Reviews (page 12 of 13)
Eerste nummer blijft een krachtig nummer! Rest van het album ook gewoon echt goed, aantal opgeslagen. Muzikaal goed, echt wel eigen sound wat ik nice vind. Toch 4 sterren want hoewel ik het erg nice vind, geen wow factor. Would buy!
ja eerste nummer meteen geweldig natuurkijk. Dus dacht al meteen van oeh zou dit m’n eerste album met 5 sterren worden. De rest van de nummers kende ik niet, maar waren wel allemaal echt goed ook! Dus denk dat ik het album een 4,5 geef!!
U2 I like them better than most of those post punk bands. Sunday Bloody Sunday is a great song and New years Day is good too. Liked the droney bgvs in 40. Rest of album was ok. 3.5
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?
It’s not that it’s horrible but I don’t think I there’s anything remarkable. It sounds like shitty Kareoke
I hadn't heard "40" before, but I really liked it. A nice surprise on this album.
The hits and Surrender are very good. The rest is good, but less special.
The best early album. They all shine
Fantastic album. The last of phase one of U2. You can hear some of the transition from post punk in some of the songs. Listen to the less popular songs a few times and you will enjoy this album to the full
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.
Classic
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
Not for me. Maybe it’s for someone, but not me. Nope not this guy
U2STM
It sure sounds like U2
Really solid album. 4/5
I need to listen and digest some more, but I enjoyed what I heard, especially the first three tracks.
Not my taste
War is the worst thing in the world. This album isn't too bad though.
A classic album. Reminds me of childhood.
Nice and varied album
Meh
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
This album deserves 5 stars for Sunday bloody Sunday alone!
U2 at their best before selling out
Better than I expected.
It was fine, I think this shows that I don't really care for U2 outside of their big hits. Best song - Sunday bloody Sunday
J'adore u2 vraiment super créatif Un genre en soi 5
Dont care for U2
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.
Suprised in a good way
This is OG U2. It sounded fresh in 2004 when I listened to it in 2003 as a kid. It still sounds fresh in 2023.
Oh my gosh I like (some) U2.
A lot of people bitch about U2 and rag on them, but I am not one of those people. I grew up listening to their music, and I unabashedly like them. Their songs slap. The music is beautiful, the lyrics give you something deeper, something more profound than the average "oh baby I love you" crap a lot of other artists churn out, and they have a higher sense of self-awareness and purpose than other acts do. This album is a cornerstone of their persona as a band and it showcases the way they use music to bring attention to important socio-political issues. I like these lads, and this is one of the most important albums in their discography. It’s also the crucial creative juncture before they reached critical mass and became too formulaic. It's a good listen, I like it a lot and I recommend people take off their shitty "it's so cool to bash on U2" blinders so they can give this album an earnest listen.
Classic
relaxing but not my thing
flat, easy to get lost while working and listening. Does have an amped up undertone.
Not a big fan of U2 anyways.
Want to listen again but basically what I expected.
The blinking cover art on Apple Music is terrifying -- but the music is good.
I love this album so much I have it on vinyl. God Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Years Day, Two hearts beat as one, Surrender… so many amazing and important songs, songs of my late teen years. I forever thank my ex for amplifying my love for U2.
Impressions: It was an okay punk-new wave album at the beginning but as it progressed, I have grown fond of it. Favorite Tracks: Drowning Man, The Refugee, Red Light, Surrender Rating: 4/5
Have always loved this one
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.
Boomer rock
Gross. U2. I guess I never considered the possibility of bands I know that I don't really like being on this list. Anyway, I'll try and remain impartial, but this one is going to be hard. The Sunday Bloody Sunday mix is trash. The song is better reworked by Richard Cheese. I will admit that New Year's Day is catchy. The drums overall in the album are pretty good -that guy is putting in the work. Phew, it's over. Review of Reviews: People like this whole thing? I don't get it, it's misses way more than it hits. Best Track: New Year's Day
U2 during their great years.
