War

Looks like I've still got one more U2 album to catch up on from this list but so far I think this is one of my favourites. Faves: Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day, The Refugee, Two Hearts Beat As One.

This is my last U2 album of the project, and the earliest from their career - it's fun to hear them not sound like the established U2 template on some of these tracks! Fave tracks - "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day" are the ones I've heard the most before, and they are both bangers to be fair. "The Refugee" from the tracks I was less familiar with!

Some good, some meh. 3/5

It’s okay

'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!".

Not the biggest U2 fan but there’s some classics on here. And it sounds so very 80s in fun ways.

U2 is not my thing. I admit they are gifted song makers but not my cup of tea. This is a huge record in their development both musically and politically.

Crazy to think about how confrontational and hard U2 could get compared to what they are now. This is a great album with only a couple of down tracks for me. Sunday Bloody Sunday is an incredible opener and New Years Day is a classic.

Couldn't find any version that wasn't horribly remastered.

nO u2 thank you. I tried, but it's not for me.

Best U2 album I’ve listened. Still 3 stars.

Listening to U2 is war. Could not wait for this album to be over.

Anthemic and passionate. It's an iconic album whatever you think of Bono.

This is by no means a technical review of the albums, it's just purely my opinion. That said, there's interesting sounds in this album and wether it's because I've never liked U2 or because I truly don't connect with their music I don't know, I just know I don't like this 2/5

An important album!

40/100 I am Gen Z, therefore I must hate U2. No but seriously this provides little to nothing that is memorable and the songs sound washed out most of the time

I liked a lot of this. 7 out of 10 for me.

U2 doing post punk with a militaristic feel. Whilst 2000s + U2 may be the most MOR band imaginable, this is powerful, interesting and even a little edgy (and bonoy, claytony, and larry mullen jr.y, obviously). Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: New Years Day Date listened: 26/06/24

U2, gross

Der letzte Klassiker. Leider schlecht aufgenommen - und noch schlechter im remaster 😩

They popularized rock music that didn’t swing - there was virtually no remnant of the rhythm and blues component of rock. Nice layers, very atmospheric, thoughtful lyrics, ultra-sincere and anthemic.

3/5. Bloody Sunday absolute banger

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

Oh ffs..... Not another U2 album. Just the name of the album is pretentious. I just know Bono will be an insufferable cock tractor on this one. I just hate U2 and I don't know why. The music is... Fine.... They're just such douche canoes. Favourite songs: New Year's Day, Sunday Bloody Sunday, The Refugee, Red Light, Surrender Least favourite songs: Drowning Man 3/5

Não sou tão fan da banda mas o disco é bom

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

great classic u2 album, can see why they had great success. and has some powerful lyrics especially sunday bloody sunday

Not my favorite U2 album, but it's got some good songs.

song reco: sunday bloody sunday ⭐⭐⭐ my uncle would love this album. i'm sure he'll definitely play this on full blast.

9/10 New years Day is one of the best post punk songs I've heard. I like U2 and this album has a few just awesome songs. 6-20-2024

I'm not a U2 hater like the rest of my generation, but I was still surprised with this one. Lots of great stuff.

The Edge’s distinctive guitar sound, and the rest of the band make the album as powerful now as it was when I first discovered it

A great classic. Has aged slightly and I don’t love it as much as I used to.

Sunday Bloody Sunday was written to be played live, so it's not a surprise this song really took off after it was played live at Red Rocks. This isn't the "motivational speaker talking about what a great day it is and we can all get through it if we try hard enough" U2 that is seen two decades from this album. There is nothing wrong with that version of U2, but this is the more political voice of the band. Both sides of this album are pretty well balanced. There are three songs on each side that are really great. I do like the drums at the start of Like a Song... as well. This is the most consistent U2 album of the 1980's, if you ask me, but I still think The Joshua Tree is the better album. I have to be in a different mood to listen to this album, just because it is so political, and it is a bit too heavy for me at times. Great album though and certainly worth a listen for those who have not heard 1980's U2 prior to The Joshua Tree. This is the album to own if you want to understand U2 in the early 80's.

Opening track is an all timer but was kinda let down by the rest. Rating: 3.1

Excellent album

🥱

Love Sunday Bloody Sunday

Great songs and other terrible ones.

Standard U2. Couple of great singles lifting up a lot on averageness

Back when U2 were a band. Typical 3 hit album

Melody are fine but I don't really like the vocals

One of u2s best albums, full of post punk bangers

Bono is the worst. Thus album has some pretty good songs on it though.

I can dig it

I don't particularly like U2 but this is one of their better showings.

