identity crisis at the turn of the decade, but they came out rather favourably even as they sacrificed some of the vitality that made their early records so important to me. The songs are longer, the production even more polished than ever. I don’t rate the singles at all, they lack any sort of appeal to me. But whereas they maybe lost their creative edge, the Edge himself remains one of the most evocative guitarists in popular music. You either love him or you hate him, but his ear for a melody is undeniable and he executes his sound better than anybody else. He is the epitome of a guitarist who always serves the song. It’s a marked turn in U2’s discography, and while I’m not a great fan of their banal stadium-fillers, they were still capable of a stellar album (this one is still TOOO FUCKING LONG though!! Nearly two hours!!?!? Unbecoming of a great album, and I am sick to death of these marathon records! Keep it to 35 minutes lads).
Great album. Probably the last real classic that U2 has in their catalog. The rest of their 90s stuff was a bit too far outside of what made them famous. And their album 'All That You Can't Leave Behind' was more a return to form, than a classic(though its a fine albumon its own merit)
Not a big U2 fan, but this is a great album
Rock alternativo, pop. Varios megahits. Pero no me llama tanto como para vinilo. Un 4.
One, So Cruel, Who's gonna ride
Got some great blood pumping songs as well as mellow ones.
I was suprised by how many songs I knew off of here, whether that be songs I knew as Johnny Cash songs or just didn't know were U2. Sadly, while I do like this more than Joshua Tree, still nothing I care for whatsoever. I just don't get the appeal of U2. I suppose at least everyone was right and they do sound different between albums. Not good, perse, but different, made it less monotonous.
Great album, good riffs, lyrics and singing by Bono
It’s U2!
Didn't absolutely hate this. Pretty inoffensive as far as U2 goes. Annoying? Yes. Overlong? Yes. Self indulgent to the point of being masturbatory? Of course. But not unlistenable.
Prefs: Zoo Station, Even Better Than the Real Thing, One, Until the End of the World, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, So Cruel, The Fly, Mysterious Ways, Ultraviolet (Light My Way), Acrobat Moins pref: Love Is Blindness
Cool, toen U2 nog echt te gek was!
Veel gedraaid en nog altijd een van mijn favoriete U2 albums
Geweldig. U2 die zichzelf opnieuw uitvond en met deze plaat kwam. Staat geen slecht nummer op. Alles klopt.
Welk een toeval. Dit weekend draaide ik dit album en zei tegen Arjan: hoe kan het dat we deze nog niet zijn tegengekomen in de 1001 albums? En, als ie voorbijkomt, krijgt ie vijf sterren. En daar was ie ineens! Wat een strakke plaat is dit toch.
i’m realizing i’m very particular about vocals. i don’t mind the instrumentals but not a huge fan of the vocals.
Could have gone without the vocals and lyrics. The guitar and instrumentals were pretty good.
Love this album - brings back good memories.
Ok, so I’ll admit that U2 has some issues. Bono can come off a bit arrogant and cringey, and U2 sometimes act like they think they are more important than they are… But man, they put out some great albums. Achtung Baby is maybe my 3rd or 4th favorite album of theirs (behind Joshua Tree and War at least), and it’s still incredible and easily a 5 star album for me. The song writing is phenomenal and the album has such an awesome feel to it. Love it.
banging
Stor rock, ikke for mig
Rock alternativo, pop. Varios megahits. Pero no me llama tanto como para vinilo. Un 4.
Svårt, kluven, gillar inte Bono
det var dåligt producerat??
An okay album, it almost made me like them again.
I don’t think anyone can really deny the importance of U2 throughout the 80s. Their arena rock sound had become stale by the time the 90s rolled around. Alternative rock was on the rise and U2 was outdated. This album was their attempt to reinvent themselves to keep up with the times. Although there are some bright spots on this record, overall it is a bit stale to me, and pretentious at times. It is a lot of meandering ‘90s alternative rock with some forgettable tracks. If the album was closer to ~35mins, cutting out a few tracks, it would be much better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd5x9WEqGvM 3.5/5
started out strong but I got bored by the end
Top 3 Songs: 1 - The Fly (7) 2 - Mysterious Ways (8) 3 - One (3)
4/5 U2 ist halt einfach strong
This one's a two star
Boring
Only a couple of songs here I can really appreciate (Mysterious Ways, One), the others don’t do anything for me really.
Never been a big U2 guy
I'll always appreciate U2 because regardless of how divisive the opinions on them are, you can't deny that they have a unique sound to them, and it is fully on display in this album. Overall, I really enjoyed it a lot. Favorite tracks: Even Better Than The Real Thing and Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
Great
Wow, this still holds up!
Not a big U2 fan. this is a very good Rock album though
Never have been a U2 fan.
