Reviews (page 13 of 15)
Très très bon album. Il manque une petite touche de magie pour que je mette 5 et parce que je suis difficile.
Loved this when it came out, listened to it on my Walkman constantly!
Sure sure sure
A freaking experience. The soundscapes and themes covered make this a masterpiece from U2
I found the first two tracks (two of the hit songs) to be good, but not as GREAT as many think them to be. I found the singing to be quite obnoxious at times on these songs, but they still sounded interesting enough for me to enjoy them. Unfortunately, the album IMPLODES in epic fashion from here. For the remainder of the album, we are forced to listen to Bono WANK himself and moan over bland instrumentals. I found just about every track after the third song to be anywhere from completely mediocre, to REPULSIVE and SOOOO PRETENTIOUS. I definitely get the sense that this Bono boy has a seriously INFLATED ego with the way he always moans and flaunts his voice for everyone to hear. GIVE ME A BREAK. Overall, this is a project I CERTAINLY will never be returning to outside of the first two tracks. I have heard from some online that their earlier works are not as PRETENTIOUS as this album was, so I will make sure to give their earlier creations a chance still. 2/10
some very good but most pretty average
For decades, I’ve harbored what I can only describe as a bias against U2, dating back to junior high. I couldn't explain it, but the mass appeal felt like a form of social engineering, where expressing dislike for the band was met with confusion and could even strain friendships. Just try saying "I hate U2" in the presence of exactly two people and you might be attacked! While their music has been an unavoidable fixture of pop culture—they were, after all, the first to play the Las Vegas Sphere—I have slowly warmed to them. I found "One" to be a singularly impressive track and even appreciated their work in the early 2000s with "Vertigo." But it was their foundational, household-name-making work that I could never grasp. This album, specifically, has always eluded me. Listening to The Joshua Tree deliberately for the first time, I can no longer deny its immense, cinematic drive. "Bullet the Blue Sky" is the track that truly resonates—a brilliant, searing piece that cuts through any preconceived notions. I suppose the band has finally worn me down, but the appreciation is genuine; the album’s atmospheric rhythms and the sheer conviction in Bono's voice are undeniably transportive. Perhaps it's the passage of time that allows for this perspective. Like a younger Bono, I once might have dismissed this as "unpunk," but decades later, it's clear this epic, earnest sound is exactly what U2 was destined to become.
If there's a U2 album worth owning, this is it.
Eerste 3 nummers? Hits, hits hits Streets have no name is toch best een mooi nummer. With or without you is niet helemaal mijn ding Idunno. Denk niet dat dit album mijn mening veranderd. Vond het grotendeels toch een beetje meh. Album is een beetje saai naar mijn mening.
Ik ben geen fan van langdurig Bono's stemgeluid moeten aanhoren, met With or Without You als zeikerig crescendo. Het gitaarwerk is iconisch, maar voelt toch wel als veel van het zelfde, vooral op de eerste helft van het album. Trip Through Your Wires is een aangename afwisseling, maar niet mijn smaak. Favorieten: Where The Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
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.
Nice listen, couple of classis on it. Never listened before
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
Listened quite recently and still love this album. I think this and Achtung Baby took them from borderline Christian/protest rock into a pop-oriented outfit with a unique and innovative sound. There are no bad songs on this album, and several all-time classics. Vocals, instruments, and production are impeccable.
In my top 10 all time. Red Hill Mining Town is underrated
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.
Guilty pleasure...? I think not. This is U2 before everything else came along, the soundtrack to my transition between middle and high school. Never was a huge fan of the band the way I am of this album.
Gotta thank Kate K for cluing me into one of my all-time faves so I can skulk in and drop a review. The way this album starts always made me think of being underground in a big pipe - that hollow, metal sound - and then suddenly I'm at church, kneeling, waiting for mass to begin, with the quiet, serene organ reverberating across the vacuous sanctuary. I love the diversity of the songs on this album. It shows the broad range of influences on them, their own unique sound in different kinds of songs. The delay effect is synonymous with U2 and any other song that uses it can't escape the association (for better or worse). I love how the Edge's guitar groans as the "city groans" in Bullet the Blue Sky and how the drums sound like gunshots and how it sounds like it was recorded in a tiny basement room. These good Irish Catholic boys' beliefs come through (every Catholic carries the cross of one's shame). Running to Stand Still is the most haunting to me--that harmonica is so sorrowful. One of my bucket list items was to see U2 live. Brian gave that to me when they went on their Joshua Tree tour. As cheesy as it sounds, it was the closest I have come to a religious experience -- not in a religious sense, but in a spiritual, other-worldly sense, where you feel like you enter some kind of buzzing, perfect zone. My ears rang for a couple of days - one of the loudest shows I've ever been to. It was all I hoped it to be and more. So yeah...had to come back here to give it a solid 4.
The first three tracks on "The Joshua Tree" have you hoping that its a star-scale-breaking greatest-of-all-time album. Those three songs are untouchable. But "Bullet the Blue Sky," while not a bad song, doesn't fit the album. After that, there is a nice run of impressive Americana/folk rock for some lads from Dublin, but things drag a bit towards the end. Ultimately, the promise of "Where the Streets Have No Name," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," and "With or Without You" only led to a bit of disappointment.
This may be THE seminal album of the late 1980's, vaulting U2 from a scrappy Irish act to a massive powerhouse of stadium tours and influential pop-rock. The Edge pretty much re-invented himself as a guitarist, discovering inspiration in classic blues, and his echo-laden delays in the opening riff of the album's first track, Where the Streets Have No Name, announced a new power-house sound for the band and gave him a signature sound. Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton, who could barely play their instruments just a few albums earlier, lay down their tightest rhythm grooves in such songs as I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Bullet the Blue Sky, and In God's Country. And then there's Bono, doing what a front-man singer-songwriter does best. He brings all of his attitude, bombast, nuance and creativity to lyrics that are important, yet catchy. The political shadings (Bullet The Blue Sky, Red Hill Mining Town, etc.) are subversively pointed, some of the best global perspectives painted in this era where great songs & albums made an effort to bring awareness and effect change in the world. (Artists today could take a few pages from that book...). So many of the songs got such huge airplay that many probably feel they were played out. But really listening to the songs makes it clear why they struck such a chord and became so popular. And those tracks that didn't become hits are still better than 90% of the music on other albums then and now. Some people have found it trendy to not like U2 since their stardom has waned, and can justify not giving it 5 stars. But anything less than a 4-star rating expresses an ignorance of musical history and creative expression. For me, it's a no-brainer.