I liked the trumpet in Red Light.
Some stuff was pretty enjoyable, though I probably wouldn't look up anything later to listen to again. Solid 3.5
Enjoyed it. After years of not really giving U2 a chance because everyone in my high school loved them and I fell they were overplayed… this is a pretty good album. Unique music for 1983 when the album dropped. Some great songs, some medium songs but none that felt mailed in. Great bass, guitar and drums. And Bono was Bono. 4.5⭐️s.
eigentlich ganz ok. surrender ist am besten
4. Thought I didn't like U2, but really enjoyed listening to this album!
8/10 Great album. Amazing opener, obviously, stays consistently good throughout. Solid U2 album, something to remember when you're listening to that God awful iTunes album that they made a while back.
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
Classical and good
I am not fond of that U2 sounds, couple of tracks were fun
We have to stop war fr
When I was a young man and first heard "War" I didn't know what I was listening to and even being educated by but I knew I loved it. As an older man, I still find meaning in these songs that are delivered with such devotion and emotion. Every song feels like a live version. It's just a damn great album.
Still holds up musically with superior drums, guitar and piano. Massively creative and lyrically meaningful even today. Some of their best.
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)
Óbvia importância histórica, só que não é suficiente pra superar minha irritação com os vocais.
okay but anyone hear that straw moving through plastic McDonald’s cupcover sound? In Sunday Bloody Sunday? Somewhere around 1:31-1:41. And from then on a few more times actually. You really discover new things with this 1001 albums list. Who knew U2 loved McDonald’s cups so much.
It’s u2 they are good
Another overrated album from an overrated band.
Good rock album. I need er really enjoyed u2 much though
8/10 If you asked me if I liked u2 before this, I would have told you “mostly no”, but c”mon, this album slaps. It’s atmospheric and rocking, things that don’t so often go together outside of shoegaze. Bono, though, annoying lyrically, shout-sings with passion, and The Edge, though in no ways flashy, has quite a distinctive right hand. This album is a bit punky new wave, which is really perhaps their sweet spot. But haven’t listened to a lot of them before.
Banger album
Really good listen, old U2
Jeg er ked af at annoncere at den rocks 🤷 lyder pisse godt
Tror ikke jeg har hørt den her før, men de numre jeg kender fra den er klart nogen af mine yndlings U2 numre, og det lød ret råt på en ret fed måde. Tror den her plade fik mig til at forstå lidt mere hvorfor nogen mennesker gider være kæmpe U2 fans.
Yeah yeah yeah!! Stærk start, vag efter det. Ret tynd lyd?
I’m 13 again, the year this album came out. Hiding from my chaotic home life at a friend’s house, listening to this album on repeat.
meg kell hallgatnom mégegyszer nem tudom miért nem hallgattam eddig U2-t
My discovery of how much I enjoy U2 is one of the more unexpected byproducts of this exercise so far. This is, once again, a complete album with great songs, songwriting, arrangements, etc. Hats off to them for exceeding expectations again. Favorite track: Like a Song...
Starts well, a bit more upbeat than other U2 stuff, but tails off towards the end of the album
Generic rock album #17253 idk just wasn't appealing to me
Surprisingly sincere. Red Light, Surrender, and "40" are new standouts.
Solid entry into the U2 vault. There’s a reason they’ve been around as long as they have.
It's always nice to revisit an album i listened to so much when i was younger. I think that with age i have come to experience music differently, nonetheless i still enjoy this album very much. Bono's voice will always be iconic to me.
Solid beginning of the album with a mediocre finish. Pretty decent overall.
7/10
Ei suututa ketään
I LOVED IT, bloody sunday and two hearts bleed as one
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
So stodgy and po-faced I can't be bothered writing anything about it. 2*
U2 is fine. Not my thing
Classic album, rate U2 and this take me back to their best
Love Sunday Bloody Sunday. A heavy record for sure.
