War

Having a hard time with rating this one. I have never really like U2 and this album didn't do anything to change that opinion. However, there are a few songs that I did somewhat enjoy and the overall experience maybe made them not as bad as before? This album made me realize they aren't a bad band, I just don't like their style, Bono's voice or maybe a combination of the two. I think this one barely gets a passing grade.

This was an album. That's it - that's the review. Favourite track: Like A Song...

Nice sound, passion in songs, good bit great

Back when these twats were just about tolerable and hadn't fully manifested their god complex...

I liked this one a lot more than "Joshua Tree", but ultimately don't see myself listening to it much.

Good music

It was alright I think, don't remember too much about it

while i'm not a u2 aficionado, i hear an immature sound. the beginning of the album is stronger, and i notice more unique aspects. the drum intro on "sunday bloody sunday" is amazing, but the violins increasing the tension throughout the song? and the vocals are more unique on "new year's day," too. i wouldn't say the second half of the album is bad, but is more forgettable especially in comparison to their later music. what's more important than their changing sound, however, is how early they still sound like u2. "sunday bloody sunday" has their more famous sound but also shows their political side. it's reassuring to know bono was always bono.

80s Pop/Rock favorite song from the album was Sunday Bloody Sunday

A good album, but samey in places. Before U2 went too commercial

3.5

Wasn't a fan of U2 but objectively listening to this front to back I can't deny they are great musicians. 3.5 stars

3/5

early U@ before they were as 'polished'

Solid classic rock, a high 3.

Very good

This album is a bit boring to me 3/5

Good U2 songs are great. Bad U2 songs sound like Sting. This is a pretty even mix of the two.

The album started pretty strong but I felt it lost momentum after the half way point. I really liked Seconds and added to my playlist. 40 was my least favorite. Overall decent album. I give it a 3. Was ok, would not listen again.

It started really strong, with Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day being amongst the first 5 songs. I was surprised that this album is early 80s, because it really doesn't sound like it...until song six, The Refugee. I actually stopped what I was doing and looked at my phone, surprised because I thought it was a different band. It sounds so different than the first 5 songs, I thought it was, like, Oingo Boingo or something. It sucks, is what I'm saying. After that it kinda picks up and sounds like U2 again, which means it's aggressively mediocre. I'll give this 3 stars, but it's milquetoast U2 at its absolute peak.

This album was just meh to me. Never been the biggest U2 fan.

All in all, a good album. I only recall being familiar with "Sunday Bloody Sunday", but this was a solid album.

My second U2 album in a week. My favorite is still Achtung Baby. This was a little too political for me but had some see ent songs.

Probably the best U2 album I’ve heard, but didn’t wow me. Could be a bit one-note at times

It can bore and show its age at times, but there are still some bright spots on this.

Quand j'étais petite je voulais dormir dans le lit de mes parents, j'étais au milieu, ma mère elle regardait la télé et mon père il écoutait U2 dans son casque. Ça me rappelle la musique que j'entendais a travers le casque (même si c'est pas l'album qu'il a le + saigné)

It’s been a real journey for me to admit I like U2 on some level.

Can’t take Bono or U2 seriously after 20 years of them being a stand-in punch line for well meaning but naive liberal interventionism.

Fine.

Classic

Some dece songs

I've never really taken to U2. I don't actively dislike them, it's just that they've always seemed to be rather an anthemic stadium rock style of music, even when they were a young and upcoming band. I didn't think anything here really stood out.

A great album , a classic , very amazing one , but not m'y pref

U2 before Bono's giant ego got in the way and ruined everything, it's simple, raw and a good collection of well written songs. A nice precursor to the great songs to come from the next few albums.

Sunday bloody sundayyyyy Wish they randomly added this album to my ipod back in the day 3.4/5

Growing up my dad always talked about U2. I don't have any specific memories of him playing it, but he told me he would buy their tapes as they came out. I can't help but think how awesome it was to be living in a time where a U2 album drop was as big as Kanye dropping something new. I really only know U2's hits, but I'm glad I got to listen to this album. I learned that U2 is just a super solid 80s band. Great to listen to. Favorite track was Two Hearts Beat as One Added to my Spotify library.

Sunday. Moody sunday

I'm not gonna lie I went into this one thinking I was gonna hate on it, but it wasn't as bad as I thought. The lyrics are pretty awful, and the guitar playing leaves a lot to be desired. But the absolute dawg of this album is the drummer. Larry Mullen Jr. is a beast throughout most of this album and kept it from being a boring mess.

Sunday Bloody Sunday Feeling very generic. I don’t mind listening to it. Sounds like it could be on Tony hawk pro skater game.

