War

Really encapsulates the frustration of a Sunday.

Not really usual to release a masterpiece with your third record. Even more uncommon is producing after that another four masterpieces in a row, each of them better than the last one. That's how you become an iconic band for the ages I guess

Oh dear am I developing a soft spot for U2🤢

i remember listening to this on broken headphones, plugged into my walkman, in the garage, when i was 16, trying to cut weight for a high school wrestling meet weigh-in the next morning. it’s amazing how particular music instantly bonds to memories like that.

There was a time when believing THIS was the best U2 album was a hill I wanted to die on. This was before I knew the band members had names like Bono or The Edge. Before I realized that U2 was a thinly disguised Christian Rock band. And maybe the fact that this one seems to lean more towards the political scope of things made all the difference. But the truth is, I didn't bother to pay much attention to the lyrics back when this album wowed me (although I did enjoy the song about prostitution, this band is always better when they're not trying to save the world). What I was drawn to really - and still am - were Larry Mullen Jr's drums. Those still stand out, even more than whatever The Edge is trying to do. No matter what Bono wants to sing about, it's Mullen and The Edge who remind us that this is a rock band. There isn't one skippable song here. So yeah, I still ride hard for this album. It still reminds me of just being able to put on an album and listen to it completely without thinking about the personalities of the band members who wrote and recorded the songs. Mostly it reminds me that sometimes we're better off not knowing everything about our heroes. That I didn't always believe Bono was a jackass (I didn't mind him going all MacPhisto during the Zoo TV tour, it was when he discovered SnapChat filters during a concert in 2018 that seemed a little too creepy to me). It's interesting that what finally made U2 jump the shark was giving every iTunes customer a free copy of their new album (people forget, it's not like you had to have the album, it was just there in your iTunes library available to download for free if you really wanted it). Maybe U2 just hung around too long as Bono continued to think he had all of the answers and believed he was the chosen one. But damn if this album doesn't still slap. It's my second favorite U2 album behind Achtung Baby.

it's okay, gets boring quickly

This album was U2 at its creative best, taking on important social messages and driving a creative original sound. The first three songs are as good an opening threesome as on any album on the 1001. The originality on this album was repackaged ad nauseam in their albums that followed. They made a shit-whack of money from this album but that amount is trivial compared to the amounts they made from their subsequent unoriginal albums. Bono now hangs out with the world's elites at Davos. Did I forget to mention that I was impressed? This album is so good that it makes it a glaring testament to how far they have fallen.

Not feeling it.

Torn between 4 and 5 on this one, only because a few tracks don't live up to the lofty heights of tracks like "New Year's Day" and "Two Hearts Beat as One". Maybe that's unfair? Bono's voice is at its insistent, pleading peak, and the instrumentals have a level of craft and production that make them timeless despite losing a bit of their punk edge. They've evolved a lot since then, and they had to, but I kind of miss this version of the band.

80s U2 is the good U2. End of discussion.

U2 were at their peak at this time, with Edge’s scratchy guitar upfront, which reminds me a bit of Andy Gill of Gang of 4 at times. Even a song like “2 Hearts”, which I remember as a smooth radio hit, sounds “Edgy”. “New Years Day” is my favorite U2 song with its haunting piano and rhythm guitar throughout. Many of the supporting songs, like “Seconds” or “The Refugee” are strong, with decent hooks and instrumentation. “40” points us in the direction of the adult stadium rock around the corner.

Like REM, I don’t really have a problem with what U2 was, it’s what they became that doesn’t work for me. This is a good rock record.

Still holds its power. Three all-time, first rank cuts – "Bloody Sunday," "New Years' Day," "Two Hearts" – in three distinct registers (rousing martial anthem; contemplative mid-paced rocker; ebullient pop love song), plus the psalmically prayerful (maybe one means prayerfully psalmic) spiritual "40," which is one of a kind, and sacralized one's attachment to this record and this band at the time and remains quite capable of moving. Anyone who saw them close a concert with this in the '80s, sending the audience out into the night singing in unison will know its power. All the other cuts are distinct and additive, most notably "Drowning Man," and "Surrender." A potential knock it that it's a record best heard in cold, grey seasons. One is tempted to ask when U2 got cynical toward us? Or is that one got cynical toward U2 first. One is content to be secret and exult with this today, recalling the purest affinities of one's musical youth. One never gets one's earliest loves, no, not when they were this passionate and authentic and near magically come to life.

