Reviews (page 12 of 15)
Have on vinyl
Why does the singer sound so far away? The songs feel so passionate yet distant. This is a yearning album.
Pretty solid ablum. Don't think I am going to all of a sudden become a U2 fan but was a worthy listen.
Liked Songs Where The Streets Have No Name I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For With or Without You
Starts amazing but after that it's all filler except for one tree hill. Massively overrated.
Never been a big U2 fan and this album didn’t change my mind.
Ultimately a meh album. U2 is more of a greatest hit band than an album. Hits here are good to great, but the filler songs are not good.
Powerful lyrics with wide sound. I can appreciate the quality of the album but not of my taste though
Hot take, but I really don't give a fuck about U2. The one song on this album is alright, but it's nothing special. I guess the guitar riffs kinda slap, but they're always the same, man. Like 3/5 I guess
Better than I expected! Was not expecting there to be so many recognizable songs. The intro is very Thom Yorke-inspired (to me) which I think is pretty neat. The outro and intro have similar vibes that I think give a nice symmetry to the album.
6,5 nije me navauko skroz
This was huge when it came out. I like their older music better. This record doesn't sound spontaneous at all. It's not dark enough to be dark, not sparkly enough to be sparkly. It's kind of meh in between stuff. Favorite song: with or without you.
Some quality songs, but the album was a bit too long imo
É bom, mas simplesmente não é memorável nem muito original Fav tracks: When The Streets Have No Name, Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Running To Stand Still, Red Hill Mining Town, One Tree Hill Least fav track: Bullet The Blue Sky
arena rock with a surprising amount of variety. Definitely not musically super challenging from a chord standpoint, but interesting vocal melodies add some complexity. I forgot how many hits came from U2.
This was the last U2 album I ever bought. If I recall, it never got much play.
Ok, so I'm really not a fan of U2. The last album I had to review from them was Achtung Baby, and I could not get into that at all. This was a completely different experience sonically. Way more atmospheric and emotive at times. It doesn't really fall into those 80s cliches. The production is solid as well. Bono's voice can get to be a bit much at times, but overall not too bad. I enjoyed this album honestly.
Ranking the 3 taco bell sauces I've tried that U2 can get at Wal-mart or any other grocery store of your choice. Just a little backstory before I get to the list. I like hot sauce on eggs. Especially fried eggs. Over the past few weeks I've gotten pretty darn (sorry for the language) good at flipping eggs without breaking the yolk. I'm also pretty good at timing each side of the egg so the white is fully cooked but the yolk isn't. A perfect gooey creamy yolk. I'll make some toast, butter those bad boys up, slap those eggs on the plate and then cover them with hot sauce. Here is my taco bell hot sauce ranking. 1. Fire Sauce- Perfect amount of spice, good flavor. I always get this one when it's in stock. 2. Mild Sauce- Good flavor but it's mild like the name says. 3. Diablo Sauce- It's just too spicy and too sweet at the same time. It also made me blow up the toilet which is not ideal. Thanks for reading my important ranking on this important bri'ish list.
Probably wouldn't usually be my sort of thing, but this album fit very well while listening with headphones and taking a walk at night. It did feel like it went on a little long, though, and a lot of the songs sounded basically the same. I liked the first few songs the most and liked how well they open the album.
I know U2 is very well regarded, but I can’t get past how much Bono sounds like Matt Farley. 😩 Good music, good songwriting, just not necessarily for me.
* In Red Hill Mining Town, I can't help finding the way the verses are sung to be underwhelming. I sorta like it... but I wish they had more oomph to the last words in each line. Feels like it should be a more raised (?) note than it is imo. * Getting some very Blues Brothers-esque vibes from Trip Through Your Wires. * Exit started weak but got a lot better after the first minute or so. -- Album Rankings -- 1. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For 2. With or Without You 3. In God's Country 4. Mother's of the Disappeared 5. Where the Streets Have No Name 6. Running to Stand Still 7. Exit 8. Red Hill Mining Town 9. One Tree Hill 10. Trip Through Your Wires 11. Bullet the Blue Sky
Easy listening, but don’t feel compelled to return to any songs on this album. Trip Through Your Wires was the only song that compelled me to feel anything. I will say that if I was hearing this for the first time in 1987 and hadn’t heard three decades full of others do “U2 sound but refined/improved” I might feel differently. 3/5 ⭐️
Mostly like these guys. Hadn't heard this before. Smooth voices, good tones. Didn't care for Bullet In The Sky.
Not my fav U2 and I don't know how I feel about U2 these days anyway?!?
Listening to U2 confused me a lot as a kid because some of their music is so sonically timeless. Like, this is from 1987, but With Or Without you sounds exactly like a mid 2000’s moody radio hit. No aged synth leads, no annoying programmed electronic percussion. All that being said, this album is just fine. Revolutionary and timeless for something from the 80’s, but nothing more than solid
Good album - to much Bono not enough guitars!
Other than the top singles, a little forgettable for me.
nope
U2, Bono. A bit frenetic. Dance music beat. Repetitive. I can see people pulsating to the beat. Strained voice/vocal lead. Like Bruce Springsteen. With or without you - by far the best song on the album. Bono's quiet voice - but then it turns into a strained, pleading voice. Sometimes like Jim Morrison - bu not as good or haunting or melodic.
Started strong but ended weak.