Overall pretty decent. There were a couple really good songs and the rest were pretty mid. I think I'd listen to it again? 3.5/5

I like a couple of songs on this a lot. It’s hard not to have the music colored by the distaste for Bono

The album starts off strong with some really good tracks, but it kind of fizzles out towards the end. Sunday Bloody Sunday gets half the stars of this review on its own.

Decent

Like most people I got sick of U2 over the years, but this was a nice reminder of how good they were at one time.

A few good songs, but I don't get the hype.

Wel okee, echt een band waar mn ouders fan van zijn

Sunday Bloddy Sunday euk, de rest niet helemaal geweldig wel wat leuke nummers, en altijd leuk om Bono 'biggest Turd' te horen zingen

Iconische album art voor kijkers van de top 2000 a gogo Zelf nooit de grootste U2 fan geweest Maar album is wel leuk

I liked this album quite a bit from front to back. I was on the fence about adding another star but I think it comes up just a touch short of that next level

My prejudice was on display here.

The highlights are the highest of highs. The rest of the album is dated and earnestly bland.

Meaningful lyrics and aptly named. This is classic U2. It does also remind me though, that while I love U2 in smaller dosses, an entire album in one sitting can be admittedly tiresome in spots.

É bom! Mas nao tankei todas as músicas, não, depois das três primeiras o resto passou batido e nada de grandioso (Surrender é ótima)

decent!

Cool type of mid with a banger

Mid

Even as a u2 hater I have to admit this is a good album

I never listened to U2 because I held a grudge against them for throwing that album on my iPod back when I was like 10. They surprised me, I didn’t know what I was missing! Really enjoyed. 3.65

I liked the A sides a lot more than the B sides. At a certain point they start to sound the same. Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day are the most popular ones and it's easy to see why.

I don't really care about U2 but this album is quite good. It's just not my kind of album. Some songs are actually fun. I wasn't feeling it when I listened to this.

It’s not bad but I’m basically never in the room for arena rock

U2 before they became insufferable.

It's fine

First U2 album. Good overall Favourites- Sunday Bloody Sunday, seconds, New Year’s Eve

Not a band I warm to. Priduction is good. Bonos emotional wailings put me ofcedge a bit.They started to get more interesting when they worked with Eno

U2 and Bobo, another review here said that this was U2 before Bono became a little bit too preachy and full of himself. I think that review is wrong, Bono has always been preachy and far too full of himself. There two OK-ish tracks on this album , Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day and the rest is just mediocre.

Best song: Sunday Bloody Sunday Vibe: ernest, embattled Themes: unrequited love

Trite.

Fine. Some great singles. Red Light was good. Everything else was okay

Mid

Pretty alright

ok...

How long? How long must we sing this song? - Until all the average songs this album provides are over. Unfortunately, the most known song is the only outstanding one as well.

Some interesting sounds and melodies, but mostly generic rock. The production on most of the songs sounds super thin, with the bass having almost no body to it at all.

Muistiinpanot kadonnu mut oisko ollu 2.5/5

U2 makes hits. They don’t make not hits.

3.6 - My U2 sweet spot is that 3-album stretch of “Joshua Tree”, “Achtung Baby” and “Zooropa.” While this is a tuneful record with plenty of nice cuts, especially “40”, it won’t enter into my regular rotation.

Classic. 3.4

besser als erwartet, aber umghaut hats mi nit

pas dingo apres les 4 premières minutes et 39 secondes d'écoute

Some hits some misses

The dreaded U2! Had to happen sooner or later! Actually not bad at all, nice surprise!

Some bangers, so slangers

U2 is and always will be just fine in my book. 3.5

I forgot how much I like U2, although this isn’t my favourite of theirs. Listens: 2 Fave Track: New Year’s Day

I am treating U2 harshly

Still a good album. U2 not my favorite however.

First side is good, even great at times. Second side is mostly meh.

The only good U2 album.

Great alternative post-punk album which reminds us that they were good back in the days. Still have a hard time with Bono's way of singing, but at least, the music around him is enjoyable.

nothing groundbreaking but more interesting than a lot of the more recent U2 songs I’ve heard

I recognize Belarusian band Ulis in U2. And even a little bit of J:Mors in the guitars. Cool album, very Innovative approach in guitars for this year. But I'm not a big fan of Bono's vocal talent.