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.
More confused than ever at how popular U2 are, especially this record. It’s not terrible. They arent terrible. But it isnt great either. Hated the first 3 songs - each one sounded tiresome and strained. Like theyd found a catchy hook and wanted to drag it out over and over and over. But then Bullet the Blue Sky came on which has a totally different sound. Almost Nick Cave at times in terms of the vocals. I’d go as far as saying the non-singles are what saves this album. Enjoyed Bullet the Blue Sky, In Gods Country, One Tree Hill, and Exit. None are amazing, but decent enough. Seems to me that when they arent striving to write a stadium rock song they aren’t too shabby. Either way, I wont be returning to this. It’s ok. Nout special. Dont get the hype. 2.5
Awful, like Phil Collins all the songs have completely rounded edges, anything interesting is sanitised for mass appeal. Anything that seems like it might be worth listening to is repeated for ages until you forget how it could have been interested in the first place. With or without you is the best track and it's terrible.
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
Kinda begrudgingly didn't mind this. Much better than achtung baby that we've had previously, but mostly because I knew the hits on this album. Still not a u2 fan and I don't think I ever will be, but didn't dislike it like I thought I would. It's still all just so safe and dull though. Nothing remotely exciting here either With or without you is probably the best track, although not sure I would be bothered if I never heard it again.... They also look like knobs on the album cover 2.5, I enjoyed Alanis more so this is getting 2
Finally, this website is talking U2 to me. This band gets a lot of flack, but they have a lot of great stuff attached to their name. The Joshua Tree is one of their strongest. You can't go wrong with their roaring stadium anthems, and even though there's a little bit of a lull somewhere in the middle, things pick back up by the last third. And then it ends with two quiet but amazing tracks - the dark and brooding Exit, and the beautiful Mothers of the Disappeared. A nearly perfect album! Besides those two finishing songs, standouts are Where the Streets Have No Name and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. Obviously.
U2's music is just plain boring. It's the first thing you get when you Google the meaning of the word 'boring', it's the kind of music you put on when you're trying to fall asleep. Still later U2's albums prove thatsometimes it is better to be boring than to be straight up horrible, so I give them the 2 stars for that
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.
.5 more for having my name in it 3.5
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.
Good. U2 has a weird sound for me cause they’re a meme in my mind. Bono mainly. Think it’s cause we listened to them so much as kids. But the album is solid, and they’re sound is pretty distinct compared to most. Plus they have some bangers. Can’t deny they made solid music here.
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.
Class album
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
It’s not a bad album.
This album starts with one of the greatest series of tracks starting with ‘Where the Streets Have no Name’ and ending with ‘With or Without You.’ This is simply U2 at their best. Loosely themed around a mythical version of America, the album weaves through American rock idioms while staying true to U2’s signature blend of jangly new wave inspired rock. If you’re looking to learn about popular music, this album is inescapable, and for very good reason.
Moderately interesting songs rolled in echo/delay glitter.
have always loved...
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
Orribile!
Great songs from beginning to end. Bono's vox were great and the music is stimulating. Top record.
Find, I begrudgingly admit that u2 can occasionally do some great stuff
always thought I didn't like U2, but I really enjoyed this album. 4
This album really drops off after the first three songs.
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
Those first three tracks really cement their status as rock stars. They're soaring and expensive and bring to mind vast landscapes and stadium concerts. The rest of the album has some high points but doesn't quite reach those same heights as the singles.
Where the streets have no name; I still haven't found what I'm looking for; with or without you; running to stand still; one tree hill; trip through your wire; exit; in god's country; bullet the blue sky
I know the back half is weak, but the front half is nothing short of euphoric. More than balances out the overall quality.
Much as I hate to admit it... This is actually a pretty good album. I mean, U2 are universally accepted to be awful. Bono is a giant turd. But "with or without you" is annoyingly good. And it isn't the only good track on there. I'd say that this is one of those ones where you really want to dislike it. You really should dislike it. But it's just good enough to surmount the hill of U2 being shite.
Good! didn’t know anything about U2 music wise but it was pleasantly good!
I wondered if I would enjoy this album in full knowing how well loved it is. Sometimes I completely agree with the popuoarity of an album, and this is one of those times.
Before the lemons. Before the messiah complex. Before Adam Clayton’s lolling penis on the inlay of ‘Achtung Baby’. Before any of these divisive factors, there was ‘The Joshua Tree’ and holy shit, it is incredible. This is U2's magnum opus and for my money one of the Top 10 albums in history. It has heart, feeling and musicality...beyond that, it is interesting and pleasant to listen to. 5 stars for sure
Good, but a little much at points
It’s wild to me that the wiki page said this was a push for a harder hitting sound. As someone who hasn’t heard a U2 album before this, I can only imagine their previous albums were marketed as sleep aids. Everything is so soft and rounded off like the album was childproofed. Truly one of the albums of all time.
Got good for a bit after the hits the slowed down
A truly classic album, with huge radio friendly hits. However, for me it’s the lesser played “Trip through Your Wires” , “Running to Stand Still” and “One Tree Hill” that are subtle favorites. 5/5
It’s u2 never cared for them, however, not a bad album.
Mostly good. I really liked some of these songs, but a few missed the mark for me.
Peak U2 for me I think. Great mix of pop-ish hits and fold/country. Heartfelt messages.
This album is one of my top 10 records. Each song is a masterpiece. The production, lyrics, energy, etc. hits me in the right places. Anytime. Anywhere.
The Joshua Tree is as close to a perfect album as you can get. This album is U2 at their best - the enormous and grandiose sound is backed up by earnest and heartfelt emotions and incredible songwriting and musicianship. From a band from Dublin no less, this album perfectly captures the American spirit - from the restless optimism to the inherent contradictions and deep rooted inequities that afflict us. It's the ideal road-trip album, and one I will love for the rest of my life.