No me moló, salvo alguna canción mítica
‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ is a great fucking song!
As topical now as ever. Not a super big fan of the vocals, drone/resonate a bit.
Tame but not too bad.
Probably my favourite U2 album, but it's not saying too much as I'm not a fan of any of them.
I've always bought into the "U2 bad because Bono annoying" hype, but actually this album is class. Maybe it's my Irish bias but this album is varied, informative and passionate at heart. Will definitely be putting more U2 on in the future as a result
U2 before they were fucked
Started strong, but never really went anywhere interesting. 3/5 Won't listen again
bit shit tbh. Sunday bloody sunday is an amazing opener and deserves a star by itself. The rest is a letdown for the most part
This album is from 1983, yet it still feels contextually appropriate.
Forgot how powerful this album is. Nothing else sounded quite like it when it came out. What they did after sounds tame by comparison.
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
Forget whatever you think of U2 now in the 2020s and recall them here with youthful fire and fury and cracking early 1980s indie-rock. Side 2 is surprisingly pop and lighter with a soulful and affectionate vibe. I love that it replaced Thriller at No.1 in the UK! Not as universal as Jacko, but still a gem of an album.
It is the best U2 (which is not so hard) and gives me some good memories, so an easy 3 stars.
The two singles slap, especially New Year's Day, but the second half of the album dips in quality. Nevertheless, it's ordinary U2 sound, can't go wrong with that.
Eh, it's U2
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.
Good rock album with a great first half. The second half teeters off on the upbeat instrumental energy.
I didn’t know I was a U2 fan, but this album changed my mind!
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.
Not feeling it.
What amazes me the most about this album is how mature it sounds for such a young band. Iconic tracks kick off the album but it fades a bit on the back half.
A month ago, I hadn’t listened to a single U2 album in full. Now I’ve heard three of their albums in the span of a month, which makes me think that they may be a bit too over-exposed on this list However, if there was one U2 album you had to hear before you died, I think it should be this one Favourite tracks: Sunday Bloody Sunday, Seconds, New Year’s Day, The Refugee, Surrender
Not great. I don't generally like U2. I will say that the 2 big hits are rather good (if there's a third one I'm unfamiliar and it didn't catch my ear) but the rest is pretty meh.
meh
excellent, better than I remember it being!
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.
I know what U2 are and this list is not going to make me listen to them. Bonio and the hedge can fuck right off.
A perfect parade of macho boy love and tiny erections. U2 produce one of the most interesting ways to drive a man to suicide. An abomination that makes your ears bleed and your anus sore. Piss off.
Fuck off U2
I have never taking the time to listen to U2 and I am so sorry I haven’t. favorite listen so far.
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
Like REM, I don’t really have a problem with what U2 was, it’s what they became that doesn’t work for me. This is a good rock record.
The first 3 songs are classics but it feels dated, they sound like a lot of their contemporaries the only distinction is the accent.
Good. except for the horns and strings. could have done without them.
Not really my thing
TBH I found it sort of boring. Not bad but not particularly interesting
p541. 1983. 3 stars. U2 before they became flabby and self righteous. 1 point docked for Bono's near-hysterical vocals.
Now with Coconuts!
shame the promising collab with the Coconuts went no further
Never listened to this besides the hits. Has some interesting tracks, but not sure it's for me.
Great album!!!
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
This one has been the most my style so far. I love the vocals, and the guitar, the whole vibe is great. I've listened to it at least 3-4 times
So many gems! Easy 5 from me.