Has a few of the hits, and while it was good, it was probably better for the time. Nothing remarkable.

bunch of recognizable songs. The others werent bad either. 3

Just know of U2 when their album was put on everyone’s phones against their will. I’m guessing this being one of the earlier albums, I like it. Very 80’s, synths are fun and distinct vocals. 3.1

better than I expected, but not amazing

review on ig: @musicwithnessa

I tried going into this one without bias. I’ve never been a fan of U2, i find Bono annoying. But I wanted to give this album a fair shake. It wasn’t bad, although I don’t like Bono’s voice on most songs. I get why the hits were hits and why I’ve never heard the rest of these songs. Nothing on here is bad, just most of the album aside from a handful of songs was ok at best.

It was okay.

seemed fine. Wasn’t in the mood

The best U2 album bar none.

Liked the guitar sounds. Bono has always had a great voice. While the lyrics aren't incredibly evocative of their subject, they are still moving and great with the melodies.

The 1st 3 tracks are great, then you remember how much of a dick Bono is, still worth 3 stars

Some good songs, a lot I didn't care about much at all. Like most of U2, it's entirely Meh for me.

Good but the lead singgers voice was always a bit too whiny for me. If the entire album was of the same quality as bloody Sunday, it would be 4/5

I enjoyed this playing in the background. I was never a big U2 fan, but appreciate their talent and popularity.

All around good

Basically what I expected. I like bloody Sunday, but not much else U2 has done.

Solid

This is not the first time I listened to this album, but I forgot I did. So when it popped-up, I was excited and looking forward to it. But while listening I realised that there's a reason why I only really know those two big hits and not the rest. It is especially Sundy Bloody Sunday which lifts this album to another level, but as an album in itself it kinda disappoints.

Good album overall, but no song really stood out to me and I'm not a big fan if songs fading out, which is done a lot here.

Henry Rollins once said "The Clash is what U2 wish they could have been." I think of that every time someone brings up U2. Still, they had moments. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Years Day" are two of them. Some of the other stuff on the album... not so much. You can see why they are the not the big "hits" from the album (looking at you, "Refugee"). Still, it's a pretty solid album. But I just never "got" them. Top tracks: "Sunday Bloody Sunday," "New Years Day," "Surrender"

Like the Joshua Tree, this album starts off with a killer track. Sunday Bloody Sunday is one of U2's absolute best. Unlike the Joshua Tree, the opening 3 song sequence isn't as good - New Year's Day is another classic but Seconds is not the same calibre. Still good but not great. Again like the Joshua Tree, the album ebbs and flows after song three and at times it was a bit meh. Like A Song, The Refugee (though a bit off-kilter), and Two Hearts Beat as One are solid. Not sure about the others, though "40" is a good softie. I lie the edginess of the album's themes and this was the start of U2 superstar status. Is that enough to round up from a 3.5? Tough call.

It’s okay but not really my thing.

what a strong start to an album could i write poetry this? y

Every other song is killer; the rest is meh.

I'd pick The Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby over this any day.

Melodías muy planas y uniformes. Pero está bien el disco.

Well, I wasn’t even born in 83 so my main experience with U2 comes from the 90’s albums, so this one, to me, and even it came out before, just sounds a bit derivative… props for Sunday Bloody Sunday

This is the first U2 album I've ever listened to in full. Pretty solid overall, a couple standout songs with some pretty easy listening tunes in between. The sax on red light is clean. I'll listen to that free album that U2 put on everyone's iPhones one day.

I’d give this album 6/10. Three stars is the closest to that score. It was fine. No real stand out tracks for me. Background music and nothing more in my opinion. Never been a big U2 fan, so maybe that sways my opinion.

I kind of like The Refugee and parts of Red Light

6.5/10

Not bad for a rock album, 3 or 4 great tracks and some forgettable songs.

алкоальбом: кровавая мери

A little too relentlessly angry for me. I know it was a protest album, so it accomplished its purpose. But it isn't the most satisfying album or easies to listen to.

Not bad for a U2 album a very distinct sound throughout this album unsure I would listen again though. 3/5

3/5 So surprised that I didn't hate this. Sounds like the Smiths if the Smiths decided to make the same sounding song across a whole album. The songs I knew were fun but there was nothing about the songs that I didn't know that would make me listen again. All in all, nowhere near as awful as I thought it would be.

I don’t like U2. That said it isn’t because the music isn’t great. Starting this album with what would become a staple song in the repertoire was a wise idea. From there you get the sense that Bono and crew are not happy with the state their country or the world at large is in.

New years day is a banger

Sunday Bloody Sunday is great but I didn't know any of the other songs!

War! What is it good for? I guess if you’re a big U2 fan then, everything. I thought this was U2 when they still made good songs but you can tell they are starting to really use their music for their political ideals. Sunday is a catchy song. The political mess can easily be overlooked. New Year’s Day. Not as exciting. Overall the album is decent though and U2 is a good band even if Bono is a bit odd. 6.3/10

Listened to it. Didn’t hate it but no desire to listen again.

