Reviews (page 9 of 13)
Nothing to write home about in my opinion, it is listenable. I think this embodies an error of music I don't quite care for. 3/5
Suprisingly really fun album. Not a U2 fan but this was quite good.
I could see this having shook the earth upon release, but its tricks don't fully work for my ears.
Another college staple. U2 was huge in high school and this record was a big departure from those earlier records. I loved this though and it’s probably my favorite from them. Still never seen these guys live - I think I’ll still have a chance. That said everything after this record is complete trash. Totally overrated. After listening in its entirety for the first time in years I can say the pacing of this record is outstanding. Great flow. This album is a 5. Great stuff.
Some great songs, never a big fan
Today’s album is brought to you by one of my funko’s and his brother. Quite enjoyed it. Love the Britishness of it. Also, girlboss father likes the band, so obviously loved much. Great sound overall. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
songs so good that you forget bono is a twat
Tough one to rate for me. I think overall vibes wise I might like this more than Joshua Tree which was really more of a 3.5 and I upped it to a 4. This one feels like a 3.75 maybe so a 5 is definitely too high but 4 doesn't really rate it above Joshua Tree. I suspect I'll come across this more as this list goes on but this is my first one like this. Anyway though, I liked the shift musically for them. I remember hearing "One" and "Mysterious Ways" a lot as a kid growing up in the 90s. I was never huge into them but didn't hate them as a kid either. I definitely enjoy them more as an adult. It's interesting, so far I haven't been a big fan of the Madchester genre, but I found myself enjoying its influence on their sound here. I didn't really think I'd be giving U2 a 4* let alone two of them, but here we are!
I liked two songs or three... I was bored while listening
It was ok - I was quite bored by the end though
Definitely feels like an early 90s time capsule. "Mysterious Ways" will always be a favorite.
Me 15-ish years ago would have rated this five stars, but today me rates this album a solid four stars. Although I do admit the album has a few five star moments. Did my rating decrease because of Bono?
I’m coming around on U2, the hits on this are great and the rest are pretty good too. Nice!
I’m talking U2 to you! This was another pretty good one from them. I knew the hits, but never thought I liked them. I now know that I really like at least a few of their albums. Thanks, list generator.
Nice, has some known songs too.
Achtung Gravy
Very U2 to me.
idk them like that but i don’t get their thing
Typically self-important but not outright annoying and didn’t sound bad so no major complaints I suppose
This record was a game changer for U2. Great song after great song. "One" is always a gut wrencher for me
What can you say?? It's U2. At their worst, they're world class.
Never really listened to this when it came out and have regretted it. What a fantastic album, especially after Rattle and Hum which I wasn’t keen on.
this was somehow very generic but also hard to listen to. the album is best explained in the song mysterious ways when bono sings “It's alright, it's alright, alright”
IK HAAT U2. En wat de fuck was dat begin ik dacht dat mijn telefoon kapot ging. deze plaat was zo kut en saai ik zou wel iemand kunnen aanvallen
Fuck yeah
Again, these guys are from England and who gives a shit
Not their best work a bit non descript but overall inoffensive.
I never did listen much to U2, and now I am vindicated as to why. Snoozefest.
Reveal thoughts: OK, I'm interested. U2 is an odd band and this is their iconic album. Let's see how it goes. Weirdly underwhelming. It has a couple all-timers like One and Mysterious Ways, but it has quite a bit that are just...blah. And that's the mysterious (ha!) thing about this album. They have some songs that are really great, that stand up over time, that don't necessarily sound like they're from any era but are able to stand on their own. Then they have a bunch of songs that aren't *bad* per se, but they're just really kind of boring. It a 3 star album because I didn't hate it, but I think it's an opportunity missed in a sense.
nah
This album and Joshua Tree. chefs kiss!
I've gone through seven or eight of these albums before looking at other reviews, and decided to look at them for this album. Wow. What a mixture of 5-star "I've loved this album since I was 16" and 1-star "U2 is the worstest or blandest thing ever". To the 1-star people, all I can think is "man, grow up." There's a difference between something being awful and it just not being your thing. Sometimes the albums on this list are good to hear because they have artistic merit and have had a cultural impact, and some of the ignoramuses who think that these songs have no melody or that Bono can't sing or that the band wasn't doing anything new in their field just don't know enough to criticize. That's fine, I guess. I guess if you think the singer from the Meat Puppets can out-sing Bono, then good for you. Regardless: this was never my favorite U2 album and relistening to it today hasn't earned it any new points. "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" ends up being the standout track to me and maybe the only song I don't mind hearing again when it pops up somewhere. "Even Better Than the Real Thing" succeeds for me by percolating along in a Madchester kind of way without getting bombastic. I could care less about One or Mysterious Ways. As a musician who has spent a ton of time in the recording studio, I can empathize a little bit with what these guys were going through trying to make this album. Trying to not repeat past successes has doomed bands to obscurity, but it worked for U2, even if to our ears it still just sounds like U2. Play this album back to back with "Boy", though, for instance, and they're definitely pushing their own envelope.
pretty good but tbh u2 isn’t my cup of tea
This is one of my favorite albums.
That's a strong opening five songs. I seem to remember it being better than it actually was, "even better than the real thing". I guess it hasn't aged well for me.
Most generic rock music imaginable, as expected from U2.
Awful
A good sounding album. I know the U2 for their single rather than albums. I have to say that this one is interesting to listen because is a fusion between the classic u2 sound with electronics, but still not exaggerated. In each song you listen every member role. I don't consider this album a masterpiece, but a very good rock-pop album
One is an excellent song
Dosta smećasti album. Drago mi je da ih nikad nisam voljela jer bi mi sad bilo dosta bed. 1/5, 1.5/10
5.5/10 Znam da je U2 u pitanju, ali ocekivao sam malo progresivniji zvuk na ovom albumu s obzirom da su ovdje napravili zaokret u svom soundu. Ocito je ovo pocetak onog U2-a kojeg znamo danas, a za nesto zanimljivije i manje Bono-like su ipak albumi War i Boy sa pocetka 80ih. Even Better Than The Real Thing mi je hajde okej za prvo slusanje, ima tu nekih par hitova koje sam vec cuo sto puta ali nista drugo me nije odusevilo. Inace oni mi nisu na crnoj listi kao nekima, iskreno zaboli me tko je Bono i za sto se zalaže. Album sam po sebi mi nije smetao, ali ne bude me vidio opet.
Feels very generic and middle of the road, not bad but not good either
Felt like one long song
Great record, no skips. Their best record.
I don’t like U2 and sanctimonious Bono but you can’t escape the fact that they make some great music. 3*
Definitely overblown but not awful/
One of the best, if not THE best record of their's.
now we're venturing in u2's later discography, and i think that while it does have a generally nice sound, a LOT of companies literally worshipped the ground u2 walked on. this is music for commercials. hazy, dreamy, and mildly psychedelic, this album tries hard to capture my interest but it sometimes misses the mark. i imagine stock footage of people walking on air and busy timelapse times square shots. this is music for a windows xp ad. it's not a bad album, but u2's probable unintentional contribution to this sort of tired pop rock can only make me rank it so much. there's some winners in this album though. some songs are poetic and profound.
sorry dad, but this was not really it
Stonking classic.
Out of nearly 70 albums from this list that I have listened to and reviewed so far, this is remarkably the first one that I owned…and I bet that I hadn’t played it in over 25 years. Unlike most of the critics, this U2 is a band that I just never really got into. There are a few songs on this album that I really like, most notably Cruel, but the rest are pretty “meh” for me. I really dislike the open cut, Zoo Station. Anyway, I give this one a three.
I thought this album didn’t hit the highs of Joshua Tree but kept a higher average quality compared to that record. It still gets some hype moments, like in Ultra Violet. Standouts: Zoo Station, Until The End Of The World, So Cruel, Tryin’ To Throw Your Arms Around The World, Ultra Violet, and Acrobat.
One of their best and last good album
Gesundheit
U2 sucks. What a bunch of cry singing. Joshua Tree is ok and probably belongs on this list, this is mostly just bono crying on every track.
A fav of all time. such a good reinvention and Enos production is excellent
1995 John: fuck U2, they suck 2024 John: I expected to hate this. I didn't. There are some bands whose singles always make me think I hate the entire band (Smashing Pumpkins) and I think U2 is on that list. I like almost all of the rhythm section on this, some of the guitar, and the song writing is great. It wasn't really for me, but it made me respect their obvious talent.
Nope! If I learned anything from Henry Rollins it is that I hate U2.