U2 is my favorite band! I know the lyrics to every song.

At the time of War’s release, U2 were still being placed under the post-punk banner. That was fitting for albums like Boy, but with War, the band was already reaching for something grander. U2 were becoming a protest band, maybe even a spiritual band, and with that maturity and growing acclaim came a bolder sound. Despite being unhappy with the reception from October, the band stood by their punk influences, but U2 aren’t known today for their restraint. That journey began with this album, which sees them experimenting with all kinds of new ideas. Whether it be the background vocalists present on songs like Surrender or Red Light, or a violin carrying the rhythm on Sunday Bloody Sunday, U2 simply wanted more. Bono’s lyrics were also getting better, trading out feelings of youthful vigor in favor of more worldly visions, which suited his impassioned singing style even better than it did for tales of boyhood. The first half is stacked with fan favorites and live staples, with New Year’s Day being the album highlight, a sign of what the band would be capable of in following albums. Even with their turn toward anthems, Side A ends with Drowning Man, a song that still feels unique in the band’s catalog, and one of my favorite vocal performances from Bono ever. That said, Side B is why I keep returning to the album year after year. Surrender and Two Hearts Beat as One are some of their most underrated material, ending with “40”, a somber finale that went on to close out their live shows for years and years. If there’s a misstep, it’s maybe The Refugee, which feels a little unfinished in comparison to some of the other tracks on here. Even that’s easy to forgive thanks to Larry Mullen’s thundering drumming. U2 is a fun band to track because you can really see their progression from album to album, and this was where that trend really first showed itself. A personal favorite, and a must listen.

I’d only heard Bloody Sunday before but I this album was great. I was initially going to give it a 4 as I didn’t like Bono’s vocals on a few tracks but it grew on me as I gave it a few more listens. I really enjoyed the drum and guitar sounds and I’m exited to hear more U2 on this list.

U2 War A month or so ago I officially declared that - had displaced The Joshua Tree as my favorite U2 album. It appears its reign was destined to be short. My college roommate listened to U2’s War album a lot so I felt like I knew what to expect. Today when I listened I was blown away at the youthful exuberance, the incredible talent and the strong Irish influences! Bono’s passion! That drummer mesmerizes me! Has Two Hearts always been this fucking perfect?! Could there be a more perfect way to end the album than the gorgeous 40? Yeah I remembered the hits but I guess I had become an apathetic listener. This album brought those songs back to life in a way that i had not expected. War is really special and today’s listen makes me love U2 all over again. My indisputable favorite!

Raw and powerful. This was U2 before Bono got a little too preachy and full of himself. This is an important chapter in the soundtrack of my life.

Michael and Richard were mates at my high school in the mid 80s who were big on U2. We used to hand around in the music rooms at lunch time a bit. They raved constantly about U2, wouldn't talk about anything else, got VERY excited about paying far too much money for a dodgy live bootleg LP from Scratches in Newtown (I later became friends with the store owner. He confessed he did not remember the particular album, but was pretty sure that it was shit). But, for all their endless enthusiasm, I didn't get it. U2 just didn't move me. Too earnest, too preachy (but unclear exactly what they were preaching about - was Bono pushing his highly controversial "war is bad" message?), too bombastic, trying too hard. When the Joshua Tree came out, I could see what they were trying to achieve, but I still find that they tend towards being a large relatively blank canvass for the listener to project their own ideas onto, but I'm never really sure what they are going on about, especially on these earlier records. Sid Smith, writing for the BBC, said "Whilst there’s no denying the youthful energy and industrial quantities of testosterone on display, it’s something of a mixed rattlebag that highlights the pros and cons of the band. After a while all that breathless beseeching, fiery indignation and BIG guitar heroics grows a tad wearisome; a bit like being shouted at by someone who means well but doesn’t know when to turn the volume down." Well, I couldn't have said it better myself. I kind of like the confidence of this little band going all out like they are the most important band in the world, years before they achieved that goal. But the widescreen ambition doesn't resonate for me. It was a couple more albums before they produced anything I really liked. And U2's greatest weakness is particularly evident on this album. U2's rhythm section cannot swing. They can, arguably, rock when they try. But they cannot roll. 'Nuff said. 2.5 stars, rounding up.