Album is okay with some nice songs

Liked it more than I expected

A few good songs are not enough to elevate this album out of mediocrity.

Not bad

Bono has a voice for silent film in the same way I have a face for radio, but the rest was good enough that I liked this way more than I thought I would. Almost a 4.

It was pretty good. Nothing groundbreaking for me, but Bono does have a stellar voice.

not my favourite U2 album

If I were to like a U2 album, this would probably be it

Sunday Bloody Sunday was excellent but the rest bored me

Ook dit album uit een erfenis verkregen. Heb het helemaal geript. En later alles op 3 nummers na gedelete. Geen goed teken. Nu ik het weer luister, snap ik weer waarom. Er staat voldoende kwaliteit. Maar het is gewoon teveel U2. Als ik U2 aanzet, kies ik voortaan het beste nummer (gewoon Sunday Bloody Sunday) en zap daarna weer naar de volgende artiest.

Nice at the beginning but becomes a bit same same after a while

Decent but a bit boring

I really enjoyed listening to the album, the overall sound was great and there weren't many songs that I didn't like. I especially liked "the drowning man" and "surrender". It's a 3.5 for me.

Very front loaded album, three great tracks then mid tempo boring material for the rest of the runtime

Much like The Police, I guess I never realized how much post-punk influence (both from and on) that U2 had. I also never realized this record was from '83; I figured it was from the late eighties or early nineties. I think if there's anything I take away from this, it's that my admiration for The Edge is unfounded. Buried underneath the yawp of Bono, The Edge continues to weave a nice tapestry of atmosphere. Shame I just really can't get past Bono. Favorite tracks: "New Years Day", "Two Hearts Beat As One"

Meh. Here is where U2 became Arena rock gods and lost all semblance of soul and nuance. Some fine songs that suffer from bombast. 3.5 stars

3,0 - 3,5

Two great songs and a bunch of filler.

Okay, but nothing special.

Just another rock album, I knew the hits already, and when I listen through an entire album I expect to be surprised by a hidden gem that I haven't heard before or just forgot about. This album doesn't have anything like that, just more or the same generic rock sound. Solid album, but not great, and definitely not exceptional.

Not a fan of U2 but, this albums is really good.

Very good, tho few of the songs drag a little bit

It has a couple of really great songs, but at times the album is a little boring. Most of the songs are too long and not catchy enough. Favorite song: New Years Day.

not too memorable, not too good, also nothing to complain about. Nice vibes, felt kinda retro

Well, it starts off with some huge tunes then sort of fades off into U2ness. It’s just U2 innit.

this album contains my two favorite U2 songs, and started out so strong. but i went from "oh this is my U2 era" to "oh i'm really done with Bono wailing at me" to "ok kind of like it" back to "shut up Bono" by the end.

I was aware of Bono and The Edge as kind of insufferable before I was aware of U2's good music, and it definitely colors my impression of them. This is a pretty good album though.

Okay album, I was surprised how many songs I recognized

U2 was the album I was most familiar with, and I think it was one if their best. I think that as I was listening to it, the songs got better

- for whatever reason, Sunday Bloody Sunday does something special for me - the rest of the album is good not great, never been a huge fan of their sound

Can't believe I'm Irish and it's taken me this long to listen to a U2 album. Nothing special but a solid rock album. Sunday Bloody Sunday is a classic. Favourite Songs: SBS, New Year's Day, Like A Song...

Piola

I just like the sound of U2 and the voice of Bono. It would be a 2\5, but the distorted guitar always gets me a little bit.

Två riktigt bra låtar och resten helt ok.

Helt ok, svag 3:a

Inte en av U2 s bättre tyvärr. Finns några bra låtar, Like a Song är bäst.

They make some great music but I don’t really connect with it and bono is a bellend

3.5 maybe? Far from their best but still solid

eh whatever. also i dont really like the way he sings this early on, he managed to make it better on the next albums. i kinda like the experimentalism on it, but i dont think its that much of a record.

Because they used music as a political mouthpiece I've always held U2 in low esteem, this was that starting point for me. 30 years on and I still feel the same way, however if you take the lyrics out and listen to the melodies they're quite listenable

Probablement le meilleur album de U2 que j'ai eu dans cette liste. Beaucoup plus cohésif, plus agressif, des chansons qui frôlent le punk. Je pourrais presque même le réécouter. 7/10

Jangly, wavy, yelly and passionate that it hurts.