Eh
In 2005(?) I saw Pearl Jam in Toronto. The whole night Eddie Vedder was making jokes thanking U2 for opening for them, as they had done concerts the previous 2 nights. At the end of the concert, they started playing Keep On Rocking in the Free World and a guy in a cowboy hat came out on stage and was dancing along. We at first thought it was Neil Young (we were sitting at the farthest seat at ACC, now Scotiabank Arena). Neil Young though had just had brain surgery so no doctor would have cleared him. We then realized it was Bono. To my recollection, Eddie sang the first verse and corus alongside Bono, then Eddie passed the mic to Bono to sing the next verse. I don’t think Bono knew the lyrics to the song because he just started rambling sort of in time to the music? Then continued dancing. Great night overall. This album is amazing. Not their best but an amazing and worthy follow up to one of the greatest records of all time.
😐
kinda basic, good background music
So freaking average I can't bother to give this muzak anything other than three stars. Boring af
Back before U2 sucked
It was ok. I might revisit in the future but for now it was enjoyable. First Listen?: Y Fav. Tracks: Until the End of the World, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horse Rating: 2.4/5
Really bouncing between styles and moods. I like U2, but this album as a whole isn’t for me.
By far my favourite U2 album of all time. I know folks argue the band's deviation from the sound that identified them to that point was some form of heresy, but I actually liked it a lot (and lamented them going back to their "normal" sound 3 albums later). People tend to forget this album is a bit of a moment in history, at least as far as the European Union is concerned. These influences are all over the place, in the album's name, cover, or a song that was used for the soundtrack of a Wim Wenders film. I consider Achtung Baby a very accurate snapshot of what Europe felt like at the time. The songs themselves are either a hit or a miss. I always liked The Fly a lot, and One received tons of accolades. But other songs (e.g., Even Better Than the Real Thing) sound and feel like fillers. Regardless, I spent many a fond hour with this album over the years, and I fully expect many more to come.
Some good tunes. A lot of sounding the same.
It's worse than I expected.
In my opinion, one of the greatest's U2 albums. I love it since the first song until the last one. "The fly" is my favorite. The sound of Achtung Baby is the opening of the 90´s for U2, leaving behind their 80's style.
Good singles, ok album
Il faut arrêter l'évasion fiscale monsieur Bono
fais attention baby cet album risque de ne laisser aucune trace dans ta mémoire
I like "One", and I like Edge's guitar
This was not enjoyable. Bono should not be priased as a good singer
Actually really good album, favs: Zoo Station, One, The Fly, Acrobat, Love is Blindness
这张专辑以前听过，蛮对我胃口的，虽然U2的歌一直挺迷的。
2/2 yous
Classic
Some songs that are decent/catchy overall meh for me
Another classic albums I had forgot about , loved every track
La gran reinvenció del rock, i una de les obres capitals dels '90, i del rock com a génere. Com una banda ja en aquell moment veterana i mondialment coneguda van ser capaços de renéixer amb aquest punt àlgid de creativitat, renovació, experimentació ben entesa, inspiració en cota màxima, és un misteri dels temps. Però així ho van fer, donant llum a una obra immortal
An incredible follow-up to one of the seminal albums of the 1980's. Completely different, but without a doubt, quintessential U2.
Not sure what to think about this album. I like they took a harsher direction after the Joshua Tree. I like the more "indie" tracks (Fly, Zoo Station) "One" is brilliant. There are also some fillers. It's a solid 3.5!
Whilst U2 is not my favourite band, I can see why they have a lasting effect on those Gen Xers that absolutely swear by them. One of the truly big stadium rock bands, with mass appeal. Achtung Baby is a fresher take on the alternative rock they have curated previously, with more of an industrial rock/electronic influence throughout. Best: One Worst: Ultra Violet (Light My Way)
Am I giving an album a 5 because of one single? Yes, because that single is One, which is a top 5 song. I hear all of your objections - it's too saccharine, you don't like Bono, you have no taste - and I reject them all. Best track: One
Is it getting better or do you feel the same
U2 is assuredly not for me, even when trying to objectively put them in to context and ignore all the baggage surrounding Bono and Edge. I guess the best I can say is I can see why people would be in to this. But it's not for me.
I do not like U2 at all aside from a couple hit songs. This album has none of them. Just boring from beginning to end. You can feel Bono's insufferable-ness oozing through every note. I especially loathe Myserious Ways. It is not "all right" at all, sir. Overrated band that I can see people liking, but I 2ill never understand how they got so massive. Sadly I doubt this is my last encounter with them on this list. "Yay"
I never get tired of hearing this album. Solid.
In the 90s, they tried too hard to be a relevant and innovative part of music history, in the way they may have been in the 80s, and it came off very irritating with some really bad songwriting. One is a great songs and there are better moments, but the result is overall a very forgettable album.
All in all just a bit disappointing from such a big and hyped band. Besides One, no song stands out, they all sound kinda the same, too little focus on the guitar and overall just too long
Just an incredible album.
É o caso de se ouvir uma única música, o hit que gerou versões impressionantes, "one".
An album that changed music for me as a youth. It’s good to hear it again.