I love U2’s early stuff. Their debut is a desert island record for me. Great songs on this one. Some that I had been tired of due to severe overplay on MS radio but nice to listen to the whole thing with a fresh ear
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
0/200 Even worse
I'm sick of reviewing stupid male rock albums where is the dance music ? Rap music? Women? B O R E D
I'm pretty sure this is the first U2 album I owned. I think I was a sophomore in high school. I had heard some of their songs before and liked them, and this album amped up my fandom. I enjoyed a lot of their albums and music for several years to follow, saw them in concert my senior year in high school when they were touring to promote The Unforgettable Fire, and liked them into my college years. My musical tastes and interests diverted away from them for a while, and for a long time, I barely listened to them. Hearing this album again after so many years brings me back and reminds me how much I do like their music. Also reminds me how much I admire and love the Edge's guitar playing. I find his style to be very much his own: it's signature to him, innovative, and always draws me in. One of my favorite rock guitarists.
I’m not a big U2 fan, but this was good, bloody good!
God I fucking hate u2. Spent the whole two weeks trying to slog through this bore-fest only to watch the cadaverous remains of what was once, presumably, boneo, play to some billion dollar corporate apple light-cube in the US, then make some poor quality, self-aggrandizing reference in support of Isreal as they begin bulldozing northern Gaza. I dunno, just fucking lame, always fucking lame. Also ruined that one Simpsons episode by lacking charisma so utterly. I will have tk finish this album one day but don't make it today.
Vähän raaempaa soundia kuin ehkä normaalisti U2 Kitaratyöskentely oli ihan mielenkiintoista New Years Day on oikeasti aika hyvä kappale.
Top
For a period U2 were sensational. They showed promise on their first two albums, with tracks like I Will Follow, Electric Co., Gloria. On War the quality was at another level, there isn’t a poor song to be found. I remember hearing New Years Day for the first time, it floored me and I became a massive fan. This was rock music, but it was different, yes it had some clear influences but the sound was so fresh, urgent and passionate and their star was on the rise.
Cool, toen U2 nog enige urgentie bevatte! Twijfel tussen 3 of 4 sterren...
Op de grote hits na, vond ik dit toch vrij matig.
Die jaren 80 U2 sound is echt zo te gek! Toen ze nog echt passie in hun muziek gooide en Bono er nog niet als Clown Bassie uitzag. Geweldig album!
Eigenlijk 3,5 ster, maar een paar erg mooie nummers geven de doorslag.
Despite featuring Bono, it is still very good. I didn't want to like it, but couldn't help myself.
Not bad I liked it the best and the lyrics are pretty good not bad 👌
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.
U2 is real hit and miss for me. Sometimes I can get into it and sometimes I can’t. Mostly couldn’t on this one
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.
It's a good album, bookended by two massive singles. It's hard to make a strong argument against it, honestly. The biggest complaint I have is that it's just a lot of what you expect from U2 and very little that stands out aside from those two singles. It's good... but it's not great. And it's definitely not their best. Still worth 4 stars, though.
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.
Great album, I like Edge’s raw guitar sound here
I listened to a lot of U2's singles as a teenager and into my twenties, but the only album of there's that I've listened to in its entirety before today was Achtung Baby, which I love. My favorite U2 songs have always been from The Unforgettable Fire through the previously mentioned Achtung Baby, but I'll also admit that I think that "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" is a banger. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this album, since the singles off this album aren't the U2 songs that I typically gravitate towards. However, getting to listen to this album at a deeper level really made me discover a new appreciation for some of U2's songs that I wasn't the biggest fan of in the past. I never realized that "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" had such a militaristic sound to it; the time signature, drums, and guitars give it a feel like a battle hymn. Ironically though, the lyrics are not militaristic, and instead issue a plea to ordinary people to take a stand in their communities and demand an end to sectarian violence. Also, I'd never really given much thought to the lyric "when fact is fiction and TV reality," but it's almost a nice bit of foreshadowing for the criticisms against media that U2 would use as a theme for their Zoo TV tour in the 90's. The thing that's really stuck with me the most after listening to this album, is the piano and guitar on "New Year's Day." The piano melody is so haunting, and it really evokes a feeling of a gray morning on January 1, when the air is cold, wet, and filled with the lingering stench and smoke of fireworks. The scratching, distorted guitar manages to heighten the beauty of the piano's melody, but also further deepen the sense of unease. Lyrically, I think this song points out that even though New Year's Day is a day that's supposed to symbolize rebirth and hope, it can actually be kind of crummy, as it means the end of the holiday season, and a return to life's regular routines. On a grander scale, even though the calendar starts anew, the same wars still wage, and multiple injustices inflict suffering on countless people. SInce I spent so much time writing about those two songs, I'll briefly mention a couple of other songs that I really liked: I loved the bass line on "Seconds," and the message about how quickly and on a grand scale that life can be snuffed out in our modern world. "Two Hearts Beat As One" was fantastic as well, with it's powerful chorus and great guitar playing. Overall, this was a fantastic album, and it gave me a new appreciation for this era of U2's music, which before now was not really my taste. I loved the political and social messages in the lyrics, and the instrumentation is great, as U2 starts to shift away from their earlier post-punk sound, and more towards their very own unique brand of "pop arena rock" that they've built a solid career on.