I think this is the 4th U2 album that I've gotten on this list. I feel like it's weirdly given me less of an appreciation for U2. None of the albums that I've gotten are bad, but none of them have been all that good either. The Joshua Tree is their masterpiece, or so I've been told. This album starts off so good, but as soon as the big hits up front are done, it starts to feel very samey and a bit self indulgent. I really thought that this was the U2 album that I had to give begrudging respect to, but I like Actung Baby more than this 3/5
Though I'm not a huge fan of U2 there are a number of great songs on this album
If I ever wanted to listen to something like this I would put this on, but not really rotation stuff at this point in my life. I’ll give it a 3 out of respect
Pretty good, but they sound all the same like the same song
Good for couple tracks, classics for a reason. I like the more post-punk stuff, the ballads towards the end of the album don't do it for me. 'Exit' is a great album track. 6/10
It's OK, nothing memorable to me.
U2's big AMERICA album. Somehow I had Rattle & Hum and Achtung Baby but never got around to this one. It's absurdly front-loaded with all the hits that turned the band into the world's biggest band (for a while) so side B (as it was) is rather overshadowed. But it's OK. In general, I roll my eyes at Bono but he plays the charismatic poet at the front of the juggernaut well enough. I was most impressed with The Edge's guitar work - chiming, percussive, minimalist yet instantly iconic. I am also struck by how inconspicuous Adam Clayton is as a bassist - he always stays out of the way of the song. Him hiding behind the rest of the band on the cover is the perfect metaphor for his style.
Album is top heavy and that’s okay. The end isn’t as strong. This was probably their intro to the stadium songs. I thought the edge was supposed to play the shit out of guitars so it’s not the best U2 album to listen to as your first U2 album.
They really hit the first few songs out of the park into the hit parades and easy listening radio station high rotation playlists. Still quite of a yawn fest for me though.
First few songs are pretty great I suppose. But it's U2 and they're insufferable.
Where are the U2 hits from the 80's The delay laden guitar solos, smoke, flames, castle wall back drops? A few of the tracks held my attention but for the most part.... I skipped thru them (thanks, Spotify...) after about 30 seconds. In "God's Country" had a nice groove as did a few others. Maybe it was too early to seriously ponder and appreciate/evaluate music at 5:30 AM. Maybe not. Still a long time favorite band on this end.
I definitely feel a bit nostalgic and happy to remind myself how powerful some of these songs are. But also they are all dragged out
59%
I found it a pleasant listening, very nice production. Good drum sound. Not all songs are that good I think.
War is my favorite U2 album. I think it's more common to prefer Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby but neither of them have ever drawn me in like War did. I've listened to Joshua Tree several times, and of course it has a lot of hits but in my opinion it doesn't rock as much as War. The singles are good but I find the other tracks to not be as great. 3 stars I guess.
Without question some all-time great pop hits on this album and I know many consider this to be one of the greatest albums of all time. Unfortunately this album has not aged well. I know longer find pleasure in hearing U2.
3.5
It’s a solid album but I’ve heard the well known songs too many times.
About the only good YouTwo album. Fight me.
Went in a U2 hater but I guess I was a little misguided. Still just okay
If this album consisted of only the first three tracks, this would be an absolute slam dunk, 5-star album. While the first three songs are incredible, the entire remainder of the album is lackluster. Someone described them as "mysterious atmospheric songs about American desert." However, if you have ever been to Joshua Tree, you would know. It's about 5 seconds of "oh wow" but a couple hour drive and a lot of desert. Still, the first three tracks are legendary.
I like the vocalist, he’s very expressive and I like his voice. I liked the concept of a fairly simple rhythm with a drony/ambient background.
ik vind het niet verkeerd en er zitten wel wat goede nummers tussen, maar het blijft u2
Generally regarded as a classic and I like U2 however.. The first 3 tracks are big ones but I find them slightly.. safe? Then the rest of the album tails off. Found this a bit overrated, I prefer some of their other stuff
First three
Not a big fab of U2, which is definitely influenced by Apple shoving songs of innocence down my throat unsolicited in 2914. BUT I really appreciate the vocal and instrumental complexity and diversity on this album. Also Joshua Tree is one of my favorite national parks so the album name itself won me over before I even started listening
Interesting. I have never properly listened to U2. In my head they occupied the same place as coldplay and maroon 5 that are super popular bands but kind of creatively devoid. This album definitely shows me that they are a little more worth their salt than that, but ultimately i think their kind of sound isnt exactly up my alley (i think mostly due to bono’s singing). But i recognize that this is a good rock album, and i appreciate the conceit of the album and its lyrical subject matter.
I'm biased against U2. The hits are ok. Rest is meh
Some good hits here
Listened to this while playing Aeon's End against the Carapace Queen with my partner. We lost twice. This is the third U2 album in less than 30 days. I still hate Bono...but I no longer hate U2. I know this is supposed to be THE U2 album...but it actually was not my favorite of the 3 I've heard so far doing my album dives. The first 3 songs are such a strong opening and from there it kind of tapered off a bit for me. I really hope there isn't a 4th U2 album in the next 10 days.
good because everything on here is good. but -1 because it’s not my style and -1 for the harmonica (neil young flashbacks). also a little same-y throughout
Some mega tunes just too long 6.7
album starts with 3 iconic U2 songs and then tapers off a bit. Stays thematically consistent throughout, all sounds very U2. I can understand the appeal of this album, but personally U2 are not for me. Although I do like with or without you.
The first album I've rated where I already knew the majority of the songs. I'm not necessarily a fan of U2's style. They clearly take themselves way too seriously and suffer from insufferable self-righteousness. Seriously, what kind of person calls themself "The Edge"? lol. The sound is at least unique, but doesn't grab the attention. Most songs sound exactly the same. I'm feeling generous, so I'll give it a 3.