Album of a generation? Certainly in the conversation... This was the album that put U2 on the map in the mainstream culture. I probably listened to it 1000 times. At one point or another, I bought it on probably every single format except 8-track tape and open reel . This is the album where the power hinted at in their earlier work all fell into place. The Edge is arguably the most innovative and influential guitar stylist since Jimi Hendrix and this is the album where his sound blossomed. Bono's passionate protester persona (about what, we're not sure, but it doesn't really matter, just keep waving that white - blank? - flag and we can project our own causes onto it) is in full effect and the bass and drums hold it all together in a very simple and powerful way. Being 12 when this album came out, it probably took me 6 months to hear about it. I don't even remember how I learned about it, but I was so into this album that me and my friend camped outside the Hartford Civic Center all night to buy tickets for the follow-up album's tour even though it hadn't come out yet. I went with my friend and her little sister and her little sister's friend and about 30 years later my wife and I realized that she was my friend's little sister's friend!

I’m not a big U2 fan, but this was good, bloody good!

Under a blood red sky A crowd has gathered in black and white Arms entwined, the chosen few The newspapers says Say it's true And we can break through Though torn in two We can be one I will begin again Good album. Not one skippable track, and you could put it on repeat for a week and not ever get tired of New Years Day. 5/5

5 stars. When they were a great band.

This was my favorite U2 record throughout my angstier years, and while time, maturation, and perspective have led to its ranking being bumped down one peg, it'll always hold a special place in my (still quite angsty) heart.

Outstanding rock

1st listen (I think), though I’ve heard several tracks from this many a time. Most Irish-ish sounding album from U2 I’ve heard, especially in “Sunday Bloody Sunday” & “Drowning Man”. While Joshua Tree is probably #1 for me, Bono’s vocals in this album might be unparalleled (among U2 albums I mean, don’t get excited) Also loved the “How long to sing this song?” callback to “Sunday Bloody Sunday” in the final track. HL: “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, “New Year’s Day”, “Like a Song…”, “The Refugee”, “40”

What if U2 before they became insufferable? Turns out it's pretty fuckin' good!

War Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year’s Day are clearly great tracks, Larry Mullen’s drumming and the Irish Folk acoustic guitar and fiddles of Sunday Bloody Sunday underscore the sadness of the theme of the song, while New Year’s Day is a very evocative and atmospheric pre mega fame U2 song. Whether it’s due to being far less familiar with the rest of tracks or whether they just aren’t as good, nothing particularly stood out or was particularly memorable, apart from the closing Surrender and ‘40’, the former escaping the shackles of the scratchy rather generic post punk on the rest of the album with a nice bit of melody and muscularity and the latter foreshadowing some of their later arms aloft crow pleasing stadium songs. Ultimately I think this lands as a solid 3, Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year’s Day are great tracks, Surrender and ‘40’ are very good and the rest, while in no means bad, just don’t stick long in the memory in comparison. Perhaps indicative of them looking to leave their more angular post punk behind and find the pop rock bearings that would take them to mega-stardom. 🪖🪖🪖 Playlist submission: New Year’s Day

This album has Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day which are excellent songs. The other songs on the album are fine, but mostly forgettable. As a result, I'd listen to those songs separately from the album for the most part.

Turns out I own this, although barely know it. The last post-punk one before they merged with Eno/UNESCO, with a sound somewhere between Echo And The Bunnymen and The Psychedelic Furs. The live "Under A Blood Red Sky" captures this era well if you're interested. New Years Day is great, much of the rest could be anyone of that period

I’ve always thought U2 was an overly self serious band who people who don’t really like music say is their favourite band. This album didn’t do anything to disabuse me of that opinion, but I can’t say I hated it. I haven’t totally closed my mind to the possibility that I might like one of U2s albums but it’s not this one. 2.3

Bono is a pretentious turd but this album is incredible. Lyrically thoughtful, musically tight, emotionally engaging, very well produced.