Not really a fan of U2, but a few of their early albums before Bono became such a self-aware twit, are worth listening to. War is probably the last U2 album I can stand, it still rocks well, even now and they still have some edginess to their sound, something that they lose beyond this record. I don't like the band, but this album is okay.

It was fine background music. I don't know if I'd ever listen to it again, but I might.

Solid U2 album.

Not as bad as their more recent stuff

Ik vind U2 altijd wel leuk, maar elk U2 nummer lijkt altijd heel erg op de ander in mijn optiek. Dus het voelde een beetje als één heel lang nummer. Maar wel een goed nummer hahah, maar het blies me niet weg Wacht waar geef ik dan nu een cijfer :)

They’ve got a couple good songs here and there but everything besides the hits is pretty bad and not much fun to listen to. Idk 2.7?

The hits and Surrender are very good. The rest is good, but less special.

While it didn't blow me away, it was fun and had some real high points. Generally, what surprises me the most was this was 1983, as it feels a lot more modern than that in general production style.

cuando una banda que aparece acá es conocida, por lo general, el disco es bueno. solido, politico y protestante

IT has 3 good songs. The rest suck.

Rock

U2STM

It sure sounds like U2

Not my taste

A classic album. Reminds me of childhood.

Listened to this while playing Return to Dark Tower solo. My second U2 album on this list. I haaaaate Bono. I am not a person who is remotely hostile...but something about him gets under my skin. That being said, I actually enjoyed the first album from this list, Achtung Baby, much more than I would have ever expected. This album did not hit me in the same way, but I still enjoyed it. I recognized the opening track, but the rest was new to me. I'm realizing I don't hate U2...I just don't like Bono. A solid 3 out of 5.

Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year’s Day can almost carry a whole album and, in this case, they do. I was hoping I’d fall in love with another track or two from War but those two will have to do.

In the commercial breakthrough of U2, they combine the groove and energy of post-punk with the pop-driven melodic nature and electric instruments of New Wave into a sound they'll continue to evolve as alternative rock becomes more confident in what it is. The production is incredibly impressive considering how early in their career it is. Clean chorus-heavy guitar riffs, drums packing a punch, basslines sticking out in several songs, highly atmospheric pedal and synth(?) effects, and powerful back vocals that amplify the effects and chorus. I think it's the guitars that really speak to me. Instead of relying on synths like contemporary New Wave bands, they utilize overlaying guitars to set this tense and ever-changing environment, and most of the success of the record is attributed to how well they can execute the guitars in new ways. They experiment quite a bit in this record, but a lot of it is hit-or-miss. The two hits are among the best in their catalog, but nothing else comes close to either. I found a few cool things about each song, but I found it to be more for novelty rather than providing substance. "The Refugee" and "Red Light" are the worst examples, with much of it feeling really forced and out-of-place, but I do appreciate the efforts, and at least they're neither forgettable nor unbearable. Although a display of their creativity, it's neither satisfying nor impressive. Some songs like "40" tend to rely too much on the gimmick that I couldn't really find much else noteworthy, especially not those lame lyrics. But I was entertained by it all, and I was able to find plenty that did impress me.

Really cool intricate song writing. Guitar is really cool and not as effect driven as anticipated. Bono’s voice isn’t my favorite, but it’s instantly recognizable and gives the music a deep identity 3.5/5

Better than I expected.

In general tones, I have been unimpressed by this album. U2 is good, do not get me wrong, but I have never loved them. I like them, yeah, but seeing how big their name is, I would expect more. No song has made me say "wow, this is amazing". This previous comment is purely based on personal taste. "War" is a well-structured project, filled with songs that can please the general public. It is worth a listen.

Aquest àlbum té dues de les millors cançons que ha fet U2: new year's day i sunday bloody sunday. Per desgràcia, la resta de l'àlbum també te cançons de U2.

relaxing but not my thing

Want to listen again but basically what I expected.

I only know the U2 that is the bloated corpse of an arena show pony. War is 40 years old, scarily pertinent and full of youthful angst and authenticity. It doesn’t sound like an 80s album. Or, blissfully, the kind of U2 album I expected. I wouldn’t go as far as saying I liked it. But I thought enough of it to listen to it twice. It’s kind of nice knowing that Bono and the lads had something going on when U2 were a band and not The Brand.

Some stuff was pretty enjoyable, though I probably wouldn't look up anything later to listen to again. Solid 3.5

eigentlich ganz ok. surrender ist am besten

Brani Preferiti: - "Sunday Bloody Sunday" - "New Year's Day" Note: Secondo me War non è il miglior album degli U2, ma sicuramente è quello più politico. War è un buon album, ma non rimane impresso. L'unico motivo per il quale lo conosco è per il brani messi sopra, il primo è bello non solo perché è fatto bene ma anche per quanto importante storicamente sia, il secondo brano invece è un brano iconico a livello commerciale.