Better than I remember but still relies heavily on the singles. The album as a whole is ok, but I’ve always viewed U2 as a more singles band than album band. Still feels like that with this album, but the singles are really good.
Never really been a fan of U2, I have liked a few songs over the years but have never looked for their music or thought it was all that fantastic. We will see how this goes.
A mixed album--a few good tracks and some highly mediocre ones, but I can appreciate them trying to change up their sound.
Definitely not as good as other U2 albums. This felt more conceptual than earlier albums and I’m definitely less of a fan. Lyricism wasn’t quite as good either but still a pleasant listen. 3 stars.
Meh
I don't like U2. I've never liked U2. I tried to listen to this with an open mind as possible. Turns out I still don't like U2.
2/5
The one with "The Fly". The one with "Mysterious Ways". The one with "Even Better Than The Real Thing". The one with "Until The End Of The World". And finally, yes, the one with "ONE". To be a little more specific, it's the one album where U2 realized they could go for somewhat more abrasive moods and off-kilter, borderline "industrial" flourishes at times, along with a sly, more cynical outlook with postmodernist overtones, instead of their usual wide-eyed elatedness. Given that you also have a fair share of ballads and heartfelt feelings in the record (such as the emotions found in "One"), the whole is quite well-balanced, allowing the Irish band to enter the nineties without looking too much at odds with the quick sonic evolution of those pivotal years, and therefore prolonging their relevance for a little while (as sales figures proved). The times they were a-changing *again* and heading to Berlin right after the fall of the wall, along with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois as producers to catch the mood of those years, was probably the right move. Up to that point, Bono, The Edge and co. had always been sly foxes, both artistically and business-wise, and *Achtung Baby* didn't disappoint on that front. But what really matters is that the music still had the distinctive U2 touch in spite of the recent change of mood. *Achtung Baby* was not exactly the same sort of work of the band had accomplished before. And yet they managed to stay as relevant as they were for pop culture at large. Some walls have fallen sooner because of erosion or unpredictable revolutions, after all. 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 5 9.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 4.5) Number of albums left to review: around a hundred, as I've gone over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 437 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 258 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 319
Little overrated but still a huge album and very good
ok.... anyway..... this was fine. very fine. i'm not bothered by Bono's voice like a lot of people but i just wasn't really wowed by anything. extremely background music.
well, that sure was an album. i remember picking this up from the library sometime in the early 2000s and it didn't really grip me then, either. it's just U2 doing the "new U2" sound for the first time, but unfortunately we've heard it about a million times since. i rate this one loud, reverb-drenched, bono-screamed "meh" favorites: even better than the real thing, one, mysterious ways
not bad, fun sound
Docking multiple stars for extreme pretentiousness, extreme boredom and lack of anything cool.
Some good songs, I enjoyed it
Not for me
This is certainly not their best or even in my top 3-4 from an album perspective, but with so many recognizable tracks (including One), can’t go lower than a 4 here.
I remember how excited I was to get this CD in my first order of Columbia House, only to be somewhat confused upon first listen. This was not the U2 we were all used to. Which was the point I later learned. The industrial and metallic production is bleak, hard and desperate, very much like the songs themselves. The band was on the verge of breaking up at this point, and their decision to ditch the all-for-one sound of unity for which they were known, for a more introspective dark sound proved to be the reinvention they needed. It’s no Boy, War, Unforgettable Fire or Joshua Tree, but it’s a great album of a band who finally learned that their best stuff comes when they don’t take themselves quite so seriously.
Admittedly I’m not the biggest fan of this band, but I have this a shot and am not trying to be a hater. But I feel like this album sums up my issues with U2, in that their catalog is heavy on the filler, and they get a ton of mileage out of recreating a very similar song over and over. And am really confused on why this one is here, but I’m sure that means they’ll be heavily represented on the list. Oh well
9 year old me loved this album. Still holds up.
In my mind U2 is polarizing like Dave Mathews. Not sure if that’s true but feels like you either love them or dislike them. I fall more on the latter end of the spectrum. That said, there’s enough here to justify rounding up. It’s a weak 4 but a 4 nonetheless. 3.75/5
Best from U2, One, just a vibe
Certainly one of the better U2 albums, but that doesn't mean it's one of the all timers because it's still U2. Some great songs on here but why is Bono's voice so far out in front of everything else?!
Great band, great album, great music. Have placed themselves as one of the best bands.
I'm going to sound like a complete snob, but I'm doing it anyway. This album sounds very '90s and very normie to me. Like this is allegedly about as experimental as U2 gets, and it feels like really safe alt rock. It feels like it's pushing zero musical boundaries at all. That said, I'll put aside my snobbishness and say it's fine. My first draft said "it's still pretty solid", but after listening to the second half of the album I'm going with "fine". "One" is an absolute banger (and apparently they were considering breaking up before they improvised that in the studio and then wrote the rest of the album). There's a few other decent songs, Bono has a good voice, it's ok. I definitely might be just a complete hater for no reason here, but this just didn't do much for me. I've noticed that I consistently rate '90s albums on the low side, and I'm wondering if it's because it's recent enough that things like this don't sound "old" in the way that like '60s or '70s albums do, but they still sound "dated" or unfamiliar compared to stuff that I would've grown up with from the '00s or '10s. It doesn't really explain my relatively low '80s ratings (I'm more tempted to say that those are due to legit bad trends in '80s music, looking at you New Wave and synth pop), but just a thought. Favorite song: One Other: Even Better Than The Real Thing, Until The End Of The World, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, Mysterious Ways, Ultra Violet (Light My Way), Love Is Blindness 11/25/24
3/5
This guy I liked in middle school was a big U2 fan so 8th grade me listened to the Joshua tree and was like 😱😱 wow I love UK rock but actually in my heart I liked silly little American emo bands. Now I actually love UK rock & rock adjacent I but don’t listen to a ton of U2. Anyways this was decent.
6/10 - every song was decent and I have heard a few of them before. They were just not as good as anything I normally listen to so I’m not going to revisit. It’s close to the line between 3-4 stars
Not too sure what an “achtung baby” is and this album didn’t explain it very well. Also I didn’t really like the music. Mid album + confusion = 3/5
Dire unimaginative tripe
Achtung Baby is definitely a grower. The first time I listened to it I thought it was good but maybe overproduced and a bit boring. But then each time I listen to it I like it more. Obviously One is probably one of the best pop rock songs of all time but there are other gems here and overall they manage to keep the quality high throughout the entire duration of the album. It’s a 3.5 from me, up to 4 because of One with a caveat that I like it less than War.
Excellent album but not their best in my opinion. Still, I like it.
now i know where coldplay get their inspiration from.. Favorite track: one other picks: even better than the real thing, mysterious ways, acrobat
This was so ubiquitous when I was a teenager it's really hard to listen with fresh ears.
Some of my closest friends HATE U2 with a passion, I mean REALLY hate them. Some U2 'douchebaggery' is warranted. Bono can be an outspoken twat. Adam Clayton can't play bass and often looks like a complete dick (ironic as his dick appeared in a photograph on the back of the vinyl edition of this album). Even I didn't want 'Songs of Innocence' the free album they 'gave' everyone in 2014 that apple helped us to remove from our accounts by having to introduce a new 'remove' option. I'm also against bands with multiple entries in this 1001 challenge unless their sound or musical approach has changed. I'm gonna let this one pass as a multiple entry as it marks a departure from their previous sound and a cool collaboration with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois (a pair of awesome dudes). It's also a very nostalgic album, 1991 was a big year for 19 year old me! Most of my peers were fans of the classic U2 sound (Joshua tree, war etc) but this album had flavors of alt rock, industrial and even dance and hit a sweet spot for me. The sounds that the EDGE generates with his guitar/effects/processors is next level. My fav tracks are: Ultraviolet (the Killers do an amazing cover) Love is blindness (Jack Black does an amazing cover) Mysterious Ways and obviously One! (there is an awesome version, not cover, of this song by Chris Cornell, https://youtu.be/MG9nqWoLjns?si=mDm4dTqMAM5iIusZ It seems an embarrassing thing to say these days, but this is my favorite U2 album, and I do like this band. There, I said it.