Sunday Bloody Sunday and Drowning Man are great songs. The rest of this album is generic U2 junk, not interested.

Would I listen to it again: no Do I like it: it's ok

The timing of Sunday Bloody brought us U2. They stuck around for some reason. It's fine.

War is the best U2 album, which doesn’t mean much since it’s not very good. there are some cool percussion choices and the song topics are admirable and worthy of talking about, but they go nowhere with it. like they build a great vibe and atmosphere on each track but they have no sauce at all. like 90’s Cure and Pet Shop Boys do this sound a whole lot more justice. this album’s greatest crime is being just listenable. 2/5

I LOVED this album, but I didn’t expect to. I’ve heard a handful of the most popular U2 songs, and those never piqued my curiosity to search out more. But this album is different. The only song I didn’t love was 40, but I get it and I get why it’s there. Now I’m wondering if I should listen to more of their albums in their entirety.

Good U2

Ok - 80's rock. A classic - good and historic, but played out for me.

Early U2 is great but feel like it’s singles and filler, the album cuts are kind of boring. Also, The Edge ripped off Andy Gill from Gang of Four in a spectacular way.

Maybe it is just a lack of familiarity with these songs, but I just didn't care about it much. It may be that U2's "sound" was consistent enough to make this album feel like a copycat of their earlier work, and the way they evolved their sound by this point was to make it more generic. Perhaps this album will grow on me in the future, but for now it sits on the better side of OK. Favorite track: probably "Surrender."

Thematically cohesive. A time capsule. Beautiful.

War is the third album by Irish rock band U2. It was their first political album and a record of pacifism since it contained themes of anti-war. Although reviews were mixed, this fully fleshed post-punk album was a commercial success and has been certified gold in Brazil, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, & Switzerland, and platinum or multi-platinum in Australia (2x), Belgium, Canada (3x), France (2x), New Zealand, UK (2x), & USA (4x). I enjoyed this post-punk U2 album more than I thought I would, but the two singles were the best part. It was nice for the album to have the overarching theme on war as it made the band sound sophisticated and worldly. U2 would go on to be popular rock/pop band after these first few interesting albums.

Softened pop-rock with occasional political undertone, but also one that conveniently abandons all of its genuine edge for the sake of simplistic appeal. The few hits and a deep cut here or there hit hard, but otherwise the album drags and has the crisis of song-writing; a noticeable issue with all U2 deep cuts.

Really good Album sometimes I cant pick between this one and joshua tree. Only one mehhh song but the strong start with mt favorite U2 song Sunday Bloody Sunday makes you stay tunned as this song is powerful and simply insanly good. They dont do albums like this anymore.

I don't like Bono, but I do like this album

Some all time classics on this album. Not much can be added to the greatness of early U2. Banger. Easy 5 stars.

I had medium-high expectations for this album and was completely underwhelmed. Generic alternative rock with a few notable hits - like the imagine dragons of their time. 2/5.

3.5/5

Enjoyed overall

Bit bad

Don't love U2, not sure if it's because they've been overplayed most of my life but listening to the full album didn't change my perspective.

Un clásico de U2

I was sorta into it, but then it just felt like the same song and same sound all the way through, which pushed it into boring territory pretty fast.

Liked how the backing vocals were produced. Left feeled overall overwholmed and like it didn't evolve or change enough

War is the third full-length album from U2, and it is the work that pushed them to international stardom. Their songs are clear, energetic rock songs with the pace and feel of punk songs. Bono's strong voice makes the melodic songs into anthems that appealed to world-wide audiences. War includes some of the band's early hits like "New Year's Day" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday," both great examples of the politically-motivated statements the band had made through their music.

1,5

Not their best album but still good end to end

Sunday Bloody Sunday

3 - This album does not have the sound that I picture when I think of U2, but that's kind of a plus. I always liked Sunday Bloody Sunday more than any other U2 song I've heard, so I suspected this album would be different. Nothing is as good as that song, but it's alright. Probably gonna end up being my favourite album of theirs.

sunday bloody sunday good rest mid

this is a moderately okay u2 album

Trashhhhh

If the U2 was a road, like e.g the M1 is a road, then this would be the middle lane. Do you know what I mean?

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

fy fan vad dåligt det här är. vill egentligen ge det en etta men det finns trots allt sämre musik än det här. det här är själlös jävla vaniljrock framförda av dom största töntarna i musikhistorien (och detta baserar jag enbart på mina förutfattade meningar).

Hymne of my youth

This was my favorite U2 album since Boy, and stayed that way until Actung Baby was released.

I came in assuming this was overhyped, but I found myself bobbing my head the whole way through. Sunday Bloody Sunday may be suffering in my estimation from overexposure, but New Year's Day is excellent and happy to have heard Drowning Man. Not one true clunker in the bunch.

I had never heard this one front to back before. I dig the how new wave they were at the beginning, I feel like they often try to get back to this a bit in their post 2000s work.

I've never liked U2 and this did nothing to change that opinion. It's not the worst of the worst or anything, but just feels so bland and uninspiring.

Favorite Track: Drowning Man other picks: Sunday Bloody Sunday, Like a Song

Lags

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

cool

OK, not bad. Not really into Bono.

As someone who doesn't consider themselves a U2 fan by any means, I actually really enjoyed the album. I often overlooked U2, and this may be a starter for me to listen to more of their stuff.

U2 are, without doubt, a fine rock band. Some absolute classics on here that still sound powerful and fresh today. I admire the fact that they didn't take the easy option in terms of content - they really went for what they believed in. And I had forgotten how great Like a Song is! It's honestly an amazing track - how it races along. Some tracks get a little lost in themselves, and maybe lose the listener a bit along the way. But really, this is a great album.

I bought this one and played it lots! Side A is great, love it. Side B not as good, apart from Two Hearts. Bono really finding (and using) his voice, he had plenty to say! Still has the raw energy (Like A Song x) but you can hear their sound developing. Global stardom awaits! Favourite songs: the first four and Two Hearts Beat As One.

Never massively rated U2 coming into this, but did enjoy some of their bangers (namely With Or Without You and Beautiful Day). Some heavy topics covered, such as the impacts of Bloody Sunday, which they covered in an impactful way. I do just find the U2 sound pretty dull though honestly, and don’t see many standout moments from a musical perspective, besides maybe the guitar solo on New Years Day. Vanilla ice cream for the ears, especially the vocals here. Maybe biased as I never fully forgave Bono for forcing his album onto everyone’s iPod around 2012 😂 Favourite track: New Year’s Day

Before this I’d only listened to The Joshua Tree and their big hits. This album has a grittier sound which I didn’t know U2 had in their discography. Bono’s voice is brilliant. Lyrics are good, obviously quite political - I would’ve preferred the topic to mix up a bit but the music was great so it didn’t matter. ‘War’ didn’t have a bad track. Each song felt varied enough while still feeling cohesive as an album. Closing track “40” sounded a lot like their mellower later stuff - foreshadowing perhaps? Great album overall, and didn’t overstay its welcome at 42 minutes long. Favourite track: New Year’s Day

I liked this album more than The Joshua Tree. The band had a lot of cool rhythm going on. Bono's vocals were great and the lyrics felt like they had a cohesive viewpoint.

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

Good music

Growing up in the Irish Catholic Northeast US in the late 70s / Early 80s your family did a lot of 'looking across the pond back home'. The Irish music we had been exposed to through our parents was the tradidtional 'jigs and reels'. I remember my brother coming home from a concert at a small community college riding a high over the great Irish band he just saw called U2. When WAR came out in '83 with its very anti-war and pro peace in the Irish isles themed album we felt heard and seen as distant cousins. U2 and Bono in particular have changed over and over many times to the point they can be nauseating some 40+ years after they hit the US shores, but WAR is such a neat, perfect album that would be difficult to reproduce in these times. 5/5

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

Know this album well so no need to listen. A big favourite of mine. When released was never off my turntable and I thought it was the best thing ever. Brilliant music and edgy political lyrics. Intro to Sunday Bloody Sunday is for me one of the greatest guitar moments and instantly recognisable before a word is sung. And I love Bono’s live introduction “This is not a rebel song. This is Sunday Bloody Sunday” Song he later gave tribute to EnnisKillen pensioners who were killed in a bombing attack on Remembrance Sunday in a mid song speech “Fuck the revolution”- hair standing on back of head stuff. I have hardly listened recently but it will always be a record I have high regard of even when future U2 releases superseded this one. 5/5 17/5/24

bleh, peaked on first song

Some classic songs like Sunday bloody Sunday. I get the history and significance of the album but couldn't really get into 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.

Listening to this album now, it is interesting to me just how deviated U2 was from the typical music scene of 1982/1983. This album is labeled as post-punk, and that is pretty much true, but as a whole, it sounds incredibly progressive for the 80s and sets them apart from what most other bands were doing around this time. I do regard this as the album that pretty much put U2 on the map for the first time, put them on the road to super-stardom, and and generally began people associating them with this general sound; I think songs like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day" are synonymous with the U2 sound and these hits definitely informed their later works. And while it is a great album, I don't think it's necessarily their best. This lands at about a 3.5 for me, but rounding up.

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

I'd like to listen to this album more. Maybe a 5.

Good songs but there was just something… off about the recordings. Maybe too much compression making it sound more like pop instead of rock songs?

early U@ before they were as 'polished'

Solid classic rock, a high 3.

I actually first listened to this album three days ago, for comparison against another U2 album on this list, ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND. Weird that this album shows up so soon after this one, but whatever. I don't wanna talk about ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND too much, since I already reviewed it, except to say this: that album felt disingenious, which I can attribute largely to the "arena rock" sheen over everything. No matter how good it **can** sound in parts, it comes across as a little plastic, without even the irony of their 90's albums to justify it. On WAR, however, it's all post-punk. Raw, energetic, and **angry**. So damn angry. New Year's Day and Sunday ain't no beautiful day. And that's what makes WAR so engaging and relistenable. You can feel real easily how much they believed in these songs. It's not my favorite of U2's sounds—hello, THE JOSHUA TREE—but it's sure as hell worth your time regardless. Now hopefully this is the start of a trend and my grouo actually does get THE JOSHUA TREE three days later. Please, Randomizer? Pretty please?

I'd heard some early U2 before this, but this album really caught me off guard by how nice it sounds.

I can finally give a solid 4 for the first time in a bit. I don’t think this album ever quite gets up to the territory of being a 5, but regardless, this album just glides from start to finish. Never a dull moment; maybe a few lulls here and there, or one or two songs that didn’t quite click right with me, but there’s not really a moment fully wasted throughout all 42 minutes of this album. Bono’s vocals are fine, and occasionally great, but what really anchors this album is the stellar guitar work and the masterful percussion. It’s just a good time – good lyrics, good vocals, strong instrumentation and just a delightful listen from start to finish. Very highly recommended 4.

The U2 sound was fully developed on War, and the result is a great record kicking off a great run off albums culminating in The Joshua Tree.

U2 fully knew who they were at this point - even though it’s definitely their harshest and least delay-filled album. It’s no wonder they became one of the biggest rock bands ever, when they could produce material like this. Especially Side A is completely without flaw - Side B is not as instantly recognizable and catchy, but War is a classic nonetheless.

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.

I know music is subjective and all but this is, objectively speaking, shit from a butt

i've only really listened to u2's stuff that came out in the late 90s and 2000s, so this was very new to me. this album is fantastic. very lovely dance punk with strong meaning and merit. something about the almost... echoey ghastly... REALLY punchy mastering makes it for me i feel. great listen. really relatable tracks too, some about the unfortunate reality of the world.

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.

This is not nearly as bad as I was expecting. It's like if The National (no offense to the National) had grown up in Ireland during the Troubles. Or if the Smiths (every offense to the Smiths) had a different, yet equally similarly singer. This is before Bono "started believing in his own myth" as my brother put it. I still don't care for U2, but as far as supposedly classic albums on this list that I've gotten so far, it's close to the middle between "yeah this deserves its reputation" and "we really need to reassess why this is considered great". That said, this is a very front-loaded album. The second half is quite uninteresting, teetering on irritating. I'm not going to come back to this ever, but Sunday Bloody Sunday is actually a decent listen still.

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.

Hyvää musiikkia..Nouruuden riemu..

Very good

Very good album with lots of raw feeling.

A great album showcasing U2's typical "rattle and hum" sound.

Solid U2 before Bono was a douche

I went into this project with the preconcetion that U2 is the most overrated band in the world, only by hearing their biggest hits. This is the first full album I've ever listened to by the band, and I listened twice, looking for songs and things to like. And it starts out adequately. Sunday Bloody Sunday is an okay, almost good opener. I like the use of viloin, and it's rather catchy. Still, I got bored by the time the last verse kicked in, when the song by all means should be done. Tracks 3 and 4 are the best songs I've heard from the band. New Year's Day has a cool intro akin to Him's Love Me in Death, but it goes on for too long. Like a Song is potentially their best track, but it should be better structured. The only other song that's decent, is Two Hearts Beat as One, but even that one's too long. The rest is just boring, except for Drowning Man, which is awful. U2 is still the world's most overrated band.

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.

Classic U2 from a time they did not annoy me

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...

Never really dug deep into U2's discography outside of the massive hits. This is politically charged and consistently powerful & raw throughout. Plus, you're probably doing something right if you knock 'Thriller' off the top of the charts!

Gunfire drums, screaming guitars, relavant lyrics and melodies that stay in your ear all day long. This is what the "WAR"-album is about and it´s why U2 became rock-superstars! With "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year´s Day" it contains two eternal rock-anthems! Some weaker numbers cost it the fifth star for me. 4,5

Actually, this could be the time to start whining about what has become of U2. But that would take away from their early recordings, even their Zooropa phase. So much brilliant idiosyncratic music to hail from them, every one of those records so peculiar U2, each of them delivered with passion, vision, aspiration. War is nothing but that, a passionate statement, political to the point of bland, but all forgiven by attitude and delivery. No full five, that is left to another one of theirs...

Classic 4.5

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.

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

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

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.

Holy shit

favorites: new year's day, the refugee, two hearts beat as one red light was biggest pleasant surprise, surrender is awesome, maybe my new favorite? 8/10 this album has a lot of great songs, no complete duds least favorite song(s) - drowning man

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.

Great album. Track one is great, track two was pretty bad, but then it picked back up. The songs mesh together to tell one big story.

Powerful stuff with messages still very relevant today

One of their very best. Superb, just filled with bangers.

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! 4.0

I’ve never been a U2 fan, but this album will make me listen to them a little more.

If I listen to Bono's voice too long it starts to grate on me, but it's hard to deny that this is an incredible album. Couple of duds on the back half, but overall this was outstanding.

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

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

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.

One of the greatest albums of all time. Highlighted by hits such as Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Years Day.

Don't feel any substance here. Favorite Track - Seconds

Great band, classic album

I’ve always loved The Joshua Tree, but I never listened to War outside of the singles. Awesome album, aggressive drum sound

Might not have the strongest u2 singles but a much better overall album than anything I've heard of them. So wildly different than their later stuff. Not that either is better, but it seems like they weren't just writing for the singles here.

great classic u2 album, can see why they had great success. and has some powerful lyrics especially sunday bloody sunday

This is not at all what I expected, but I really like it. I'm not sure where I got this impression from, but for some reason I always thought that U2 were like the Coldplay of the 80s (not that there's anything wrong with that, I love Coldplay!). But this is definitely a lot more punchy and politically charged than I was expecting, and I am absolutely here for it.

Impulsives Album mit beeindruckenden Texten.

Before they head got up they ass. Height of their powers, pushing their limits. I always wonder if they even thought about Mike Scott and big music (Like did willie and waylon think about david allan coe?) or just made a prime example with the drums in the stairwell. Like all the best rock and roll : they have a little violence little peace little wistfulness, little sex, little Jesus.

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

Good shit. Suena como soda stereo a ratos. Me gusta el sonido que tiene, muuuucho más que su periodo 90ero.

Good U2 album

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)

surprised me, literally had no skips, i enjoyed it throughout which was surprising because i listened to the joshua tree recently and it wasn’t the best, imma have to relisten. 8/10

Anstrengender Post-Punk.

2024/04/19 News just came that Israel launched missiles at Iran. Gazans and Ukranians getting slaughtered and bombed daily. It's a good album, just wish it wasn't so... timely.

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. 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

Fine.

Early U2 is their best period - we worth a listen

A great cover. I haven't heard this music for a long time. Some tracks should be better represented in my playlists. 4/5

Classic

This is one of my favorite albums of all time. Really got me hooked on U2 when it came out in the 80's. Well-written songs from start to finish

it's okay, gets boring quickly

I can see the influence of this album. '83

Early U2 is great. This is arguably one of the best next to Joshua Tree.

I've always thought of U2 as, self important, self righteous, faux revolutionary, wanna be, trash. This album did nothing to change my mind. How are you going to have a band member called "Edge" and be completely edgeless.

U2 are boring

Some dece songs

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.

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 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.

Overrated drivel.

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

Wonderful album. Loved the evolution of this album. Can hear some of the riffs and styles that are on Unforgettable Fire. Highly recommend.

Bono makes this album unbearable.

Thoughts before listening: I used to always say I didn't like U2. They were too over the top and showy, and I just think the late 90s/early 00s was a bad era for them despite their massive popularity. That being said, I have started coming around on their 80s output and can understand why people are obsessed with them. This will be my first time listening to this album as a whole, and I am excited to listen to it. Review: "Sunday Bloody Sunday" opens this album followed soon after with "New Years Day", and both are highlights in U2's career. Even when I was largely dismissing the band, I recognized these as great anthemic songs. Other songs I am enjoying include "Two Hearts Beat As One", "Red Light" (especially the horns), and "Surrender". This album has often been cited as U2's most rock album, and there is a certain propulsion to these songs that proves this to be true. I am enjoying the Edge's guitar throughout and Bono sounds great as well. I still think the Joshua tree is their masterpiece, but this is a more enjoyable listen than their later more popular period. 4-stars.

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.

The band has gelled into the "classic" 1980s U2 sound. To me, this sound includes chiming guitars, martial-sounding drums, big choruses, and lyrics influenced by world politics and religion. Compared to Boy and October, Bono's vocals are more melodic and smooth. His vocals on “New Year’s Day” and “40” are particularly passionate. The Edge continues his innovative guitar work while Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. hold the songs together with their work on bass and drums. Lyrically, the album goes full circle. On first track “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, Bono stridently asks “How long must we sing this song?” at the outset. On the final song “40” (based on a psalm) he plaintively sings: “I will sing, sing a new song” and following up with “How long to sing this song”. These lyrics showcase one of the themes of the album about the importance of overcoming adversity and religion’s role in that quest. As on their previous release October, the band continues to incorporate new sounds into their songs. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “Drowning Man” incorporate electric violin into their musical bed. Female backing vocals and trumpet both feature on “Red Light”. Female backing vocals reappear on “Like a Song…” and “Surrender”. Although the production is a bit dated and "of-the-'80s", this is U2's most confident release so far. Highlights: “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, “Seconds”, “New Year’s Day”, “40”

It's easy to criticise later U2, rightly or wrongly, but War is the high point of a much more acerbic and powerful group, punk with fancy instrumentation. A career highlight.

New wave post punk U2 is the most powerful U2, but not the most U2 U2. It's like you can see the greatness coming, and not have the greatness shoved down your throat.

still pretty boring but easily the best u2 album ive ever had to listen to. the 5 stars is for the album cover not the music

every song is flawless. Not a single skip.

2024-04-04...

Listened to this a lot in my teen years, and still one of my favorites from U2.

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.

Sometimes I hear the lead singles off an album and think, “This is awesome! I hope every song on the album is like this!” That’s often not the case and I guess that’s reasonable. But then I appreciate all the more when I hear an album like U2’s “War” that absolutely delivers on the promise of the singles. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Years Day” are massively catchy rock songs that still sound great even after hearing them countless times on the radio. And the rest of the album follows suit with a bunch more high energy songs in the same style. “Seconds” is just as catchy as the singles that come directly before and after it and “Like a Song” is a killer hard rock jam, especially at the end. “The Refugee” and “Two Hearts Beat as One” are also great. This album is strong front to back. This makes me wish I could see U2 perform live in their early days. Bono’s wail on this album is killer and the whole band rocks.

I'm a sucker for an underdog and the reason why I love U2 is because they were disliked and unnecessarily hated on for years and during all of this I was like "wait hold on maybe that means I would like them". I didn't grow up listening to them and I always thought Bono was a corndog but man do i LOVE some U2 these days, and this is probably my favorite album of theirs (close second would be The Joshua Tree perhaps?). It's funny to look back at when I disliked this band along with the rest of teenagers and people around me. South Park was making fun of Bono and they were the butt of a lot of jokes about cringey dad rock music. But since flipping that switch I feel like every time I listen I question how stupid my thinking was. An Irish rock band who don't have some fake tough guy personas but rather use their compositional chops and fame / presence to bring awareness to the travesties of the world around them and protest the things (people) that are causing them? What's not to like there from that idea without even hearing the music? Oh and the music fucking rips? U2 is definitely pop-rock. Maybe better defined as stadium pop-rock. But this album is more scathing than the previous ones. It has more edge to it (heh), and that's what personally draws me in. Despite this more scathing sound, it still bops. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" finds Bono singing about the state of the world around him: "Broken bottles under children's feet Bodies strewn across the dead end street But I won't heed the battle call It puts my back up, puts my back up against the wall." And yet the song has this bop beat to it that if you turn your brain off for a minute you can dance up and down to. What a clash of ideas right? But it works and it works so well. It also such pretty moments in it (the beautiful pre-chorus "How long, how long must we sing this song"), that it makes the song stretch out further than just a regular old protest song. It seemingly does a better job at raising awareness because it's simply listenable and not just someone on a mic saying that everything around them is bad. It sounds like such a simple concept, but the execution is genius. It's like "hey listen to this nice piece of music. And by the way, now that I got you in the door, listen to some of these lyrics". The production on this record is stellar. Everything is raw, and yet everything fits and gels with itself. There's stand out moments, but every instrument shines at different times and there's never a competition. There's no unnecessary triple tracked guitars or overly compressed drums. There's added interesting producer bits and bobs; like the synthetic sounding reverbed strings in the intro of "Sunday Bloody Sunday". How jarring, yet beautiful are these? How jarring yet beautiful are Bono's wails? "New Years Day" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday" are either top 50 or top 100 songs for me of all time. Amazing tracks that I get the chills when I listen to. One of the best album covers of all time. Cute kid with a fat lip putting his hands up like a prisoner. The U2 | WAR text is perfect.

I loved U2 in the 80's

3/10 suuuper mid

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

Me encanto

U2 was cooking with this one! Pleasantly suprised

Kool första u2 ja gillar

I've forgotten what's it's like to listen to a truly outstanding album after all the mediocrity I've been getting. Obviously U2 is a household name by now, and I've always liked their music well enough though I don't ever listen to it. But sitting down with this album really drives home why U2 is the phenomenon they are. Sunday Bloody Sunday is a masterpiece. Seconds is new to me, which is unfortunate because the drumming just blows me away with its insistence and power. I think for me that's the real album takeaway - not Bono himself but The Edge. Across the album the drumming is just so raw, palpable, and deeply emotional.

I’m surprised that I has never fully listened to War before, it then again U2 is one of those bands I like just fine, appreciate many of their songs, but never was a true fan. Of course, Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year’s Day are amazing songs, but they were the only ones to move me - the score is on the strength and importance of those two songs alone.

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.

The one that created the U2 sound. Strong songs from start to finish.

Not overly impressed. I could take it or leave it. 2.5 stars.

I'd rather pour boiling oil into my eardrums than hear Bono sing.

U2 had more of a distinct post-punk sound back in the early '80s, which is certainly evident on this release. Where I am biased, I much prefer the post-punk influences rather than the arena rock sound that they would begin to pursue later into the '80s, but there's still some traces of that "big music" on War. Truthfully, this has some of U2's strongest songwriting out of the other releases I've heard (The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby), and I believe they lost some magic when they brought Eno on for production. This is the first time I've ever been disappointed in Eno, but we'll let it slide. This is U2 at their most interesting: better rhythms, better dynamics, better ingredients. I'm surprised that they had an incredibly tight album in them! And it never happened again.

Decent

Excellent

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

Lyrics ok. Musikalisch finde ich nichts, was das Album zu einem meiner Favoriten machen könnte. (2/5)

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

It was good

My prejudice was on display here.

Wow, U2 were interesting once.

Never listened to this one all the way through but was familiar with several of the songs. It's an OK album but not their best effort.

U2 before they signed a binding contract with an evil witch from the bog. Hard to believe that the same guys who wrote "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day" would go on to install irremovable malware on everybody's phones and commit tax fraud 30 years later. This is better than "The Joshua Tree" in my humble opinion.

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

Remember when Bono had something to be angry about? For one song?

I knew we'd see U2 eventually. I used to be a massive U2 fan but over the years I've grown kinda sick of them. After they forced their album onto my iPhone, I took a long break from them. But I have to admit that old U2 is pretty solid. Even the songs I didn't know were enjoyable.

U2 was never not cool. I became too cool for U2. I was wrong. This album is great and this band rules.

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.

Don't like u2

My father loved U2 so I am familiar with most of their work. I believe I have this one on vinyl have have probably listened to it once. I am looking forward to this. I didn't mind it, but not in love with it.

Credit where credit is due, "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is an awesome song. Everything about it is on point: the vocals, the lyrics, the guitars, the percussion. This is U2 at their very best. Timeless tune. In fact, the first three tracks on this album are pretty good. But after this, "War" falls off a fucking cliff. The final seven songs are sewer sludge. It's incredible that the same four guys who wrote "Sunday Bloody Sunday" could also produce these turds. Surely, these awful tracks only exist to elevate "War" from an EP to a proper album release. Unlistenable. By the time you've finished the final song on this album, the brilliance of opening track is a distant memory. U2 have left their audience wanting less, not more. Plus, Bono is an insufferable twat. ✌️❤️

Out of the gate one of the best 3 openers of all time. Punk tinge, frantic early 80s rock. Stayed outside of the tropes of the Era that are passe. For me, their later work has always tinged my opinions of the band. Damn, these early albums can really do it though.

Was ok, but Bono just comes off as such a tool. Nothing incredible about this one. 2.5/5

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!

U2 came out when I was too busy with my kids to pay attention. I feel like I missed something.

I'm not a U" fan - but this album is really good.

Several strong songs but a lot of average ones too.

It starts off Ok but peters out a bit. Nothing special. Background music

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

Hmm. Well, my two favorite U2 songs are on this album. But honestly I didn’t much enjoy the rest of it at all. Gotta go with my gut.

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.

❤️ This is the album where U2 figured out how to be who they are! “40” is still a great closing song, perfect in concert too!

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.

I kind of tuned it out so it was not pulling me in

Strong opening with Sunday Bloody Sunday: a marching beat that could send someone to war or unite people in protest. Overall an album of clear sound and vision, driving drums & bass. Some songs are less attention-grabbing but it's generally quite a satisfying album for this U2 dabbler.

I'm tossing up whether this is a 4 star, or a 5 star album. 5 stars should be the cream of my personal list of albums. 4 merely the excellent that I also enjoy. 5 should have enduring wonder and depths to unpack. 4 be a returnable joys but not necessarily one that requires work to unpack. It's consumable. Digestible. Done. There is a lot to unpack in U2 War, the development of the artists, the development of their message at that time and place, how the album meant so much in so many ways, and how the album resonates with me, in the past, present and through to the future. I'm not a huge Bono fan, he doesn't offend, but he does not greatly inspire either. Maybe his status as a personality has overshown his status as a musician in my current view. Maybe he could, with more work from me. I think U2 has huge historic impact on how my music appreciation developed, but I didn't focus on U2 for that. It was there, just not central. I find on re-listenings, it does have that depth and that interest, possibly that joy of a message well crafted and well delivered. It's anti-war message is still so intensely valid now. Everything has changed, and nothing has changed. It is a good blend of music and intent, vocals and message. I can engage more with this than with many other artists and their seminal works. I think I've convinced myself to give the album 5 stars. I will re-listen, I will dig more into this and I will continue to appreciate it craft of this album. Yes. Ok. I'm doing it. Worthy 5 stars.

4.4 stars rounded down. Full of bangers and the closest U2 ever got to punk. Dark and angry but ends on the light and Psalm "40." "Red Light" and "Surrender" are forgettable. Almost every track is worth while.

I can tell this is an objectively good album, but it’s just not my taste. I enjoyed listening to it but wouldn’t go out of my way to do so.

One of their best! Powerful music and lyrics.

Bono is the record. - Randy Marsh

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

Rough. Not a fan of U2, or Bono's singing. I never realised how boring their songs are - simple beat and howling. I'm exaggerating, but I just really don't like their style. I'll simply move on now.

U2 before they became insufferable.

I love the music of early U2. I think the War album was a classic. Not only the big hits like Sunday Bloody Sunday, some of the less known ones such as Seconds as well.

War has become a bit of an outlier when you look at U2's grander discography, but it's one of their strongest sounds. It's raw and gritty, intense and aggressive but still intimate, and it's very earnest. I guess that's a quality that U2's music has always had. It also has a level of authenticity that was somewhat lost in the band's latter work. The U2 that we know today has evolved significantly and while they're still the rightful icons that they are (what can I say, I have a soft spot for the group), it's nice to go back to this sound. You end up missing it after some time. Save for a few middling tracks after New Year's Day, this is a solid record. Standouts are Seconds, New Year's Day, The Refugee and 40.

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

Sunday Bloody Sunday is the star of the show by far

Good songs although I don't listen to it now, it was good when it first came out

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.

A much more listenable version of U2 than what they became in the last 25 years or so.

Por Sunday Bloody Sunday un 5. no conocía más canciones.

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

It's very U2

While Boy and October are fan darlings, It is with "War" when the world started to understand U2's musical proposition. This album has a couple of bangers from early U2. In fact, "New Year's Day" is my favorite U2 song to date. As an album, it has ups and downs. It seems that there's some filler by mid-album, but it rises again with the last 2 songs. Sonically speaking, it was still a soft post-punk, still melancholic, but not too outrageous. I kind of like it.

Starts off super strong with Sunday Bloody Sunday. I wouldn't say any of the other songs reach that height but it's still good music. U2 has been around forever and this was definitely one of the records that helped put them on the map.

What can I say, it's a u2 record with two songs I like.

This sucked. Hated every second of it.

Never been a fan of U2, but this album was even worse than I thought it would be.

Trite.

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

Not their best but close

Mid

so soft for me. please advise me something harder, something more metal. ugh damn

Pretty alright

"How long? How long must we sing this song?" I had high hopes for this album (despite it being U2) because of the inclusion of "Sunday Bloody Sunday," Which was (and still is) my only favorite U2 song. I was disappointed to hear that U2 has always sucked otherwise, nothing interesting or unique behind this album beyond its opening track. Overall a boring album that didn't change my opinion on U2. 2/5

U2 started really hitting their stride on this one. Solid effort!

Boring, repetitive, and bono sings like he wants to cry