Banger album

U2 just makes solid music, man.

Given my general apathy towards U2, including the opening track, I was genuinely surprised how much I enjoyed this one overall.

Annoyingly I really liked U2 today

Didn't know U2 was nice like this. First track "Sunday Bloody Sunday" sounds like "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga lol. I liked this.

This was one of the clutch of first CDs I ever listened to back in my early teens. Sticky Fingers - avert your eyes, Simon - August by Eric Clapton, maybe some 80’s Tina Turner, and a forgotten few others were in this bunch of exciting shiny discs heard on my dad’s big headphones. I was disappointed when I listened to this, as I only recognised the two big hits, and didn’t think the rest rocked. Three and a half decades on: this rocks. Listening to New Year’s Day brought a mini-epiphany: the guitar-hero blah-blah about The Edge has a kernel of choppy, post-punk, precision-strike truth to it. Second micro-revelation: Adam Clayton’s baselines do a lot of the heavy-lifting on the tunes. Some middling tunes could’ve been dropped for a leaner record, but I chomped through this without break.

U2 at their first peak, in this case post-punk, new wave.

Before they became parodies of themselves they were a decent band

I was dreading when the eventual U2 album would show up. I have NEVER liked the band. Luckily for me, it has one of the only mainstream songs I can stomach from them... Sunday Bloody Sunday is a jam. Blew through that one on the first track. So what about the rest of the album? Listening to all these U2 tracks that I've never heard before, I've finally figured it out. It's Bono. It's always been Bono. He's what I've hated about U2 all this time. The band is amazing. And they're amazing on almost every track. I had one song where my brain said, "they need a double whip right here" and a millisecond after the thought, Bam, there it was. They know what they're doing from a musical composition standpoint. Where they lose me is Bono. Can't stand the guys voice. I came into this album expecting to rank it a 1 or maybe a 2 just for SBS alone, but the music itself is tight, and I think it deserves a 3. Would probably be a 4 with nearly any other singer. Anyway, SBS will make the playlist, obviously.

I had the misfortune of growing up around late 90s and 00s U2. This tiff was actually okay.

2 hearts beat as one, New years day and like a song... Really Catchy songs. rest were also pretty good. Never Really Listened to this type of music but has sparked an interest in genre.

Listening to the album is one sitting is probably a mistake. All the songs start to sound the same after a while. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Years Eve" are great, but the rest of the album does nothing to distinguish itself from those two, awesome songs.

2.6 A few good tunes. Looking at U2 as a whole I thought of Dave Chappelles bit “How can you care about anything when you know every goddamn thing?” Maybe if U2 did a few less protest/cause songs they wouldn't seem so preachy to me. The Edge gets his fair share of credit in the guitar world and deservingly so.

U2 just doesn't do it for me. There were actually some pretty good songs on this album which made it tolerable.

Liked this more than I thought I would but they're still just a big singles band for me.

Started strong and became pretty fast the level of a free iTunes album

Poorly timed, messily composed and badly sung. Which is a shame because the messages in the songs are really poignant. I really don't understand why people like U2...

Fine. Hasn't changed my opinion of U2. A little 'thin' on production, some catchy-ish songs, but mostly water off the ducks back. Neither here nor there. Not amazing, not awful. Fine. 2/5

U2 are boring

Rock, Pop. Tight, complex, driven. Almost perfect.

5/5

Such great raw energy! Great stuff.

I grew up too late to really appreciate the growth of U2, but the legacy they’ve left behind is incredible. War is a masterpiece

In my life and in general this album was a game changer-everything was different after this, their 3rd album - not a note out of place from start to finish, a fantastic journey that begins fiery and rebellious but ends with the soothing and reassuring 40. For me I will follow & New yrs Day are old favorites I lovelovelove this album!