i kinda get it now😅
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
Good album. A lot of hits in there.
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
Var decent
Against all better judgement I loved this
Bono’s vocals are more often irritating than not. The instrumentals are so blah. Sunday Bloody Sunday is the only U2 song I’ve ever really liked, and it’s charged with meaning…before the rest of the album becomes overbearing.
Was honestly surprised I enjoyed this. Not the greatest album this site has given me, but definitely one of the better ones.
3/5
Enjoyed this - felt like I heard a different side to U2 with some of the deeper cut tracks here.
I hate U2 but let's give it a try... No this is crap. Not for me! Boring... Manages to be both over/melodramatic and dull at the same time. Rubbish!
I've never really liked U2, but this was actually ok.
Flera klassiska låtar. Når inte riktigt ända fram.
Just not a fan of U2
This one was fine. Some good songs (the popular ones) some forgettable. Maybe not the best U2 album?
Still holds its power. Three all-time, first rank cuts – "Bloody Sunday," "New Years' Day," "Two Hearts" – in three distinct registers (rousing martial anthem; contemplative mid-paced rocker; ebullient pop love song), plus the psalmically prayerful (maybe one means prayerfully psalmic) spiritual "40," which is one of a kind, and sacralized one's attachment to this record and this band at the time and remains quite capable of moving. Anyone who saw them close a concert with this in the '80s, sending the audience out into the night singing in unison will know its power. All the other cuts are distinct and additive, most notably "Drowning Man," and "Surrender." A potential knock it that it's a record best heard in cold, grey seasons. One is tempted to ask when U2 got cynical toward us? Or is that one got cynical toward U2 first. One is content to be secret and exult with this today, recalling the purest affinities of one's musical youth. One never gets one's earliest loves, no, not when they were this passionate and authentic and near magically come to life.
the only thing i know about U2 is that their album was preloaded on the first iphone or something like that. this was pretty good though!
First half is good then the second half becomes more boring
It’s hard to imagine now but there was a time when U2 was a supercool hipster alternative band.
World's biggest christian rock band smash another one out of the park.
4/5
Not a big U2 fan
New Years Day is a jam, but overall lacks the quality of Achtung Baby and the production of ATYCLB.
Are the first few seconds of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day" iconic or what? Although I never owned this album, it is the one that introduced me to U2 and the one that I probably think of as THE iconic U2 album, even more so than Joshua Tree. Listening to it today was brilliant, and I think I appreciate it more now than I did then.
Excellent! The last track transported me to the Joshua Tree concert. The connection to an arena full of strangers was profound.
Watching this band leave the stage one-by-one as a crowd of 20,000 continues to sing, "How long to sing this song," is the most religious experience I've ever had. So many layers on this record, musically and lyrically, and from guys in their early, early twenties. Babies. I love it.
U2 War A month or so ago I officially declared that - had displaced The Joshua Tree as my favorite U2 album. It appears its reign was destined to be short. My college roommate listened to U2’s War album a lot so I felt like I knew what to expect. Today when I listened I was blown away at the youthful exuberance, the incredible talent and the strong Irish influences! Bono’s passion! That drummer mesmerizes me! Has Two Hearts always been this fucking perfect?! Could there be a more perfect way to end the album than the gorgeous 40? Yeah I remembered the hits but I guess I had become an apathetic listener. This album brought those songs back to life in a way that i had not expected. War is really special and today’s listen makes me love U2 all over again. My indisputable favorite!
Een van de betere U2 albums, vind ik. Genoeg tempo, niet te saai
Separating this U2 from the U2 we know of today... This U2 was a breath of fresh air and like catching lightning in a bottle. They came out swinging with their sonic assault and their political lyrics (things that people weren't really talking about during the Reagan/Thatcher era). This album -- along with Boy -- gave them a reputation among the alternative/new wave crowd of the 80s. So much so that they were spoken of in hushed tones. Great album with alternative rock standards.
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.
- Sunday Bloody Sunday: I like this song but not enough to listen to it of my own accord. The chorus is catchy but the rest of the song just kinda feels... off? - Seconds: This song doesn't really go anywhere, the bassline is kinda cool but nothing really happens (except that weird interlude thing). It feels like a filler song. - New Year's Day: This might be my favorite song on the album, I love the cool guitar effects. Even though I'm not a Bono guy I think his voice fits this song. - Like A Song...: This is most U2 songs for me, it's listenable and has some interesting guitar stuff going on but doesn't really sound distinct and I don't feel the need to listen to it again. - Drowning Man: Same exact notes as for Like A Song... - The Refugee: What's up with Bono making those grunt singing noises? - Two Hearts Beat As One: I like the bass and guitar parts a lot, I don't know what it is about Bono but when he starts singing I just lose interest a bit. - Red Light: The trumpet was a nice addition. I feel like throughout the album I've come to realize that Adam Clayton is the MVP of U2. My man is HOLDING IT DOWN on the low end, he doesn't try to be all showy with guitar effects or singing high notes that are just a bit out of his range. He just has his bassline and he nails it throughout the whole song. - Surrender: This kinda feels like a Talking Heads song but with the coolness knob dialed back a bit. Still a decent song though. - "40": I wouldn't be surprised if this was a song they added to just fill time on the record. Really cool bass part but the rest is kinda just nothing. The lyrics are literally "How long to sing this song?" My theory is it's called "40" because they needed the album to be over 40 minutes and this song put them over the threshold.
This album was meh. Sunday Bloody Sunday and Red Light were decent but it didn't do it for me. I read about the significance for the time but still wasn't my jam.
U2 is a really great band! I have heard some of these songs before and I just love the genre.
Honestly, it's a miracle I didn't drive into the ocean listening to this. Music is trite and Bono's voice it deeply unpleasant to listen to.
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
I still find U2 so blah even after trying them a few times through this. I can't stand Bono's voice which is probably a lot of it. Also, I looked up the album because I was interested in the subject matter and wondered where the album cover came from. I expected it was some famous photo of a child from a war but turns out it's just Bono's mate's kid, looking a bit sad. I find that a bit weird really, I expected it would have something interesting about it like the Rage Against the Machine album cover with the monk on fire.
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.
I respect their anti war rhetoric, however what I feel overwhelmingly when I listen to this is empty and hopeless. This is my problem with most of U2's catalog, I don't enjoy listening because they make me feel like that.
U2 are a polarizing group, but when I listen to something like "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" or "New Year's Day" all the usual criticisms seem to melt away. This is a lean, tight record with a big sound.
"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.
Lovely. Far preferable to later work.
nice 4*
Zu Beginn klingt alles genau wie „Bloody Sunday“, was jetzt nicht die schlimmste Sache der Welt ist. