Reviews (page 6 of 13)
Very forgettable but inoffensive
What if we made boring music for 55 minutes? I couldn't tell you a single lyric or captivating moment in this album.
i always forget U2 are a really good band
With or without youuuuuuuuuuu, with or without youuuu
Pas le meilleur de U2 mais ça reste très bon tout de même.
Ok
For me it's a step down from war and Joshua tree but it's their last strong album.
To hell with the pretentious haters, this is a great album! U2 was at the top of their game in the 80's & 90's.
Didn’t think I would see the day. This is actually a solid album with a lot of recognizable songs. I enjoyed this. 3.5 but in the 4 side.
The epitome of a 3 star. Not great, not bad. Middle of the road pop/rock.
I don’t have any strong feelings about U2. This was decent. I hadn’t heard One in years and remembered it’s a good song. The rest of it was fine. I have nothing else I want to say about U2.
Not as good as there earlier stuff but still an excellent album. Four stars
One of the best albums of the 90's
exakt vad jag förväntade mig med u2s rykte, stabil rock, men inget mer :|
Också ett bra album! Hörde lite pre-radiohead liknelser, tycker inte det var lika jämnt hela vägen igenom men definitivt 7/10
More interesting than most u2 songs I’ve heard - this isnt really a four though, more like 3.5
This is bad. I guess one is a good enough song, but nowherere near good enough to warrant the inclusion of the whole album, and it does feel like that. The rest is uninspired filler, except may be Mysterious Ways which is barely ok. U2 has albums that are a lot better, this one should not be there. I will finish this list someday, and I know I'll always wonder why this one is in, and so many aren't. It shouldn't be and I am already mad
Achtung Baby was definitely U2 but with a newer and decidedly different sound than we had gotten used to in the 1980’s. Part alternate, part industrial. (Spoiler alert, it a sound they’ll lean into even more over time). While they did have several radio hits off this album it was “One” they was an absolute SMASH.
Kom dere til helvete ut av mobilen min. På ingen måte overhated. Møkkavokal og St.Anger-trommer på første låta. Gidder ikke mer.
I have an affinity for U2, turns out it's mostly for their pre-this album offerings. Couple classic "ballads" on this one, but the upbeat, pre-wacky-electronic stuff is bland. I wonder what the direction of the music was for this. Turns out, fine but not great. I wonder what sort of music The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen could pull off without Bono.
Too much nostalgia in this album. Many amazing songs. I've listened to the Deluxe version. Even the remixes are good. Still not their best but still wonderful.
6/10
classic U2. their best era. that and Rattle and Hum. or Joshua Tree.
Bland
In my mind, U2's best album. Layered and textured, memorable hooks and melodies. Warm despite the electronic turn.
Not the greatest U2 album. The singles are mid and the rest of the album is not great.
U2 i owe you an apology i was not familiar with your game
Immensely boring. Mysterious Ways is the only palatable song on this album. I’ll never quite understand how U2 got to the peak of the mountain. They are severely uninspiring
Massive nah. How these guys get compared to REM I will never understand. Breaking extremely soft ground for Coldplay.
mid 2 ive often wondered, whats the deal with U2? today i learned the deal. theyre eh
dio boia non li posso sentire. proprio non li tollero giur
Is it possible to have a masochistic relationship with a band and its music. Because I came into this project with a sense of apathy for U2. If I’m ever listening to the radio and U2 starts playing, I change stations. It’s like that for me. I guess it has to do with a sense of pretentiousness I have with them. All the shit with Bono and whatnot. I still remember that whole iTunes album shit, like they just thought forcing an album onto everyone was a gift. I mean, Jesus. Now, I have gotten The Joshua Tree generated and… I thought it was good. Didn’t awaken anything in me, but I didn’t despise it. But I thought that it was because it was the Joshua Tree. Then came this album. Surely, I would be more critical over a lesser album…. Yeah about that. Look, like Joshua Tree, I’m not going head over heels for this album. I still can’t tell if I think Bono’s voice is enduring or annoying and there some forgettable shit on here. Hell, I don’t even like Mysterious Ways at all. Fuck that song. But, god help me, I kinda… liked a good chunk of the songs. I think One by itself helps make this album easier to swallow. I’m not a fan of U2 of any regard. But I’m not coming onto this project to dump on anything without given it a fair chance. I’m not going to dismiss an album because of the singer’s ego or if half the site hates the mere thought of U2. And I have to say, I liked this one. Sorry. Favorite track: One Other hits: Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, Even Better Than The Real Thing, The Fly, Until the End of the World
Disclaimer con esta me cancelan La música de U2 lamentablemente nunca fue para mi, por más que tengan algunos temas innegablemente buenos y que disfruto escuchar (como One), el resto me terminan resultando bastante corny. La segunda mitad del album se me hizo pesadisima, siendo que varias de las canciones consistían en repetir el titulo 18 veces (zzzz). De todas maneras, las primeras 4 canciones si que las disfrute y no me parece objetivamente un mal album, sino que no es de mi gusto personal.
Se supone que U2 es el pico y lo que más debería escuchar ahora que estoy en mi era de rockeritos tristes irlandeses, sin embargo, nunca me acaban de convencer. Son como la versión comercial de Libertines y algo más rock que el último Fontaines, pero sin el alma de ninguno de esos dos grupos. Mucho rasgar la voz y la guitarra... me temo que son los Imagine Dragons de su género y tiempo. El colega Bonodemetro verdaderamente metió 3 canciones de 5 minutos en las que está diciendo siempre lo mismo sobre la misma base instrumental... Honorable mention a una de las canciones, Until de end of the World, porque la compusieron originalmente para una de mis películas favoritas jeje. Favs: no me acuerdo es demasiado largo, desde luego ninguna de las de 5 minutos. Supongo que One, también le di like a Even Better than The Real Thing pero porque acababa de empezar el album.
Admito que no soy muy fan de U2, no conecto particularmente con las vocales ni me sorprenden las lyrics. Pocas melodías del album captan mi atención. Aún así es una buena escucha, simplemente not my jam Favs: Until the End of the World, The Fly, Mysterious Ways
Buscando inspiración después de sacar un disco medio flojito, U2 se va a Berlín para componer y grabar nuevo material. Puedo escuchar la influencia de la ciudad en las primeras dos canciones, con un sonido aaaaaalgo parecido a la trilogía de Berlín de David Bowie (producida también por Brian Eno -aunque para Achtung Baby parece que el tío se pasaba una vez al mes o así para revisar cosas y quitar material que se pareciera a material antiguo de U2-). Quitando One y Acrobat, que no me disgustan, me parece que el resto de canciones tiene muchas ideas interesantes, pero a las que para llegar no merece la pena escucharte una canción de 5 minutos que te deja medio sopa. A la playlist (y a considerar porque honestamente no soy muy fan): One, Acrobat
Not a fan of U2
solid album. still like the older stuff.
The songs all sound more or less the same to me. Not upsetting, but not interesting.
Soft rock for people who think they like hard rock. Yawn.
I didn't really like U2 much in the 90s. I thought that might change with age... but it still doesn't do it for me
This is a decent album, but definitely not my personal favourite U2 album, nor their most popular. It's got a lot of what makes U2 sound like U2 (specifically later U2), which is great if you're into that and I can't fault them for. I can't decide how I feel about U2 as a whole. At times I love it - I certainly can't deny the musicianship and passion in their music, and they've written some of the greatest songs of all time (including one of my own favourites). At other times U2 can feel a bit flat and boring to me... I'm not exactly sure why that is, but I suspect it's the tone and style. I feel that U2 are at their best when they're being strong and/or expressive (see City of Blinding Lights, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Miracle Drug, Pride and many more). Often I think the rest of their music can feel a bit flat. This album is mostly that - flatness. Not at all unpleasant, and certainly well written... Just missing a certain spark that engages me. That said, there are songs and moments across the album that earn some of that attention back, which is why I'm pushing the rating up to a 3. I'd have no qualms listening to it again, but I'm far more likely to just pick a few songs I liked rather than going start to finish on it.
Funny how my hate U2 gets. This was a fairly groundbreaking album back in the day - U2 goes Eno - and it still holds up quite well indeed. Let's just not dwell too much on a lot of the stuff they did a bit later and enjoy this for what it is.
I love how they were so indecisive about what they wanted their album cover to be, that they just said "fuck it, let's just use all 16 of our ideas at the same time."
Zoo Station, The Fly, Even Better than the Real Thing, One, Acrobat, Both “World” songs… This album was a wild reinvention and I loved it.
Started to call this a 4 but based on the number of songs I'd come back for it's got to be a 5
In spite of Bono, still a fan. Not their best, but not far off. Forgot how good it was tbh.
I'm really questioning who put this list together. It seems like the albums are less of a concern as opposed to the few songs that are on them that are timeless. Achtung Baby has massive hits like One and Mysterious Ways, which are all-timers, but the album as a whole is a noise machine, filled with vague lyrics, electropop backgrounds. I know U2 is an all-time band, but I also know they have better than this.
Even if this is not up to the standards of War, it is still an amazing listen. Some stellar moments on this opus. One is a standout on its own.
Loved it to death when it came out. Haven’t heard it in a while. Let’s see what happens.
Know this through osmosis. Fav was Love is Blindness.
Esta buenon, no soy gran fan de u2 pero me gusto
I have always really loved this album. Perhaps because it was the only time that I got to see them live, but feel like Edge is amazing on this one.
I highly respect U2 while this may not be their best it still was very good
Honestly I like Joshua Tree more. Some of this kinda drug on (last half). Still a great album, just not their best so no 5.
I don't think this is one of their stronger albums. got some swings & misses. yes, they're trying some new sounds & sometimes it works then others not. Until the end of the world & Wild Horses are two excellent tracks & bump it from 3.5 to 4 just for those alone
5.6/10 pretty solid, just barely finished the album, but really not my style of music. good tho
Love u2
Decent, some of it very U2. Definitely worth the listen. Gonna give it a “passing” grade. Could be bias since a lot so far haven’t be great. Overall - 3.6/5
can this website stop giving me 90s british rock istg
pretty solid, classic with or without you.
This was my first favorite album when I was 9 years old. I heard “Mysterious Ways” on my sister’s stereo and later tracked down the album, falling deeply in love with it. All these years later, through many developments in my musical taste. I still love it, though I don’t know how I would have felt about it had I first encountered it later in life. I think it’s unquestionably U2’s best album objectively speaking. Ironically, “Mysterious Ways” is now one of my least favorite tracks, though “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” is indisputably the low point of the record (it does have a killer bridge section, though.) “The Fly” and “Until The End of The World” have always been faves. Recently I’ve come to appreciate “Trying To Throw Your Arms Around The World”. Am extremely fortunate to have been able to see them perform this record in the Las Vegas Sphere last year! Really needed this on a challenging day today.
Can’t overcome my biases. Self indulgent but still some bangers
Why is every song 5 minutes long?
Expected to dig this one and was interestedly put off by the production choices to make it sound intentionally chaotic because "the world was confusion at the time." Zoo Station is one of the worst on the album for me. Apart from its singles that I already knew, only Till the End of the World and Love Is Blindness stood out to me. I found it more palatable when treated as a live album. Maybe their live shows sound exactly like the over-produced recordings. Why you'd want to intentionally make a trashier recording is beyond me, but apparently it worked for them.
As someone who doesn't really like U2 (to put it nicely), this album caught me by surprise. It was overall solid, and I actually enjoyed most of the songs on it. There were still a few that I didn't like at all, the worst of which being One. The album didn't make me more of a fan of the band, but I guess I have a little more appreciation for them as creators than I did before. While I could see myself coming back to a few of the tracks on here, I don't think I'd listen to it in full again. Not only because of the songs I didn't like, but also because it's long. I can only take so much U2 at a time. Honestly though, take off One and another song or two, and I think I would've liked this quite a bit (somehow, still not sure I believe it). So, I gotta give them credit here for making something pretty decent. Overall: 3/5
I've always struggled with this album. I just don't hear what others hear. Maybe it's because I didn't grow up with this one like I did other U2 albums. It's good, even great, when I'm listening to it. I enjoy it. But after the fact, I have a hard time remembering the songs. This isn't a new problem, I've listened to this album several times over the years, it's the same every time. I'm gonna give it four stars, cuz again, great album, but for me it's not a must-listen.
Better than I expected but still not my thing. Turned it off.
Another unremarkable U2 album. This is the third one so far, and I'm yet to hear any discernable difference in sound across them. This one was my 'favourite' of the three, but I'm not sure if I'm just becoming used to hearing U2 so often. Just like the other two: it's okay, it has a couple of recognisable songs, you can sing or bop to one or two of them... But I really struggle to view it as rock music. It's easy listening with a guitarist wasted being in U2 (sure he's not complaining though).
U2 are just massively not my thing.
I’ll give them “One” - if you want an epic ballad it’s pretty good. Otherwise bland or saccharine by turns, and plodding throughout.
I love this earlier stuff. I remember hearing these singles on the radio when they first came out. Super nostalgic. Great tones and vibe. This is a solid album
Good album overall, good songs. the best song is One
Quite dull, Coldplay for the 90s
Best Song: Mysterious Ways I enjoy U2 quite a bit. I knew about 85% of this album from being in high school when it came out and the radio playing several of these songs pretty much non-stop. The songs I didn't know were not as good as some of the more popular ones but nothing that would detract from the strength of the album. 5/5.
U2 has become the poster child for haughty and overly aspirational bands/musicians that take their music incredibly seriously and believe it's necessary everyone hears it. I'm not sure that reputation was assisted in any way from pushing one of their albums on to the iTunes playlist of every living human being that dares to use the Apple product. Yet, they are capable of making good music (which is, of course, a subjective opinion) when they really want to. Achtung Baby is an excellent example of the band working to make good, interesting music. There are days you could convince me Achtung Baby is as good of an album as the Joshua Tree. There are also days I feel like listening to The Joshua Tree for no particular reason and I'm not sure I can say the same for Achtung Baby. There isn't one certain song I can recommend here, as I think this entire album deserves to be heard. Would I download it into everyone's iTunes library so they MUST take action not to hear it? Absolutely not. U2 is full of themselves and often come off as a bit douche-like. Achtung Baby is full of great songs and they somehow managed to recover from whatever they were trying to do with Rattle & Hum to make another classic collection of songs.
U2's ipod era made me an anti-, but they're actually not that bad!
Despite having one of U2's most famous hits and one of the biggest songs of the 90s in "One", the rest of the album is just kind of bland
A masterpiece of early 90s rock/dance/tech fusion.
8.7 One Ultra violet Until the end of the world
Unfortunately fairly mid. This album, amusingly, had the opposite issue of War, wherein it started to pick up more on the back half, but not enough for me to like it much more.
Another solid album from U2, though less expansive than War and more focused on just poppy songwriting.
It was fine but I still don’t get the U2 hype.
I came back to this twice because I genuinely enjoyed some aspects of it a lot, certainly more than I did 'War'. Unfortunately it didn't impact me much, nor do I see myself returning to it enough to warrant a 4 star. We've had worse though! Standouts: Until The End Of The World • Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses • The Fly • Ultra Violet (Light My Way)
Man, I remembered this album as being awesome and equal to The Joshua Tree but I feel a little embarrassed now. On this listen I felt it waw plodding and bloated. There are some amazing songs on here like The Fly and Mysterious Ways, but you could gut half this album and be better off.
Not a great Bono fan….
This LP was the followup of their previous album Rattle and Hum. It's also shows they were trying to get away from their signature sound. Pretty good album with some nice cuts on it. Mysterious Ways, One, Even better Than The Real Thing.
3.0 - Ok
Instrumentalnie spoko ale za dużo smętnego śpiewania. Poza "One" nic specjalnego
One absolute belter of a song, but apart from that pretty mid and a bit boring. "One" does a lot of heavy lifting here.
I remember thinking I might enjoy U2 when I am middle aged. Turns out I'm not there yet. Musical ideas completely devoid of anything interesting.
Turns out I'm middle aged now
Just generally boring. Nothing offensive there and you can leave it on the background. Spotify kept playing and I had no idea it started another U2 album.
"A lot of noise"
Probably that last really good U2 album. They swapped America for Europe and came up with quite a varied set of tracks from gritty to melodic and this packed a lot of hit singles too. The Fly really cuts through and So replaced 40 as their live closer. I liked revisiting this one.
Oh ya now I remember, U2 is way over rated. The one song that was good enough to listen to did not make up for the rest on the album.
Was fine. Neutral.
Decent, aber allet da jleiche
“Zoo Station” was fun! “Even Better Than The Real Thing” is kinda cool and trippy. Thomas likes “Mysterious Ways”. “Ultra Violet (Light My Way” was fun too.
Never was a fan, but: After Unforgettable Fire and The Joshua Tree, I didn't particularly like Achtung Baby, with a few exceptions (One, So Cruel, Mysterious Ways). Now, over 30 years later, I think it's a really good album. Well ...
Werde mit U2 vielleicht nie klarkommen
Not bad, but pretty boring. One and Until the End of the World are good songs though.
The one where they got new effects pedals, but sadly not any new ideas. Plodding, uninspired music draped in a new coat woven from the offcuts of more creative musicians, and topped off with some truly awful lyrics.
Quintessential dad rock. Pretty boring. Good background music when you’re preoccupied in the garage doing things with your tools and such. Favorite song: n/a
so okay
Bono is kinda cringe but this album went hard. One is in my top 100 favorite songs of all time. And the second half of the album was pretty good. Don’t kill the part of you that’s cringe, kill the part that cringes
I didn't like it too much, but I have to recognize there's some quality work here. They managed to create some nice, catchy alt rock songs, a couple of them would become very well known. Bono's voice is also pretty iconic, although I'm not much of a fan. I don't like his delivery because it feels a bit exaggerated at times, but he definitely gives the songs a distinctive identity. Instrumentally it feels a bit repetitive at times, but there's some nice tunes. The best ones for me here were "Ultra Violet (Light My Way)" and "Mysterious Ways", they're more upbeat and fun tracks. "One" I don't like much. "Love Is Blindness" I disliked, it felt too overly dramatic and honestly boring.
Strong. Loved One, second half was pretty consistent
I liked it!
Entertaining, but not one of their best albums.
Not my favorite U2 album, but it still has some solid hits. I'm also impressed with this era, since they went out on a limb and explored a new style (to them). Not as edgy as albums past, but it's certainly not something a lot of artists do. Most are stuck in their ways a bit. If it works, stick with it. Not our Irish lads, however. Bonus point for that.
Ok Bono, you’ve won me over for now
It’s just that Bono-fide voice. I expected as much, but One and Mysterious Ways were the only things notable from this album.
This was great. Every song was enjoyable. Five stars.
The press has a lot to answer for. That's a very ambiguous statement, but in this case, I mean that they have a habit of overemphasing the newness of something they like. To be fair on them, U2 had a famously po-faced image (especially after Rattle and Hum, a.k.a. the album where they 'took back' Helter Skelter from Charles Manson), and finding out that Bono had the capacity for sarcasm and irony must've blown their minds. That all being said, the main musical differences are the bass becoming more prominent (and more co-writing credits for Adam), more synths and more pedals for The Edge. They continue to wear their hearts on their sleeves, despite also having fun. It's just a solidly good album which also just happened to spawn one of the greatest tours of all time. It's no secret at all. Tangent: That aforementioned tour gave the world Mr. MacPhisto. You've all made him very famous and he thanks you. Favourite Song: Acrobat/Even Better Than the Real Thing Least Favourite: Tryin to Throw Your Arms Around the World
...is that it? I was promised an album drenched in irony and electronic excess. Instead, it's just a U2 album with drum loops, louder bass and a Digitech Whammy.
This was a more enjoyable U2 project to me. I thought it was pretty charming.
This is a decent enough U2 album but once again if you don't like their modern easy listening radio friendly approach to music you're not going to like this one any more than the others. In particular, if you don't like "One", you're not going to like half of this album, specifically tracks 3,4,5,6 which might as well be called "One" parts 1-4. It's basically the same song 4 times. "Mysterious Ways" is the obvious best track on here, between Edge finally getting to properly work with some guitar effects and the actually catchy songwriting. Everything after is kind of meh. Don't get the hype really, but it's fine.
U2 is catchy and easy to listen to. I think there is too much representation on this list. I imagine we'll have a few more as we haven't heard Bloody Sunday yet.
Zoo Station was completely forgettable. Even Better than the Real Thing is something that would make sense in a tv show or movie, moments of catchiness but not outstanding. One is a well written lyrically song, but I really hate the performance. I have heard covers that I like a lot more. Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses is familiar, it’s not impressive or exciting musically, but again the lyrics are good. I think the best song on the album is Mysterious Ways.
Bland. Jack white’s cover of love is blindness is much more interesting than this version
There are some songs I've heard a million times. None of the other songs are terribly interesting to me. "Ultra Violet (Light MY Way)" in particular was a chore. I would be fine to never hear "Love is Blindness" again. "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" is okay.
Pretty shit
I am not a U2 fan and this album did not magically turn me into one. However, this album surprised me with a more enjoyable listening experience than I thought I was gonna have by getting assigned a U2 album on a Friday
They suck
If I’m going to listen to U2, this will be the album
Wow.
Probably my favorite U2 album, and a contender for "if you are stuck on a deserted island and only have 1 album to listen to". Edge's guitar soars, Bono can take his voice up to 5th gear. It's all good. Sadly I read some of the reviews and there seems to be a group think where it's popular to bash on U2 and Bono in particular for being a prat or wanker. These same folks like Oasis and Kanye, so all I have to say is people are strange. "I'm only hanging on To watch you go down, my love"
I had only been familiar with the pop hits played on the radio, but overall this album is more contemplative, richer, and deeper than I expected.
U2 in their prime...still sounds great.
Ehh
I'm not afraid to admit it, I like U2. It might not be 'cool', but they make really good music. I saw them live a couple of years ago, they were so good, they put on one hell of a show. It's a good album.
It’d probably be cooler for me to think that this album sucks, but it just works to well as background music. U2 undeniably knows how to write a catchy tune. I think eventually they will be re-evaluated as not cheesy, or good cheesy at the very least.
yeah, i mean....it's definitely music.
2.75
I was really into this album for a hot minute in middle school (it came out well before I was in middle school, but clearly appealed to an angsty tween). Bono’s vocals are giving a blend of David Bowie, Thom Yorke, and something the National-adjacent, with a smattering of 80s emotional sensibilities. The album itself feels like a middle school feeling: overblown reactions to first-time feelings, but it’s not necessarily bad, I’d say. I find Bono and U2 pretty insufferable now, so it’s hard to set that aside-but I don’t think I ever need to revisit this album. I’d properly give it a 2.5, but am rounding down since I’d not go back to it.
My favorite U2 album, and one of my favorites of all time. I just love this record. It was so important to me when I was younger. Such good memories of listening to this thing. I have every song and sound memorized. If every copy of this thing disappeared I could recreate it from memory. The only song I don't love is "Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World." Everything else is amazing. It can only be - FIVE STARS
I dunno why people blow smoke up U2’s holes but maybe that’s just because of my personal prejudice and also bono is a pox. This was bland and I’d happily never listen to it again
Shite
The eternal U2 conundrum: Great album that really reinvented themselves from their 80s sound and having One on it (I'd say my favourite of theirs) BUT.......fuckin Bono's a ballbawg
Not my favourite of theirs, but a lynchpin one for them - changing their sound and direction completely and the single list on it is hard to deny. Solid album like them or not
Absolutely not.
U2 are the most overrated band on the planet and OH MY GOD THERE ARE 3 MORE U2 ALBUMS ON THIS MOTHERFUCKER 🤬 See if my algorithm now thinks I want to listen to U2, I'm gonna headbutt Bono
excellent
One é incrível, mas o resto é meio chatinho
Music by numbers. Lyrical durge.
I used to like this more than I do now. Joshua Tree feels like such a complete album and every song fits into a cohesive whole. Achtung Baby feels more like a collection of songs made at the same time with little that links them. There's a few very good ones on the album, and some others. A generous four.
Ah crap, I have to admit there is some great songs on here... I can't really stand U2 for the most part too...
Worst band ever!
Sometimes too much of a good thing can lead to taking it for granted. That's how I've been treating U2's "Achtung Baby" over the years. I've listened to it so many times that I put it to one side, and if I did play anything from it, it was the "Hits". I forgot how good it is. "Achtung Baby" marked a radical and deliberate reinvention, moving away from the earnest, anthemic sound of "The Joshua Tree" towards a darker, more experimental, and industrial aesthetic. The result is a dense album that sounds unlike anything they had done before. It's a creative high point for the band, full of excellent songs. Five stars. Would I listen to this album again? Yes Would I buy this album? I did. 1- "Zoo Station"- The distorted introduction tells you that this album is very different to its predecessor. Thrilling. - 5 2- "Even Better Than the Real Thing"- A real dance, club feel. A Great riff. The remixed single is great too. - 5 3- "One"- Iconic. Just wonderful. U2's most recognisable song? Timeless. - 5 4- "Until the End of the World"- Lyrically oblique. Lovely guitar solo. - 4 5- "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses"- 3 6- "So Cruel"- An under appreciated track from "Achtung baby" and always one of my favourites. Raw and stripped down, especially compared to what comes next! - 5 7- "The Fly"- Bold and noisy. The lead single before the album was released. A great riff, great guitar and a great rock song. It was the introduction of Bono's "Fly" persona. This was the sign post that U2 had transformed their sound. - 5 8- "Mysterious Ways"- A funky, dance-oriented single that brought a fresh sound to U2 and rock music. Larry Mullen Jr.'s drumming and Adam Clayton's bassline are the stars of this track. - 5 9- "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World"- Gentle and melancholic . Again, a track I've underappreciated over the years. - 5 10- "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)"- A little more "old school" U2. 4 11- "Acrobat"- I had forgotten how much I liked this song; the brooding feel and a quite fantastic guitar solo. - 5 12- "Love Is Blindness"- Sombre and atmospheric. - 5 Total - 56 Average - 4.7 81/1001
Solid album front to back.
no cool! erkennbar U2, aber chli ufgmischt, weniger theatralisch.
chli langwiilig..
Forgettable. Mysterious ways is the only song worth listening to
I wasn’t expecting to like this album. The previous U2 album I listened to from this list I thought was really pretty boring and I was expecting the same of this album. however I think there was some great tracks on here. The fly is an all timer and all I would listen to earlier U2 with less scepticism 4/5
I’m not a big fan of U2…. This album was definitely a change in their typical sound. My favorite song: who’s gonna ride your wild horses I would not listen again.
I liked it but it kinda got boring at the end and like hard to finish.
I’d consider myself a U2 fan, but I hadn’t listened to this album outside of the couple hits on it. Good stuff pretty much top to bottom. Best Track: Mysterious Ways
Extremely familiar album from when it came out. I cannot deny this is a great album, but I've perhaps heard it too much at this point.
Their best album. An absolute time capsule of pop rock.
Some very cheesy rhymes (talk/walk rhyme still? Did we graduate elementary?). Singer can pull off wide range of notes, but all songs sound like the same melodramatic tune about missing his baby.
6/10
I liked a few songs and the style. But it's not my favorite genre.