This album is just so ridiculously good. The hits are iconic, and the other tracks match their feel and are just as good. I'll always appreciate U2 for having a truly unique sound. Favorite track: Red Hill Mining Town
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.
This is the last album of theirs I really like. It builds on the raw sounds of their early music without going over the top, like their later stuff.
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.
I didn't care for this when it came out. Scratch that. I didn't care for Bono when this came out. I still don't. But man, the hits truly are astounding on here. And so are some of the album tracks. But it's also two tracks too long, and when it misses, it makes me want to slap Bono upside the head. Still, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. The Edge's sound is so epic here.
U2’s magnum opus. Expansive, without being too pompous.
Hieman tylsähköä ja rauhallista rockia. Toki U2 parhaat kappaleet on tässä mutta silti aika vaisu
Gorgeous album that opens with a stunning back-to-back-to-back opening three tracks, "Where the Streets Have No Name," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," and "With or Without You." I also love the hard rocking "Bullet the Blue Sky" and the more country "Trip Through Your Wires" (that harmonica!) Great listen beginning to end, nothing but excellent music.
The first three tracks are obviously the standout ones here and are some of U2's best. All three have the potential to be the best U2 song for me depending on the mood I'm in that day ("Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Years Day" are probably my solid top 2 U2 songs now that I think of it), so it's really an impressive way to start an album. I think this is album is where they started to define more of their more recent/modern sound, like more diversity in Bono's lyrics (with more positivity), and the really unique guitar style of the Edge coming through in all of it's tremolo reverby echoy goodness. Unfortunately tracks 4-11 are just no where near as monumentally good as the first 3. It's like the band knew this and really front-loaded the record to make sure that people wouldn't give up on it and not get to the good ones if they were more spread out. It's kind of a shame because that really solidifies this as a 4/5 for me and if it had maybe 2 more songs of equal quality to the first 3 tracks then it would easily be a 5. The rest of the songs aren't bad at all, but they are just not in the timeless realm as the first 3. Still an amazing record though.
I've never been a fan of U2 and never understood why they were so popular. This album helped me understand a little bit. It was quite good.
Saw the Joshua Tree revival tour. Excellent!
As fun as it is to make fun of Bono, he still has one of the best ears for melodies and hooks in rock music. This album literally starts with 3 of the greatest songs ever written, and Edge's guitar tone is stunning. The album becomes more sombre towards the end, and the last few tracks feel like sucker punches to the chest. A masterclass in songwriting.
BIG important 80s album when I was 13. Absolutely loved this LP. Still sounds good. Hard to find a better first three sonhsshit singles on an LP that isn’t a Greatest Hits compilation!
Reading about this album, it’s consistently rated as one of the best ever made. I can definitely see how good it is but the singles on here have been used in so many commercials it’s staggering.
Top 10 all time !
Classic!
Nostalgia maybe? Great album. But, over time I find less and less of a need to listen.
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
Starts off so strong with the first three songs and keeps going strong till the end.
I’ve mostly ignored U2. But this is a solid album.
While I think U2 is completely overrated in the last 10-15 years, this is a phenomenal album.
Classic U2
Classic example of an album that starts out really strong, and fades to mediocrity.
Hot take: this album is good. Favorite track (besides the obvious ones): Trip Through Your Wires
Vinilo total.
This was awesome! I’m not big on U2, as like many, I find them insufferable pompous buffoons. However, take nothing away from this album. It’s a classic for a reason! The opening three or four tracks are up there with the best opening to any album ever.
- 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
I don't know why, but some of these songs, while high-quality and enjoyable, rub me up the wrong way. I furiously stopped listening to this album on first attempt - it was song 5 which sounded too similar to the first 3... This album made me invent a new entry on the scale - an angry 4: it's too good for a 3, even if it leaves me frustrated at times. Highlight: Bullet The Blue Sky
Pierwsze trzy to kwintesencja u2, reszta ok
Great atmosphere and guitar sound, good dynamics. Sometimes Bono’s a bit much for me but when he wants to be he’s an incredible vocalist. Album starts off extremely strong before tapering off through the middle, but overall this is pretty excellent. Best song: I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
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.
Starts out like a greatest hits album. The rest just feels like half-awake filler.
Classy. I liked the more toned down tracks a bit more.
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.
day 14 and an excellent album to kick off Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S... I've never listened to a U2 album in its entirety, and I have no idea why because Where The Streets Have No Name is easily one of my favorite songs of all time. the opening never fails to give me goosebumps, and it is the perfect representative for what's to come on this album. I really enjoyed reading about what U2 was trying to do here ... "Throughout the sessions, U2 sought a "cinematic" quality for the record, one that would evoke a sense of location, in particular, the open spaces of the United States." ... and they 100% nailed it. that soaring, atmospheric, escapist kinda mysterious sound is what I've been drawn to, and it's captured so well throughout the album. there's a lot to love here aside from the 3 biggies, so my faves that I didn't know before are - Bullet The Blue Sky, One Tree Hill, Running To Stand Still and Exit. it's a solid 5/5 for me and I'm looking forward to diving deeper to appreciate it even more.
Soothing
I was blown away.
The lads from Liverpool done it again
Can clearly hear the influence on other bands I enjoy. Good album.
Good album. Lots of hits on side a
There’s genuinely fewer bands which frustrate me more than U2. Bono is an unabashed cunt, but a talented cunt. The Edge is an absolute extraordinaire who introduced an entire spectrum of possibilities for what a guitar could sound like. The band’s early output, I believe, showcases these elements at their very best, and I was pleasantly surprised by Achtung Baby as a late period gem earlier in this project. But the Joshua Tree is the record which supposedly captures U2 at the peak of their powers (and popularity), and I was looking forward to hearing some of the deep cuts on this record. The lyrical themes aside (they’re obviously shite), I wasn’t that impressed by the overall tone they were going for on this record. For the most part, it’s just a really pedestrian record. The singles are well known by now, but apart from that there isn’t really much else to highlight. While The Edge blazes yet more trails from a production perspective, the absence of strong riffs relegates him so far to the background he’d have been as well just playing in the fucking deserts the band were so evidently captivated by. “Where the Streets have no Name” is the obligatory master stroke, but where that track is chiming, anthemic and deeply urgent, the rest of the record barely jerks itself from a sonambulent state. On the whole, quite disappointing from a band that are capable of so much better.