Some hits on this album

I am not fond of that U2 sounds, couple of tracks were fun

Maybe their best album? Sunday Bloody Sunday is an incredible opener, they have never sounded more urgent, and there’s some other pretty good stuff on here as well (though Two Hearts Beat As One was a notable dud)

It’s u2 they are good

Good rock album. I need er really enjoyed u2 much though

Starts well, a bit more upbeat than other U2 stuff, but tails off towards the end of the album

Solid beginning of the album with a mediocre finish. Pretty decent overall.

7/10

Ei suututa ketään

1. zunday bloody zunday - 1.5 2. zecondz - 1 3. neuu yearz day - 3 4. like a zong - 1 5. drouuning man - 1 6. the refugee - 1 7. tuuo heartz beat az one - 1.5 8. red light - 1.5 9. zurrender - 1 10. 40 - 1

U2 is fine. Not my thing

As topical now as ever. Not a super big fan of the vocals, drone/resonate a bit.

Tame but not too bad.

Started strong, but never really went anywhere interesting. 3/5 Won't listen again

Not as bad as I was expecting, some cool guitar and songwriting but I probably won’t come back to it.

# 86 : Good rock album, easy to listen to this one, some banger tracks, not one I would put in my library but I would listen to it again most probably. Fav Track : The Refugee Listened : 12/10/2023

I've never heard the voice of a younger bono. Much better and more oomph than u2 in the late 2000s when I first heard them

It is the best U2 (which is not so hard) and gives me some good memories, so an easy 3 stars.

Typical older Gen-X music. It has a few hits that have great energy but most of the album is quite boring to me. Pop rock isn't really my thing.

U2 the epitome of 'I can appreciate why people like this band, but they're not really for me'. Too much melodrama! That said, I appreciate the post-punkishness of this album and New Year's Day is a great song, as is Sunday Bloody Sunday (though Alan Partridge ruined that a bit for me): "'Sunday Bloody Sunday'. What a great song. It really encapsulates the frustration of a Sunday, doesn't it? You wake up in the morning, you've got to read all the Sunday papers, the kids are running round, you've got to mow the lawn, wash the car, and you think, 'Sunday, bloody Sunday!'" "I really hate to do this to you, Alan, but it's actually a song about..."

3/5. A pretty strong release from U2, not necessarily a bad song on here but don't remember all of it. There were some great songs, but still not songs I'd listen to on repeat, despite the accessibility. The political energy and direct stance on issues is what makes this a good album. It might go to a 4 on repeated listens but it's a solid to high 3 on this one.

Positively, it's actually great to hear a raw U2 on this album. The raw energy they can master when they haven't had the edges shaved off by a producer is actually quite thrilling. The downside is this album is half killer half filler.

Interesting to compare with their more modern/popular stuff. Pretty neat but not my favorite

Great album not my Favourite u2 album but still great

Good. except for the horns and strings. could have done without them.

Not really my thing

p541. 1983. 3 stars. U2 before they became flabby and self righteous. 1 point docked for Bono's near-hysterical vocals.

shame the promising collab with the Coconuts went no further

Fav: Sunday Bloody Sunday LF: Seconds Like a low 7

Decent imo. First and last tracks were my favorite.

Didn't really care for it as a kid, so I guess those same thoughts carried through to adulthood

Its like a 5/10 i mean it wasn't bad but I feel like this album was not really my music taste and it was kind of boring and simple

Vähän raaempaa soundia kuin ehkä normaalisti U2 Kitaratyöskentely oli ihan mielenkiintoista New Years Day on oikeasti aika hyvä kappale.

Op de grote hits na, vond ik dit toch vrij matig.

U2 very much joins the list of acts I find egregiously over-representeded on this list. It's fine, whatever, though at their most self-important.

The most overrated band on this list (and that's saying something). This is their 4th appearance! Blasphemy. I'll say this, there were parts of this album that weren't annoying, and other parts that were even enjoyable! Sure, they're entirely up their own ass the entire time, but I will give credit where credit is due. The other 3 albums can be dropped from this list. Honestly, all 4 can, but if you're going to keep 1, this can be it.

Fav: Sunday Bloody Sunday

I liked this more than Achtung Baby (the only other U2 album I’ve listened to). It wasn’t that bad.

The sound mixing is rough but it creates a more intense atmosphere, fitting to having an opener like "Sunday Bloody Sunday". I lost focus halfway in, but still pleasant.

it was ok

Wel nice

Couple of great songs, some other decent bits

I really don't want to listen to U2 right now, but Sunday Bloody Sunday is a pretty good song so I will give this a 3 and call it a day

Was honestly surprised I enjoyed this. Not the greatest album this site has given me, but definitely one of the better ones.

3/5

I've never really liked U2, but this was actually ok.

New Years Day is a jam, but overall lacks the quality of Achtung Baby and the production of ATYCLB.

Een van de betere U2 albums, vind ik. Genoeg tempo, niet te saai

Their most interesting effort that I've heard, imo. Love how the synth-pop and the rock flow together. It also doesn't sound constrained and tense like their other popular albums. I guess "commercialization" messed with their sound and direction for a bit.

Sunday Bloody Sunday is a very important song for honoring those lost to British violence, however, that is about the only song worth listening to on this album. I wish U2 did for me what it seems to do for the rest of the world.

If I have to listen to U2, I'm glad it's this album. Sunday Bloody Sunday is excellent, and the overall relentlessness of each track blending into each other sets a really strong thematic foundation. Some cool riffs to be found in Like A Song... and The Refugee. Overall I stand the same on U2: 2.5-3/5 stars.

I mean U2 isn't massively my thing but I appreciate the song writing I guess. I can see why it appeals to others but I just can't massively get into it. Absolutely fine

This is about the 4th U2 album so far... surely the last, I'm only about 15 albums from the end. It's ok. I've heard a couple of tracks from it before, but not the whole thing. I always forget that U2 kinda started out doing a new wave thing, but eh. I felt neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed here. Simply whelmed. 3/5.

"Sunday Bloody Sunday" is the standout track that most people know here. In general I find U2 to be a bit trite in their messaging, it just feels surface level so I can never get too into it.

Sunday Bloody Sunday is a great song. Otherwise, even early U2 doesn't do much for me. Too bombastic.

Mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand it has that really impressive youthful energy, and some of the best U2 songs (e.g. Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day). On the other hand I feel like there are too many fillers on this album to really aim for five stars.

Op zich een prima album, wat verrassend is aangezien dit wel U2 is. Misschien dat ze hierna pas de verkeerde kant op zijn gegaan, of dit was een zeldzaam lichtpuntje.

L'ouverture est très forte, les singles toujours aussi puissants. Même si U2 est devenu une caricature, ils prouvent qu'ils ont mérité leur succès du début. Certaines autres pistes sont plus génériques, avec les synthétiseurs et les choristes, et il me semble que l'album se conclut par la plus faible.

- Heard other U2 albums before but not this one - Similar thoughts on this to others, some of the songs are very good but quite a few that I don't like - Surprised this isn't considered their second best to Joshua Tree, think it's way better than Achtung Baby - Thought the start of the album was better than the end - Fav songs: Sunday Bloody Sunday, Like a Song, Seconds

U2 has always been an average rock band outside their hits, and War doesn’t change that. The songs are fine but start to feel repetitive the longer it goes on.

Huh, yeah, what is it good for? A pretty decent U2 album it turns out

Not much of a U2 fan, but "New Year's Day" and especially "Sunday Bloody Sunday" are noteworthy tracks. Other than that, the album was fine. I guess I'll round up from 2.5.

This was fine. Kind of boring if am being honest, but it was not bad.

Was a good stroll. Some good songs. Median 3.5/5

You can have a three todaaaaay!

You know, I'm not sure that I like U2. I like this album better than Joshua Tree, which was one of the first albums that I got on this list, but I still found my self pretty bored outside of the songs that I already knew. Even those don't do all that much for me, but they're still good songs. I like the political message of the album and the fact that it focuses on the human costs of war outside of the battlefield. However, I find a lot of the music pretty repetitive. I could see why people really like this album, and it's possible that some of my feelings about what U2 has become have colored my perception of their earlier work, but this left me feeling pretty flat 3/5

First track goes off

An actually enjoyable U2 album that lacks any of the smarminess and complacency that defines much of their back catalog. Appreciated the varied song structures, great minor key melodies, and the Edge’s grittier but still atmospheric guitar work on this one.

I know it's fashionable to say War is a great album, but I consider U2 a band that came of age with Joshua Tree and produced its finest albums in the 5-6 years period that followed (most notably, Achtung Baby). War? What is good for?

Kaksi järkyttävän hyvää biisiä ja loppu onkin keskinkertaista materiaalia vannoutumattoman kuuntelijan korvissa. Vahva 3*

Kaks ekaa hittiä nosti neloseen, pari hutia tiputti kolmoseen ja loppu oli jeekkis

Decent alternative rock album that is actually more post-punk than I expected. I really don’t like a lot of their later stuff but there were some decent songs on here such as New Years Day and Like a Song. The musicianship is solid and the lyrics play a large role but I feel there were more average songs than good ones.

Tengo otros favoritos de esta banda, pero imagino que en 1982 esto se escuchó como una novedad y algo muy excitante.

Great

Best U2 I have heard by far. Started strong, then tailed off. But at least gave me a glimpse of why some people rate them.

This was leaps and bounds better than either Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby, and I understand that probably isn't the most common opinion. I mean, this still isn't anything super crazy for me, but I can at least find enjoyment in this, probably due to a good chunk of the songs actually having a beat and tempo that makes me excited to listen to rather than bored to tears, and the normal length run time is much more tolerable than whatever Achtung Baby thought it was getting away with. Maybe the other two do have those "blood-pumping" songs, but I certainly don't remember them, and I think that just helps this album's case more.

Doing my part to bring these guys back down to earth.

Some bangers here for sure. Most of it doesn't quite do it for me though. Still pretty good overall though.

Even though it’s titled War, the songs felt pretty upbeat. Sunday Bloody Sunday is a classic but the rest didn’t stick around with me after they were done.

This is number two or three we've had from U2. Certainly not as stacked as Joshua Tree, but they can only have one best album. Still, this one's solid. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is such a banger of a track, they really nailed the feeling with that one. A few others on here that I liked, but nothing earth-shattering. Favorite tracks: Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, Drowning Man, Two Hearts Beat as One. Album art: Close up of a boy's face. Technically two in a row for albums doing the red/white/black scheme. This one's more white/gray though so less impactful. But it's a pretty strong cover anyway. 3.5/5

With songs like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day", "War" might be U2's most overtly political album, but not the band's best. That honor goes to "Joshua Tree" or "Achtung Baby".

Early U2 has the songwriting germs fully present, splitting War up as a big-m Message album with the necessary love song coda. Strings lend a particularly Hibernian flair to the album's opening, and there's other, less cohesive experimentation deeper in the tracklist. The energy is moving more slowly than it thinks it is.

It was alright. Several songs were recognizable.

PREFS : Sunday, Bloody Sunday, Seconds, New Year's Day, Like a Song..., Two Hearts Beat As One, "40" MOINS PREF : Red Light

Buen disco de rock, con algunas canciones muy reconocibles. Personalmente no es un grupo que me atraiga, aunque tiene canciones muy bien construidas

It was ok.

I get that U2 is very talented, but they just don't do it for me.

AJ: Do we talk about the rhythm section enough? They got nicknames too? Hot damn. Sunday Bloody Sunday hits a little different in the living room vs the car. They kinda jam it out crush it for a few moments and it’s better. Album U2 is better than random radio every once in a while U2. Cat: there’s no denying how well written, performed and produced their material is. Also, a ton of emotion in their music and lyrics. All the songs have a unique vibe and sound. Kudos!

This has a lovely post-punky sound. Sunday bloody Sunday is the obvious stand out track, strong and emotionally packed. This album is produced by Steve Lillywhite (same guy who helped produce a very good XTC album called Drums and Wires.). It also has a great album cover. Great lyrics, message. It ticks all the boxes but there were only a few songs that really got me. The others were alright. Torn between a 3 and a 4 for this. I think if I listen to this more I could really learn to love it. Other highlights: 40, seconds, refugee,Surrender

More cult of Bono/Edge. Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Years Day - clear winners here.

Middling album. Some shiners, and some duds.

Nowhere near as strong as other U2 albums

This album was fine.

Ah Bono. The Tony Blair of music. This feels like the first album in which the full on Bono Messiah complex hit home. The three singles on here I never really need to hear again, and New Years Day is a fine mid-80s rock single. Beyond the singles it's still pretty uneven with Red Light (featuring the Coconuts on backing vocals) and Refugee rather cringeworthly in lyrical terms. One of my least favourite of their albums - the more straightforward Edge's guitar sound is, the less interesting they sound. Three stars.

Het album War op 5 mei opgeleverd krijgen door het machtige algoritme: keurig. Sunday Bloody Sunday is een heerlijk nummer met iconisch drum intro. Ik zal het album daarom gewoon netjes een 3 geven en niet al te zuur doen, maar U2 is toch een beetje een Knorr wereldgerecht. Iedereen lust het, vooral niet te avontuurlijk, lekker binnen de kaders van wat we al kennen blijven.

Carino, ma mi è rimasto poco impresso, musica chiaramente molto influente ma credo sia un suono che ormai è diventato generico

6/10. What is it good for?