Reviews (page 3 of 13)
In actually excited to start listening to this album. My god maybe the first time in this journey Up until so cruel has been emotional, amazing, cool. My god they are magnetic
Bono loooooves reverb and tbh I’m kind of here for it. I actually enjoyed this all the way through, which is kind of unexpected. I wish i could give this a 3.8 but a 4 will do. Fav song: The Fly
From the first track I felt like this album would be better without vocals, but when i really paid attention to the instrumentals they sounded like customer service line hold music. it's just not my thing ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
kinda meh, nunca he sido fan de U2 (U2.5 que subo a 3)
I know a lot of people dislike U2 and think they are overplayed and over done and they probably are but I like them and I liked this album. It was rough around the edges and some songs felt a little blah and forced (So Cruel, Acrobat and Love is Blindness) but it tracks with the trouble they were having while writing the album. They have a sound that is their own (you know its U2). Its not just Bono's vocal but the guitar, drums, everything is uniquely them and I always really appreciate that about a band.
I listened to this album alot as a teenager. I remember listening to it on my walkman while riding trains through Europe with my German Grandmother. It feels like U2 decided to make a more "dancey" album or something. It has more pop than their previous music. Zoo Station, The Acrobat, and The Fly are some of my favorite non-hits on this album. One is still a beautiful ballad. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses is great. I like Real Thing but I can't help think of a CocaCola commercial when I hear it. Did Coke use this song? No! I looked it up. Never happened. They offered U2 millions of dollars to use it but U2 declined. Rock on!
I really like U2 and there are a lot of great songs on here, but I've enjoyed their other albums a bit more than this one, so this doesn't reach 5 territory for me. Mysterious Ways and One are my fave hits on here, but overall I wasn't as emotionally struck as I've been with them before.
Гей рок
Not a U2 fan, this is fine.
Every time it threatens to get interesting, it reverts back to generic pop rock. It's a shame, really.
Putting aside all the U2 drama aside, Achtung Baby is a solid album of rock anthems -- extremely well-produced and ambitious.
Good soundtrack. Lyrics are a bit droney esk. Sounds a bit like if muse and the killers had a baby, and then that baby travelled back in time.
This album is just okay. Not great.
Good album! I've come to really appreciate U2 over recently. Oddly none of my favourite U2 songs on this one but still a solid album.
It took me 4 attempts to finally sit down and listen to this album in full. Listening to this and Nevermind back-to-back really makes you realize how Nirvana came in and ate bands like U2 for lunch. One is my favourite song on the album but even then I like the Mary J. Blige version better.
I’m going to rate this 3 for now but I’m keeping it in my listening playlist because I did like it but it was mostly just playing in the background and I didn’t get a chance to really listen to it. What I heard I liked though.
How do you classify this? Pop rock? Soft rock? Safe rock? I understand U2's appeal, but I found this mostly boring. It's inoffensive in the most mundane way. 3/5
U2 was my absolute favourite back in the 80s when they were the biggest band in the world. This album was highly anticipated, and when I first heard it the sound hit me like a ton of bricks. It was so different than anything they'd done before. Did I hate it? Or absolutely love it? Like a lot of artistic changes in direction, this music took awhile to grow on me, but once I loved it I REALLY loved it.
I had a boyfriend who loved U2, and before this album I didn't really get it. I thought they were okay but it wasn't really my thing. But Mysterious Ways blew my mind, and this became one of my all-time favorite albums, and began my love of all things U2. They far outlasted the boyfriend.
I have a strong distain for U2, but I'll give this the old college try. This sounds very 1991. I've this playing for ever, and it's so boring...
A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle. This is their best album, or at least my favorite.
One of the more generic-sounding albums on this list to date. Some decent stuff on here, a very inoffensive album but overall a bit forgettable. 2.5/5.
What do you do when the whole world thinks they’ve sussed you? By 1991, U2 had become critically exhausted. Not physically exhausted - though Berlin and the sessions hardly helped - but symbolically exhausted. The signs had stabilised too completely. The delayed guitar. The endless vowels. Bono as stadium conscience, forever pointing toward some distant moral horizon while Anton Corbijn photographed cacti in reverent monochrome. Even people who liked the band increasingly felt they understood the mechanism. What makes Achtung Baby extraordinary is that the band themselves seem painfully aware of this. The album is not a triumphant reinvention so much as an argument held in public about whether U2 can continue to exist at all. You can hear old instincts constantly bursting through - the yearning, the uplift, the huge emotional declarations - while Eno and Lanois keep smearing, compressing and destabilising the signal. Bono fights the urge to become Bono. Edge vandalises his own cathedral guitar sound. Adam and Larry keep trying to hold together a functioning rock band while the upper layers dissolve into mediation, distortion and performance. The opening of Zoo Station announces the crisis immediately. This is not the clean, declaratory U2 of old. The sound itself feels compromised - all smear, abrasion and uncertainty. The old emotional language no longer arrives cleanly. Throughout the album, lyrics, delivery and emotional meaning cease to align in the old rock-critical sense. Devastation arrives wrapped in glossy surfaces. Groove appears, but Bono cannot comfortably inhabit it. Desire and irony coexist in the same vocal line. Even the moments closest to “classic U2” - One, Wild Horses, Ultra Violet - sound worn, hesitant, unsure whether the old gestures still function. That uncertainty becomes the album’s deepest subject. Acrobat practically states the thesis outright: “What are we gonna do now it’s all been said?” The answer, quietly, is performance. Pose. Acrobatics. Theatricality not as evasion, but as survival strategy. This is where the album unexpectedly shares ground with Transformer: the discovery that sincerity and performance are not opposites. Bono’s masks - The Fly, the shades, the slogans, the mediated personas - do not destroy the feeling. They become the only way the feeling can survive under conditions of overexposure and spectacle. And that is why the record now feels prophetic. Not because it predicted technology itself, but because it understood the emotional atmosphere that was coming: unstable selves, mediated intimacy, performance bleeding into identity, truth arriving through contaminated channels. The old desert truth is gone by the end of this album. Everything is artifice now. Yet the longing somehow survives anyway. That is the strange achievement of Achtung Baby. It is not a confident album in retrospect. It sounds uncertain, compromised, exhausted and self-questioning. A band trying to work out, in real time, whether human meaning can still survive once the signal itself has become unstable.
Everybody seems to prefer Joshua Tree, but I actually like this album better.
i have no idea how many u2 albums ive gotten so far, but i know its been a lot. is just every single u2 album ever released on this list? like, at what point is this getting ridiculous? id understand if every single u2 album was a masterpiece, but like… theyre just not. they're very, very average. for the most part.
Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Great - A wild departure from their recent work while maintaining the wide open feel that made The Joshua Tree so good. I think people nowadays tend to forget how good U2 were before it went downhill. Zoo Station is a great opener that lays out the new direction clearly. Even Better Than The Real Thing is very good and One is a tremendous song. I love the chorus of Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses. The Fly is gnarly. Every song is really, really strong.
It was fine I just don’t need another U2 album on this list.
6/5
This sucks, it feels like watching a person in their midlife crisis trying to be hip, sexy and mysterious and failing miserably to be any of that, terrible sight to imagine, awful sound to listen to.
Amazing album. Loved it
Superb Again, im not gonna add anything interesting Its much more experimental than its given credit for. Bonos use of falsetto is superb, doesnt overuse it, and when it comes it always fits the song and lifts it. The guitar work in Love Is Blindness so good 5er
8/10… irish rock / 90s alternative / *1991
my mom keeps trying to convince me this album isn't that bad but...
I definitely knew I was listening to U2.
I feel indifferent.
No notes. All time favourite.
People who said old U2 is good are liars. Bono is so fucking corny. Some of the guitar work is ok but the songs are so fucking boring.
U2’s last good album
I think what makes U2 great is their ability to make a couple of bangers basically each album. I don't think they're exceptionally great otherwise, and I don't think that "One" carries this album enough for me, personally. A lot of the other songs are pretty solid, though, enough that I don't dislike this album. That sounds pretty negative, but I think it's just because the Wikipedia blurb and the reviews on this site set me up for some big expectations with this one. I never really got U2 hype, and still don't fully, but this album is pretty good. It never really wows, but it doesn't disappoint either. Favorite Song(s): One, Mysterious Ways
Great album.
By the time “Achtung Baby” came out in 1991, I had already turned my back on U2. While I loved “The Unforgettable Fire” and “The Joshua Tree,” “Rattle & Hum” had deeply disappointed me. And “Achtung Baby!” would turn my fondness for the band into antipathy. The hype surrounding the album was unbelievable. At the time, it was truly considered the most “avant-garde” thing you could sell in the mainstream. Listening to the album again 35 years later, you find neither anything particularly avant-garde in it (aside from a few studio gimmicks by Lanois and Eno), nor anything hateful. Since “The Unforgettable Fire,” U2 had been shifting more and more toward a very ‘American’ expansive sound, which was fully realized here for the first time. In short: this is mainstream at its broadest, featuring a few good tracks (“Mysterious Ways,” “The Fly,” ‘Acrobat’), many mediocre ones, and a few bad ones (“Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses”—hey hey sha la la, hey hey, sha la la). Back then, U2 were the biggest rock band on the planet, and that fame certainly went to the band’s heads; above all, though, it makes it so difficult to properly categorize their music. Without all the media hype surrounding the band and the album, “Achtung Baby” (what a stupid album title that no English speaker can pronounce correctly) is just a rock album with the sound of its time, with some highs and lows but mostly “more of the same,” which has acquired a lot of patina over the years. The album wasn’t even “groundbreaking” for the band itself, whose hubris would spiral out of control after this album and culminate in gigantic tours.
La mitad de los temas están buenos o interesantes pero la otra mitad es un embole, one es una poronga. Sape mas o menos.
these dudes make slow clown music for clowns. im sorry. one of the most overhyped goofball bands of the century. not my thing. bland repetitive chord work. bland songs. achtbooooo baby.
I’ve heard this before and I used to own it on tape. I have not listened to this probably since the mid 90s. This album had maybe five or six singles that were completely inescapable in 1992, on MTV and pop and rock radio and also on college radio, and most of those are still bangers. U2 had already gotten completely up their own asses by this point in their career, the last album was a double record and had a movie accompanying it, and this was supposed to be taking a less serious approach to their music and poking fun at rock stardom, which made them even bigger stars and sent them even further up their own asses with the multimedia stadium rock tour that they’re still doing today apparently. Putting all that aside, my god these songs are good. I want to hate them because of how much U2 annoyed me throughout the 90s and beyond, and their later work is truly not very good, but they were still writing great anthemic rock songs here and I can’t deny that. They could have dropped a few songs toward the end that aren’t great and extend the album a little too long, although they’re not bad.
Pleasantly surprised by this one. One of those massive bands I wrote off as not for me. There are some shoegazey stuff here and there. Some great songs, some great singing. More complex than I expected.
Ben niet zo van u2
Growing up I thought this was the superior album to Joshua Tree but in my old age I think I am mistaken. There's a lot to love on here, as it was U2 trying to modernize its sound for the 1990s after ending the 80s with the disjointed Rattle and Hum project. But despite more electronic Eno/Lanois influence and some harder riffs, this is still unmistakably a U2 album. Zoo Station sets the tone early but the next song is just a worse version of it. The highlights on here (Zoo Station, Who's Gonna Ride, The Fly, Mysterious Ways) are incredible, but the lows (Even Better, Throw Your Arms, Ultraviolet) seem like worse versions of songs already on the album. There's some Bono preachiness that's to be expected on here, and overall I had fun relistening to this, but if you trimmed this to 8-9 songs it would be a classic.
i mean its fine i guess
A unique sound that felt messy at times but in a nice way, had some songs that got me amped up
Какая же это ебаная скукотища Вот я знаю что такое группа u2 - это именно этот альбом Есть хит, не переслушаю
Anyone who thinks U2 is a crime against humanity would probably fall for all the propaganda they've spoken against. This album sucks but it's just "shrug and move on" bad.
I hate u2
Although I got into U2 during Joshua Tree I somehow never followed them past Rattle and Hum so it’s been great to finally sit down with this one. It’s a pretty good album and I really appreciate all the creative production work here. I especially enjoy some of the vocal takes here, which sound quite live and spontaneous because of the way it was recorded, and put up against the slick backing tracks really bring out some character and balance to the overall sound of the songs. It’s a fairly original sound which is a good thing for a band this far into their career. I’m pretty sure that this album will grow on me even more with subsequent listens as I understand more of the production as well as the lyrics. I was underwhelmed by one of their very late records on this list but listening to this album makes me want to continue exploring their catalogue.
good music to get roofied to on 4th of July after you just hit your friends dabpen at the bar but you like getting roofied. whatever that means
DEFINITELY A GREAT ALBUM. WITJ STUNNING COVER.
Album was fine but U2 has never done it for me. One was the highlight of the album but there were other songs that I feel I’ve heard before but other than that I wasn’t blown away
It’s a U2 albums.. idk what else to say. Masterpiece, i hope Love is Blindness made it onto a james bond soundtrack
It's a good album, but I may be the ONLY person in this world who is just okay with U2.
Nunca han estado en mis favoritos...pero son U2. Del album hay un par de canciones que se pueden escuchar en bucle....y las mas extrañas omitir sin remordimientos.
basically elevator music, everything sounded the same I completely tuned it out. it ended and was playing suggesting songs and i don't know how long that was going on before I checked how many more songs I had left to go
One of the the more enjoyable U2 albums imo
Просто колдблей
Rate: 10/10
Pretty good
I hate U2
The first bars of the first track grab you and announce that this is going to be special. I don't care what you may think of Bono or U2 this is fantastic from start to finish.
Not a fan
Some great tunes, some less great. But I love how they create a mood and how it sustains through a song.
It was alright
U2! Yes!
didnt give a super fair chance but not for me
Right up my alley here, though I've never listened to U2 on my own terms. I like it a lot though, will likely be relistening!
Damn...there are some great tracks here. I haven't listened to any U2 after October. Kind of got tired of the whole greater than thou earnest anthemic shite. My bad...this was good. 4 "happy to have heard this" stars.
This album gets a lot of hate, but I'm not sure why. This album was a complete departure from their earlier albums. It was a ballsy move. Personally, I love both phases of this band's evolution. I feel that they went a little off the rails after this album, but this one is a great album for me.
It's U2
yeah it was okay, didnt know this was what U2 sounded like. definitely got boring but the first two songs were cool
What is it’s with auto tune in the 90s - it was so ubiquitous that you can hear it in the guitar on this album . Seriously a great album ruined by auto tune , not sure why bono even felt the need. Admittedly it is subtle and less obvious as the album goes on - or am I just getting used to it . Then ultraviolet comes on and proves me wrong
Pretty much like U2 as a whole for me where I didn't mind listening to it but also not anything I'd seek out
I personally think this is one of U2's best albums.
Okayy
I certainly don't think Bono became less concerned about the fate of poor African children in the early 90s, but believe it or not, this is a U2 album without the political slogans. Yes, that happens! And that's not the only innovation; compared to the sound of their previous works, it's like we're hearing a completely different band here. I think fans who listened to this album for the first time felt the same way the average English fangirl of The 1975 heard the song "People." No blasphemy, it's just that U2 became danceable on this album for the first time, so much so that George Michael would envy it, without forgetting their post-punk roots: The Edge's riffs are still jagged and crumbling, the rhythms are still pumping, though Bono's voice gets a bit tiresome by the end. I generally like the country sound of previous Rattle and Hum, but it’s a good thing it failed in the charts, thereby forcing the band to reinvent themselves and release this album.
When this first popped up I thought, yuck I hate u2…. And 2 songs in I’m looking hard for a skip album function. AND it’s 2 discs…. There’s no way I’ll make it through. The familiar songs are the most annoying.
I had heard the two big singles from this record, but that was about all. It's an interesting shift from Joshua Tree, which some how manages to sound expensive because of the ornateness of its production and seems to be dead set on sounding like the most important band in the world. This feels a lot looser. The group is picking up on the synthesis of rock and dance music that was percolating up during the late 1980's and early 1990's, and you hear it here with the post-punk influenced base and guitar with dance oriented drums. The Edge's guitar is louder and the guitar sound is rawer for most of the record, with a couple breaks for ballads. I'm probably not going to rush out to buy, but its honestly a pretty good record.
Never a big U2 fan but it’s not bad
Stunning album - near perfection. I saw them live at Wembley on this tour - it was on another level.
Very fun punk rock album, but I would have to say I might not have given it a fair listen. It didn't really captivate my attention and I didn't even realise when the album ended. I like who's gonna ride your wild horses, one, and better than the real thing like a 2.5
If you are part of Gen X like me, this album is part of the soundtrack of your life. This is the album when U2 moved from their 80s sound into something more experimental. This is another full-like album for me. The Edge was doing some intense guitar work.
Average
still like sunday bloody sunday more but cool!
Dull as dish water and the one song I actually enjoyed (One) is much better done by Johnny Cash.
U2 2.0. This is not War. Now I prefer 80’s U2, but back in the 90’s I was ready for this change. Still a good album by a great band. Downgraded to 4, because more historically important than awesome album.
underrated
only the first 2 were good
This was good, kind of dark, and I liked it a lot.
was a big fan of this album when first released and I really remember being desperate to see the live tour with the flying trabents. Listening to it again now it feels like the dictionary definition of bland. It just washes over me with the exception of "One" which I still have a soft spot for.
It's not bad. It's not full on lame U2 that subsequently happens, but it does have some pretty crap lyrics with Bono's attempts at rhyming similies. Some good tunes, some bad ones. Pans out to be a proper average 3.
I’ve been a U2 apologist because I listened to a lot of their stuff growing up. This album was never really one of my favorites, and I think was a sign of things to come (in a bad way).
Just dont like them do was extremely difficult to listen to
Give it a try, solid 3
Still don't really get the hype, what makes it special
Conocía U2 pero no esté álbum, la verdad que excelente. 10/10
U2 was always the most prominent black hole is my musical experience. Sure i knew the singles and the album names, but until i started this journey I had not listened to a complete album by the once loved, now hated band. It's good, of course it is. The early 90s sound snd production has a certain nostalgic charm for me. The singles are strong and the rest of the songs are solid, if nothing special on first listen. A few will go on the playlist.
The first time I heard U2 I was 12, on a bus traveling to a Pop Warner football game. The guy I was sitting next to had a walkman and he said listen to this, they're the best band in the world and they're going to be around forever. It was some song off their latest album War and I didn't really like it. He also played me some Journey and I didn't like that either. Now, 43 years later I get U2 as my 1001st album and I'm tripping down memory lane like it was yesterday. Jeff was right, U2 is going to be around forever. But anyway, if you told me that One was the greatest song of the 90's I wouldn't argue with you. Just an excellent album.
I mean what an album. One, Even Better than the Real Thing, Mysterious Ways?! But then Whose Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses and So Cruel!! Sheesh.
4.something, fun mix of happy and melancholy
4.5 I liked it a lot. There were a few songs I had heard like the chorus of. And then I listened to the album a few times and got to be able to sing along with some of the songs and they were fun and rock-y.
I like U2 and this was the last album of there's I listened to. I like it. Not as much as War but it's fine.
Unfortunately I could only find the deluxe version on Spotify, and it comes in at a whopping 1 hr and 57 mins. The remixes are a slog and honestly very bad, mysterious ways (perfecto remix) is an assault on my ears. I think that this album has really some high highs and the rest is either really bad or just mediocre. i personally, love Zoo Station, especially the intro and as introduction to the rest of the album, it's the only song that really stuck out to me. This album has a really cool concept production wise, because the fusion of electronic dance and rock was very new at that time and has soo much potential. However, the execution was mid at best: for example, the production on Even Better is kind of a nothing burger sonically, even though, again, it has so much potential. It lacks anything to write home about other than the fusion itself and relying on how good an idea is doesn't make the song itself good. All of that being said I dont think the album is necessarily trash, I definitely think there is something here, and to be honest I think that part of that is the influence it had on U2's later career and the rock genre as a whole. If we're gonna talk about rock fusions Gorillaz's Electronic rock or Wednesdays's country rock are much better examples of a practice in fusing rock and im honestly kind of reminded of how it's actually possible to fuse genres in a sonically appealing way when I listen to this album. It leaves me really disappointed if im being honest. 2/5
not a big u2 guy as i think i stated but def fw this sound more than their previous work they do what they should have done and abandon not only their sonic direction, but also their kind of high horse attitude for a more honest and intimate one that plays on their favor imo i used to think that the edges sound was weird effects and a ton of reverb but he delivers some pretty neat guitar parts over a dirty tone on this thing, the production and sound desing also stand out with clear influences from their electronic and alternative contemporaries
Rattle and Hum is the line where U2 stopped being a maintained concern for me. The album is fine, set the template for a lot 90s alt-rock bombast for which they will have to answer when they meet their god. "One" is still a great song, maybe one of their best. "Real Thing:" and Mysterious Ways" are affable songs that don't know when to end. The techno-ish ones like "The Fly" have me reaching for the swatter.
One of the things I appreciate about this exercise is being forced to listen, for better or worse, to albums or artists you had dismissed out of hand. So it was with U2. While I was a big fan of their early work, I was put off by the over-earnest, ascetic turn signaled by Rattle and Hum, and the singles from Achtung Baby (such a ridiculous title) suffered from inescapable airplay at the time. By 1991, I had moved on from U2. Finally listening to the full album, then, is a pleasant surprise. U2 clearly spent their musical hiatus in-between albums updating its sound, playing with elements of the Madchester scene, especially, and employing plenty of studio effects. At the same time, the core elements remain: the Edge’s signature chopping guitar, Adam Clayton’s bass, and their predilection toward moving, anthemic songs, this time with a more inward lyrical focus.
I lost interest in U2 after War, but this was the record where they went from college rock to arena rock. No thanks. At least the song "One" gave us the brilliant Ben Stiller Show parody "Lucky Clovers" (seriously, go watch that).
Not the best U2 album in my opinion. Some great jams on here but doesn't ascend the heights of Joshua Tree
ok
I don't know what to say really. This band are among the legends of pop music (deservedly so) and simultaneously insufferable. I understand why their fans love them, but I cannot fathom why anyone would want to listen to them more than once. And this is one of their landmark albums. At least it's over
Favorite track(s): Zoo Station, One, The Fly, Mysterious Ways
shite
Zooropa, Secured future, experiments One Who's going to ride Mysterious ways
Not my first U2 choice, again, more of an 80s U2 person, but this one’s pretty good.
sue me
U2 – Achtung Baby (1991) On Day 127, I dove into U2’s big 90s reinvention. I enjoyed the album for the most part, and it definitely had some moments that were high-level. However, it felt a bit weaker in some spots with a few filler songs that prevented it from being an immaculate front-to-back experience. "Zoo Station" and "One" were definitely cool highlights, but "Love is Blindness" was the real standout for me. The production is great and the technical chemistry is there despite exploring new sound, but because of those weaker moments, it lands as a decent 4/5.
I will fight anyone who says this isn’t a perfect album.
4, liked this way more than I expected too. Note on Iggy pop last review, that should have been a 4, had to knock some off cus it kinda aged a little in the content
So far I'd say that One is awesome but the rest is kind of whatever so far.
This is known to be U2s best. Not a big fan of their's, but I agree. This is good.
Pretty much encapsulates how I feel about U2. Almost utter indifference.
Dude, U2 succkkksssss boooooo
This album doesn’t give in to the excess that makes me generally dislike most U2. For the most part, Bono is downright subdued, and it’s less overwrought. Still, don’t really like it that much.
Every time someone/something pushes me back to this album, I think to myself “this is it… im going to get IT this time”. Just like the last 15 times, I still dont understand why U2 fans like this album so much. Its out of the top 5 for me. War, Unforgettable Fire and Joshua Tree are much better. Then theres Rattle and Hum (a live album) which is incredible IMO and U2 fans somehow HATE it. 2.5 stars and rounding up
I read a while back that this is the U2 album for true U2 fans. It's pretty good! But honestly, I think I prefer their poppier stuff - it's hard to see U2 as anything but a big arena pop rock band. Also, is this lame to say? I've always been a little turned off by The Edge and his obsession with effects/tone. Feels like he's hiding something. I honestly prefer Billy's tone on Siamese Dream (just read that he played most of the guitars on that album and not James Iha). Anyway, still a fun listen, but not on my wall of greats.
This was decent. I see why it's on this list, I bet U2 was probably somewhat influential and there's more thought going on here in the composition and lyricism than a lot of other groups. But, still mid. Fave tracks: - Zoo Station - Even Better Than The Real Thing - Until The End Of The World - The Fly - Mysterious Ways
Surprisingly good album, despite all the hate that U2 gets.
Not bad honestly, might listen to again. Alt rock stuff
Aldrig riktigt lyssnat på U2. Detta är överlag bra, hitsen One och Mysterious Ways är bäst. Sköna gitarrljud. En stabil 3:a och U2 kanske växer med tiden. Ser fram emot Joshua Tree.
Not for me
Admittedly U2 are easy to hate on, but this thick’s the boxes of variety, accessibility and most importantly as part of this project , enjoyable.
Bono's singing pisses me off. Can this asshole sing about something other than relationships for once? The lyrics are somehow both the most melodramatic, limp-dick stuff I've ever heard and sexual in the most eye-rolling, teenage boy sense of the word. The following lines are from the same song: "When I first met you, girl You had fire in your soul What happened to your face Of melting snow?" "And you can swallow or you can spit You can throw it up, or choke on it" Is this album for white suburban moms or frat bros? I don't like the term coworker music but I don't know how else to describe this.
I’m not a long-time U2 fan, so I don’t really know what they were trying to change or achieve with this album. However, thanks to The Edge’s distinctive guitar sound, it still very much sounds like U2 to me. My favorite track on the album is The Fly. Its darker, more distorted sound is quite far from the band’s general image, and it fits my taste much better. It also reminded me a little of Muse in terms of atmosphere and intensity. Overall, it’s a varied and interesting album, with moments that feel very different from what I expected.
Zoo station - 3 Even better than the real thing - 5 One - 5 Until the end of the world - 4 Who's gonna ride your wild horses - 3 So cruel - 3 The fly - 3 Mysterious ways - 5 Tryin' to throw your arms around the world - 4 Ultra violet (light my way) - 3 Acrobat - 3 Love is blindness - 4
"The Fly" and "Mysterious Ways" are pretty good, but the de-accentuation of The Edge makes the record ultimately very blah to me
Absolutely fine actually. Maybe quite good? Wish the drummer would use the ride cymbal even like once.
Good stuff, not a band in my rotation but enjoyable album
> the Beatles This band gets way too much hate
I haven't given U2 much attention before besides their hits, but this was a pretty good listen. It definitely got repetitive in a few places but not bad at all. 3/5
Meh
Don't love U2 but this is their best album. I do enjoy a few of the songs.
I am not a huge U2 fan but this is a very good album. 5 stars. or A.
I like some U2 here and there. Overall, I enjoyed this album - well produced with nice variation between tracks. 3.7/5.
Favorite Track: Mysterious Ways
I was lukewarm to it at first, but it kinda grew on me by the end.
Great record! Found a few gems on this that I had never heard before—adding them to my list of favorite U2 songs (“So Cruel,” “The Fly,” “Tryin’ to Throw Your Arms Around the World”) Also, it’s absolutely criminal how much better than the original Jack White’s cover of Love Is Blindness is. It’s almost mean how much better it is. If I were Bono I would have gone into hiding after that cover was released.
A good opportunity to learn a bit about U2, I guess. Their sound was a bit more laid-back and ethereal than I was expecting, but that was about the extent of my surprise. Many times I found myself liking the initial groove presented, only to be let down by it being corny or uninteresting when the song reveals its full hand. Being able to make a catchy groove is more than some of these other albums can say, but I don't think it's enough for me to give this album at three. There were a lot of interesting sounds and good instrumentation, but very few of the songs really grabbed me. Their whole often was not greater than the sum of its parts. The vocals didn't interest me much either
Competent and inoffensive -- but kind of forgettable? I liked U2 more on their first 2 or 3 albums, in the early 80s; a bit more passion and excitement, maybe? I saw U2 twice, early in their career: opening up for the J. Geils Band in 1981 or 1982 in Tallahassee, and then headlining (The Alarm opened) at a mid-sized theater in downtown Jacksonville in 1982 or 1983. By the time this 1991 album came out (sooner, probably) I'd grown somewhat tired of them. Not entirely their fault: they were played on the radio so much, they were sort of overexposed. But I do also think that the songs on this album (like most of their music starting in the later 80s) are just not super interesting? Better as background music, than as music to seek out for its own sake? I don't know, maybe I'm being too hard on them. It's not like I think it's bad. I'll for sure give this 3 stars, but don't think I can go up to 4. 3 feels about right.
boring this might be thee most boring, white people music I can think of I would expect to hear this in an orthodontist's office or some commercial
Lowkey rokkia. MUSE pienillä kirjaimilla.
U2 are a band that feels like they haven't stood the test of time seeing how big they were in the 90's. I remember us having this album when I was a kid and listened to it a fair bit but it never really clicked. That's still the case now, good but kind of bland.
There’s no reason this record needs to be on this list. Unless the point is to show what it sounds like when a band totally sells out. Then, yes, this is a perfect example of a good band evolving into absolute mediocrity. 2/5
Have you ever gotten into a band, like in the middle of their run, like right after their huge album that made them superstars? And you listened to their next album over and over and over again, but then never really listened to another album by that band? U2 is that band for me. , U2 released the Joshua Tree and by the end of that, they were the biggest rock band in the world. I never listened to that album, though I had, of course, heard all the singles on the radio. Their next studio album was Achtung Baby. My older brother had a ton of cassettes, and Achtung Baby was one of those cassettes. I have no idea why, but I “borrowed” it and listened to it all spring of my senior year in high school. Then, when I finished listening to it, I never listened to another full album by U2 again. That seems weird to me, looking back now. Though I guess in those days, I was getting more into CDs, there was no Spotify, so you had to plunk down $20 or so to buy a CD, and unless it was an album with glowing reviews, or one of my favorite acts, I just didn’t buy it. However, sometimes I’d buy a CD if the album cover looked cool or the band had a cool name. I remember Stomp Box being a band I took a chance on, but it did not pay off. Though they toured around this area in Nashville and Bowling Green quite often. I digress. Track 1 is Zoo Station. Ah, yes, this was the Zoo tour or something like that. If U2 were the biggest band in the world at the time, this album and tour made them the biggest band in the universe. It was huge. It seems this album might have been the time U2 wanted to experiment a bit more than just drums, guitar, bass, and vocals. There is an effect on Bono’s voice, and the music is a bit electric. This song isn’t much and actually a bad start for the album, I think. Track 2 is Even Better Than The Real Thing, and I love this song. It was the fourth single off the album, and I remember it being everywhere for months. It charted in the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. The song is even more prescient today than it was in 1992. Everyone is seeking these short-term dopamine hits and not searching for true love, true connection, the real thing. There isn’t anything wrong with instant gratification, but don’t make it your factory setting. Great song, and the Edge’s classic guitar sound propels this song. Track 3 is One, and this was the monster hit off the album. Such a great song, sung with passion. The song is about relationships, but not necessarily between lovers. Bono wrote it during a time the band had issues that threatened to tear them apart. The song also reflected the reunification of Germany during that time. I think this song, if it were to come out today, would reflect the division that’s going on in our country and world right now. Whatever you want the song to be about, it’s a beautiful song and just written and played perfectly. Track 4 is Until The End of The World, and it opens with a killer bass line from Adam Clayton, followed by the signature tone of the Edge. The Edge, while he isn’t a flashy guitar player like Steve Vai, he's a great mood setter. Whereas a lot of guitar players in the late 80s used the adage that more is better, the Edge does more by playing less. His style is all tone and feel, though he does have a great guitar solo in this song. Maybe I was wrong about the Edge. He sure is showing off at the end of this song. Oh, wow. I thought I’d check out the lyrics, and as I read them, I noticed they were sung from the perspective of Judas Iscariot. “I took the money I spiked your drink... I kissed your lips and broke your heart.” U2, or at least Bono, isn’t shy about his Christian beliefs, and he’s a brilliant writer. Just listening along, you might never realize the subject of the song. It’s a great song, whether you know the subject or not, though. Track 5 is Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses and it was the last single off the album, though I’m not sure I remember this song. The chorus hits, and I remember this song now. It seems no one in the band liked this song. There were even a couple of producers who thought the song wasn’t quite finished before it was recorded and released. I wouldn’t say it's a bad song. It’s a big, arena rock song about breaking up. , which The band released a different version of the song called Temple Bar Remix on the 30th anniversary edition of Achtung Baby that they liked better than the original. Temple Bar Remix is less arena rock and more acoustic guitar and piano. However, both sound very similar. Track 6 is called So Cruel and it's another breakup song, though this one has a more new wave feel. It’s synths, electric drums, and a piano. Very sparse arrangement. Here comes The Edge. The build in this song is slow and quiet, but it’s so good. Track 7 is The Fly, and it was the first single and introduction to the new album, as it was released about a month before the album came out. Right away, the song sounds different from most U2 songs. Very funky, rock riff to start, and then Bono, as The Fly, begins almost rapping his lyrics. This is almost industrial rock. Apparently, U2 wanted to inject a little sex and moral ambiguity into their music, hence, The Fly. Life is messy, we all sin and make mistakes, sometimes big ones. But there is also a danger to pursuing perfection and fame. Bono describes The Fly as a phone call from Hell by someone who loves being there and is telling the other person on the end of the phone that more will join him, even those who portray themselves as perfect. Track 7 is Mysterious Ways and that opening riff is one of the best in rock history, in my opinion. I love this song. I can remember listening to this over and over. The song is about embracing love and the mysterious ways of a woman. I love the percussion in this song. This was the second single from the album, and it was as big as One was. That funky breakdown leading into the last minute of the song is brilliant. This song makes me feel happy. Track 12 is Love Is Blindness and it’s amazing. Just a slow-burning song about a failing relationship. It’s bleaker than most of the songs on here, but the Edge’s guitar work really shines. I was convinced this was a must-listen album in 1992. I assume this won’t be the last U2 album on the list. I reviewed Joshua Tree earlier in this journey, and I think I like it a bit better. But Achtung Baby is the album that really made me a fan. I think it’s a great album, and you should listen to Joshua Tree and then this back-to-back. You can hear what U2 was and what they would go on to become in a matter of three to four years.
Only listened to half of the album. Not a very big U2 fan. Find their music very bland and boring. But understand why people enjoy them. Not for me. 2/5
muy buen disco con algunos temas muy conocidos suena bien. 8/10
Never been a huge fan, but to be fair it’s a very good album all tracks are strong “one” being my standout
the background music to high school? the radio rock i learned to ignore? too heavy a dose of bono? less good than the other U2 albums on this list I've already rated at 3?
Mysterious Ways really carries
liked it!
I love u2 but this isn’t my favorite of their albums
Whatevs
I enjoyed the listen, and "One" is just a top song in my opinion. Fave U2 album from this list so far!
While it’s not their best album, it’s still pretty damn good. The main tracks are great, with a few that fall off for me. And how good is “One”?! Highlights: “One”, “Myserteous Ways” and “Ultra Viloet”
Mild and uninspiring 2
2.5
3.0
It's a good album. It's not my favorite U2 album, but I think it does deserve it's spot here. There are other albums that are probably more deserving of the space on here, but still, it's an underrated gem.
Okay
They try a bunch of different stuff on this album, but it all ends up being mid. I'm not surprised Brian Eno worked on this.
U2 is so boring, but this is the best Eno project so far.
Not really my type of music, or even of rock... might need a few relistens, but I'm just not feeling it right now. it's alright
Repeating this again here: I got a U2 and a Coldplay album this week. They’re the same band, but for different generations. Some jams in here, but growing up in the era of constant radio play, I’ve just heard all this too much when I was too young to appreciate it or care.
nice
Another fantastic album! From start to finish very strong. What I love about this album is that I can hear the future Zooropa album in some of the songs as well as earlier songs from Fire and Tree.
Solid
I like this a little less than I like War HOWEVER this is still an amazing album. I think one is the best song on this album due to the buildup within the song, the musical complexity and the power and emotion in the vocals and lyricism.
mehtung.
Better than I thought it would be. I'm really not a fan of Bono or his singing but quite enjoyed this.
Un classique album de U2, très bon overall, un plaisir de découvrir des morceaux cachés par les hits de l'album.
Super Dope
I listened to Achtung Baby by U2 with an open mind, but ultimately it didn’t resonate with me on a personal level. I can appreciate its significance and the band’s shift in sound—leaning into a more experimental, electronic-influenced style—but it’s not the direction I usually gravitate toward. The album has a polished, atmospheric quality that makes it suitable as background listening, yet it rarely fully engages me. While there are undeniably iconic tracks, they don’t align with what I typically enjoy from the band. I tend to prefer the more direct and anthemic style of songs like new years day, which feel more immediate and emotionally impactful. From a critical standpoint, Achtung Baby is clearly a bold and influential record, but in terms of personal taste, it falls short of being compelling. Rating: 2/5 giulitas ⭐️
3 for music - 1 for lyrics= 2. That’s all I can seem to muster to write about this album.
U2 gets so much hate here. This is perfectly passable, some nice songs, but Bono's voice is sometimes obnoxious. 3* Highlights: one, mysterious ways
This stinks. U2 speaks solely in the language of cliche. The songs and their structures are predictable, the lyrics are corny and unoriginal. I’m not asking for rock and roll to always be innovative and groundbreaking, but I feel like these songs were copied out of the textbook.
Day 240 U2’s best album imo. Highlights One Ultraviolet Acrobat
It’s got some hits, but I’ve never been a fan of The Edge and his atmospheric sound.
I don't know whether this is or isn't what I expected out of U2. It was fine, sure, but for a group the people seem to have very strong opinions on I couldn't see a difference either way.
Best Track - "Mysterious Ways"
Es U2, son buenos, pero no llega al 4
I mean it's still good.
Once more an album from the most overrated band in the world. And as usual, it would be wrong to say it is bad. Well, «Love» and «… Wild Horses» are even decent songs. The entire album is however truly boring, and I don’t ever feel like listening to it again.
mid
Si me gustó
Muy bueno. Buena música.
Really good band, the sounds, it brings a lot of memories. My older sister used to listen to them. It was great.
A band that I have just never got the love for, and who I have never found an entire album I like. Each album has at least a couple of really standout moments, meaning their Best Of collections are often amazing, but the albums themselves often just seem average. This particular one is no different for me - a few amazing tracks dotted among a fairly average collection.
This is my second U2 album in the past two weeks, and my third overall. As I've said in my other reviews, this is fine. Nothing wrong with this musically. I'm learning though that I don't mind if U2 comes on the radio or if I'm out and about, but I'm not going to go out of my way to put U2 on to listen.
7/10
U2 is music for people that don't like music. It's hard for me to divorce my feelings about their actual music and Bono...who I think is just a sanctimonious nutsack. I will give him credit when credit is due, he's got a great voice. He's a great singer. He probably puts on a great show, but I'll be damned if I ever give him any of my money to find out. So...what to do with this album? It's fine. Mysterious Ways absolutely slaps, it's the one song here that I'd actually want to listen to on my own...the one song where I'd turn it up if it came on the radio. The Edge's guitar on this whole album is awesome...distinct, purposeful. But it's still Bono. It's still music for people who don't like music.
Good song writing if a bit melodramatic, really enjoyed the final track, love is blindness
Better than I remember it being. It was an alright background listen.
One of the best pop albums.
Achtung Baby 1. i don’t like the ooooohh ohhhhh and i don’t like the robotic voice or the singing 2. did not like bu hao 3. This song is nice I like it 4. i think i just didn’t like it that much 5. it’s oka i don’t like it though 6. i likely it’s good it’s emotional 7. lowkey guys let’s just say i didn’t like the rest of this because i didn’t
1/3. Boring. Nothing really caught my attention; the Edge’s guitar is cool but predictable, and this lacks any of the already limited cool that the band has on an album like Joshua Tree
К сожалению, альбом, и ты тоже немедленно вылетел из моей памяти Песни вытворяют с моей памятью какой-то ахтунг
Одна из самых ненавидимых групп из-за сгустка пафоса в очках, но если оценивать только их музыку, то люди стали забывать, какой вклад они внесли. Я еще со школы вызубрил все их альбомы, но конечно стараюсь особо об этом не распространяться... После прорывных 80х и знакового The Joshua Tree, в 90е они выпустили трилогию альбомов с более современным и танцевальным звучанием. Но основная электронщина будет дальше, а Achtung Baby - это скорее переходный период. В спорах о новом направлении группа чуть не распалась, и песня One как раз помогла им объединиться и идти дальше, так что она знаковая и для самой группы, и в целом один из их главных хитов, хотя по мне это даже не лучшая песня на альбоме. Другие синглы Mysterious Ways и Even Better Than the Real Thing как раз более современны по звучанию (для 1991 года я считаю это вообще была пушкабомба, спасибо Брайану Ино за звук), и особо люблю The Fly за шикарный гитарный звук и фирменный фальцет Габоно. В остальном отметил бы мягкие Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses и So Cruel, и, пожалуй, все. Love Is Blindness хорошая вещь, но по подаче группа как-то не попала, слишком скучно. Джек Уайт позже спел ее с надрывом, и гораздо лучше передал драматический потенциал песни, чем, собственно, ее авторы. Сам альбом наверно ближе к четверочке, но уж больно люблю эти синглы.
Как же меня бесит Боно, u2 и эта музыка с поминок. One в версии гли каста была в миллиард раз лучше оригинала. Поставлю 3 только за двух классных детей Боно. Хоть где-то он сделал что-то качественное.
One неплохая песня, все остальное пресное.
Лучшая песня: Love is blindness Худшая: Who's gonna ride your wild horses Не люблю U2, ожидал блевотину, получил приятный альбом
Боно борется за свободу народа Бирмы Народ Бирмы не ебет, кто такой Боно
сегодня узнал, что love is blindness - это песня u2, а не джека уайта... альбом хороший, 4ка
Первый альбом U2, который послушала. До этого вообще слушала 1 раз 1 трек. Помню школьные времена, когда информацию о премии Грэмми я потребляла из новостей Евроньюс, и почему-то мне музыка с этой муз.премии казалась очень серьезной, так как ее получали U2 и Боно с вечной повесточкой. По факту оказался достаточно приятный поп-рок, условные Imagine Dragons своего времени (no offence to anybody). Поэтому изрядно поугорала над чтением доп.материалов, столько «концептуальности» мой мозг не осилил, такая промо-кампания никакому brat не снилась, как этому альбому. Еще из забавных наблюдений, также читала про Питера Гэбриала, когда был его пик, что он вставлял политоту и подумалось, что если бы однажды британский музыкант на излете века не мучился от колониальной вины, то у него отвалилась бы жопа
3 out of 5. Not a bad effort.
It's alright. 3/5. Has some nice moments where the musicianship really shines through, and I can see how this paved the way for some rock records today, but it's not thaaat special in my opinion. Don't have that much to say on this, maybe it's not entirely for me either.
very good music. Not particularly memorable but nonetheless a good album with very few flaws just whish more stood out.
Favorite: Ultra Violet
This is pretty classic U2- great big sweeping melodies and great vocals. The only version of this album I could find was a deluxe anniversary edition, and it had all these self indulgent extra tracks. Maybe I would have liked the original better? But I ended up feeling a bit annoyed by it.
Some fun nostalgic tunes played at every middle school and high school dance (cough one), honestly thought it was just ok coming back to it though.
voy 3 canciones. por ahora no es algo que volvería a escuchar. medio bajón como canta y la música. las ultimas 4-5 ponele me gustaron un poco mas, ya no las escuchaba con la sensación de uy q termine.
It was Ok, not a huge fan of U2
it was a pretty good album
Me gusta su estilo característico pero no es de mis favoritos
Sería un 4, pero me gusta mucho U2 me di cuenta, que banda del re carajo, subvalorada para mí gusto, se gano 5 estrellas, discaso
Very of the era. Still confused why this website chooses certain artists albums over others. I’d think the Joshua Tree should be what U2 album is a must
no es una banda de mi agrado u2
Apparently this is U2s best album .... It is very consistently what it is.
Great album! The point break for the irish band.
So not quite as bad as I remembered, but still not very remarkable.
Haven’t pushed an album back this much yet. I just didn’t like it. Music is fine but it’s got to be a 1
Ready for the 90s, ready for the new millennium, ready for some awkward wedding dances (how did any of those couples not listen to the actual lyrics before choosing this as their first dance?) 90s U2 didn’t really do it for me, but I appreciate the ambition to not just churn out The Joshua Tree for the rest of their career
fav songs: one tryin’ to throw your arms around the world polished, restrained, uneven 50/100
lowkey vibes
me llevé una sorpresa, no tenía grandes expectativas, y me sorprendió. Muy buen disco, grandes momentos como "One" y "Who's gonna ride your wild horses".
Awful. U2 are the most overrated band on the planet. Shit shit shit
Seriously milquetoast. The last two songs kind of save it. I do not understand the massive appeal of this band.
I know it's "cool" to hate onU2. You would think Bono was some kind of sicko how he is called out, yeah he can appear sanctimonious but the hate is like he's some Gary Glitter/that lost prophets type level creep. But I am not having it, I like this record, like it quiet a lot, it has some storming tracks, One is worth price of admission. Hadn’t heard this in a long time, and was expecting it to be a let down, it wasn't, it brought back a lot of memories and for those and the music 5 Star
Thought this was quite bland tbf. I saved one song and that was all on the first listen. I guess there were some good guitars at points. Second listen I enjoyed a lil more, but still a 2.5/5 for me (rounded down for here)
After the highs of The Joshua Tree (discounting the live’ish Rattle and Hum) I was disappointed with this album. I still played it regularly and saw most of it being played live on their Zooropa Tour but it never hit the nail like their early albums. Even though it was touted as a new U2 sound and beginning I much preferred U2 Mk1. And as it turned out U2 Mk3. It was these later albums which eventually persuaded me to mothball this album and apart from the numerous hits on it played on the radio I have largely ignored its existence until today. The result was that it was like reuniting with an old friend. From a distance I can now tell it was a radical rebranding which it has taken me 35 years to realise. Can’t ignore my initial prejudices though so not quite 5 stars but a lot of humble pie eaten. 4/5 25/3/26
The mean-spirited jokes against the poor, suffering U2 haters are starting to wear thin. Perhaps that this is a vaguely annoying album even to me is one of the reasons why. I’m also surprisingly familiar with it, and So Cruel is one of my favourite tracks by them. Anything else to say about this one? Not really.
Something I think about a lot is Andre Agassi, and how he had that glorious mane of flowing hair. I still remember the cover of Andre Agassi Tennis video game on sega mega drive - he was mid-forehand follow through, the hair was puffed up like a furry caterpillar. It was glorious. Well turns out that the hair wasn’t real. It was a wig. And that wig caused him huge meth-fuelled anxiety to the point where he was more concerned about it flying off than winning the French Open. My theory is The Edge is like this, but in reverse. Underneath that little skull cap thing, he actually has amazing hair like David Lynch (rip). But he believes that the skull cap is the source of his powers, the delay behind his real average riffs. The weight of this would be immense. And if he was in any other band, I would like to give him a hug and tell him that it’s ok. There, there. It’s ok, Mr Edge. You don’t need to put that thing on your head anymore.
Not as bad as other reviews make it out to be. Not as good as other reviews make it out to be. Such is the plight of U2.
para ser u2 un poco ñe
It was fine, nothing really wowed me.
Para muitos um grande e importante álbum, para mim um álbum aborrecido e pouco interessante. Escrito numa época de transição, marca a mudança dos U2 para pior. Não voltarei a ouvir *Possível revisão futura*
Not my fave hate one
Haven’t listened to this for a while and had lost interest in U2’s later output as it had felt stale a d seeing them or hearing the odd track it all felt a bit pompous and stadium overblown even on record. However the Feb 26 EP wasn’t bad at all and so I was curious as to what I would think of this Album which re-defined U2 and probably delivered what I think was the best stadium gig experience I’ve ever seen (Zoo TV and Pop gigs were fantastic) On listen back this album is still a classic. Fantastic songs, variation in them, U2 guitars still and the warm thudding bass. Bono seldom sounded better. It isn’t just a relic of pop and rocks past, it still passes muster today.
seems kinda boring? like Pablo Honey Radiohead. it is easy listening though 2
Another old familiar one. After the disappointment of Rattle & Hum, my U2 fandom had waned. I think I bought this album BITD, but it was the last one. I liked it. But I was skeptical of another U2 style change, and apart from "Until the End of the World" and "One," I didn't think it was great. Listening now, I still see it as a transitional album (to the Zoo stadium glam thing that I was just not at all interested in), but I like it much better. There's good new sounds and textures that I really appreciate. Noisy, rumbling, and distorted elements that work really well with the shimmering Edge guitars. I still think "Until the End of the World" is the actual great track here, but I can appreciate "The Fly" now, too. "Zoo Station" kicks it off really well, a new sound, but with a backing vocals that throws back to October and Boy era U2. "Mysterious Ways" sounds great, there's really no duds at all. I'm a sucker for Lanois-Eno production for sure. 4.5. Torn between rounding up and down. Does it belong on a list of 1001? probably yeah. It's a huge album in many ways
I liked 2 songs. Nice listen
久しぶりに聴いたら思ったより良かった。 One最高。
This is the album with One on it, immediate 2 stars alone, the rest is hit or miss
Just typical u2. Not really thing.
The voice and urgency are compelling. But, not much here that really sticks with me.
Haters gonna hate on U2. I get it - they come across as so self-serious during certain eras (ok, most of the time) - but they make great fucking music!. Here they did an awesome job reinventing themselves with fresh sounds and getting silly and coy about the aforementioned self-seriousness. And some of these damn songs are pretty relevant right now. Listen to Acrobat. Really, go ahead, I'll wait
se intento pero no gusto
Was never a fan, but the album is ok. Nice compositions and decent lyrics. Moaning Bono is very off-putting though
Does not sound great. I like a couple of songs, but still pretty bad. Fav: One The Fly Ultra Violet 2/5
I do see why this is on the list
It was okay! I feel like it could have been better. Something about U2 songs has always bothered me because the vocals somehow feel distant from the instrumental. It's a distracting and kind of dulling effect on me.
U2, et band jeg alltid har hatt en grunnleggende skepsis til. Dette alt-rock-albumet er derfor en positiv overraskelse. Mye bra her. Top 3: Until The End Of The World, So Cruel, Zoo Station
Who will ride your wild horses
boring ahh album
U2 is like the floor of "good rock" in my mind. They're undeniably excellent musicians, many of their tracks are classics, but I just don't get excited when I hear them. Case in point, "One" is a great song by all accounts, but Johnny Cash did it better. Maybe it's Bono? His larger than life public persona seems to scream "look at me!" and I think that detracts from the band's better qualities, which IMO does not include his voice. Sure, he can sing better than me, but there's plenty of people who can sing (at least compellingly) better than him. Cash took their song, just like Reznor's "Hurt", and filled it with so much more feeling and sang to the lyrics. The only track that gets me even close to excited on this album is "Mysterious Ways"... And just close. This album gets a shrug and a middle of the road 3. Yeah it's good, but I don't even remotely believe it's great, a classic, or timeless. Just a good (enough) example of popular rock at the time. A solid enough floor for better bands to stand on.
I'm sorry, but this isn't working out. It's not me, it's U2. I don't hate them, but maybe that's just because I don't care enough about them to. I've tried at various points over the years to give U2 another chance, but they've never done anything for me and it's time to stop fooling myself into thinking that's going to change. It's a U-2.5/5 for me that I don't care to round up.
"Got a hold on you/ A new sensation, a new sensation/ Right now, it's gonna take you over/ A new sensation, a new sensation" Variety: 2 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 3 Emotionality: 3 = 3.6 rounded up to a 4 This is one I remember very well, having listened to the cassette a zillion times in middle school. It was on constant rotation with the Prince Batman soundtrack, Depeche Mode's Violator, and Enya's Shepherd Moons (all of which I obtained from Columbia House in a very legit, totally not illegal manner). At the time I had heard what was on the radio so was aware of "New Year's Day" and whatever tracks off of Joshua Tree that had music videos. This one is no longer my favorite after going back much later and listening to their earlier stuff in full, but at the time I really dug it. It's been a good 30 years now since I've listened all the way through, but I suspect this one may have started to show its age by now. There only two of these I hear with any regularity on the radio anymore, which makes me wonder about its staying power. THE TRACKS "Zoo Station" - Starting off with a bit of industrial influenced noise I think is them sending a message. It doesn't last long and we get right into a more friendly sounding rock song, but that trashcan lid percussion sticks around and we get some heavily distorted vocals. Can imagine long time fans at the time being very confused by this. There's a bit of Berlin-era Bowie DNA in here, and the sleazier, rougher sound is contrasted well with the spacey guitar. Good stuff. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" - There's that guitar effect we'll hear again on future material to start us off with. This one I'm hearing a lot of INXS influence on, maybe some Rolling Stones from the drums, and it doesn't disappoint. Hutchence and company would have killed for a song this good at that point I think. "One" - Every time this comes on I expect the depressing, sentimental nature of the thing to drive my finger to the change the channel, but it's just too damn effective and catchy. Bono's just at the edge of full on whine here, but keeps it tasteful and understated despite the lyrics. This one must have gotten the lighters out at concerts. "Until the End of the World" - Very middle of the road with the only the vocal melody at the end of the refrain standing out much to me. World music touches here are stronger than we've seen thus far, but more to come I think. "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" - Speaking of Radiohead, this opening of this one before the vocals start would fit snugly right in between The Bends and OK Computer. BUt then there's also a weird Springsteen in slow motion vibe to the thing. Maybe its the tambourine. Then it morphs into a a sort of Echo and the Bunnymen-ish chorus. And on the other side of things this sort of thing is a clear predecessor to stuff like Coldplay. Solid post-punk pop. "So Cruel" - The piano and heartbeat percussion push us further out into unknown territory here. This almost sounds like the band was wondering what it would sound like if one of those chanting monk songs has some more traditional rock lyrics and chord changes. It's interesting enough that I'm down for it. The strings and the plaintive falsetto tie this one up in a nice bow. "The Fly" - This is where it gets weird. I think people talk about Zooropa as U2 going full on glam, but that maybe starts here? This is also got a lot f INXS in it, and Bono might as well be doing a Hutchence impersonation for part of it. While I wouldn't call it danceable, I can at least picture people swaying to it. The Edge goes whole hog here and we get as close to noodling as we ever really do with him. But still identifiably U2. This one might as well just morph right into the next considering what all's going on at the end of this. "Mysterious Ways" - This song has lost none of it's appeal. The funky guitar riff, the world music beat, and Bono at his laziest, most relaxed. The contrast between the loud and more quiet parts makes this one. A classic for a reason, that has lost none of its edge. The bizarre electronic breakdown that sound like the orchestra hit on a an 80s Casio keyboard even works. It gets messy and crowded at the end and that chaos drops out to end on a perfect note with the drums. "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World" - And where can you go from there? You're not gonna one-up "Mysterious Ways". You go bare bones basic with a beautiful, light piece of candy. This isn't quite "The Sweetest Thing" but would make a great pairing. They dip into some talk singing but only briefly enough for the worry to evaporate when the song proper comes back. "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" - Some wobbliness here, but they are doing an admirable job of staying on message. Maybe the most uninspired chorus on the album so far, but nothing too offensive going on here. Listenable enough but nothing special. "Acrobat" - The circular guitar line is the star here. This might be the darkest, most emo the band gets on the album. It's ok, but not very memorable. "Love Is Blindness" - Solemn organ to get s started and right into some more world beat influences. If the last song was emo U2, then we get gothier here. Shades of the Cure, if maybe Robert Smith was more of a