More bland, war is better
A fine album, I just don't like U2
Memories
pre wank u2 hell yeah. while it does kinda all sound the same, it still is varied enough to not get stale. driving and unfocused at the same time, full of little details. best tracks: where the streets have no name, exit, with or without you
Just okay. Not sure if this is the best U2. Kinda boring.
Classic
Couple of big hits but found it a bit bland overall
I was quite enjoying this until after Bullet The Blue Sky when it just became a U2 album. First couple are belters though.
Jeg ved at mange har Joshua Tree som deres yndlings U2 album, hvilket jeg husker at de snakkede om i we have concerns. “With or without you”, “still haven’t found what I’m looking for” og “where the streets have no name” kendte jeg i forvejen, og er selvfølglig gode. Men som så mange af de andre albums var jeg ikke så vild med resten. Igen kan det jo være, at jeg bare ikke kender albummet nok. Og hvis jeg lyttede noget mere kunne det være jeg blev mere vild med det. Men i udgangspunktet var det ikke lige mig.
It’s good. I initially groaned at U2, but this was solid. Not great, just good.
The hits on this album are really good, but theyre all in the first half of the tracklist and the other tracks are not that interesting. Its a fine listen, and the good songs are genuinely great, but there is a good bit of filler.
Everyone knows tracks 2 & 3, but the rest was kind of meh
Levyn kolme ekaa biisiä aivan saakelin kovia joihin ei oikeastaan edes voi kyllästyä. Tämän jälkeen olikin melkonen droppi tasossa ja sitä on myös englannin kuningatar aikoinaan kommentoinut sanoin: "bollocks".
U2 has always been heavily concerned by their image and this is the peak of the era where they wanted us to see them as a profound band whose art could heal the world. This album is so pompous but that's what they wanted and I have to say that they achieve it really well.
It's good for a moment, and then you realize it's 50 minutes long and you still have a lot of it left.
The last good U2 album just before they took a path I just can't follow. I have a hard time trying to appreciate Bono's singing on this one, but musically speaking, this album is great, catchy and well done.
started of strong fell off in the end it became a bit nasal
Uh oh. U2. I've never liked U2, especially when Apple started forcing their albums onto us. I doubt that will change but here we go. Ok my opinion has changed. This is an ok album. Nothing spectacular but better than the other songs I have heard from U2. 3 out of 5.
Some very good songs. Other just not my liking.
It sounded nice. I'm not really a big fan of U2, but I went to Joshua Tree last year, and loved it there, so I tried to imagine this album accompanying the soundtrack to a pleasant drive through the desert. I've heard a few of the tracks before, so it had some recognition. I'm not sure I'd necessarily go back and want to listen to it a second time, but I certainly understand the appeal.
Heard it before?: Yes Enjoy it?: I love it, amazing and has such a powerful aura Favourite song: Track 1 - Where The Steets Have No Name
Enjoyed the musical aspect but wasn't the biggest fan of the vocals. Still a solid album though
It’s so wild to me how insanely popular U2 were. I don’t dislike them or anything but their music is alright. This album is solid but I can’t imagine wanting to see them in a sold out football stadium. That all said, mad props to this Irish rock band for having the balls to try and tackle a topic as nebulous and tricky as the conflict between the real and mythic America.
bro is suffering big time i dont know I expected more from the big U2. Guitar sounds are delicious though
Sounds good for 80s but not interesting to me
Great versatile album, very solid efforts 3/5
The first U2 album I heard, it's pretty good. Probably won't revisit it though.
Not bad. Bit front-loaded in my opinion but that’s because the tracks at the beginning are some of the band’s best offerings Favourite tracks: Where the Streets…, I Still Haven’t Found…, With or Without You, Bullet the Blue Sky, Exit
The first three songs are 5/5 but the rest is just OK. U2 is well produced rock but it's too "clean". I think they're missing an interesting edge.
A well made pop album
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For and With Or Without You are the big hits on this album, the rest of the album sound mediocre.
Some banger singles but middle of the road as an album
some very good but most pretty average
Hace rato tenia marcado este álbum porque sabía que Angels and Airwaves tenia influencias de este disco. Escuchandolo me di cuenta que si, sobretodo en el sonido de la guitarra (mas clean aca) con ese delay característico. Además la forma que marca el bajo y la bateria super reverberada. Creo que ahora no resulta nada nuevo pero en la época que salio debe haber hecho ruido.
Tiene un par de temas que no me gustan nada. 2.5 que redondea para arriba.
Un disco COMPLETO de baladas. Me parece un abuso total. Lo posicionan alto en el considerando popular los tres himnos del comienzo. Seguramente fue el que catapultó a U2... sobrevalorado quizás?
Great 1st 3 songs, then falls off
Rife with nostalgia. I can only now revisit a little the place that this album was, but I will never appreciate now what it was then. I don't feel the scorn that I hear others have for Bono and for this band. Must be hurtful to him. Sure, there were missteps that they took. Who hasn't. The album is still a technically and emotionally good one. I say it stands.
Started off very strong with Where The Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, and With Or Without You…strong 5 vibes. By the 9th track, I was lamenting the album not being over yet. Way to front load the album Mr. Producers.
I'm hovering between a 2 and a 3. I genuinely believe the album was ahead of its time (1987, sounds like mid-90s) however the songs don't half drag on and merge into each other. Could also be said that U2 haven't evolved since this album. With or Without You is of course pretty great, very commercial. The rest of the album is kind of meh, which causes my hesitation and doubt. I feel like I might regret a 2, so a 3 it is.