I haven’t gone back to listen to this album for a very long time. I was stunned how good this is from top to bottom. Not a skippable track to be found. This album rocks hard. Bono‘s vocals are in peak form and remind me what an absolute force he was, as is the Edge and his original shredding sound. His haunting solos on Surrender are awesome. Energy is off the charts.

irish folks r badass

Outstanding from start to finish. Exemplary rock album but one of the best political bands of all times. The drumming is intense and places you in the War zone. Nothing beats the opening number Sunday Bloody Sunday with a wind down that occurs on Surrender the second to last song. Amazing journey with a premier band from start to finish.

Brought me back. Fun album.

"You may hear me say U2 are overrated... but, that is from a few years after this record... this record is what U2 were all about... it's what made them popular around the world... i was lucky enough to see them, even before this album came out... and i witnessed their phenomenal rise to popularity in the USA, and the world... these Irish guys had passion... and commitment... and energy... and... GOOD SONGS... whether it was in the small venue i saw them in, or the next time they came (this album) to a regular concert hall... the time i saw them after that was in the Sun Dome... a 10,000 seater, and the time i saw them after that was in Tampa freakin' Stadium... but, that's another lifetime from this album... every song on this album is great in its own way... "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" opens it up... "Seconds" is so intense... then "New Year's Day"... whoa... "The Refugee", "Two Hearts Beat As One" are a couple other highlights... the album ends with the epic "40"... Five Stars..."

"War" is the third studio album by Irish rock band U2. Post-punk is the Wiki-listed genre. Yeah, and their last one. It was U2's first overtly political album as lead singer Bono said "war seemed to be everywhere in 1982." The band wanted to address not only the physical aspects of war but the emotional ones as well; with crimes dramas on TV and news reporting of deaths everyday, what was fact and what was fiction? Besides Bono, U2 was and is the Edge (guitars, bass, piano, lead and backing vocals), Adam Clayton (bass) and Larry Mullin Jr. (drums, percussion). Commercially, the album hit #1 in the UK knocking Michael Jackson's "Thriller" off the top and #12 in the US. There were generally positive reviews in the US but some British journalists criticized it. Hmmm. The militaristic-sounding drum beat and a melodic guitar open "Sunday Bloody Sunday." Along with the bass, those drums create the hook. Steve Wickham enters on the electric violin giving this a very unique sound. Bono on lead vocals in this protest song of an observer of the troubles in Northern Ireland and in particular "Bloody Sunday" where, in 1972, British soldiers shot on 26 unarmed civilians. Great echoing backing vocals and exceptional guitar playing mimicking gun shots by the Edge. The Edge takes over co-lead vocals in "Seconds." Pounding drums, acoustic guitar and a deep bass in a song about nuclear proliferation where an Armageddon could be caused by an accident. Drum ticking, a piano-led melody, rolling bass and Bono screaming "Yeah" begin "New Year's Day." The churning, echoing guitar comes in slowly and beautifully. A great intro to a song. That crunch of the Edge's guitar. Bono originally wrote this as a love song to his wife but rewrote it inspired by the Polish solidarity movement. Guitar-piano interplay leads to a few guitar solos. The song climaxes as Bono yells "Maybe tonight." A song suddenly optimistic turns as Bono realizes nothing changes on New Year's Day at the end of the song. Not all songs are serious; one of the best songs on the album is "Two Hearts Beat as One," a simple love song. Guitar slashes. The bass and drums giving a dance beat. Definitely, the best groove on the album. The Edge gets his steel pedal guitar going in "Surrender." Kid Creole and the Coconuts on backing vocals at the end. Bono singing about Sadie as she goes up to the 48th floor to.... Is it suicide? Is it prostitution? Is it just a business job? Maybe any of the three but having a strong sense of faith in God seems to be the theme of what she needs to have. And of course, they needed a song to end the album and they quickly came up with "40." Clayton had left so the Edge plays bass. Bono came up with the lyrics from "Psalm 40." And, yes, this song ended the set of their last concert (in Las Vegas). I checked. "War" was U2's first album where all the Chicago rock radio stations started to play their music. I remember first hearing "New Year's Day" and being immediately drawn to that echoing guitar sound. There's something to like in each song on this album whether it's a steel pedal guitar, the dance beat, the trumpet, the backing vocals, the vocals or the hard guitar. Their previous album, "October" had serious religious and spiritual overtones. This one does but not quite as much. That's one thing I noticed today. The other thing was the significant leap from "October" in the level of drum and bass playing from Mullins and Clayton. It's forward in the mix too. This is the last of their Lillywhite-produced post-punk albums. Looking back, they were at a fork in the road musically. They obviously went with Brian Eno as their next producer into more atmospheric areas. I've always wondered what they would have sounded like taking the other direction into more of a hard rock direction. Maybe they burn out. Maybe not. Anyway, this is a great album and one of their best.