Ska försöka hålla mig kort men jag har mycket att säga om den här skivan. Vi börjar här: Oj vad den LÅTER bra, fortfarande. Soundet är fantastiskt. En av rockhistoriens bäst ljudande album i min bok, hatten av till framförallt Flood för det ljudmässiga. Är inte det här albumet lite bortglömt efter all bespottning U2 fått utstå de senaste 25 åren? Jag tycker det. Här är dom ju faktiskt både intressanta och har låtar nog att vara bära sig själva. Redan inledande skrammel och ackord i Zoo station sätter tonen om ett stilbrott, om en annan U2-värld. Bara referensen i låttiteln till den mörka trasiga filmen "Wir kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo" (som ju Bowie delade med sig av musik till under sina Berlin år) visar att den froma USA-vurmen från Joshua... och inte minst Rattle... är ersatt. På Achtung... är U2 subversiva, det är sex, hedonism, ljusskygga gestalter på ljusskygga platser som lockar, och med U2-mått mätt visas det upp tämligen explicit. "Until the end of the world" är exempelvis en twistad "Sympathy for the devil" i skuggan av Berlinmurens fall. Musiken styr bort från armviftade arenor och mot grafittiprydda väggar i skumma lokaler, även om den inte når riktigt hela vägen dit. Kvinnorna är syndfulla, mörka och elaka och rör sig i Mysterious ways. Även om Bono inte är någon stor textförfattare så hittar han här en tämligen aptitlig ton, där han vacklar mellan vilket ben han ska stå på, det är inte så jäkla självgott och proklamerande. Avslutningsdubbeln "Acrobat" och "Love is blindness" är helt magnifik, kanske U2s två bästa låtar. Den senare är en asfaltsspsalm skulle kunnat varit med på vilken av Thåströms plattor som helst efter "Skebokvarn...". "The fly" är en jättebra singel i sin egen rätt, men det är nåt helt annat att höra den inleda b-sidan på albumet, där kommer den än mer till sin rätt. Hela albumet känns så oerhöft genomarbetat i allt från stora bitar som tematik och sound till de mindre bitarna som låtordning. Jag måste nämna 'Even better than the real thing" också, vilken jävla rocklåt, som fortfarande låter modern, det är lite av en käftsmäll att upptäcka den igen faktiskt. Som ni hör är jag ganska så lyrisk över den här. Visst man hade kunnat strippa den på kanske 2 låtar och det finns rum för synpunkter i olika riktningar. Men kontentan är ingen hade gjort den här typen av skiva bättre 1991. Det är världens största band som lyckas förändra sig och det radikalt och dessutom bli många gånga bättre än innan. Achtung baby är en femma inte för att alla låtarna är fantastiskt mycket bättre än andra skivor utan tack vare helheten. Det är ett fullständigt lyckat album och jag älskar album när man utnyttjar format när det är mer än en samling låtar.
U2:s bästa. Sedan gick det bara utför, även om spinoff-skivan Zooropa har sina ljusglimtar. Känns som varje låt var en singel. Ett, nog nödvändigt, stilbrott från gruppens 80-tal. Acrobat är värd att lyftas fram. En stark fyra.
U2 igen. Att Joshua Tree finns med i boken är fullt rimligt. ATs plats hos de-måste-lyssnande bör emellertid ifrågasättas. Svagare låtar och tråkigare produktion (trots att det även här är herrarna Eno och Lanios som står för hantverket). Det går att se en tydlig utveckling. Tyvärr går den bakåt.
Det börjar uselt och det blir värre. Flera av låtarna går inte att höra från början till slut i nykter tillstånd. Varje gång Bono går upp i falsett vill jag omedelbart stänga av.
Some classics, I kinda liked it, much to my surprise.
u2 means nothing to me
Look I always thought that U2 were overhated but man this album really damn sucked. The Edge is still an excellent guitarist but lyrically, sonically and production wise I found nothing to grab onto. Bono really is such a smarmy bastard in the way he sings the multiple "sexy" songs on here are super cringy to listen to. Will not listen to this ever again.
I can't bring myself to listen to this. Just going to go ahead and give it a 1 and save myself the torture.
Often thought over the time i have been listening to music that u2 would be a band i would dislike. I do in the main but this is an album that has weathered extremely well. One is possibly the best song released by u2. Mysterious ways comes across as throwaway but on reflection is a tremendous song. Possibly the last really good album they released but there is a run of 4 or 5 albums almost unmatched outside the beatles
absolutely not
Bit dated but the singles still hit the spot
Just really don't like U2. Didn't find anything here that I enjoyed or caught my attention. 2/5
Everything that comes out of Bono's mouth here is preposterous. 'Did you play Jesus to the Lepers in your mind?' 'Who's gonna ride your wild horses?' 'Lips move but they cant talk, tryin to throw your arms around the world' (this one's about you, isn't it Bono?) As bad as these lines are, theyre made so much worse by Bono, who delivers them like he's giving the Sermon on the Mount. That's ultimately all that you can focus on, because everything else is made to blend into the background. Not great.
There’s a generally high bar of quality all through this album, but the two hit singles, ‘One’ and ‘Mysterious Ways’, stand in such sharp contrast to everything else that I have to wonder why you’d bother putting yourself through it all. The package feels a bit more like the band is chasing those hit singles as opposed to having something meaningful to put up. And it worked: This album helped setup U2’s run as the ‘biggest band in the world’ all the way through to the fall from grace that was How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. From this point they just kind of become a singles band, which is disappointing given their older stuff. ⭐️⭐️
Consistent album with the standout track 'One'. Will keep in rotation for a bit.
Nice snare drum sounds.
Mammas favvo! Har på cd också. Bra!
Really disappointing... Not because I was expecting a U2 album to wow me, but because typically any album involving Brian Eno is pretty solid. But the 90s were kind of weird for Mr. Eno so I give him a pass on the production end of this. This is my first U2 album listen ever and Achtung Baby comes off to me as trying to emulate Simple Minds if they turned down the energy by 55%. There is a lack of depth here (lyrically and musically) that is disguised by thoughtfully placed reverb. I could imagine hearing any of these songs playing at a christian charity shop.
I like most of it.
Achtung Baby starts off fresh enough, w/ an uncharacteristic edgy Edge riff and an assertive drum break, tho it still possesses Bono's distinctive mush: 'I'm ready to say / I'm glad to be alive / I'm ready / I'm ready for the push.' Lyricism is not only not U2's forte, it's a distraction and a diminishment, particularly when Bono sloppily evokes literary tropes: 'We're free to fly the crimson sky / The sun won't melt our wings tonight.' Contrast that w/ Joni's allusiveness and you'll see who has the edge: 'Like Icarus ascending / On beautiful foolish arms / Amelia it was just a false alarm.' Like most U2 records, it fails to be what it's meant to be: it's not pop since it's too self-serious, but it's not rock either since it extends no real punch to the gut.
I can see why they had Bono cover I Am The Walrus in Across the Universe If someone put this on in the car I wouldn't mind it playing ambiently in the background, I can see the vision but I'm probably directing my eyes elsewhere first
Alright, but straightforward
So many iconic songs, good listen
Very bland
MYSTERIOUS WAYS is an illustration of U2 . Ability to write super catchy rock classics but then juxtaposed with songs that bore me profusely. Post 90's music gets bland for me. I will give credit where it is due, because they have written some fantastic music etched in their catalog.
Mid -
Happy I listened to it. Most tracks were enjoyable enough, but I don’t foresee myself throwing anything on beyond Mysterious Ways and One
Once again not very memorable with two or so songs that are either enjoyable or fine
YAWN. I don't feel quite as strongly about U2 as I do about Coldplay but it's pretty close. Never forget my choir's rendition of One (derogatory)
Maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention, as I played this while moving into our new house. But It didn't do anything for me. The album art looks like a 2010s tryhard instagram grid
For a post-punk 80s band like U2 and after the huge commercial success of The Joshua Tree, it was a difficult job to make an unique and succesful album again, but they did it with Achtung Baby. It's a great album, which cemented the greatness of the band (actually this was their last truly great album). My personal favourite from this album is the incredibly catchy Mysterious Ways.
Esta bien, pero se me hizo un poco pesado
just couldn't click with it at all, but clearly something good in there
Dull as fuck, is that how they got so big?
Inoffensive but incredibly dull
Very much a singles band from what I’ve heard
Never been a big U2 fan but “one” carries the album.
U. Decent
By 1991, the music everyone was listening to had changed. The New Wave of the 80s, had given way to the Alternative of the 90s and U2 was starting to look like the last decade. Having already messed around with Roots Revival to profound effect, U2 knew that changing their style didn't mean music business death. This is the genesis of Achtung Baby: a reinvention of U2 for the 90s. The Edge's signature jangly guitar is still there. Bono's urgent vocals are still there. The style, however, is clearly alternative. The grinding guitar opening of Zoostation, the lead song on the album, sounds more like The Breeders than 80s era U2. The muted vocals of Until the Ends of the World were not classic U2 but certainly of the time. And yet, Mysterious Ways, the big hit, could be an outtake from Joshua Tree. Despite this mélange of 90s and late 80s styles, Achtung Baby is not a jumble. The production is so clean, the song list so well thought out, that it hangs together like a movie soundtrack. Achtung Baby extended the career of U2 by another 15 years, ushering in an era of experimentation and allowing them to weather the horrid experiment in electronica called Pop. By the mid-2000s they were phoning it in and from then on were mostly a legacy band despite a rash of underperforming, dull albums in the 2020s. Achtung Baby, however, moved the band into the 90s without fundamentally changing who they were.
Some classic hits on this album and doesn't disappoint with the flare that U2 brings to their music.
Listened to this album back in college
So this album is the division bell for me with regards to U2. Every album before this one was pretty good, and The Joshua Tree is still my favorite U2 album, but Achtung Baby is excellent. Every album after this one got progressively worse in my eyes, and I think a lot of hardcore U2 fans can't deny that. But enjoy this album for what it is. Excellent. Way too many bangers to list on this one, but if you must listen to one song on this album, it needs to be "One". and So Cruel. ;-) 3.83 / 5 stars.
Hit after hit after hit. They all have a similar sort of sound, but i enjoy that sound so hard to fault this album apart from maybe a lack of wound variation
Guitar work from The Edge is pretty good. In 1991, I could understand this being learning on the line of alternative & different, It doesn't hold up for me and has aged out.
det är med stor sorg som jag måste meddela att jag tycker det här är helt okej. the edge:s töntiga jävla mössa till trots
Surprisingly good for being U2.
One is beautiful song. Only liked the singles though.
Fantastic pop rock
U2 sucks
Feels hard to quantify exactly what I'm looking for in an album. I know my favorite albums have songs that touch my soul, but is that from the chords, the lyrics, or the point in my life when I heard it? Loved lots of songs here, especially Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses. Will definitely listen to it again!
This is soooo fun! It sounds very different from Joshua Tree, but still fantastic! U2 always sounds very.... "larger than life". I love it. So much fun! Actual rating....4.5. Liked Songs: "Even Better Than The Real Thing" , "One" , "Until The End Of The World" , "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" , "So Cruel" , "Mysterious Ways" , "Ultra Violet (Light My Way)" , "Acrobat"
liked songs: Mysterious Ways, There's nothing particularly bad about this album, but I just do not understand the hype around U2 outside of some of the big hits. They're fine, but I just get bored listening to them. 2.5
What a slog of caterwauling, dated guitar effects and ego. Awful, awful, awful.
Another great one by U2. Not quite on the same level as Joshua Tree but still damn good
So much hatred for this album based simply on the fact that people don't like Bono. Christ, get a life people. You can hold whatever opinions you want about the man -- but when he was at his peak Bono Vox Superstar moment, which was basically this album -- he was one of the most amazing frontmen ever to grace a stage. I never appreciated Elvis until I saw him get warmed up in an old video of "Aloha from Hawaii." Same with most of the young heads on here who need to give this a chance. Because goddamn what an incredible album this is. It exploded all over the place just as I turned 21. This was my (and a lot of other folks') absolute soundtrack through the college years. No weak tracks -- the closest to one might be "Acrobat" which is nonetheless still a banger. Elite songwriting. Edge in utterly stellar form with his guitar weirdnesses. It's a cohesive whole from Zoo Station to Love is Blindness. (I remember having the lyrics to the latter printed out in a "fancy" font on an old Apple printer.) I used Ultra Violet on so many actual mixtapes -- the kind we used to make on Maxell 90 minute cassette tapes to woo each other with. Every note on this album ties to a memory of mine. Five stars, easily. One of my desert island discs. Hell of a lot more interesting than most.
There was a moment here where I felt like finding the person from the "Not my proudest 5" review so we could give each other a hug - "same, bro or sis, same" - but then "So cruel" came on, then many of the subsequent songs and "Mysterious Ways" and nah. Props to U2, this is in parts a surprisingly well-made entrance of their music into the 90s, better than I expected or remembered, but it's a reinvention - or a new dress - that I didn't care for then and I don't now. It's the last U2 album in here, I'll end this amicably.
Flood and Eno. every song's foundation, its rhythm is so tight and opens up to lyrics intuitively. Like even if you don't like Bono, listen and ignore the lyrics. The pockets are so natural and deep.
“One” is one of the great songs of its era. I don’t enjoy the other singles *quite* as much, but “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” and “Mysterious Ways” are damn good, too. Bono’s aching vocals pair so well with the album’s darker lyrics/mood. Is this a four- or five-star album? I could argue that either way. If the album were just a little tighter (one or two fewer songs, maybe?), the choice would’ve been clear.
better then i thought 3.5/5
Nice
My husband's favorite band is U2 so I'm familiar with the album. I like it but wouldn't say I love it.
The singles are fine but overall this album just didn’t do it for me. Found it overall pretty boring. Best track: “Even Better Than The Real Thing”
U2 fortfarande Inte Min Grej™ men den här var mycket mindre irriterande att lyssna på! Mysterious Ways är ostig men sätter sig på hjärnan.
Alltså jag tycker tyvärr inte dom hittar riktigt hem här förutom på ett par låtar. Känner inte att hela bandet är riktigt DÄR.
Jag hör några klassiker här!
Andra U2-albumet för oss, efter The Joshua Tree. Detta kändes bättre!
I liked the album but need to listen a few more times.
Some great tunes, but lots of filler.
Two stinkers in a row. Hard pass.
This is a great album. Felt such a new sound whilst all the key components of U2’s existing sound being there. Zoo station is such an under appreciated opener and sets the tone for the whole album. This is one of those albums where virtually every song could've easily been a single, which obviously means tracks like One ,the Fly snd Mysterious Ways were pretty fucking special to be the singles.
There is a period in the 90s where I think U2 become a bit guff - this album is the start of that process. “One” is a beautiful song (even if I do prefer the later version with Mary J. Blige), but I’ve never really got the rest of the tracks - even the other singles. It just wasn’t for me, but was still inoffensive (or as inoffensive as I can find Bono) enough not to hate.
U2 are the absolute definition of "meh" to me - I'm not going to rush to press skip if the appear on shuffle, but I'm also never going to choose to listen to them. The first play through of this I was really distracted with work, so I had a second go in the evening so it got a fair shot. Yeah, it's just not really for me. I like Mysterious Ways and One but pretty much everything else passed me by. None of the album tracks seemed any more enjoyable to me than the singles I already knew. This is really a 2.5 for me, but I'm going to say it scrapes: 3/5
A great album that saw U2 reinvent themselves. The ethereal vocals and sonic experiments with distortion (bordering on fuzzbox abuse) probably influenced a lot of bands in the mid-90s. They were clearly ahead of their time. I already knew this album from back in the days – but I didn’t own the CD, so I think I never managed to listen to it from start to finish. It’s much bettter and much more creative than I remembered. I used to think the album just had a couple of good tracks, but I actually really enjoyed most of the songs, including the less famous ones. Ideally I’d give them a 3,5*, mainly because it’s still a tad too pop-ish for me... but I’ll add half a star for the legendary "One". I think I actually had my first kiss on this song at a house party (as a good part of my generation probably did...).
This is a great album from a great band rediscovering themselves. Not all of it works, but the hits land so hard you can’t help but follow along.
Made me change my mind about U2. Such a solid album which proves U2 isen't just pop-esque soft rock
Better than I thought but don’t know if I need to listen last the singles.
U2 and I are like old flames - I’ll go years without listening to them much at all, and then, out of the blue, we meet up and end up spending a month together revisiting all our favorite haunts and memories. Then we part ways until the next time. I don’t really get why my relationship with them has always been so sporadic. Especially when an album like this can play three times through while I was listening and working, and I was happy to hear it again. “The Fly” is some of the best guitar and vocal interplay they’ve ever done. And I think that is the defining factor to this era of U2. Their early albums are fantastic, and have this forward and driving motion to them - anthemic with all the parts following a shared path on the journey. I’m oversimplifying, but pointing out the major impression. The era that Achtung Baby is a part of finds the strands of music weaving in and out of each other - meandering and dancing toward the last few bars. That is a long way to say I love this album.
Yet another album that holds so much meaning for me so, again, very hard to be subjective. After "Joshua Tree" and "Rattle and Hum" I never expected this album. From the opening guitar alarm of "Zoo Station," the new sound and creative reinvention literally blew me away. I listened to this album non-stop in 1991 and it helped get me through a difficult year. Listening now, the Edge, with assistance from Eno and Lanois, took it to another level and th rhythm section of Mullins and Clayton Jr never sounded better. And, other than one of the worst lines in history-- " a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle"-- Bono's lyrics and vocals shine as well. They took this creativity and pushed it even more with their next album, "Zooropa," but this album has only gained in its majesty and another one of my desert island discs.
Never been a big U2 fan, but credit where it's due, this is a great album. Probably my favorite of theirs, and definitely think it's their most creative. Every song sounds like it could be on a different album, which keeps it really engaging. The three song run of One - Until the end of the world (great guitar work by The Edge) - Who's gonna ride is elite. Also love The Fly. Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno on production makes up for Bono and his often mediocre lyrics, it sounds terrific
They're just not for me. This album isn't horrendous, but I'd never willingly play it.
Boring.
I love this album and have it on CD. I played the heck out of this and really thought this was a heavier sounding U2 that I really enjoyed. 5 stars for me
I quite enjoyed Zoo Station, Even Better Than The Real Thing, and Mysterious Ways. I can't stand One. The rest of the album didn't do much for me, but didn't actively bother me. 3 stars.
Bono is a tax dodging wanker who was in the Panama Papers. If he was capable of sucking his own dick, he would be too busy doing that to make more shitty music that all sounds the same. I still went ahead and listened to this album hoping it would change my mind, but it's just as boring as every other U2 song I've heard. I'm sure the other U2 albums on the list will sound just like this
Probably some of my favourite U2 songs on here but as usual plenty of filler. I'd give it 3.5/5 if I could.
That brief point when U2 were the biggest band in the world.
I already knew this album so I knew it was going to be 5 stars for me. It has a few more duds than I remember, the first two songs are not the strongest, but then it gets amazing. You can feel a lot of emotion in the songs, especially when Bono hits his high vocals. Highlights: One, So Cruel, Ultraviolet (Light My Way), Acrobat Loes: Zoo Station, Even Better Than The Real Thing
Definitely some classics on it. Not a massive fan of U2 tbh.
An excellent reinvention and a perfect example of pop rock for the 90s. Probably their best album.
2/5
Just some normal rock stuff, definitely a lot of bangers here though like Mysterious Ways
Incredibly tedious to get through. Lyrics seemed (to me, at least) surface level and cringy. Not to mention, overall boring as SHIT I already can’t stand U2, so I tried to keep an open mind, but this album encapsulates all the things that irritate me about this band (mostly Bono tbh). They try too hard to sound deep, but it doesn’t seem like they actually know what that entails.
Overplayed pop garbage
My brother had this on cassette when I was younger. Being not too aggressive, it was allowed to be added to the rotation on road trips. A true honour. My dad famously survived 18.47 seconds of RunDMC (yes, we timed it). I will be honest, I'm not a U2 fan. I have not listened to this album in at least 20 years and it doesn't get a lot of radio play, bar 'One'. I did however enjoy 'Zoo Station's, nice harmonies, loved the driving bass in the chorus. Edge has his ambience in the guitar. Bono's wails aren't terrible. I was hopeful. 'Even Better than the Real Thing' delivered too. The riff feeling like it could be home on a 60s album. Bono's voice was starting to grate on me. I remembered reading about this album. How it was incorporating dance beats in and moving away from a rock record. The tour was huge too. Cementing them as a stadium band... Perhaps why I hadn't ever seen them live. Ha. As if that isn't the only reason. As a kid I had a soft spot for 'One', catchy. My favourite performance of this one is actually in the Irish comedy, 'The Stag'. I won't explain the joke. But it's quite well done. The album felt more 90s as it went on. Bono's lyrics got pretty awful: 'In the garden, I was playing the guitar. I kissed your lips and broke your heart...' Yuk! And did he not just mention spiking a drink?! Edge comes through with tasteful guitar to distract though. He's the real hero here. It seems. Love is blindness is a pretty lame way to go out. Did it hold up? It's probably the best U2 album. They tried to break ground. And, I think they did. Am I sold on the band? No. But it's a good jaunt in the park. 4 stars.
This album is like the first half of your birthday party when it’s mainly family members there. You’re having fun, but you’re keeping it in 3rd gear because your grandparents have come to celebrate and they are dressed impeccably. Not wanting to tarnish your name in front of your uncle or cousins, you only have three or four well-paced beers. You’re still keeping a good amount of energy, but you are also keeping a degree of decorum before your friends show up later and you really let loose.
A plesent listen.
Despite owning several U2 albums, I hadn’t ventured past the band’s earlier material—“The Fly” didn’t exactly win me over. So I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed Achtung Baby. Where “The Fly” once felt alienating, the full album reveals a more complex and compelling landscape. Songs like “One” and “Mysterious Ways” showcase U2’s ability to evolve without losing their soul. It’s raw, stylish, and unexpectedly resonant—a reminder that sometimes the albums we overlook end up surprising us.
Very meh compared to some of the truly innovative albums I’ve heard here, had a few songs I like, but nothing that really sticks with you.
I'm like 3 years too young to have really gotten into U2. I've never quite figured out the appeal that my older sibling found in them. I've had Gen X'ers telling me for years that I'm uncivilized or have no taste if I don't like U2, and I take a lot of umbrage with those statements. I mean I like a couple of their songs, but it doesn't really speak to me. Plus, Bono has a Jesus complex that is really off putting. All that said, I understand that they've been influential on alternative rock and a lot of people in their late 40's and early 50's (as of this review; 2025) think U2 is the coolest band since sliced white bread. They can have it (and Coldplay while we're at it). It will keep them occupied while those of us with way better taste enjoy better music unmolested.
Another U2 album it's quite a step down from War. This albums pretty creative in its production which makes sense since Brian Eno was producing some of these tracks. But generally not that memorable I haven't gone back to it a lot. 6/10 Favourite: Zoo Station Least Favourite: Love Is Blindness
No comment
U2 at their peak. Brilliant. 5/5
bland, unremarkable except for the discomfort I feel with Bono's voice.
Pretty bland. Maybe you just had to be there.
aggressively, painfully, relentlessly mediocre.
Nope
yet another u2 album that comes at a pivot point in their career that i dont understand cuz im not familiar with u2 lmao...tho i do know enough about the general perception of rattle and hum to understand the ways in which this sharpens and hardens what was beginning to be perceived as bloated and overly soft. in that way ig its maybe not quite the winding floaty Sincere To A Fault stuff that most hits my personal buttons as far as U2 goes, but a slightly less lush and dreamy u2 album is still p lush and dreamy by most ppls standards, and i like this! as per usual, its more an instinctive and vague feeling of enjoyment then anything that grabs me by the throat (so fucked up of me that Coldplay is the disciple of U2 that most does that!), but this flew by with panache in my ears. since i dont buy into any of the larger aesthetic objections to U2, if i was gonna hate them it would have to come down to their actual music, and while ive never heard a U2 record ive loved i havent heard one ive hated either. how can u turn down the icons of everyones favorite genre, The Big Music....
I did listen to all the early U2 albums and wanted to like them I guess, but they never made a lasting impression! This was one I liked more than the rest ENO always adds something extra to whoever he works with.
I just don’t connect with this band. They seem like they’re capable of making cool music, but then choose not to in favor of making bland pop rock. The best moments are the noisiest and spaciest, and when Bongo isn’t singing.
Surprisingly mid
Great hits from this album. This was very hooky and catchy. U2 has figured out how to eke every dollar out of the radio here. It's a great rock-pop album. Or is it pop-rock? I still don't get the fervent fandom of U2, but whatever. My Rating: 4/5
Solid
This album did nothing for me ngl. Not bad at all just didn’t hit
Can't get past Bono's bombast.
A couple of great singles. It’s hard to actually hear it as an album but that may be an accident of which U2 records I paid attention to back then.
In my opinion, U2 is highly overrated. This is, however, an album that I used to enjoy, and their last good one, although I liked a couple of songs off All That You Can't Leave Behind. I really like One, Mysterious Ways, and Love is Blindness.
felt like a chore
what a drag
I still class myself as a U2 fan, but I think they lost their way after "The Joshua Tree", and while this album isn't as bad as "Rattle and Hum" and marks a return to their roots, it's not their best work.
Better than I expected!
Just not my type of rock. Feels bland and corporate. “One” was pretty good. The instrumentals are just too flat overall. it’s like if Coldplay had bad production. 2/10
Trash Favorite songs: Mysterious Ways, Acrobat Least favorite songs: One, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, So Cruel, The Fly, Ultra Violet (Light My Way), Love is Blindness 1/5
Yep. That was U2. Still not a fan. 2 stars.
the first album i ever bought! still very close to my heart; still good.
p671. 1991. 4 stars. Bono might be a pretentious wanker, but in their prime U2 were arguably one of the greatest bands ever. This is packed with fabulous songs, let down occasional lapses into Bono fuelled hysterics.
This was a good album! I want to listen to more U2 albums in the future. I only know a handful of their songs. The only 2 songs I knew from this album were One and Mysterious Ways.
Good album, I prefer the more organic U2 to their '90s sound though. The hits from this record are huge but I feel like the quality dips a bit with the deep cuts.
Not my thing yet I enjoyed it! Something about the vocals...
U2 is a special kind of one hit wonder, all songs are good, but all songs sound the same
Lots of fantastic songs. I was just going to rate it from my many listens in the past but I decided to revisit it to be sure. Glad I did, as I listened to the deluxe version with many great extra tracks too. My favourite u2 album!
The best U2 will ever get. Bar was never high.
I'm not a huge U2 fan, but do own all their CD's. This is not one of my favorites by them but it certainly isn't the worst.
U3 in this case
There are two songs that are popular in this album, but the rest are just a bit meh, although they are alright as a background listen. I think that this kind of music was cool back then whenever you were on drugs or just wanted to lay down and chill, OR maybe just having it playing in food places or whatever. Nowadays, they are not THAT great, although Apple was really pushing them with special editions iPods and giving away their latest album for free to everyone. I would say that this album was pretty meh overall, with a couple of good songs, and it surely doesn't hit the same as it may have back in the day.
83% Best: Even Better Than The Real Thing; Until The End Of The World; So Cruel; Mysterious Ways; Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World Must-Hear? Sure
I like the mix of genres
Crecí escuchando bastante a U2 creo pq a mí padre le gusta mucho, y la vdd es q me gustó mucho todo el album en general, sobre todo mysterious ways, pero ninguna canción me destacó demasiado. Me gusta mucho como suena el instrumental tb. Nos en general me parece buen álbum, pero no creo q se merezca 4 estrellas, aunq no lo escuché con demasiada atención.