I enjoyed this far more than the awful "Achtung Baby" album. The big singles are memorable and I liked couple of the other tracks too. Highlights: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For With Or Without You One Tree Hill
This was U2 doing their thing which is genuinely pretty good. Beyond Bono acting sanctonious and shouting down a I 💚 SF poster in San Fran (thinking it was about Sinn Fein) I don't really get the hate they get. Not going to die on a hill defend them, but this was atmospheric, nicely pumping rock.
I remember this record coming out and a lot of people loving it. I had been listening to U2 for a few years at that point and I didn't like this record as much as I liked "Boy", "October" and "War". Listening to it now, the production seems poor. It's very muffled sounding. I read a bit about it and apparently this was intentional -- something about making the record sound more immediate, authentic, cozy -- but listening to it now, it's just muddy. It's possible that newer remasters or whatnot may not have the same issue or it might not be as bad, but the overall impression is really imprecise. There are some classic tunes on here but I prefer earlier works.
I was excited to actually sit down with a full U2 album instead of picking up singles here, there, and on pandora. Unfortunately turns out a full album of U2 just still sounds like U2's hits the whole way through. Which is fine, I like them alright, but was hoping there were hidden gems out there instead of the ones everyone's heard of
I still have my original vinyl of Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum, from original release, and I played these a lot. That said, although the Jooshua Tree, for me, was the better album, it has lost its edge over the years. I still like U2 and this album, and would happily listen to it, I'm just not im love with it as I was 35 odd years ago.
Good album, starts off with 3 classics but loses something as the album goes on.
Likely the first time I've ever listened to a U2 album all the way through. It was good. Definitely feels like it was produced with them becoming an arena rock band in mind. Something about the sound of it just seems tailor made for a big arena. I've always poo pooed U2 but I liked this album. I get why it turned them into super stars
Moderately interesting songs rolled in echo/delay glitter.
Un disco en que los irlandeses de U2 demuestran toda su capacidad de llenar estadios. Con un sonido sumamente grande que toma sus influencias de post-rock y las emplea para crear verdaderos himnos pop. Imposible, no destacar la pista “With or Without You”.
Okay - a tad boring.
Falls right off the cliff after the excellent 1st 3 songs
The Joshua Three
Twee keer U2 in één week is voor niemand leuk. Mijn standpunt komt redelijk overeen met dat van het vorige album: er zitten goede nummers tussen, maar het is niet mijn ding. Vooral vanwege de stem van Bono.
Pas le pire album de U2, évidemment les gros singles aident à faire passer la pillule, mais ça reste du rock très inoffensif et peu mémorable pour le reste. 5/10
Good, but a little much at points
Got good for a bit after the hits the slowed down
It’s u2 never cared for them, however, not a bad album.
I prefer their earlier work when they were a bit more raw and punky. This is when they became definitively ardent U2. Not quite self-satisfied U2, but they know their audience. They know how to write a good tune, but I don’t necessarily care after track three.
As the world seemed to embrace this band, I was over it. I was a fan from the early days, and this album marked the point where I just stopped. It was entirely on Bono's overwrought delivery and self-importance — at least as I saw it — and I couldn't even listen anymore. So I let out an audible groan, sitting all alone in my office space, when this album popped up on the screen. This fucking album... Well, I can now at least recognize that this is perhaps the band's best collection of songs. The sonic textures on this record are excellent. Beautifully produced, the writing is solid, the band sounds great, there are lots of masterful lyrical moments. But I'm glad I never have to listen to this again. After the opener, which is objectively a brilliant song, it just keeps slipping, song by song, into vocal performances that progressively get harder to abide. By the end of the album, it's painful. And, for what it's worth, I don't like most of the hits. I get that they're worthy of regard, I just don't relate. Obviously, I'm speaking solely for myself. This is regarded as one the great albums of all time. I'll see if I can carry on without it.
Hieman tylsähköä ja rauhallista rockia. Toki U2 parhaat kappaleet on tässä mutta silti aika vaisu
It was not a reach for me to like this album. It was uplifting and the style was overall laid back and chilled. That being said, this album was not anything revolutionary or new to me so therefore deserves a 7/10
Classic example of an album that starts out really strong, and fades to mediocrity.
- Wow Tom Delonge just ripped off U2 when making Angels and Airwaves - Overall not bad, a little boring but I like the spacey vibes to it - I'd give it like a 3.25 (I'm a nerd)
- never really gave U2 a listen before - Quality accessible (soft?) rock - Kinda feel like the Killers took inspiration from U2 - I didn’t give it as intent a listen as I should have
AJ: listened to this album a lot as a kid. The first 5 tracks are excellent. Band is so tight.
Lots of hits on this one, but I just don't care for U2 that much.
I've never enjoyed Bono's swooning voice over the jam sessions of the Edge and the rest of the band. The Joshua Tree is a staple album for U2 but is just on my 'meh' list because U2.
Soothing
I'm going to cut to the chase - I feel like U2 is a tad overrated, and after listening to this album I am happy to hold this position. It's not a bad record, some song are hits for a reason, but I feel like the fame was not generated by music, but mostly through their humanitarian work. Bono is probably more famous than U2, so I wouldn't be that surprised if this was true. Musically, The Joshua Tree is a soft rock, but when you try to dissect it, there is nothing of essence left. Just your average album from Ireland.
It was good but I thought I would like it more. I bet I would with more listens or if I had listened to it when it came out.
Det er ikke et dårligt album, men man kender bare singlerne for godt. Exit var dog et godt nummer, som jeg ikke kendte i forvejen!
Good rock n roll, uh, music
Starts off very strong, but lost interest towards the end. Not bad.
2.75
Their last good full album. Just a shame that they turned out the way they did after this.
I have never understood how U2 were as big as they were. Not that I'm particularly familiar with their catalogue, but I haven't heard much that has resonated with me, and this is no exception. It's an alright album, fuck knows how it is as big as it is. There is some good listening to be had, some average listening, and some plain bland and lame listening. 2.5/5 FavTrack: Bullet The Blue Sky
BEyond the first three tracks this feels like standard irish folk rock to me
I tried to be objective and yet still guffawed when the singing started on the first song... at first listen I thought it was OK and it was getting worse and worse as it went on/subsequent listens so I got my losses...
Aucune track dans cet album n'arrive à la cheville de leur feat avec Green Day
pas surprise
Grew up with this CD usually on rotation from my parents playing it in the house so pretty familiar with it, plus the fact that it's U2 and you just can't not know a lot of their songs. Very frontloaded with 4 singles off the hop and then it settles into the B-sides that are quieter and lesser known. I'm a bit ambivalent to U2, the music is fine but I don't get why they're considered so amazing. There was a documentary where Jack White, Jimmy Page, and The Edge all get together and chat about playing guitar and in one segment they teach each other some of their iconic riffs. For The Edge he plays a C Chord with some amp effects on, that's his whole riff, one note and the effects carry the rest of the weight. 3 stars, it was fine.
Not a big U2 fan, but I did enjoy listening to this album
Competent, inoffensive 80s arena-rock. Don't love it, don't hate it, I'd just rather listen to something else.
Maybe if I had never heard this album before I'd rate it higher, but I think I've heard it so much they almost feel cliché
It was fine. It was more religious than I was expecting. Sometimes the songs went too long
Very standard U2-sounding songs. Nothing really stands out as really good, but nothing is particularly really bad. The first two tracks are songs I've heard a lot so that's neat I guess. overall pretty average. Really got tired of their sound midway through the album. Can only take so much of Bono singing in the same way. He's got a weird way of moaning/singing in all their albums. Was gonna give it a 3/5 but its probably closer to a 2
surprisingly boring despite having two (!) songs that were regularly on the radio as a kid. innoffensive, but would not listen again.
I enjoyed this album a lot more than the other U2 record I had to listen to. Of course I really enjoyed With or Without You and the other songs were okay but nothing topped it in my opinion. I don't really have much to say other than I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
P good but bono is kinda cringe
This is the album that did it for them. A good amount of the songs are instantly recognizable, but again they front loaded the album. u2 -> U2
I've always enjoyed the Edge, but not Bono, so U2 has always been a bit of a blur to me. Listening to this album made me realize how deep their post-punk roots are. They just turned it up and made it a little more anthemic and inspiring. It's still just not for me. Favorite tracks: "Where The Streets Have No Name", "In God's Country"
Hier heb ik niet zoveel mee. Niet per se slecht, gewoon oninteressant. Daardoor nog wel 3 waard.
Singles are good, rest a bit plodding
20 years ago I would've given this album a 4/5, but I've played it so much I've just heard it too much...
Known artist!
Obviously strong. First 4 tracks are classic. Red Hill Mining Town pretty underrated. Peters out a bit in the second half. Probably should be a 4, but I round down.
overall, pretty good record. I didn't really have any songs on here that I didn't like, even if I felt like about half of them didn't really do very much. The production/mixing/engineering on this album (courtesy of the legendary Brian Eno), is fucking magnificent, and really steals the show, but it also highlights some of the record's biggest flaws as well. When an album sounds this sonically fantastic, when the instrumentals are as crisp and crystal clear as they are, it can sometimes highlight aspects of a song that feel underwritten as a result. At no point on the album do I think U2 is bringing bad ideas, instead they come through with a lot of song ideas that are ALMOST great, but consistently fall a bit flat for me. With that being said, even the less-than-stellar moments on this album are decently enjoyable, just not ones I'm compelled to return to.
Bones and All sound track !!!!! Surprised it came out in the 80s because this reminds me of the 2000s, their commercials and all the other songs that sound like it know. I wish I heard it in the context when it came out
Dieses Album hat mit den ersten drei Songs sein Pulver bereits verschossen. With Or Without You ist natürlich ein Übersong. Schlechte drei Sterne.
It sure was a U2 album. Kind of enjoyable, but nothing special.
Ok
Ne volim u2, ali je album okej - koliko kod njih može biti, jel.
First 3 songs were 🔥. Rest was mid at best
The first three songs are stadium shakers. Bullet the Blue Sky has Bono get some deep growly color which is cool. Red Hill Mining Town is boring. as is generally the back bit of the album.
3/5. The first half of the album are all amazing songs but it significantly drops in quality. If this was a 4 song EP it would be a 5/5.
First 3 songs are solid, but maybe just because I've heard them before. Bullet the blue sky - not really sure about this. talky songs are hit or miss. maybe just dated stylistically Red Hill Mining town and In God's Country - decent oh no there's harmonica overall a good listen. Probably won't throw this on again but wouldn't be upset if it was on.
It's ok. I still think they're overrated. And Bono's voice gets on my nerves. There I said it
"U2 é muito ruim, não comprem o CD do U2!" Ronald Rios
listenable I guess..
hittiputki, tosin b-puolella lässähtää. ja mitä on lopun hyssyttely? oikeesti kyllä hyvää stadionrockia
6/10 some good songs but worse than All That You can't etc..
It's fine. U2 is sort of tired
The first four songs are probably the most well-known of u2’s career. But let’s talk about the others. They… don’t really go anywhere. I was not impressed and found myself wandering. But then, I was never a big fan of U2 so there you go.