SUCH A GOOD ALBUM! Start to finish all tracks resonate with me and suddenly my brain is on a road trip to the big city with a car full of friends in the late 80's listening to Boy and War and October and wondering why it took us all so long to twig to U2 in the U.S. This is a freedom song. Or rather, this is the soundtrack of freedom, racing towards adventure under hot blue skies.

In terms of song writing, arrangement, performance, and production, “War” is a significant improvement over its predecessor, “October”, which was a somewhat uneven album. “War” contains several outstanding tracks, with “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Year’s Day” standing out as classics that have surpassed the album itself in recognition. That said, it is an album that is still a little rough around the edges in places, lending it a certain charm. Overall, “War” remains a strong album albeit now overshadowed by what followed. As an album it still holds up, and flows nicely. It deserves a rating between four and five stars. Focusing on its strengths, I rate it five stars. Would I listen to this album again? Yes. Would I buy this album? I did. 1 "Sunday Bloody Sunday" - A real statement of intent for the rest of the album. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is instantly recognisable by its martial drumbeat and jagged violin, setting a sombre and confrontational tone. Bono is earnest and raw. Great guitar solo. - 5 2 "Seconds" - “Seconds” is a short, punchy track. It addresses the threat of nuclear war. I have always loved this song. - 5 3 "New Year's Day" - Arguably one of U2’s most iconic songs, “New Year’s Day” is built around The Edge’s stark piano and Adam Clayton’s driving bassline. Explosive and dynamic. - 5 4 "Like a Song..." - Loud, brash and punky in its delivery. - 5 5 "Drowning Man" - A quieter, more introspective song. Atmospheric and delicate. - 4 6 "The Refugee" - “The Refugee” picks up the tempo again, blending urgent percussion with a slightly chaotic arrangement. Experimental. - 4 7 "Two Hearts Beat as One" - “Two Hearts Beat as One” provides a touch of 'pop' optimism amid the album’s darker themes, and its catchy chorus makes it a standout. - 5 8 "Red Light" - 4 9 "Surrender" - 4 10 "40" - The album closes with “40,” a song adapted from Psalm 40.A simple, spiritual song featuring The Edge on bass and Bono on vocals, with the band members gradually departing the stage as the song fades out. a gentle, uplifting way to end the record. - 5 Total - 46 Average - 4.6

Classic

One of my favorite U2 albums, hauntingly beautiful rock in equal measure.

War is U2 at their most urgent and defiant, an album that takes the raw passion of their early work and gives it sharper focus. From the opening drumbeats of “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” it is clear this is not just another rock record — it is a statement. The band channels political unrest, personal conviction, and a sense of moral urgency into songs that still sound fierce decades later. “New Year’s Day” blends icy piano lines with one of The Edge’s most memorable riffs, and Bono delivers every lyric like it is a call to action. What makes War so powerful is how it balances intensity with melody. Tracks like “Two Hearts Beat as One” and “Seconds” have a propulsive energy, while “Drowning Man” offers a haunting, slower moment that deepens the album’s emotional range. There is no filler here; every song feels like it belongs. War stands as one of the definitive rock albums of the 1980s, capturing a young band at the height of their conviction and creativity.

This is just superb. Rocking from the start with Sunday Bloody Sunday, and New Years Day the standouts.