Well, this is awkward. Having based most of my personality on hating U2, now I find out through this album that one of my all time favourite songs - Love is Blindness - is actually a U2 original. The rest of the album is trash, but that song is pure gold. What is even worse is I prefer their original to my all time favourite version (a cover I now realise!) by Jack White. What am I supposed to do with the rest of my life?? I'm having an existential crisis. Not to mention how this might effect my Spotify wrapped this year!! Obviously all these stars are just for the final track - because at the end of the day - FUCK U2
A band that in the main i've loved and hated over the years since purchasing the 'Under a Blood Red Sky' Album as a teenager. The band have had their highs and lows but quite possibly this is their finest and most diverse Album. I purchased this and 'The Fly' when they were released. In fact All of the singles are fantastic, and there's very little filler here at all. It's not in my list of top 50 Albums of all time but it rates as a very high 4/5.
Another u2 album. And this time it's a 30th anniversary edition. There is no way I'm sitting through over 2 hours of the most over rated band of all time. I did listen to a good portion of it though and it hasn't changed my opinion. They are where they are through fortune and timing. There are 100's of 1000s of equally tallented bands and musicians out just as deserving of the success this lot have had. I don't actively dislike their music I just don't place above many pub bands I have seen. So can't give it a 1, it'll have to be a 2
Stunning album and an instant favourite from its release, and still one of my ‘go to’ albums to this day. It was a complete change from the 1980s U2. I didn’t think they’d make a better album than the Joshua Tree, but this comes very close. The introduction of the distortion to the guitars mixed with a very dancey foundation to a lot of tracks was new for them. Even Better Than The Real Thing is perfection. No bad songs on here, just happy memories of a very care free time. I also love the album cover, and all of the artwork surrounding its release and the visuals for their tour and their videos from this era too. Happy happy days.
Haven't listened to this in a long time, but i always love listening to 'Mysterious Ways' when it hear it on the radio. It's their finest song by a long way. Gone is the flag waving, and the later over indulgences of Joshua and Rattle, thank God. It made me despise this band and then they reinvented themselves in the best possible way. The Edge's guitar sound takes on a whole new life, the songs have an edgier feel to them (sorry), like the opener 'Zoo Station' which sets the scene for what comes next. 'One' is probably the nearest you get to old U2, but it still sounds refreshing. You can even dance to 'The Fly', or just stumble around to it if you are like me. 5 stars.
The only thing I know about these guys is that they gave me an album that was impossible to remove during my brief stint as an iPhone owner. I tried every trick in the book to delete the thing and it would be back in my library flashing it's smarmy, homoerotic cover at me the following week. Oh, yeah. This isn't that. It's vaguely within the key of music I'd enjoy, but it reeks too much of the decades that precede it. Can't say I'm a fan.
didn’t finish it all the songs sounded the same
I love this album, not one of my top albums but an easy 4/5
An improvement over Josie Tree, some moments that stood out and the guitar work was much stronger
Meh.
If Coldplay was trying to do a lackluster Muse imitation
Had to force myself to keep listening. Not the U2 sound I prefer.
Typical U2.
225/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
After listening to my first ever U2 albumz War over a year ago through this challenge I had high hopes for this. However I feel like it doesn't live up to the quality of War. That's not to say it's bad, and I'm sure I'll enjoy it more with more listens. Overall I am a bit disappointed because everything I loved about War is missing here. I guess because it is a different style that is to be expected.
It could be said that U2 had long ago overstayed their welcome. Over-hyped, over-exposed, over-done ... over. Listening to U2 today, and their more recent albums in particular, I would have to agree with the criticism - I'm just plain tired of them. But Achtung Baby came out at a time when U2 were still relevant, even vital. It was done at a time when Bono was ... well ... not so "Bono". And it's probably their best album.
I liked it better than I expected!
They should’ve put this album on all of our phones instead of the other one.
I refuse. 0/5
i heart ireland.
I've never understood the hype for U2, so I hoped maybe listening to this all the way through would be educational at least. It's actually kind of impressive that they managed to make music this bland and soulless. There are albums on this list I actively hated more, sure, but I've rarely felt boredom so intense as in waiting for this one to finally be over.
I think I could probably erase U2 from my brain, and my life wouldn’t change at all.
Essential album in rock history. You can feel the Brian Eno's contribution all over the place (I may have a soft spot for this one because I absolutely love Bowie's Berlin period). U2 were top of the game and weren't afraid of reinventing themselves. Also, considering some of my prior reviews, I must admit than the historical reputation of this album is actually matched by its delivery.
As someone who isn’t really a fan of U2, this was rather… inoffensive? And look, I’m Irish myself - believe it or not it’s not actually quite the cardinal sin to not be a fan of this band as you might think it is. I was a child when all the big hits from “The Joshua Tree” were all over MTV. I have always thought the production on those tracks were very rich and grandiose; but ultimately they were quite forgettable. I’ll give U2 some credit - they have the ability to craft a decent melody and they do have a distinct sound. But somehow they always manage to sound super safe, conservative, and they rarely ever step outside of their lane underneath any surface level style they apply. This album is a stone cold case of that. Sure, there’s elements of psychedelic rock, some dance elements thrown in, and some pretty lush production. But it’s still not that much different to previous efforts. Bono still croons the same way, the drums and bass are still quite pedestrian, and the guitar work is… well it’s U2. I don’t really see this album as the total reinvention it seems to be known as, but rather just adding a slightly grungy and slightly darker tone to the sound they already established before they moved on to be a total stadium rock dad rock band. It’s not the worst collection of songs you’ll ever hear. The singles are strong and many still get radio play today. But it’s a high budget middle of the road album otherwise. 3/5
No thanks
Boring Bono
Great music, feels fresh still after all these years, good engineering, good
Il faut que je vous avoue un truc : ma relation avec U2 a toujours été compliquée, pour ne pas dire schizophrène. Dans les années 80, pour le mec qui passait ses nuits à user des vinyles de The Cure, Joy Division ou Sonic Youth. U2, c'était l'ennemi, c'était le gigantisme, la grandiloquence, le rock de stade messianique et boursouflé. Bono et sa coupe mulet, ses sermons sur l'Afrique entre deux hymnes fédérateurs, ça me filait de l'urticaire. "The Joshua Tree" était un grand disque mais "Rattle and Hum", avec son documentaire prétentieux en noir et blanc, avait achevé de les transformer en caricature d'eux-mêmes. Ils s'étaient peints tout seuls dans un coin, condamnés à être les gentils sauveurs du monde pour l'éternité. Alors en 1991, quand on a entendu parler d'un nouvel album, franchement, l'indifférence était polie. On s'attendait à une redite, à un "Joshua Tree 2.0", avec des guitares encore plus "cristallines" et des textes encore plus "engagés" et sur ce point on avait tort, tellement tort. Puis est arrivé "The Fly". Ce premier single, c'était un choc. Un "appel téléphonique de l'enfer", comme l'a dit Bono lui-même. Fini le son clair de The Edge, place à une guitare saturée, distordue, sale. La voix de Bono n'était plus celle du prêcheur, elle était filtrée, sardonique, presque méchante. Qu'est-ce qui s'était passé ? Ce qui s'était passé, c'est Berlin. Sentant le besoin de "tout réinventer", le groupe est parti enregistrer dans la capitale allemande réunifiée, là où Bowie, sous la houlette d'un certain Brian Eno, avait lui-même accouché de sa trilogie la plus audacieuse. Et comme pour Bowie, Berlin a servi de catalyseur, mais aussi de révélateur d'une crise profonde. Les sessions étaient tendues, le groupe au bord de l'implosion, dans le doute permanent. C'est dans cette obscurité, ce chaos, qu'ils ont trouvé la lumière. "Achtung Baby" est un disque de déconstruction, c'est le son de U2 qui tue U2. L'album s'ouvre sur "Zoo Station" et son riff de guitare qui sonne comme une scie sauteuse industrielle. On est à des années-lumière des plaines du Far West, on est dans une usine désaffectée, sous les néons blafards. L'influence de l'électro, de la musique industrielle de l'époque (on pense à Nine Inch Nails, à Ministry) est palpable. C'est un disque qui sent le cuir, la fumée froide et le métal. Les producteurs Brian Eno et Daniel Lanois ont poussé le groupe dans ses derniers retranchements, les forçant à abandonner leurs vieilles recettes pour explorer des textures sonores inédites. Le résultat est un album froid, oui, mais d'une beauté glaciale. Il est théâtral, sombre, et d'une richesse incroyable. Même les tubes planétaires qui s'y cachent sont à double fond. "Mysterious Ways" est un funk déglingué et hypnotique, et puis il y a "One". Le slow ultime des années 90 car tout le monde a cru que c'était une chanson d'amour, l'hymne à l'unité. Bono s'en est toujours amusé : "Les gens me disent qu'ils l'ont passée à leur mariage. Vous êtes fous ? C'est une chanson sur la rupture !". Il y aurait juste un bémol, l'album manque cruellement d'énergie "rock" brute car "Achtung Baby" est un disque qui se vit plus de l'intérieur. L'énergie n'est pas dans le tempo, elle est dans la tension, dans les textures, dans le conflit permanent entre la mélodie et le bruit. A une exception, "Acrobat" qui est peut-être le morceau le plus sous-estimé de leur répertoire. C'est une tornade de rage contenue, une rythmique nerveuse et complexe sur laquelle Bono crache sa bile. C'est le coeur noir et battant de l'album, le moment où le vernis craque complètement pour laisser voir le muscle et le nerf. À la radio, à l'époque, j'était déboussolés et je passait ce U2-là entre un morceau de Ride et un autre de The Jesus and Mary Chain. Ils avaient brouillé les pistes. Étaient-ils devenus "indie" ? Non, bien sûr que non. Ils étaient devenus autre chose, ils avaient réussi ce que très peu de groupes de leur stature parviennent à faire : un virage à 180 degrés, une prise de risque absolue qui s'est transformée en triomphe artistique. Pour moi, "Achtung Baby" n'est pas seulement à égalité avec "The Joshua Tree". Il lui est supérieur, car si "The Joshua Tree" était l'aboutissement parfait de leur première vie. "Achtung Baby" lui est le début, infiniment plus courageux et passionnant, de leur seconde. C'est l'album qui a prouvé qu'ils n'étaient pas juste le plus grand groupe du monde, mais aussi l'un des plus intelligents. Un 5/5 sans discussion possible. C'est leur chef-d'oeuvre. L'album qui m'a fait, pour un temps, ravaler mon cynisme et admettre que, oui, U2 pouvait être un très, très grand groupe.