It’s ok
Overrated
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.
Bunch of huge hits
This may be the strongest string of starting ballad tracks on any album. But, the rest of the album falls a bit short after such a strong start. Both of my parents absolutely love U2 so this one has a strong nostalgic factor for me.
I like this one, but it lost me a little bit in the middle. Man I just feel like singing along to the first three tracks. A mix of “stadium” rock, post punk and folk. I like Bono’s voice. I wouldn’t say it’s technical but it is very expressive and unique. Also like the guitar tone, crisp sound with a lot of delay, and the playing is mostly rhythmic. 1/2/3/10
Not a massive U2 fan, but this is a good album. Best songs: Still haven't found, streets have no name. with or without you. Slightly fades towards the end.
One of the most front loaded albums I've listened to, but was quite happy with the rest of the tracks after the three heavy hitters where out of the way. Will come back for more listens to further my education.
One of the greatest albums of all time. Unfairly good.
U2 wrote some of the most iconic singles of the 20th century and three of them - the first three tracks - are on this album.
I am not too excited for today's album; I've been known to traditionally not like U2's music. I have never, however, sat down and listened to a full album of theirs either, so we will see how this goes. Right off the bat, three of their "hits" play back to back: Where the Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, and With or Without You. I am familiar with these songs, and don't particularly like any of them. It may be because radio stations have literally played them to death, or it may be the ethereal, slow, elevator music-esque atmosphere that all of their songs have, but I just don't like the music, I don't have a reason why. Also, a minute passes before anything happens in Where the Streets Have No Name for some reason. Bono's try-hard, angst filled vocal delivery is just grating. Leave it to Bono to not look at the camera for the album cover photo. He probably saw a koala in distress. What a tool. I think my favourite story about Bono is that one time, Shane McGowan (lead singer of the Pogues) was crashing with Bono for a time. Bono's house was quite handy to a busy railroad. Droves of people went by on the train every day to see Shane flapping his cock at them in the window of Bono's home, unbeknownst to Bono. Bono got the blame, and promptly kicked Shane out. Overall, this is bland Walmart rock. I just don't like U2. I will never listen again if I can help it. Favorite songs: Bullet the Blue Sky, Trip Through Your Wires (the little bit of energy this album has is during these two songs) Least favorite songs: the whole beige, bland album. 2/5
sucky
U2 is the worst band that has ever existed. Do not listen to this.
Strong 7
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!
First or second best from this band, all time.
Excellent overall and extremely well made. It feels very much in earnest and is completely accessible, if not their edgiest, angriest or even most authentic work. Indeed, this is state of art, late '80s with decent range from "One Tree Hill" and "Tripped" to "Bullet the Blue Sky" and the quietly powerful "Running to Stand Still." A mature and confident band operating near the peak of its powers, which are not to everyone's taste, one understands (especially as Bono has grown well-nigh insufferable down the years). Last few cuts represent a weak ending, or at least a significant drop from the extraordinarily strong first 8 of 10 cuts. But one can't quibble about the big hits being overrated (primarily because they're no longer so overexposed) or too obvious. One's even sensitive to Greil Marcus argument that U2 is just kind of boring. But what he misses is the compelling and earwormishly hookiness of Edge's approach and power of Bono's voice (overpowered by excessive commitment though it sometimes is). Even if not quite as good War, Boy and Unforgettable Fire (one's personal faves), this is awfully strong overall.
Good rock n roll, uh, music
Nothing but good vibes with this album. Been a memorable piece in prevalent instances throughout my life. In 5th grade me and my teacher Mr. Swanson used to talk about this album along with other parts of U2’s discography. It’s also the album I put on during a certain point in a trip to Indiana beach that Mike would know about.
I haven't heard this album in a long time. Obviously, the singles are still playing on the radio every time I get in the car but as a whole album, it's been a WHILE. I've never been a big U2 fan anyway, although I really liked the singles from Achtung Baby. It's also worth noting that U2 is one of those bands that's kinda changed along the way a lot, so when you heard them first makes all the difference. Achtung Baby was my entry point; I was a bit too young for this one. So it's always been the older, softer stuff in syndication... if that makes sense. Ok, I like it a lot more than I remember. The cool delay/reverb/echo that THE EDGE just put on fucking everything... you'd think it'd be overkill, but somehow it's not. It's a bit long, dragged on towards the end. It's actually... kinda amazing any of those songs became hit singles. I recognise all the non-single tracks, too. Didn't think I was that au fait with U2. This is an easy 4/5 and I'll listen again for sure. Am I getting old and boring? I turned 39 the other day, now I'm genuinely enjoying a U2 album. Might as well start blending all my meals now lol.
Starts off very strong, but lost interest towards the end. Not bad.
The zenith of U2's career. It would slowly go downhill after this brilliant album. Everyone talks about the first three tracks and yes, they are fantastic. But Running to Stand Still and Mothers of the Disappeared are hidden gems that should get more credit.
2.75
*The Joshua Tree* is the perfect example of a good album that just missed being great by a hairline. It opens with three legendary tracks suggesting this is the band's magnum opus. To be fair, many hardcore fans of U2 believed it was indeed a magnum opus at the time it came out, but go only a couple of years ahead, and it quickly dawned upon you the album didn't age that well, at least with everything that was happening in the music world at the turn of the nineties... The thing is, everything after the first three "hits" in *The Joshua Tree* sounds like a *relative* letdown today. Good songwriting overall, but the dynamics of the album never make you reach the heights you started with again. What you have instead is Bono literally preaching to his flocks, inspired by Americana and its grand, self-serious themes. And depending on my mood, I can grow a little weary of such a routine... U2 made two other very good albums during their long career: *War* and *Achtung Baby* (plus *Zoopropa*, a weird outlier not worthy of this list, yet still containing some interesting "experiments" in it). And each of those records pretty much have the same relative flaws and undeniable assets: they can boast of legendary tracks that will remembered for a long time, but those tunes are also mixed with cuts that are only *good*, and not truly stellar. Just like for *The Joshua Tree*, those albums are 4/5 LPs for me (they're 9/10 records in a way, but I want to focus on the truly "essential" albums for my own selection, hence why I'm so harsh in my current grading). So I will include the three albums in my list, because we're still talking about an iconic band here. But they'll probably at the bottom of it. In other words, I'm glad those records were made, and I'm happy for the fans. But I can live *with or without them*, in a way. 😉 Number of albums left to review: 587 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 199 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 93 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 123
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
Lots of great ones on this album. I especially liked "Running to Stand Still"
Ik vind het leuk.
Het briljante meesterwerk van U2. Legendarisch uitstapje naar americana van de Ierse band. Makkelijk een van de allerbeste albums ooit gemaakt en echoed perfect de weidsheid van Amerika in een fantastische tracklist. leukste nummer: One Tree Hill De Joshua tree van het album ligt inmiddels omgevallen in Death Valley. Dat maakte het echter niet minder leuk om hem in het echt te zien.
Took me right back to high school and made me think of my first high school friend who was also a huge U2 nerd. I don’t really have anything to say about this album that wouldn’t be tainted with so much nostalgia. Listen to it. Love it or don’t. I love it.
BEyond the first three tracks this feels like standard irish folk rock to me
I don’t like U2, or more specifically Bono but I have to admit this was, overall a great album. Some of their tracks are anthemic, the rest were mostly good so an almost reluctant 4* from 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...
Great album! The hits are my favourites, especially With Or Without You.
Aucune track dans cet album n'arrive à la cheville de leur feat avec Green Day
pas surprise
My second favorite U2 album, after Achtung Baby. Joshua Tree is about America
Going into this album listen, I wanted to keep an open mind because I've always had a view of U2 as a bit of a boring band due to the drawn out choruses and slower tempos of most of their big hits. I'm glad I kept an open mind; the deep cuts on this album are so good. Even though I had them pegged as a downbeat band, I still have a strong respect for the Edge as a guitarist and his ability to get creative with pedals, layering and fusing electronic effects with minimalist instrumentation. That ability shows so much stronger once we get through the first 3 hits on the album (tracks 1, 2 & 3). The remaining tracks show more blues, a grittier side of the band that I didn't know existed, and a broader sound palette for the band as a whole. Just really impressed with this album. Bono has great vocals, Edge's guitar work has his signature iconic sound, and the rhythm instruments glue everything together. Unexpected joy. 4.5/5, rounded up. Fave tracks: Bullet The Blue Sky, Red Hill Mining Town, Trip Through Your Wires, Exit
This is an absolute classic. Probably the best among U2s studio albums, while I prefer Rattle and Hum, that's a live album record on the Joshua Tree tour, so credit for this one there too. All of the songs seem deliberately placed, and all of them are excellent, no fillers to be found here. The flow of the album seems deliberate and very well planned out. The tension starts to build right off the bat, and then it is released and rebuild again multiple times over the course of the album, really keeping the listener's attention. The production is incredible, the songs all sound huge but intimate at the same time. Wasn't surprised to see Brian Eno with the credit, but also nice to see good ol' Canadian boy Daniel Lanois alongside. While I am not a fan enough of U2 to casually listen to "With or Without You" while driving home from work. I do think this album as a whole is a stellar example of how to make a great album, and definitely worth of a spot on any best of list. Fav Tracks: Where the Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, Bullet The Blue Sky, Mothers of The Disappeared
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.
Likes: The Edge is a fucking wizard, bass and drums that are epic without being over-the-top, absolutely anthemic choruses Dislikes: with so many 10/10 songs, the other songs feel more mundane than they are by comparison Holy shit this is good - makes you immediately understand how U2 became the biggest band in the world. Head and shoulders above the other albums so far. Very strongly considering revising rating to a 5 if the album sticks in my rotation, would’ve been a 4.5 if it was an option.
Still Haven't Found still sucks. With or Without You still sucks. Didn't know the second half of the album, given its reputation I hoped it would be more fun jangly stuff like Streets. Nope, pretty dreary. In Gods Country is ok though. Big disappointment.
Amazing U2 album.
Un groupe qui est un peu devenu la caricature de lui-même, mais si on peut passer par-dessus ça, les chansons sont quand même vraiment puissantes. Bullet the Blue Sky est ma préférée.
Not a big U2 fan, but I did enjoy listening to this album
Really struck me how much this sounds like its doing stuff from other albums we've listened to over the past few days but somehow cheaper (even though it's probably much more expensive). This was a slog for me, even the arena rock anthems that kick it off didn't really hit for me. Hard to say it's flat out awful because there's some intriguing snippets, but it's bonkers how massive this is. Fave track: Bullet the Blue Sky
Thought I’d already submitted my review but anyway - still have not managed to be won over by U2 here. Just seems rather uninteresting music compared to everything else coming out around the mid/late 80s. The Americana theme is intriguing but not enough to pull me into those samey syncopated guitar rhythms. Maybe the big hits are overplayed on classic radio or something else but this just didn’t tickle me. Fave track - One Tree Hill
Exactly what I expected from U2 - not that it's a bad thing, I love the first three songs on this album. I definitely wasn't expecting to hear more of a hard rock sound in "Bullet the Blue Sky". Even songs that I didn't think I'd like at first ended up growing on me
A masterpiece. Their finest hour?
Trash
Ja ok
Pretty disappointing and slow album
Favoritos: -Where the Streets Have No Name -I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For -With or Without You -Exit
Yup, there it is. The most Americana album ever. Done by an Irish group. Bono gets so much crap for how braggadocio his singing is on this disc but damn, yo - he’s allowed the massive ego for this disc.
Hoop nietszeggendheid, maar niet verschrikkelijk.
I was a kind of U2 fan when I was young, but they are one of the most potent examples of a band with songs that got old pretty badly. It sounds old; it looks like I'm listening to bad ancient songs, even being much newer rather than some other albums on the list. It's not a pain to listen to it, and I understand that the lyrics have a nice message, but it's not possible to ignore how deep my personal change on the band's enjoyment.
Definitely front loaded with the best songs, but this is a solid pop album that deserves its reputation as a classic
Competent, inoffensive 80s arena-rock. Don't love it, don't hate it, I'd just rather listen to something else.
Bono is a twat. However before they became stadium gods they made their greatest album with Eno. It is cinematic and is a highlight ( with the Pixies and Joy Division) of the eighties....I think the second side is greater. It is a bit pompous ar times but I feel it would be harsh to downgrade. I feel torn between 5 and 4.
A lot of the songs sound the same. Not saying it’s bad
very good mellancholly tbh 5/5
I really like this album. For whatever reason I haven't been able to get into more U2 than Joshua Tree, but I always enjoy listening to this one. 4/5
Never cared for these guys - take themselves way too seriously. Plus Bono is a faux progressive. Hanging around rich people and politicians doesn't quality you as a progressive.
Great album. Stunner at the beginning
Any ratings of below 5 stars are just pretentious. This is a perfect album.
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
Some great U2 classics on this album. Might be their best front to back, leaps and bounds better than the album stuck on everyone's iPod.
Classic. I know this album pretty well.
I've heard all of these!
I only kinda liked Bullet The Blue Sky
2nd song was ok, kinda well known but the rest of the album was meh
Maybe I am biased by really liking the last 4 songs, but I think this might be a 5 for me. I didn’t expect it because the popularity of the first three songs made them less impactful, but listening again after getting brought my initial preconceptions let me notice how many things I really enjoyed about this album.
Mixed bag here, found that the hits off the album were great. Some of the tracks I hadn’t heard were better than some of their well known hits. Overall didn’t find it amazing but better than average
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.
One of my favorite albums, given to me by my dad when I was a kid. This has the best 3 song opening of all time.
I don’t quite like U2, but this album was excellent.
Absolute classics abound on this album, which also features some great 'filler' tracks and is excellently produced. There's a reason it's often considered their magnum opus, and I can't disagree with that opinion. Bangers from start to finish.
uber good
I’m not a huge fan of U2, although I’ve seen them play live twice. The Joshua Tree is considered to be the seminal album, but I found it lacking. Outside the hits there was little substance to the songs…
Bovno
Meh this was a pretty mid album
Fuck U2
I HATE U2. Like a lot. But I really wanted to give this piece of shit album a fair shake. No need. It sucks, just like the rest of thier crap. There is sooooo much filler here. I had heard the hits before and those are just regular crap. But there are no deep cuts. No b-sides. It's a couple of songs destined for FM radio and playing at the grocery store, then the rest is just jerking off with multi delay. U2 sucks. Fuck this band. And fuck this album.
I fear I may have been a little too harsh on Bono in my previous U2 reviews for 2 reasons 1) after listening to him on Smartless I realised that I have misjudged his character and 2) this album was very good. Bullet The Blue Sky was a massive tune.
I2 before Bono went up his own ass
I absolutely love this album. I think every song was great. It’s the perfect lengthed album and each song is good as well. Just really good.
I'm not really a big U2 fan but I can't ignore the impact and quality of this entire album, even if as a kid it annoyed the hell out of me when it was released (i.e. it was everywhere and also it wasn't metal). I could probably have put my thoughts on this album down without even listening to it again - I know each and every song so well just from osmosis and from having grown to love it not long after my initial stubbornness. But it is fascinating to *really* listen to this in headphones - songs I've heard maybe 1000s of times ... there are often tiny little / subtle guitar lines starting and stopping, almost as if by mistake but it all adds to the layers of gorgeous melodies - I love it. It's considered a perfect album by many and yet these tiny little imperfections that you can find if you hunt for them only add to it for me. Future albums (which I know I shouldn't focus on) from U2 pushed Bono's voice so so far into the front of the mix that it became distracting and killed any band vibe they once had, but on Joshua Tree it's all a perfect blend. Like a lot of other uber-popular albums of my generation I don't put this on often, or ever, but listening to the entirety in context just shows how great a collection it is - nearly flawless. 9/10 5 stars.
This is iconic. Whether you love or loathe this album it shaped our culture in the 80's. Overgrown and graniose with a sense of importance- it's perfect 80's baby! Good solid rock anthems it may be a little dated today but credit needs to go to Lanois and Eno for shaping this too. Musically it's complex and has a lot of references from other genres in there. I love every track.
Hate the late albums of U2 so much (a bad copy of their earlier work, I find) that for years already I forgot to listen to their brilliant earlier work. This one is stillamazing, moving, epic. Add the Achtung Baby album and their best one Zooropa and I forgive them all their later sins.
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.
I’d not listened to this album in its entirety before, though I’ve of course heard a few popular songs. I have to say, it was good all the way through. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to. A solid album I’ll likely listen to again.
Excellent from start to finish. One of my favorite all time albums. A game changer in my life (but not the first U2 album I heard: looking forward to giving Achtung Baby all the stars too!).
I listened for Mike. It's one of his favorite albums of all time...But I just don't like U2. I can stomach the first three songs on this album and the last song, but I find U2 to be boring and cheesy. I'm sorry. I really tried. But I can't.
U2 can’t get no respect from me, I have no idea where I got that prejudice. I think part of it is that Bono’s delivery is so earnest and also “pretty” that it reminds me negatively of musical theatre style. But to give this a full chance like this list asks me to, their talent and hard work are totally undeniable. Not a single stinker or throwaway track. Bullet The Blue Sky and One Tree Hill are especially great surprise.
That opening trio takes some beating, huh? To be honest I was expecting more from the rest of the album. I think U2 at their best are great, and I was fully ready to hail this as the masterpiece many people say it is, but I don't think all the tunes quite match the obvious ambition. Having said that, I did discover some new tracks I like (Bullet The Blue Sky, In God's Country), and the others grew on me after a while, so maybe I'll call it a near-masterpiece... One Tree Hill the song isn't as good as One Tree Hill the TV show, though. 4.5
The album that marks the coming of age of U2 (as well as its Americanisation). Those first 4 opening tracks pack a mean punch!
U2 is absolute trash - sales figures disagree with me, but then again I'll just seek solace in the fact that bottled water outsells it every day. ($43M / Day in US alone)
I had no idea this album was so old. A lot of really good tracks here
P good but bono is kinda cringe
this is a great album. so many good songs. also played some of the live versions on the deluxe album and they were also great.
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"
Classic album with plenty of hits
Hier heb ik niet zoveel mee. Niet per se slecht, gewoon oninteressant. Daardoor nog wel 3 waard.
I knew one or two of these songs already. This album was not bad by any means, but I didn’t find it particularly interesting. It’s not something I would choose to listen to again.
Bono makes me cringe and the music is boring
A bit rambly, but nicely atmospheric. First several songs were instantly recognizable
Sure you can argue what the best U2 album is, but if you are arguing any album other than this one then I'm afraid that you are just wrong. Easy 5 star album. I would normally do a song by song review, but today I'm just not in the mood. It deserves one and I'll get around to it when the edit feature comes around. U2 is one of the two bands that I instantly associate with my Dad. I have so many good memories of listening to U2 in the house while I was growing up. The opening three songs are all time classics that instantly cemented this album's legacy. And tracks like "Bullet The Blue Sky", "Running To Stand Still", and "In God's Country" are all amazing tracks in their own right and just bolster the album's resume. And even the less popular songs on the album are pretty good.
Hate an amazing first 4 songs. It is a great album. A very nearly 5 star for me.
Bo No
Singles are good, rest a bit plodding
Epic, incredible, but hard to look at objectively, because it dominated the airwaves, mtv, everything, for so long. It is now, sadly, just very enjoyable.
I appreciate the artistry and effort that went into this and I 100% do not enjoy listening to them. 1 star.
Gutless flat album that goes nowhere. Spots of texture here and there but no thrust. Constantly seems to lead to somewhere more interesting but never quite manages it. The lyrics are bland and static, the mood is steady, stable and finishes at an ordinary moment. The album stands plain as a wardrobe.
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...
7/10 pretty decent, but u had to be there I think
7/10. A classic put all the hits at the beginning album. Still pretty enjoyable, though.
Lands squarely in the middle of Pearl Jam and Cold Play in terms of arena music sound. Couple of iconic songs. 7/10
Forgot about u2.
The first half is just solid perfect pop - not one missed song, and it makes this an instant classic. It's long because it's from the Compact Disc era I guess, but it's undoubedtly a great great album, even if I am not quite a fan of U2.
Killer 5 intro songs, strong back half with I'm God's country standout and One Tree Hill a new intro for me. I love the guitar and bass work, the trilling that runs through the album as connective tissue is exactly what I'm looking for. I know the words to the first 4 songs - learned somewhere in my teens.
I remember being blown away by this album when it first came out. But now? Honestly some of the guitar work still sounds great, but it is hard to escape the gnawing sensation that Rattle and Hum is on the horizon.
This one was emotional. My friend's little sister recited "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" at his funeral last week. Funny that it popped up so soon after.
WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT U2??
This record’s only fault is being so good that it has been played to death.
Tried to get through it a couple of times, it just doesn't work for me. The calculating earnestness of their influences and output is very disingenuous, always has been. They're copyists rather than innovators - music for people without ambition or imagination. Some of their music is magical, but even that is lost in the face of the zealotry of their believers. The Manchester United of music
I'm not a U2 fan but it's hard to deny the epic nature of this album. Side 1 is incrediby strong with 3 perhaps 4 absolutely iconic songs. Side 2 lets up a little but not much and certainly not enough to diminish its power. This is the album that announced U2 as the biggest band in rock and roll since Led Zeppelin. 4.5 stars
Gone back for a listen … No surprises, nothing intriguing hiding inside, never really a fan Just leaves me a bit cold to be honest …
Decadent unlistenable boomercore. Literally the most boring record committed to wax.
This list has made me re examine a few huge rock albums which I have always written off as trite and I now love. This was not the case here. They have taken all the elemnts of post punk and ambient pioneers and just made it all so incredibly boring. Even the involvment of the great Brian Eno couldn't save them from devolving on every song into the same pseudo ambient shimmering guitar and Bono droning in exactly the same tone on every track. Fair enough they have fit on a formula and it works but wheres the variety? Apparntly their previous album was much more experimental. I'll check that one out instead.
Look I know it's a classic, but a lot of tracks don't really do it for me here. I found this album to be great but not excellent. It drags a bit in the end, especially the 2 last tracks. However, I recognize that the hits here are great and that the production of the album is stellar. 7,8/10
Excellent album with some absolute bangers
Highly accessible (almost to a fault) but so sharply and powerfully done, to the point of glittering perfection nearly. One found "With or Without You" to be both boring and ubiquitous in real time (a particularly toxic quality for pop music) but has held up well. Like REM's "The One I Love" and U2's later "One" the power is in its directness and simplicity, though "Bad" and "Elvis Presley and America" are better song for complicating matters to rather more aesthetically pleasing effects. Last few cuts dip off noticeably but first 9 tracks put contain nary a wrong note. It feels less politically engaged and the looser cuts ("God's Country," "Tripped Through Your Wires," "One Tree Hill") benefit. It's almost like U2 were having fun. And they were certainly making it look easy. The band would soon start jumping the shark but this was blessedly successful; for all the playing for hits, these are highly engaging songs nearly impossible not to like. One ranks this below War, Boy and Unforgettable Fire, which speaks volumes about U2's depth and breadth in their first decade. This was their last great record – Achtung Baby falls just – and everything else way – short.
Known artist!
Legendary album. No complaints from me.
Nothing against U2, I’ve just never loved them. 3.5 stars
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.
Great album where each track adds to the flow. Will Matt find some reason to not give it a 5? Maybe so, maybe not
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.
A true classic... Listening to these songs made my day better, all the songs on this album are too good.
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.
Nice album, I really like the strong basslines, the overall atmosphere is quite nice. I think it's a good album full of strength, I also knew some of the songs before. 4 / 5
It sure was a U2 album. Kind of enjoyable, but nothing special.
no thanks
I haven't listened to this album start to finish in a while. Thanks.
All credit to Brian Eno: he produced a U2 album that I can at least listen to, if not necessarily enjoy. It just kinda went in one ear and out the other.
Good album. Probably a classic
Loved it back in the day, still holds up in 2022. Not a perfect album though, as it’s a bit front loaded. Legacy defining hits right out of the gate, but does lose a little bit of energy and cohesion as you get to the back half. But those first four songs though…
It's such a great album, such iconic U2 songs in it, you would not expect these songs to be together in an album if they are not a "Best Of" album. For me the only thing i dont like that much it starts in such incredible way with songs like "Where the Streets Have No Name", "I Still Haven't Found What Im Looking For" or "With Or Without You", that the rest of the album kind of dilutes, but again this is just to add some feedback to an incredible album.
Wall-to-wall banger factory. I said what I said.
Ok
Albumet er sikkert bra i utgangspunktet, men u2 har alltid vært lyden av radio Norge og p4 for min del. Aversjon
Ne volim u2, ali je album okej - koliko kod njih može biti, jel.
One of the greatest modern rock albums.
First 3 songs were 🔥. Rest was mid at best
Maybe I'm just not meant to be a U2 fan. I've tried this album many times, and it mostly just makes me feel like I'm dying inside.
Compared to most bands of the 80s, U2 have a much more timeless sound. It comes across both spare and richly detailed, largely centering around the layered textures of The Edge's guitar. A sound which was their own and well ahead of their time. They found the perfect producers in Eno and Lanois who were able to shape these recordings into both atmospheric art rock and stadium filling anthems. Incredible dynamics of sound and emotion.
Bono is insufferable. With that out of the way, this album is iconic and when I think "stadium rock" I think of U2 and a lot of the songs on this album. I am not exactly a U2 fan, but this album is extremely influential and I get it, I can imagine a live show would be quite an experience. Also, that 3 track start is so strong that everything else falls flat in comparison, it's almost unfair to the rest of the songs.
My all time favourite U2 album. Let's start with the obvious: 'Where The Streets Have No Name', 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For', and 'Without or Without You' might be the strongest trio of songs to kick off an album with ever. Absolutely insane. But every. Single. Track. On this record is on point. 'Running To Stand Still' closing out side one and then starting side two with 'Red Hill Mining Town' is probably my current highlight of the album. The desperation in Bono's voice has never sounded better than on the latter. And speaking of sound, it of course goes without saying that the entire production and mixing of this is just magnificent. Well done Eno and Lanois. On a closing note, I know that The Edge gets a lot of flack for not being a particular good guitarist. While he's definitely not bombarding us with licks and solos, the sound that he manages to create on The Joshua Tree is iconic. His shifts in dynamics are excellent, and he never overstays his welcome with his characteristic, jangly, atmospheric, echoing notes. I mean, thousands have tried to copy this sound - most unsuccesful.
Easily my favorite U2 record. How can it not be with that trio of opening songs? Slow down guys! Bono really developed as a vocalist leading up to this record and while he’s still emotional as ever his technical abilities much improved. The Edge must’ve heard his fair share of talk about his guitar playing over the years - and while he’s by no mean a flashy guitarist every single thing he does on The Joshua Tree just works. His use of effects is magnificent and the general feeling he creates is the glue that binds this album together. U2 was never better than on The Joshua Tree. And, given their recent releases, they probably won’t surpass it any time soon.
I'm not a huge U2 fan, mostly because of their album or whatever that happened with Apple way back in the day where the songs were everywhere. Little place called Vertigo? I was a sucker for that song. But this is the album I always think about with them. I think mom and dad had a copy, but opening with Streets Have No Name, Haven't Found What I'm Looking for, and With or Without You, puts this already as a really good album. The other songs aren't as memorable but they are still good. I'd say these last few albums this week have made up for last weeks.
Damn, here's a classic. "Do you know where the name of the band U2 comes from? It's the Untalented 2." I don't know the full U2 catalog, but I know this album is a huge one. The first four songs in a row are just so great. I can hear the influence that this had on a lot of other bands; Angels & Airwaves and Linkin Park come to mind. Not a whole lot I can think to say here, just that this is a great album. They're a band that I think has had a fluctuating reputation over the years, especially after the free album fiasco, but you can't really deny this one. Favorite tracks: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, With or Without You, Where the Streets Have No Name, Bullet the Blue Sky, Red Hill Mining Town. Album art: It's weird, it's a very simple, very CD-era album cover, but it's been so ubiquitous that maybe it is iconic by now? I like that the whole band is squished together in the left 40% of the image, and that image is only 40% of the cover. Don't mind us, we're just U2. 4.5/5
I do not care about U2 at all and have no context or nostalgia for this. First time hearing most of these songs. They seem just pretty pedestrian and ordinary and bland, which is likely why it was such a success. 2 stars.
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.
U2 at their peak. Everything works here. A vibrant atmosphere, solid musicianship, strong lyrics, and on top excellent production and sound engineering. Brian Eno and Daniel Landis getting the best out of the band
Brilliant. Remaster is good too.
Starkes Album. Sehr gerne mehr von dieser Qualität.
Just a beautiful, beautiful album.
This album is a masterpiece. Hit after a hit, and The Edge wrote the textbook on using delay on his guitars. Great songwriting, great hooks on all of the tunes. Definitely an album that you can play front to back without any filler material. Super tight and accurate playing by the entire band.
Quite boring to be honest
Bella la prima e la seconda pure, la terza anche. Le altre però sono un po' insignificanti
A marvel of musical production that perfectly captures the spirit of both the performances and the underlying emotions and spirit of a group. The impact of this album on the band's trajectory, and that of pop music, really can't be overstated.
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.
It's good album. Smooth and atmospheric. My main issue is that is really blows it's load immediately with the genuinely great first 3 tracks, then the rest ranges from decent to good but never reaches those heights again.
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.
5.0 + A masterpiece of epic sweep that sounds just as good as ever.
This album sucks.
A classic. Love it.
One of my favorite albums of all time. I’ll be the first to admit that Bono can be annoying and pretentious and, well, douchey, but this album is just fucking fantastic. Even if I’ve listened to it 100 times since then, it always brings me back to how it felt growing up as a teenager in the 90’s.
Perhaps you had to be there. The hits are there and represent the bones of almost all the contemporary Christian I grew up with, the production choices are delicate, and the band sounds like itself while keeping things varied, but I simply can't get inside any part of this record. Chalk it up to the non-American American concept, maybe.
Despite this being one of the few albums I've actually owned and therefore easy for me to rate, I still feel that it's objectively a jewel in music history. The sound achieved in this collection is unique yet at the same time generic enough (at least as far as rock goes) that almost anyone can enjoy it. And the tracks! Almost every one a winner, but no one sounding too much like another. Putting a 5 on this one feels like putting a 5 on the world.
3.75/5 rock
starts off so ducking well and keeps it going even through songs i dont know, but dips a little in the second third…