Don’t really understand the hype, not my type of rock
Älskar amerikkka
Crazy how decent this album is
Not a U2 fan, but fair play to the boys, this is not a bad stadium rock album. It's focus on Americana seems to make it think it's more important than it actually is. It's also heavily front loaded. Best Tracks: Where the Streets Have No Name; I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For; With or Without You
Not really a fan of U2, but there's no denying this is their career-defining album. Frequently listed as one of the greatest albums ever, blah, blah blah...it has it's great moments. So many of their classic tracks are on here and they hold up pretty well even today, but after those I feel there's a drop off in quality. I won't let my bias against Bono influence my opinion (too much) and say the album is fine, but not taste.
Every track on Side 1 is single-worthy, but together they lack cohesion and flow. 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For', in particular, doesn't seem to fit the aesthetic of the album. Side 2 is less commercial but a lot more consistent and evocative of big sky America. Despite the front loading the hits, there is just about enough in common to tie the two sides together. 'Running To Stand Still' also aids the transition from Side 1 to Side 2. A strong album, but could have been more enjoyable with different sequencing. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: With Or Without You Date listened: 04/10/22
- Already listened before - Great 3 tracks to open the album - Rest is good, but samey sounding - Fav songs: With or Without You, Where the Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
"I hate U2..." "You too?" "That's what I said."
Really good chill album for background music, but nothing really sticks to my brain.
For me it was only about the hits
I don't really mind U2, but there are a few things that make this album not a great album to me. First of all it's the production. The echo, background synth orchestration, extra choir in songs like Red Hill Mining Town really take away from the songs. Secondly, the album drops off after the first four songs. After the absolute highlight of this album (Bullet The Blue Sky) the album becomes a bit forgettable, with the exception of One Tree Hill It's really not bad, but also not great and I've never really understood the U2 fans' reverence for this album.
like some of the hits but generally not my jam
Not very interesting to me
It was fine. I've heard most of these songs before but I can't say that I understand the appeal.
A couple high points, but overall, nothing that made me feel strongly.
Maybe a 3 is a bit unfair, but I know this is not an album I’ll return to. The famous songs are good but the rest just don’t really hit for me
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: With or without you
The first three tracks are hard to argue with unless you already hate U2. I mean, Bono is an acquired taste. Probably less back then than now. But anyway, the first three songs are very strong. And if the rest of the album could've kept up that pace, it would be a five-star album. 'Where the Streets Have No Name' sets a scene that the rest of the album doesn't quite live up to. They do stay in their bucket the whole time - there's not a late album polka or anything. And 'In God's Country' is a nice little boost toward the end there. Through, there's the jangly U2 sound that lets you know who you're listening to, and that's comforting for some reason. So - it starts strong, it fades into nice background. Three stars.
B 5/10 A 4/10 toujours pareil
U2. Every song sounded similar. Had it on in the background and was a nice listen but wasnt fully concentrating on the music so cant pick out particular songs except one tree hill sounds alright as im typing this
Really tricky to listen to U2 objectively for me these days, ever since the now infamous iTunes incident. This is a stonking album which opens with some stone cold anthems, but for me I prefer Achtung Baby and Zooropa as complete albums.
Better than expected
There are a couple of really great songs. Classics, now. But I've never really been a fan of this band. I like their hits but have never owned an album and never liked anything outside of their hits.
Was expecting a lot more from this than I got. A really strong start with those first three tracks, but even those are a bit elongated and could've done with shaving off a minute apiece. The rest is just a bit dull. Middle of the range 3, really all because of the beginning.
Songs for easy listening on a road trip while you're driving down a highway with the windows down. (Outside, it's America.) It has that old-school masculine energy that's compelling sometimes but a little melodramatic and tiring unless the atmosphere is right. Bruce Springsteen does it better. So does Simon & Garfunkel. I don't find the component parts of these songs (vocals, melodic line, percussion etc) too interesting but a few of the songs (With or Without You, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For) are memorable on their own outside the context of the album.
Not too bad, recognized a few of the songs. Lowkey has a worship vibe to it, but it’s nice.
This album is weird for me the first 4 songs are really good but the rest if the album is hit or miss and never really reaches the best parts of the first 4 songs.
I'll admit that I was a bit biased going into this with my feelings towards Bono and U2. Overall the first couple songs were really catchy but the rest of the album was just ok. I didn't hate listening to this as much as I had expected. I wouldn't add it to my regular rotation of music I listen to but I enjoyed the experience enough to maybe later down the line giving this another listen.
Kinda cool ngl
I have to admit the first half is pretty strong. Kinda falls off a bit though towards the end.
3.4 - not a huge U2 fan, but thought this was a solid album. Some classics on here - especially the first 3 tracks. Album tapers off a bit toward the end, but easy to see why this band and album were so big at the time.
Why are they all on one side of the album art? Why do they have two different songs about hills? First three songs are p good but then falls off after that (I wonder what this project would look like if you only rated the hits from each album)
Better than expected for U2. First half of the album was begrudginly good, the second half dragged a bit, but I understand why people enjoy so much. 3.5.
Hmmmmmm ok, love it, frst three songs are an absolute vibe. Heard them while cycling home from an unforgettable night. The album couldn't keep my attention though. 3
Salvo las tres conocidas, un poco rollo.
Partially slapped.
It opens with three of the biggest stadium rock anthems you could ask for, and the rest of the album just kind of happens
This is my second favorite U2 album, for me it starts very strong then it drags into the barely enjoyable… I actually think that my favorite songs by them are from albums which are not on this list, Stay and If God Will Send His Angels are great songs but it’s been a quarter of century since those, why is U2 still a thing?