crooner. The guitar screeches here while they accomplish the goal of a dark mood, feel like some kind of alien was told about the blues secondhand, and tried its best to recreate it here. And what we end up with is a very Johnny Greenwood-ish sound. Kind of a dark spot to leave on. on an album of experimentation, this might be the most experimental. HIGHLIGHTS - "Zoo Station" - "Even Better Than the Real Thing" - "One" - "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" - "So Cruel" - "Mysterious Ways" - "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World" MIDLIGHTS - "Until the End of the World" - "The Fly" - "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" - "Acrobat" - "Love Is Blindness" LOWLIGHTS - Not much to criticize FINAL THOUGHTS U2 will always remain one of the monster acts of the 80s. At the time no one else sounded like this ( at least that's what I thought until I did a deep dive into the post-punk era much later in life), and they were the only act I can think of that equally straddled the alternative rock and mainstream arena world, though I think they suffered quite a bit of blowback from both over time. R.E.M. is the other big one I can think of and they weathered that storm with much more aplomb I think, coming out the other side with their indie cred still mostly intact. I try to avoid going much into personality of the artists on these things, but in some cases it can't be ignored, especially when the image or reputation is so tied into the music. Bono has been dragged pretty constantly for well on 40 years at this point, and that parody of him has almost become accepted fact. The band has proven that they have a sense of humor about themselves a few times I think, but that self-serious attitude informs so much of the music. At least they were trying something different here though. The stuff in between this and Joshua Tree - the Rattle and Hum period where they did the documentary, and started performing with Van Morrison and Bob Dylan, got really into American roots stuff, became way more political, etc... is probably the worse that ever got, and a shorter time period than I think people remember it to be. Achtung Baby seemed like an adjustment and reaction to that backlash and I think as an experiment it works over all. This album seems way more music focused and is filled with a lot of solid deep cut material. If at the time it seemed like a weird, possibly desperate outlier, now it seems like it was just more forward looking. Incorporation of dance and electronic textures into rock I think validates this as more than a grab for relevance and makes the band look like prophets of the next 20 years. Aside form being highly influential in its sound, I think it probably made a lot of bands less afraid to try similar stuff. Without this do we get prime Radiohead, for example? A more than solid outing, and while tempting to give it a higher rating being as influential as it was, I think ultimately it's missing just a little something in order get those numbers. There's U2 albums I like a lot more, and there's certainly ones I like less. This is up in the top quarter for sure though. The highs are high as hell, and there are no lows to speak of, but there's a tad too much sag around the waist. Overall, it held up WAY better than I expected. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Drop everything other than those highlights and we have ourselves another 5 star EP!
Alright! Going in I know this album already has two all-timer tracks for me in "One" and "Mysterious Ways." The rest of the album is mostly uncharted territory that I'm eager to discover. I think i mentioned in a previous review from this project that I will not fault an artist for being earnest. I appreciate earnestness and that is probably why I have a higher tolerance for U2 that the average person who is not already a big U2 fan. They tend to be a polarizing group as I understand. Zoo Station - loving that distortion on both the vocals and the electric guitar. Inject that 90s sound right into my ears. Even Better Than the Real Thing - Okay, I remember this track too. These first two tracks put me in mind of "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" which came a few years after this but was one I really liked and I'm digging the proto-versions here. One - Like I said, this one is an all-timer for me. The quiet pleading, the punctuating outbursts that attempt an understanding. Bono pulls off all the vocal musings. It also contains one of my favorite lyrics, "Have you come here for forgiveness? Have you come to raise the dead? Have you come here to play Jesus, To the lepers in your head?" That'll sit in my head all day. Until the End of the World - I'm loving this track too. Am I contemplating a 5 here? I think I'm contemplating a 5 here. Wild! Lets see how the back half of the album hits. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses - First track that made me somewhat impatient. Attempts to achieve soaring lyrics and guitar parts, but the title is too much and its repetition within the track does not bring it back around. So Cruel - Keeping the pace slow here. Not a bad thing, per se, we'll see how it plays out. The Fly; Mysterious Ways: Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around the World After the lull of the previous two tracks we pick back up with a great three track run here that really puts that 5 in sight for me. Ultra Violet (Light My Way) & Acrobat keep the energy going with Love is Blindness bringing it all to a definitive conclusion. So what i thought might've been some minor pacing problems turned out to be solid deep breath between two great stretch of tracks. Overall this was a solid hour of music. U2 has always been a omnipresent part of the rock landscape during my life. So I was never surprised to encounter them, Live Aid, award shows, Super Bowl halftime, unasked for in your iPod. They're just there. Now maybe I need to listen to some more deep cuts. I think I enjoy U2 more than just in passing. Color me shocked. This whole listening project has demonstrated to me all the music I've missed in my life so far. I'm glad I'm doing this.
U2 are one of those bands that your told not to like… so I was keen to listen to this with an open mind… but it’s painfully bad…
i’m just not a u2 guy
I love U2. For me, the first 4 songs of this album are great (I love Zoo Station) and Mysterious Ways is great, but the rest of the album is mid
It gets a 3 for having One on it. Otherwise it's pretty forgettable for me.
a little corny, a little samey. pleasant listening though. all the hits sound pretty good with fresh ears. im sure if i heard One in concert in a glossy pre 9/11 world i'd think i was witnessing the second coming, and that peace and love had finally conquered all. favorite song is Ultra Violet (Light My Way)
Rating: 7/10 Perfectly pleasant enough, the era of the U2 that starts to go almost full pop rock is upon us. The first song I really enjoy is One, and then it moves along fine until the great back to back The Fly and Mysterious Ways, really like those ones. Tracks 9-12 don't have highlights that reach those levels to me. All around it's pretty good.
Shaw's playlist except it's in my ears and not on a grocery store speaker. This album was a mild vibe but still overshadowed by being mellow U2core. It does its job well in a "king of the mid" kind of way, and the closing song was nice too 6.5/10
Pretty generic but this wasn't forced onto my ipod
Great album. All time fave!
It was alright. I mean it's u2 there's a couple good songs and a lot of filler
El 'meh' más 'meh' del universo. No es lo mío definitivamente, me emboló para el tema 2. Tiene temas recognizable and all pero estaba turbo embolada, no lo volvería a escuchar.
Solid
easy to listen to
Shite
U2 takes a lot of crap, and, in some cases, deservedly so. Strictly musically speaking, this album is pretty good. The hits are amazing, but are slightly out of balance with the non-hits.
it's 3.5
Not really my kind of music.
Favourite Songs: So Cruel The Fly
Eh
50/50
A classic
A very good album that deserves much more recognition. I get it, you don’t like Bono because he’s sanctimonious, you’re still upset because an album you didn’t like showed up on your iPod in 2014, you don’t like the Edge because he doesn’t play three minute long classic rock guitar solos - but I really don’t understand how anyone can listen to this album from front to back and give it one star. This is a really solid album with some strong songwriting, and I like the ambient atmospheres the band creates using different instruments. For me this isn’t quite as good as Joshua Tree, especially on the second half, but still a great album that deserves to be on this list.
kinda boring
Mostly kinda boring
about as good as it gets
Mysterious Ways I really like, the rest is pretty forgettable.
Ah, remember when these guys were decently talented and not just a bunch of wankers? Good times.
For me this was the last truly good album by U2. This is where they started to move away from their punk and blues roots, and move into something more experimental, something that didn't seem to fit them quite as well. With more than a few outstanding tracks, this is definitely a strong four and a half stars from me.
Oh, no. The last U2 album I had was utter garbage, as is pretty much every radio single I've ever heard from them, so this probably won't be getting high marks. It does have the most tolerable radio singles, but comparing U2 singles is like deciding which dog poop tastes better. It has many of U2's hallmarks (banal lyrics, Bono sounding annoying, naive utopianism, overlong songs) while also doing weird things like the buzzy vocal filters on the opener. It desperately wants to be interesting, but U2 can't write the songs to back it up. It just sounds like vacuous nothingness in song form. Granted, this particular nothingness is slightly better than the war crimes committed on "All That You Can't Leave Behind". So I guess it's not completely irredeemable? Granted, it's still a pile of shite wanting desperately to be something else. Get these jokers out of my earshot!