Top notch album! I own, I like. Not quite a 5, but oooooooh so close.
Gritty and glimmering, this album pulls you in with its mix of dark and bright sounds. It’s a bit like Bowie’s Berlin phase but cranked up. Synths resonate alongside edgy guitars, creating a vibe that’s both moody and catchy. There’s tension and release, a back-and-forth that feels just right.
Pretty great
Looove
I have all U2 albums including this one but this was definitely the last of the great U2. One is a beautiful song and the rest are ok but after this album it went downhill for them. Bono became too big for his boots .
Большой сюрприз, если честно. Как бы это не плохой альбом. Это не очень интересный альбом, но плохой? Настолько, насколько "фанаты" Ю2 кричат на каждом углу? Лучшая песня - One.
Favourite song - one
It's so safe and generic. War is a better album by a large margin. I got so bored with this one..
Albumi #103, 08.11.2024 Achtung Baby oli omana yläasteaikanani yksi päräyttävimmistä musiikkikokemuksista. Levyn soundi oli Joshua Treehen verrattuna jotain todella erilaista ja bändin habitus loikkasi aimo harppauksen kiinnostavampaan suuntaan. Yksi merkittävimpiä albumikokonaisuuksia oman matkani varrella.
3.5
This album got worn out by playing so often back in ‘91. Actually it was a CD. A great example of a band reinventing its sound. Not a bad song on the album, I mean CD.
I dont even like U2 very much, but I can see why people do. Juat an all around good album, not great, but thats personal bias. pretty good entry.
It’s the real thing! In fact… it’s even better than the real thing! Lots of great tracks on here and the whole band sounds good. I’m not a huge U2 fan but I definitely see why they are as popular as they are
I like the album in spite of it being by U2. To me it's and Eno/Lanois album; they're playing U2 and the studio, so I like it.
Enjoyable listen.
A great U2 album, one of the best. 4.5*
Piece of art. Love it
U2.5 stars
I really tried to listen to this out of fairness (and because I love Brian Eno), but I gave up.
Some nice songs
First couple of songs really show songwriters who've run out of ideas, trying to make up for it with wrapping underwritten, unfinished and ultimately uninteresting vamps in what they think are interesting or experimental arrangements (they're not) and an overinflated-ego-frontman vibin' over them. It does get better. One obviously a standout, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses pretty good. Acrobat is a favorite. But there is so much filler here - Tryin' To Throw Your Arms ... doesn't go anywhere, nor does So Cruel. The singles The Fly, Mysterious Ways are so blatantly "90s" - trying to incorporate "modern" sounds and beats, but ultimately fail - U2 is not a band that grooves. Upon research, people like David Bowie, Scott Walker, Einstürzende Neubauten, Sly & Family Stone are mentioned as inspirations & Brian Eno being in the studio, which all sound like a recipe for a brilliant outcome. But it just all sounds so forced and affected.
There are some U2 albums that are essential listening. This isn't one of them.
Joshua Tree？ good expand
Wonderful album
I know some folk reaaaaaly hate U2, but this seems, I dunno... inoffensive and bland, but ultimately fine. Apart from the absolute stinker that is Mysterious Ways, of course. The melody in the verses of that track genuinely sounds like music for children.
This is, at least from what I'm aware of, U2s most interesting album for my tastes. It has 1 of 2 songs that I enjoy of theirs (Mysterious Ways)(the other being Hold Me, Thrill Me) and the soundscape is varied and pulled me in.
More innovative than their early pop stuff but still not a great fan.
Pretty good music. Tight, groovy, unique enough to stand out in a selection of 90's music. I usually spew some devout hatred over U2. But I think I'm just anti-bono. Unimaginative songwriter and lyricist with bold politic and social views that corrupt the value of the music. Growing up, he was always in the news for being outspoken against something and that polluted the art for me. But the band is sick.
What can I say other than Achtung Baby is one of the best albums of the ‘90s? https://richcain.substack.com/p/project-1001-achtung-baby-by-u2?r=4ztyq
Just as Joshua Tree was a somewhat pleasant surprise for me, Actung Baby was as well. I'm no U2 fan but this is a pretty decent album. Right away you get the sense of a more industrial alternative sound on Zoo Station and it works really well. I've never so much cared for One and I really don't think it fits well on this album. Reading about the production team on this album, Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, I found it interesting and pretty funny that Eno's role in production was to, "come in and erase anything that sounded too much like U2" The track Until the End of the World really gave me a National vibe to it and I really did enjoy it. There's a dark vibe to this whole album and I won't let U2 take full credit for it, I gotta give a nod to the production duo on this. That being said this is a really good album 4 stars
2e U2 album, de eerste werd echt een beetje gered voor mij door de grote hits aan het begin. Die hits zijn hier niet, dus ja... Dan komt Bono zijn unieke stemgeluid meer naar voren, en daar ben ik dus echt geen fan van. Het album is gewoon totaal niet mijn smaak, het klinkt kleiner dan de arena rock die we kennen van U2, maar eigenlijk trek ik de arena rock dan toch beter, want dan hoor je Bono minder. Tsja, ik geef het niet 1 ster, want dan vind ik het echt verschrikkelijk en dat is niet zo, ik haat het niet actief, maar ik hoop sterk dat dit het laatste U2 album is op zowel deze lijst als dat ik uberhaupt ooit nog hoef te horen. Ik ben op een gegeven moment andere dingen gaan doen in de hoop dat dit album dan sneller voorbij was. Maar voor mijn gevoel kwam ik 2 uur later terug en stond er nog steeds U2 aan... TLDR; Muzikaal ok, Bono moet zn smoel houden; 2 sterren. FAVO: Mysterious ways
Was ever a band more overrated and over hated? Bono is sort of ridiculous. I think his ego gives him an over inflated opinion of his smartness. Ooh post modern so what? But there are a few very good songs on here - One, Until the End of the World. However, it's at least a couple of songs too long.
Achtung Baby is rubbish, U2 are mostly crap anyway but this has one song of redeeming quality in One and the rest of it is utter dirge. Scrapes a 2 because of One.
This is fine, pretty mediocre beige rock, with the exception of One which is great. A couple of the other songs appeal to an extent (Wild Horses), but really it's generic middle of the road pop rock. A low 3/5, thanks to One.
I liked it. U2 just gives such a positive 90s vibe
U2 has reinvented themselves a few times in their career. Of all the first albums in each reinvention process, Achtung Baby is my favorite. I'm well aware that U2 is absolutely not for everyone, I understand. But for me I like them a lot and this album ranks high on the list of my favorite albums by them. Achtung Baby is worthy of being on this list. It's well produced and has a great order to the songs. The album is a departure of what they had been doing. In no way did this album break a musical mold, but it did break a U2 mold and opened them up for the electronic period they embraced soon after.