Some of their best songs are from this album.

Scathing soundtrack to the violence of the time. Fear, unfairness, uncertainty and at the end, hope.

how long to sing this song?

I had forgotten how good an album this was

Amazing

U2 was actually really good before they loaded that annoying album on everyone’s phone. Bono has a great voice

I'm glad this album was suggested because it made me change my opinion of U2. I thought they were douchier than what I heard on this album.

Fantastic album that got a 1,000 college radio stations to spin up 1,000,000 new U2 fans. Great album

really liked quite every song solid 9/10

Where the really made their mark. Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Years Day, Two Hearts Beat As One, all epic. Then close it out with 40 as they’ve done at so many concerts over the years, what an album!!

This is a banger, peak U2 for me before they got swallowed in the hype.

this one is on my top 10 of my life! 😍

A classic. One of their best. The music overcomes the crap recording.

Horrendous. Even the singles aren't good. This is 1 of maybe 3 albums now that I couldn't finish. U2 SUCKS

As I write this, a significant portion of the planet is attempting to decipher social media messages from the "leadership" (scare quotes intentional) of Israel, Iran, and the United States to try and determine whether we're going to have World War III or not. Alongside that endeavor are various attempts to propagate, detect, and/or guard against misinformation, scams, bullshit, slop, and flat-out stupidity of various kinds, any of which could conceivably push humanity materially further towards midnight on the doomsday clock. Mistrust is a reflex at this point. The trenches dug within our hearts, indeed. (I got bad news for the refugee being sung about on track 6 - the war may be slightly colder here in America but it isn't any less warlike.) Everybody who thinks Bono & Co. are just such damn pretentious blowhards for making rock music about the Big Issues of Life needs to explain why, when the Big Issues of Life are really weighing down, a 1983 album from the damn pretentious blowhards is a better and more honest listen than pretty much anything else out there. There are, after all, no atheists in foxholes, whether those foxholes be literal or spiritual or both.

Literally the coolest altruism has ever sounded

Great album! War is an album that I've always enjoyed. Listening to this one was fantastic!

Overall, a really strong album. It makes me wish I had gotten into U2 earlier. I love Bono's voice, and the guitar tone used on this album. I also think that the drums and bass are strong on this album, particularly on songs like New Years Day and Surrender. It is a very good listen. Best Song: New Year's Day Worst Song: The Refugee

Though I wasn't there as a fan at the beginning, I'm definitely a fan now. And I appreciate what they did at the beginning. Some amazing songs here.

New Years Day, Seconds, alot of great songs

Brilliant.

What a grand album, loved every song. The lead vocalist has an amazing voice and knows how to use it. Really glad that this was my introduction to U2.

• 5/5 • U2’s best album and the height of their post-punk phase - loaded with great tracks, especially New Years Day, Sunday, Two Hearts and 40

Great band. Great music. Not afraid to sing about what concerns them. Refreshing.

Masterpiece

Great album from one of my favorite bands. Enjoyed being reminded of this album as it's been awhile since I listened to it!

Absolute banger. One of the best from a hungry young band on the cusp of greatness.

I was a serious U2 fan in the 90s and have had them mostly on the shelf the last 20 years - for reasons both deserved and not. This was a great reminder of why I loved them so much.

I grew up on U2 thanks to my Dad and I still love them very much even though I know that’s not like cool now and I still really want to see them live one day. Sunday Bloody Sunday is one of the world’s great songs to me and there’s heaps more on this album to admire. I always hesitate to give a 5 for some reason but I’m just gonna go for it again here because at the end of the day I just love this and if that’s tinged by nostalgia so be it.

The modern version of classic rock. More rocking than vibing, but great sound and riffs

I normally dog on U2 (even though I think they have some great songs). But this album is different. I personally think of this record as their masterpiece. To me this is the band in their full force, even Bono.

Incredible album. I love Bono's style of singing on this; it feels very passionate and grandiose. The guitar work is also great. It has a particular and identifiable style but I'm not sure exactly how to describe it. I didn't delve into the lyrics but it seems like they're really trying to say something. Favorites: Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, Like a Song