3.5
Earnest and well-meaning in '87; pompous and self-important in '25. But give credit where credit it due. Fathomless self-belief alone produces this material. They ought to bottle it up and sell it.
I’m on a road trip right now and bored out of my mind so what better way to cure boredom than to listen to a whole new album? Sadly, this album didn't help cure my boredom since it's kinda boring itself. It sounded like what I imagine walking through an endless desert dying slowly of dehydration sounds like, mind nulling.
gangs of new york credit sequence trauma
Pretty good actually
J'ai écouté cet album perché sur la Tour Eiffel et croyez-le ou non, ça ne m'a pas empêché de confirmer mon hypothèse selon laquelle With Or Without You est une chanson surcôtée.
it was an announcement in 1987, now it has badly grown old
Great start to the album with 3 classics but it tails off in the middle before ending well.
starts strong but is ultimately weaker than some of their other albums 3.5
Good listen, will listen to some more U2 after this but the sound quality of the actual album felt tinny, wasn't a fan
This is pretty OK. Sorry I don't have anything more intelligent to say.
I am not a big U2 fan. There are 3 well known songs on this album and they are all at the beginning. The rest of the album is just ok. I still would not say I would listen to this whole album again but it is better than some.
Seriously? Wow. This album is GOOD. I've never listened to it in its entirety. And WTSHNN as an opening track?? WTF. Tho I'm not a U2 fan, I'd lisiten to this again.
Ugh. I should hate this more than I do according to, "people" but fuck them, it's got some catchy ones. This album is very middle of the road 2pm traffic updates coming next. It's sponge cake with decent jam; the excitement of junk mail when you've been at home too long; that clean numb feeling of strange teeth after the dentist's given you a really full-on polish; the smell of opening a jar of Asda's own brand instant; landscapes you don't remember in the family photo album; the back of the head of the person next in queue which is the twin for your presumably long dead school teacher's pate.
My natural, intrinsic hatred of Bono will have to be put aside here. Not least because the first three songs are all brilliant - I can't deny reality here. Where the Streets Have No Name, Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For and With or Without You are all canon. The run couldn't be endless though. Thankfully Bullet the Blue Sky is the sort of bland Yankophilia that defines everything wrong about U2, and would define their output after about 1995. Running to Stand Still is pleasant but slight. It then chugs along, not overly excitingly. The last few tracks have a dark, moody feel to them, but I'd be hard pressed to remember much about the back end of this album. On the first three tracks, this'd be a five star album. On everything hence, two stars. I'm rounding down, cos there's more of the latter than the former.
Ça part (vraiment !) en force avec les 4 premières chansons, mais ça drop de plus en plus après. Mais ça reprend bien avec les deux dernières.
норм
Beginning of the end for U2 imo. The transition from alternative to stadium rockers is apparent here, and whilst they got bigger from here this was the last U2 album I enjoyed.
Great album
I see the appeal, the first half of songs being very catchy, strong 3
The songs are decent, just don’t do anything for me
had a negative image about U2 due to their later work. didn't hate this, but also wouldn't go out of my way to listen again despite some pretty nice tunes
The big songs are big and very good
I can see why they were so popular. It's a little like if the Andriod default music got a little more exciting, though
It's okay but a lot of it just sounds like generic rock music? I don't really get the hype
Rating this one higher than expected for how modern it sounds and how gracefully it has aged. The band still may be riding the success of being the first outfit to use a delay pedal on every song, but the compositions, productions, and rare 80s tendency not to overindulge in dated synths makes it seem at least some of that success was warranted.
Some good songs, some schlocky schlock.
A few good songs ("Bullet in the Blue Sky", "In God's Country", "Trip Through Your Wires"), but as an album not memorable.
It's not bad, it's more or less a pass for me. Couple of bangers on here. It's a cool atmospheric album. But I can never figure out if I like Bonos voice or not.
First time I listened to the full album... These guys might go places
Good at first but the end let me down.
First 3 songs are huge, not a fan of U2 but this is a great album. Can see why it’s on the list, the impact it had on U2 and music at the time.
Good
Full of week known hits. Not my cup of tea but I liked it
Classic.
The first half of the album I have heard before and have loved for years, the rest was far less memorable.
Kinda had some soothing rap vibes, not all of it was my jam. Interesting black experience dialogue though.
Anthemic stadium rock. Sounds like contemporary worship music, although that's not U2's fault. Very front-loaded album. Split up the hits, kids!
some meh, some ok
OK couple of songs I heard before, but forgot about.
Started well but tailed off
pretty good album but not really for me i can appreciate it contextually, it’s an impressive show for something from the 80s i don’t know, maybe I should listen to it again, but off a first impression I’ll give it a 6/10
It's good, it's atmospheric, it's well produced. Some cracking songs, some filler.
they're cool and evocative, but I was a little bored tbh.
Personalmente no es de mi gusto, demasiado pop. Algunas buenas melodías
Melancholy
First of the album is all the big hits, with that jangly guitar / ephemeral U2 sound, and of course Bono's pipes. Polished and skillful, but not my style. Greatly preferred Bullet the Blue Sky.
It's a fine album though a little over-rated. The production is overly dark with the guitars buried, perhaps even dated sounding. But the songs are pretty good though, again over-rated and over played. A pretty enjoyable listen though. 3 5 🌟
Too poppy
Quite boring. Except song 3 and 4. But like bullet better on r&h. Some songs even painfull to hear.... the torture of bono's voice..... Maybe i need high quality speakers.... 3 because i liked it in the past.