I'm unironically angry at how good this album is. I want to continue to think of U2 as being pretentious, generic leftover 80's pop-rock.
Enjoyed it, I hadn’t really listened to much of U2 before but it was nice. Would love to listen to more of their stuff. The fly was probably my favourite song.
I started out enjoying it but then it got old pretty quick. Generally quite good though. Loved zoo station
Back when I really enjoyed U2, and at the height of the MTV era.
Goed gitaarwerk, maar blijft U2. De nummers doen me gewoon weinig.
Pretty good bono, pretty good
01) Zoo Station - 10,0 02) Even Better Than The Real Thing - 10,0 03) One - 10,0 04) Until The End Of The World - 10,0 05) Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses - 10,0 06) So Cruel - 10,0 07) The Fly - 10,0 08) Mysterious Ways - 10,0 09) Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World - 10,0 10) Ultra Violet (Light My Way) - 10,0 11) Acrobat - 10,0 12) Love Is Blindness - 10,0 TOTAL: 10,0 (100/100) Current ranking: 5/341 I took my 1991 "Achtung Baby" cassette tape off the shelf, who knows if it would still play? I think it's so worn out from listening, at school it was borrowed all over the class. The covers are worn from being turned around in my hands... I loved this album and I still love it now, 33 years after. For me, this is the best U2 album and one of my favorite albums in general. Favorite song? They changed over the years. It used to be "One" and "So Cruel" and currently it's "Zoo Station" because I visited Berlin just last week so the memories are still fresh :-)
Every time I’ve gotten U2 I think this is the time it’ll hit me. Sadly still didn’t get anything out of it. Rating: 2.6
Just cringe innit. U2 holds no nostalgia for me so it's just quite dull and cringe to me. Quite persistent paternalistic lyrics I think too, which grate. Why do men always sing about weeping women?
Hmm, a weird one. I really hate U2's sound. BUT the songs are very well written. For example the Patti Smith cover of Until the End of the World is amazing and shows how great the lyrics are, but I really hate the original, it's so bland and the lyrics are lost in just strumming guitar effects. Same with Love is Blindness, the Jack White cover is brilliant, way better than the original. Such a shame I hate the sound because there's some really good songs hidden underneath them.
Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 🖼️🖼️🖼️🖼️ 🖼️🖼️🖼️🖼️ 🖼️🖼️🖼️🖼️ 🖼️🖼️🖼️🖼️ Produktion: 🎧😐🆗 Musik: 🙄👋🫥 Wertung: 🫥/5
It’s U2 at the peak of their powers doing what they do well: making inoffensive pop-rock. Not bad at all, just not great.
Typical U2 rock. Solid, but not too exciting
Pre Bono being a douchebag. This is solid front to back
So, I finally got a chance to see U2 on the Zootopia tour. We had a big group going. Tickets were expensive. But we were all psyched, cause they were known to be one of the best live bands. They kept us waiting in the rain for three hours, played maybe 45 minutes, and then left. One of the worst concerts I’ve ever seen. The disappointment was so profound, I stopped listening to them entirely. 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.
Just another great album from a great band that reinvents itself and keeps their unique sound somehow.
U2 sounds like U2, for the best and the worst
Besser als befürchtet. Die Stimme ist ganz angenehm, der Sound tendenziell, wie ich ihn mag, aber natürlich pop pop pop.
Damn, I got kinda disappointed. Everybody always talks about "HOLY SHIT IT'S ACHTUNG BABY BY U2", and considering that I have already listened to two U2 albums (hehe) I thought to myself "aw yeah this may be it. Finally after many 9/10's this will be the perfect 10". Well it wasn't. If anything, I don't think it holds up to War or Joshua Tree. It's very commercial in nature and sound, but kinda lacks that U2 thing that made me love those two other albums. I don't know. Kind of overrated? Like I said, it sounds very commercially succesful (and it probably was), but in my honest eyes is in no way an improvement from Joshua Tree. And now I kinda wish to change my rating of it from a 4 to a 5. It's different, sure. Bold and brash. But not THAT good. 6 - maybe 7 tops - out of 10. Still not sure.
These days I don't really believe in "irony." To paraphrase Todd In The Shadows, hitting your hand with a hammer still hurts. Maybe back in the day I subscribed to it, 'coz I felt like I hadda justify watching things that were widely disliked. But these days, if I like something... Heck, maybe I just do. I bring that up because that's what U2 was doing here: ironic rock n' roll. After the public declared the band firmly up their own asses following the mess that was RATTLE AND HUM, the band figured the best way to get their cred back was to drop all sincerity. No more of that JOSHUA TREE Americana, no. We got twelve slices of Eno-produced irony rock for the 90's. Which ended up helping them in the long run, of course. That's what allowed U2 to survive the arrival of Nirvana and grunge that killed so many other bands--the idea that they weren't really serious about any of this. That this is all some satire of the culture, expanded especially in the accompanying tour and the album they recorded during it, ZOOROPA. However, I'm writing this review 33 years later. Irony may be coming back in vogue in some small way, but I like to think in general people're allowing themselves to be more sincere about things. So, let me be sincere about this: this is my second favorite U2 album. I mean, let's not act like the appeal of this thing was entirely just the irony. This is U2, not too long after THE JOSHUA TREE and a long ways off from ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND. The Edge plays a great guitar. I like the way Bono's voice moves. Eno can produce like a muh-fuh. This thing's got great singles, and it's got great hooks from all of them. "Even Better Than The Real Thing", "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses", "One", "Mysterious Ways"--oh, goodness, "Mysterious Ways". I suppose the only thing it's really missing for me, and why it's second behind THE JOSHUA TREE, is that anthemic quality. "Where The Streets Have No Name", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"--I just need to bring up those two and you get what I mean. It's just something they had to give up when they traded their sincerity for cred via irony. And I can't say it was a bad move. Again, irony is what helped them survive the 90's, and what allowed them to eventually crawl up their own asses again with stuff like SONGS OF SURRENDER. Besides, even if their attitudes gave the idea they weren't taking any of this rock star posturing seriously, it's very clear that they were still 100% serious about the music. They put a lot of work into these songs, and it paid off in dividends. Enough so, even, that they were able to have a residency at the stupid Las Vegas Sphere that ended just last March where they played the whole thing, front to back. If that's not some indication of this thing's legacy... Either way, I really love this album, completely and sincerely, and that's enough. Don'cha think?
The sound on this album is damn good, thanks to the production from Brian Eno, and I could say the same for the actual tracks. 4.5 bumped down to 4.
I can finally give U2 a 5. We’ve gotten two different U2 albums before this – 1983’s “War”, and 2000’s “All That You Can’t Leave Behind”, so this falls pretty much right in the middle of those two albums. Those averaged out to a 3.5, and I could never really give either album a 5 because I just didn’t think it hit on a consistent level of quality and thematics throughout the listening experience. This album does that in spades and more – this is a fully coherent album from front to back, with not a single solitary miss (ok, maybe “Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World” is a little too hokey, but shh). The band is on fire, Bono’s vocals have genuinely never sounded better to me, and ultimately, this is just a joy to listen to and a kind of triumph for 1991. I noted it several times while listening, but a lot of this sound felt like a more refined version of “All That You Can’t Leave Behind” to me – that’s a lot of praise, I think. This sort of soundscape is what traditional rock returned to in the late 90s after its collective grunge era brought on by Nirvana and Pearl Jam, so to hear it in 1991 just tells me that U2 were a bit ahead of the curve. That’s not to say the influence of grunge and industrial rock isn’t felt all over this album, it just doesn’t dominate the entire thing, and for my ears, after the amount of 90s grunge we’ve gotten, is deeply refreshing. There is a middle ground somewhere in there, and I’d say this album strikes that middle ground perfectly. I could keep going, and try to break down individual tracks, but I feel like whatever words I write couldn’t do them justice (although huge shoutout to “One”, that’s my first time hearing it and it was incredible to me). This is absolutely worth the listen, and beyond deserving to be on the list. Just a stellar album, and an easy 5.
How one feels about this album is likely the same as they feel about U2 in general. In my case, U2 in general is pretty meh, but also inoffensive. So... 2.9
First time I've really played through a U2 album, I've never got the hype. They seem so famous, but I don't know anyone who really likes them. The music was good, but didn't blow me away or anything
I really strongly dislike U2, but regardless I did find this album somewhat refreshing. Not an album I’ll listen to again, but it was good!
An overall enjoyable listen, but I kept finding myself waiting for a "wow" moment that never really came. Good enough and catchy songs, but honestly a little derivative and formulaic as an early 90s alt rock album. Not bad by any means, but definitely missing a signature moment to put this over the top for me. Top tracks: One, The Fly, Mysterious Ways
Increíble. El mejor disco de U2. Esto justifica hasta las últimas cosas que sacaron que están bastante feas.
I actually like some U2. This is one of their better albums. Not quite Joshua Tree but still solid. Despite their reputation, Bono is a great singer and I like Edge’s playing.
This is very close to a 5 for me - I decided I have too much nostalgia about this one to be properly objective and rated it a 4 to be more realistic. I spent a LOT of time with this record when I was a kid. It was the first CD I ever bought and for a while it was the only CD I had! I know this record inside-and-out and there's so much I love about it. I love the diverging guitar/bass parts in some of these tracks. The Fly is doing it for me right now but it’s a thing they were into in this era. The Edge has som really really rad guitar stuff on this record. I would love a remaster that pulls the vocals back and lets the guitar through a bit better. Of course that’s part of The Edge’s charm also that he’s ‘way back there’ in the mix so much I forgot the fantastic guitar solo in the last track Love Is Blindness. It’s a good perf from Bono but that is like an Edge/Lanois opus - really fantastic guitar stuff I always kind of wish One wasn’t on this record - it’s got a different rep from being mega overplayed on every radio station and early-2000s TV drama I was a huge fan of Wild Horses when I was a kid and it lived up to my memory. I think that might actually be my favourite track. Mysterious Ways is obviously the big kicker on this one and I feel like it's aged really well. It sounds like it's from 1990-ish but it doesn't feel old. Oh screw it 5 stars.
yes
A higher rate of good songs than I expected even outside the hits. If I remove Bono's self love from my perception, this is a 4
One of U2's best albums that' I've heard front to back. Feels like a good blend of their more accessible shoegaze sound but still experimental before they hit that joshua tree all hits era (which, has some of their best songs mind you, but ends up making them almost too cheesy). Best deep cuts are the fly, throwing your arms around the world and who's gonna ride your wild horses. Best known tracks (to me) are one, love is blindness and mysterious ways.
I'm admittedly very much NOT a U2 fan, but I'm giving this one a shot in the spirit of this album project. I don't mind it, which I'd say is progress. It's not something I'd go out of my way to listen to, but it was solid.
3 Stars (8/15)
U2 has always been among the top bands that annoy me. And not just because they forced their album onto my iPhone that one time. First of all, Bono and Edge, with their mononyms are kind of cringey. Second of all Bono always sounds like he’s pandering or trying too hard. Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I’ll say that there are some good tunes here, in particular the hits of “One” and “Mysterious ways”, which were soundtracks of the long car rides of my childhood. Nothing I’ll be coming back to here.
They are really trying to be an international hit band at this point. And when it hits it's increased, but the rest of the album? Middle of the road slog fests. If they had three songs on a best singles I'd rate them 5 in a second, but the whole album? Not so much.
U2 at their best.
I loved this tour
It isn't my favorite U2 album, but it is still damn good. "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" is one of my favorite of their songs, and "Love Is Blindness" might actually be my favorite (especially The Edge's solo performance). Then you have "One", "Even Better Than The Real Thing", and "Mysterious Ways" are all also just fantastic songs. Just a fantastic album!
24/09/24 Wasn't bad. Got a bit boring though.
i uhhh i don't really want to have an opinion on this record/band man it's a bit of a mystery to me how an alternative band like this became this popular, even their biggest hits aren't THAT poppy imo and maybe a lot of hate towards Bono and The Edge for being what they are is a bit undeserved; they have their moments for sure but what can you do they're world famous men, it's not even like Bono is irish Morrissey or something the album is good though, it just doesn't cause that strong of a response in me than it does for some other people well maybe except for that line where he was drowning his sorrows but the sorrows learned to swim, that one was funny oh and of course the "a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle" one; i get that it's a version of an actual quote but coming out of a massively popular rock singer man's mouth it's SO funny i like the guitar in The Fly though and wasn't Mysterious Ways in some video game? honestly the record is pretty bottom loaded, the best songs (Ultra Violet and Acrobat in particular and Love is Blindness too) are on the second half of the album it makes a lot of sense to me that members of Kings of Leon like this band
Borign
A younger me loved this album. An older me tends to appreciate early 80’s U2 more than their later catalog. Still, I do think this is a great album, even if they lost a bit of their edge.
Man I loved this album when it dropped. Still do but don’t revisit that often. Had been a U2 fan since War, but Rattle and Hum left me cheesed out. When I heard first bars of Zoo Station kick off I was back in. Perfect marriage of lyrics, song, performance and production. And it hit me at a time in my young adult life where a lot of it felt personal, and that lives long. Several sections still bring me close to tears. I should probably see a doctor for that.
I don’t know what to think about this record. It wasn’t bad, in fact it had some very good tunes, but nothing really struck me.
Great album songs plus some of the best of the classic. Such a great album. I really like it! What is that? U2?
One of my favorite albums of all time. First time I listened to it I actually hated it. But then I spent some time with it and now love it. Their best by far.
I clicked through this whole album fast. Fuck U2
Good music that drags on a few too many songs to get regular attention from me.
Great bass lines, melodious and duschirdant at the same time- catchy!
Ok pop album that didn’t catch my interest. Includes mega hit One. Had the other significant better U2 album The Joshua Tree yesterday, so that might have tainted the rating. I like the song Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses.
Fairly average output from christian rock's biggest band.
It’s hard to listen to this and not hear the work that comes after. Judging it in its time and place is difficult. It’s great music and classic U2 at this point. It just doesn’t have the punch listening back as it did at the time.
Fuck U2
This is the musical equivalent of unseasoned mashed potatoes.
One of their best and one of the best of all time
On sent les idées de grandeur qui commencent, mais il y a encore une énergie et un plaisir qui circulent
no u2
Overall I probably enjoyed this album as a whole more than The Joshua Tree, but none of the individual songs reached the same level as the opening 3 songs from that album. Going back and listening to the whole albums it is easy to see how U2 became the force in music they are known to be. One is a beautiful song and is easily one of their best written songs. This is an album I could see myself coming back to but there are definitely songs from it that I will continue listening to.
Strong album. I listened a couple times because it grew on me the more I relaxed into its sound and the more familiar it became. I really like some of the deeper cuts too. The 1 star reviews by some on this site seem completely unserious and childish. Just had to say that.
Some hits most misses
Good album, not their best
It's hard for me to judge U2 objectively, because they were such a huge part of my youth. But, it has been a long time since I listened to this album the whole way through, so it sounds quite fresh. This really was a big departure from U2's earlier work, and their experiments really paid off. It's arguably their last great album - and definitely their creative peak. There are some really interesting sounds on this; right from the start with the industrial intro to Zoo Station, the jagged electronic sounding guitar on Mysterious Ways, and the growling bass and vocals on The Fly. I thought I would have found One hard to listen to, since it was so overplayed, but I was actually quite moved listening to it again yesterday. The production is fantastic as well, Brian Eno doing his usual excellent work. I forgot just how dark the lyrics on this are, and I think I most of the allusions to the German reunification and the Bible went over my head listening to this as a young teenager. So I enjoyed having a read of the meanings of the lyrics on the deeper cuts like Until the End of The World, Acrobat, and Love is Blindness.
Uno de los buenos discos de U2 y uno al que nunca le había prestado atención antes.
While I’m certainly not a U2 fan, this is … ok. With a few years under the bridge and away from the hype and their personalities, this is … alright.
Other than the singles, I was bored by this album. I'm not sure what all the fuss is about.
I'm not a regular U2 listener unless they play on the radio or a random song of theirs makes its way to my shuffle playlist. I had this playing in the background while I was doing stuff, I didn't even realise spotify played a different artist after this album finished.
This is the first of many comeback LPs that U2 would release. They reinvented themselves for the 1990s, and it's an effective move. The album still holds up.
This album produced no strong feelings on my end. The album equivalent of an unseasoned water chestnut. 2/5
Despite U2's dramatic fall in popularity over recent years, they still hold a special place for me and I really like their music from this particular era. The Fly was possibly my favourite song for a period in the early-90s. I REALLY like the good songs from this album and there are a number of them; however, there are a few more boring tracks which unfortunately meant it couldn't be a 5 for me. Fave Track: The Fly Rating: 4
It's the sound of a new band, and yet still uniquely U2. Bono is still and will always be a prat, but this is a great album.
This is, hands down, U2s best album (with Rattle & Hum being a close, but somehow different second). Produced by Brian Eno and engineered by Flood, U2 completely reinvented themselves, after having achieved everything possible with the sound of their first five studio albums, culminating in the Joshua Tree. There is relly not a single bad song on the album; The Fly, One, Mysterious Ways, and many more show what the band could achieve when they didn't take themselves too seriously and when Bono got rid of his messiah complex. 5/5
dad music. not really for me but i can see the appeal
So painful.
Too much of my real life is wrapped up in this one. I was 16-17. At my most objective I have to say, as U2 albums go, this is pretty solid all the way through. You can quibble over melodramatic lyrics or what have you, but at the end of the day, that's the DNA of U2. And this is probably the last time it really worked.
Once again, an album inexplicably on this list. Should we listen to U2 because they're popular? This is boring, boring, boring. Not quite lowest common denominator stuff, but there's something for everyone and no-one on this dog's breakfast of an album. The mystery of U2's appeal continues. Bono's crooning and mooing over the proceedings is especially irksome.
U2 do get quite a ribbing and are a bit of a joke nowadays, but they used to write good albums. This has a lot of good soft rock songs like One, Mysterious Ways and Even Better Than The Real Thing. Worth a revisit 4/5
while u2 was already a critically acclaimed band at this point, achtung baby was where the band reinvented their sound and image to a more electronic dance/alternative influenced one. this was a gamble that paid off tremendously in that it launched the band into the stratosphere commercially. i am admittedly mostly a casual fan of the band, but this is my favourite u2 album. it is brilliant from start to finish and one of the best albums of the 90’s, a decade full of great music. highlights: “even better than the real thing” “one” “mysterious ways” “love is blindness”
Good ol’ Achtung Baby.
It's fine. I don't get that excited about U2 though.
I love this album. It's sad what U2 has become at this point. One is a great song, absolutely beautiful. So Cruel wasn't a single, but it's a great song as well. Mysterious Way is another great U2 song. I think this is an undoubtedly better album than The Joshua Tree. Better hits (One beat With or Without You for greatest U2 song) and much better album cuts. Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around the World is another great album cut. I like relationship U2 better than political U2.
Un gran disco de U2, con canciones que me encantan como Even Better Than The Real Thing, One, Until The End Of The World y Mysterious Ways.
It's trendy to bash U2 and some of that is relevant. Bono is a bit of a wanker. But they have produced some quality music and this album is in the upper echelon of U2 albums. It's dripping with irony to the point of overload but this was an album they had to make in order to not be part of an 80s retro act that so many bands fell into. It would get worse from here but this is still palatable.
Truly one of the most sauceless albums in existence. Aggressively, confrontationally boring.
Love U2, this was a good album with a lot of classic songs, but towards the end of the album I was getting tired of it Top tracks: One, Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, Mysterious Ways
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright. Is how I feel about this album. It's not good, but it's not necessarily bad either. I have never really been a U2 fan. I have always thought they were overrated, and boy did this solidify that thought. Just really generic, boring rock music.
U2 doesn't grease my wheels and the album title is . . . I don't get it. Some solid tracks on this one though.
This album was on heavy rotation in the shared living situation I had at the time. I got tired of it, but that said, I appreciated then, and still appreciate now, the willingness to experiment. Certain tunes definitely have an industrial edge to them, and your typical mass market listener at the time had zero exposure to that style of music. It was great for this record to come out and have some impact in terms of a few tracks that were more adventurous. I'm generally a fan of the band, though I didn't like Joshua Tree, too polished, and preferred Boy to all the other records, with Unforgettable Fire probably being second (mostly due to the great production). This record restored some of my faith in the band not being washed up.
It's U2. I like it just fine but it doesn't move mountains for me
Their usual over dramatic blah. Mysterious Ways is awesome
A little on the generic side, but it has some good moments. 3.5
Pop Perfection.
Ugh. One extra star for how important it was (compare this to Coldplay) for better or worse (worse, it was for worse).
A true milestone in music over the past few decades; there are albums that mark a clear “before” and “after”—this is one of those albums and one of the most iconic
I do t normally like U2, but this was a pretty good album.
Creo que este album está sobrevalorado. Será porque nunca he logrado conectar del todo con el trabajo de U2, pero me parece bastante estándar en cuanto a inovación y calidad interpretativa. La grabación y mezcla es excelente, pero nada más.
Goeie titel! Dat is ook wat waard. Het geluid van deze plaat is wat gruizig, soms zelfs rommelig. Daardoor mist het een beetje de wow-factor die War wel had. De ballad One is eigenlijk de vreemde eend in de bijt. Maar een solide vier kun je dit album met een gerust hart geven.
Dit album moet breken met hun verleden. Het zou dus heel anders moeten zijn dan bijvoorbeeld War, wat we eerder geserveerd krijgen. Muzikaal merk je wel iets. Ik zou zeggen dat het soms wat meer richting Depeche Mode gaat. Iets elektronischer, iets vager, iets gevarieerder. Allemaal met de nadruk op 'iets'. Uiteindelijk zet U2 haar handtekening met de zang. Met af en toe een kleine uitzondering, is die zang nu niet heel anders. En als ze dan echt wilden breken met het verleden. Waarom zijn het dan juist de minder elektronische, minder vage nummers die tot single zijn verheven?
U2 is zo'n band waar een ontwikkeling in het complete oeuvre zit, dus waar je de albums onderling mooi kunt vergelijken. Misschien dat ik zo'n projectje weer eens een keer oppak. Gelukkig kennen we van U2 al wel veel albums. Dit album komt samen met Zooropa uit de Berlijnse periode, de stad van de techno. En je kan dus ook horen dat er veel elektronische invloeden in zitten. Gelukkig staan er ook een aantal hits op, dat maakt het geheel goed behapbaar. Mooi dat U2 een muzikale ontwikkeling doormaakte, maar doe mij van U2 maar de albums uit de 80s. Daarna werd het alleen maar minder. Dit is op zich natuurlijk wel een prima album, dat niet misstaat in een 1001-lijstje. Maar de greatest hits was genoeg geweest. Het zit ergens tussen de 3 en de 4 in, maar omdat de goegemeente dit toch te hoog geeft, ben ik geneigd op de 3 sterren te klikken.
Comfy old U2
I saw U2 in concert - a whole stadium singing One together is just goosebump city. That song alone is worth a whole star. For whatever reason, I don't love the last 2 or 3 songs. It's like it loses steam toward the end and could have been shortened up a bit. But overall, great album.
holy crap those MTV days, Bono vox, had enough of that fine for the rest of my life
I know repeated listens can yield delightful treats, but I’ve tried to get to know this album a few times over the years, yet nothing about it ever sticks out to my ears! Every song seems a long slog of sameness. Nevertheless, it’s never too terrible.
Oof. 2 U2 albums back-to-back. Still, at least this was better than War, so I'll give this 2 stars.
Nicht das beste Album von U2, aber durchaus hörenswert
Great album, would listen to again, good flow through the songs.
Booooooring! U2 is and has always been overrated 1/5
U2.. This will be a hard listening experience
U2 is a band I always hear people say is overrated, and they have never really managed to enter my listening sphere. I don't think I can name a single song of theirs aside from 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' and only because we had to analyze the text of that one for school. I've never listened to a full U2 album, and I don't think I've been missing out. At least this album hasn't convinced me so. "In my dream I was drowning my sorrows/But my sorrows, they learned to swim" from 'Until the End of the World' is a pretty cool line, but the delivery is just so flat, not depressed or sad. Just flat. That I can't enjoy it for what it is. I simply don't believe it. Also it doesn't seem to be an original line. Frida Kahlo said something very very similar at some point Standouts One 2/5
Absolute banger album - except for Love is Blindness - which sucks.
Classic
Favourite U2 album so far
I wore this CD out in 1991. A truly great band finds a way to peak again after an incredible and career-making album like The Joshua Tree. Their early albums were also killer, but it was TJT that took them to another level. On this album Bono came up with his alter ego, MacPhisto. U2 reinvented themselves for this album and tour. Great rock album from beginning to end. My song rankings…. 12. Love Is Blindness - The least memorable song on the album. 11. Acrobat - Don’t let the bastards get you down. Nuf said. 10. Until The End Of The World - Solid track. 9. The Fly - cool song. 8. Zoo Station - Sweet Guitar 7. So Cruel - A song full of yearning. 6. Even Better Than The Real Thing - Honestly, this could be higher. Hard to choose from this point forward - except for number 1. 5. Trying To Throw Your Arms Around The World - “a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle”. Fits this song perfectly. 4. Mysterious Ways - Killer guitar and lyrics. 3. Ultra Violet (Light My Way) - Bono does great lead and harmonizing vocals on this one. 2. Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses - Love the pace and tempo of this song. 1. One - Who would have thought a song about breaking up with your band would be so earnest and emotional? Love, Love, Love U2 and this album.
Felt a little underwhelming, but not terrible.
Loved the riffs on "THE FLY". Will come back to this album.
U2 never stuck with me even though I grew up with their music. I don't get what makes them stand out from other rock bands.
actually first u2 album that made me feel something
More consistent than Joshua Tree, but not as many highs
I’m travelling down to London. It’s 06:44. I was really looking forward to getting a good one today. Make it stop. Please. I don’t know what it is that makes it so detestable. But it is the very definition of detestable. FML.
Not bad but a little too mainstream pop rock for me?
I don't know how to explain it, but this sounds like fake music.
I believe this is one of their best albums.
I know that there is a divide on if The Edge is as good of a guitar player as he is acclaimed to be. The whole "he just hits one note and let's the pedal's effects do the work. I think he is a great guitar player and innovator. His approach to playing guitar (at least at the time) was far different than any other contemporary artists. I like hearing the riffs and effects he comes up with and uses. That being said.... This album was OK. Perhaps slightly better than average. But nothing really memorable besides the singles. The other tracks were just that, O.K. Bono has a great voice and uses it appropriately in this record. His lyrics are trash though. The song One might be one of the biggest cliches I've ever heard... And I've heard it many times in my life. Always have dismissed it.. But actually listening to it makes me realize why people dislike Bono. I don't know. U2 are labeled as one of the greats... But I don't know if I view the same view.
I really do like this album 4 stars!
- Ich bin kein U2 Fan. Überhaupt nicht. Hab das nie verstanden, warum die SOO big geworden sind und vor allem blieben. - Das Album ist für mich eine Absicherung meiner bisherigen Meinung. Träge, zu lange Soli, zu lange Intros, zu lange Outros, total vorhersehbare Songstrukturen, wie ich finde sehr ähnliche Vocal-Parts. Außerdem fehlt mir in deren Songs häufig einfach so ein Spannungs/Dramaturgie-Bogen. die plätschern alle immer so vor sich hin. - Vielleicht höre ich das auch alles aktiv hinein, aber kann ich auch nichts dran ändern. U2? No, thank you. 2/5
- Mischung aus Guilty Pleasure und lässt mich absolut kalt.. schwer zu beantworten
I liked the opening track, but after that I found out to be like a normal U2 album, not that compelling
Why is this on this list?
Achtung Baby is an album with a lot of interesting ideas. Unfortunately, I don’t think U2 are the band to successfully pull off said ideas. What should be a spacey deconstruction of rock comes out as edgy Adult Contemporary music for Cool Moms™️ to play while they smoke Capris in their minivans and wait for their kids to finish soccer practice. Part of it is Bono’s lyrics, which are either sappy or pseudo-intellectual – more often, a combination of the two. I also think the band overall isn’t good enough to pull off the studio trickery required to execute Achtung Baby to its fullest – The Edge does too little on their guitar, and the rhythm section is extremely background, to the detriment of every song here. That said, U2 are extremely overhated. Again, I don’t think they’re a *great* band, but they are very close to being one. I think Bono’s voice does a lot of the work here, but also, they have a knack for riffs and hooks, even when they’re experimenting. More importantly, they have ideas, and those ideas give this album in particular a lot of mileage. Achtung Baby is far from the greatest record I’ll ever hear, and I doubt I’ll either revisit it or even remember it, but it’s also not unappealing. I doubt I’d be friends with anyone who loves this washed out type of Boomer Mom rock, but I also wouldn’t think they’re deaf or insane of enjoying it. This is an album that’s close to something great, but falls short from just a far enough distance that it makes you feel embarrassed for the band for even trying. And I don’t want to feel embarrassed for U2, a band who sells out arenas with little to no effort. But I also don’t feel the need to dogpile on this record. Although it’s not essential and I’m sure I’ll be more critical of the three (!!!) other U2 albums on this list, for now, I’m fine with Achtung Baby, because at least they’re trying. Not the worst, but not a great listen, either. The epitome of the word “fine.”
In my opinion there are better U2 albums. 'One' is not a bad song but the rest is not memorable.
Simply bad alternative Rock. Wanted to turn it off troughout the album.
"My god, it must be over a hundred courics!"
Achtung Baby is an interesting album, and I think it presents U2 at the pinnacle of their songwriting capabilities. Many of the songs thematically and lyrically seem like they would have fit perfectly on The Joshua Tree (my favorite U2 album), but they stylistically shifted their sound to purposely re-invent themselves in the wake of their unsuccessful live/studio album Rattle and Hum released between Joshua and Achtung. Rattle and Hum is definitely a let down after such a massive 80s career for the band. I appreciate how during the rise of grunge, U2 got a bit darker but strayed further away from the garage rock style and got more electric and dancy with many of the tracks here. They maybe seem to have been inspired by acts like Nine Inch Nails in incorporating a harsher sound, but don’t dive too far into that style to alienate themselves from their arena rock sound. I do really like this album, but what I like even more is the cover album released for its 20th anniversary: (Ăhk-to͝ong Ba͞y-bi) Covered. This is probably my favorite cover album of all time; it includes covers by artists who U2 clearly took inspiration from when writing and recording the album in 1991 (e.g. Nine Inch Nails, Patti Smith, Depeche Mode) as well as musicians who were at their peak or close to it in 2011 like The Killers, Jack White, and Snow Patrol. So many of these covers are superior to the original, but none more starkly so than White’s “Love Is Blindness” which pours brutal emotion into an already emotional track. Obviously this fantastic cover album wouldn’t exist without the original being as great as it was, so I thank U2 for a wonderful album.
If my band does an album like joshua's tree, I swear, we're gonna dissapear from earth and be legends forever. But U2 did not. Achtung Baby proves that they never were lazy. They're always trying to bring something new and fresh. Inovating their music. This is not one of my favorite U2 albuns, but certainly is a classic!
At the risk of becoming the U2 Defender in this project, Achtung Baby is a hell of an album. Coming out of the 80s, where their search for something real and true ended with the most earnest disaster of all time - Rattle and Hum - U2 took the longest break of their career. When they reemerged with Achtung Baby, they looked, sounded, acted like a different band. The beating (and bleeding) heart is still there at the core, but they found a way to both accept and skewer the notion of their own megastardom. For most of the 90s, they existed in a sort of Max Headroom-surreality, until another high profile disaster - 1997's Pop - set them back on their more earnest, "normal" track (where they've stayed since). But the two good albums from this period of reinvention, Achtung Baby and Zooropa, are weird and fun and exciting and might just be their two best albums. I'd give this 4.5 if I had the option, but absent that, I'm gonna round up and say this, more than anything, is The Essential U2 album.
There's some stuff on here I love. Edge has always loved his effects without going full psych or shoegaze, but on this record he sounds more like a guitar player, even though is sonic palette is a lot more experimental. Even better than the real thing and the Fly sorta give me some mild madchester vibes, acrobat is a great psych rock number. One and Wild Horses are the U2 schlock that sorta feels hollow in such a Bono way. Overall, an intersting curve in the U2 sound.
wait THIS is the album they played the Sphere with? oof
When I met U2 again I did make a point of asking Bono why he wore sunglasses indoors. He winked (I think) and said ‘Achtung, Baby’ so he may not have known what that actually means. He kept talking about ‘Edge’ and I said ‘Don’t you mean THE Edge?’ and he just sort of chuckled and didn’t say anything. Adam Clayton was writhing around - turns out he doesn’t just do that on stage - and it was all a bit fucking weird to be honest. Good album though.
It's a near perfect album for me. High enough at least to be rounded to five where there's no 4.5 (though it's closer to 5 than 4.5). A band redefining themselves in the face of changing culture brings forth some amazing rock songs and some equally touching music. There is force, momentum and heart all through this album and to me is likely their best.
U2 is vastly overrated. One is a very good song. The rest is meh.
Remember when U2 uploaded their album to Apple and when we updated we got their album against everyone’s will? This is just like that.
Until the End Of The World++ Manque l'énergie des premiers albums.
5/10. Disco bastante meh, el hitazo empujó Tf: mysterious ways/even better than the real thing
7/10