This album has some great hits but the latter half of the album isn’t anything special. Feels like it attempts to be better than it is. Overall it’s above average though. 6.6/10
It didn’t age as well as I expected….
An amazing opening with three fantastic tracks back to back. The remainder is just a tad samey and unremarkable. Solidified my belief that U2 are one of the most overrated bands in the world.
pretty nice
I still don’t get the popularity behind U2 but it was an interesting album nontheless!
4 great opening songs in a row "Through the storm, we reach the shore You give it all but I want more" Great song, used perfectly in friends lots of religious references throughout the album is running to stand still about dublin/heroin? u2 at this time are one of the best examples of a band which are better than the sum of their parts no disrespect to them individually Brian eno is a genius this is a strong 3 possibly a 4 but very front heavy with first 4 tracks and then a bit tedious in parts
solido 8/10
For me it's a 3.5/5, but it leans more towards a 3/5, than a 4/5, if you know what I mean.
A classic of course. Nice way to start my day.
It's U2.
Lush instrumentation with some brilliantly written songs. However, quite a few of the deeper cuts fell flat for me.
Starts off great with the four hits that got tons of airplay. If I rate as an album, not that great.
some songs I already knew very calm songs, but nice to listen to
Opening salvo of 'Where The Streets Have No Name', 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' and 'With Or Without You' is as good a start to an album as any. The rest of the record doesn't quite live up to that opening but still chugs along nicely, nailing it’s anthemic, stadium filling rock brief. Meanwhile, Coldplay called and said thanks for the inspo.
Tricky 3 or 4 Good album on the whole. Flows really well. One tree hill is a stand out track.
Good album, lotta songs I forgot about
Honestly more boring than i expected. The opener is great though.
É bom, tem algumas das melhores músicas deles.
Did you ever notice how "Where the Streets Have No Name" kind of lifts its intro build-up from "Pinball Wizard"? Solid pop crossover record. As Tim put it well, this signified the end of one era for U2 and the beginning of one full of mainstream success that often blunted their more insurgent, early sensibilities. This album ushers in an era that produced some of the best and some of their most cringe-inducing music, but it's hard to hold that against this record in particular, because it's altogether well-done, if not a little too well-done. Favourite track: "With or Without You"
U2 sounds like a bank commercial.
Bij U2 erger ik me soms hoe geforceerd het gezang van Bono soms klinkt. Ook nu merk ik dezelfde frustratie hier in op. Goeie nummers, dat wel
You know, not a big U2 fan but this album does have like all of their hits. It’s a good album with good songs, I just am not a huge fan of the U2 sound.
Mit ungefähr 17 hab ich mir mal ein T-Shirt gekauft, per Sammelbestellung beim Frontline-Mailorder, darauf stand sehr groß "KILL BONO", garniert mit einem Revolver. Fand ich eine sehr witzige Idee und hatte ungefähr 3 Wochen lang viel Spaß dran. Als das Shirt dann ankam hatte sich der Gag irgendwie schon totgelaufen und ich hab's eigentlich nie angezogen. Weiß gar nicht wo das gelandet ist; wahrscheinlich hat meine Mutter es heimlich weggeworfen weil schlimm. Was ich nur sagen wollte: U2 war damals die Musik der Leute von denen man sich abgrenzen musste; nicht die ganz großen Arschlöcher zwar, aber beschränkt, uncool, dorfig. Hab das Album also nie gehört. Jetzt mit 35 Jahren Abstand: was ist das für ein Move, die Platte mit 3 der größten Singles der 80er Jahre anzufangen, wer kommt denn auf sowas? Und vor allem: was soll denn kommen, nach sowas? Zentrales Problem scheint mir zu sein, dass die Latte so hoch liegt und das The-Edge-Denkmal aus so festem Granit gehauen, dass alles dahinter wie Filler wirkt. Mir entsteht der Eindruck, dass Pathos und Emphase der zentrale USP von U2 sind: wo Eno und Lanois diese großflächig draufgekleistert haben, bekommen wir Welthits, nehmen sie es zurück, sind die Songs bisschen Durchschnitt - und Bonos Stimme nervt dann doch zu sehr. Fazit: ich würde mir das T-Shirt nicht mehr bestellen, bereue aber nichts.
It’s Interesting how polarizing this band is. Their musicianship is good, the production by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno is certainly good but after hearing the singles from this album for the gazillionth time and Bono acting like a douche I’ve put up a mental wall against them. But I’m trying to be objective here in rating this album so I’ll bump it up to a 3.
Surprisingly good
Starts off powerfully, but wanders off toward the end. 3.5
Decent classic rock. First three songs are by far the best songs. 7/10
Not a big U2 fan but this song has a ton of well known hits and was honestly better than I remembered.
Good old U2, with those tunes that have permeated pop culture. An enjoyable listening experience but not much out of the ordinary
Great album, classic sound and songwriting by U2. Always a great listen and takes me back to when it was released. Still holds up as great album years later.
This has some real belters on it that know how naff they are and they just don’t care. Sadly the whole things falls off a cliff in the middle RIP
Kinda pop-ish, but not bad
Such a famous album. I totally see the appeal, it’s just not my style. The songs are catchy, but at the same time don’t stick with me, if that makes any sense.
Some great songs and some duds. I don't have a problem with this album being on this list, but it's not stellar all the way through
It's a truly great album, but aside from the singles I really couldn't connect with it. It's very focused on America, obviously, and yeah pleasant but not mindblowing!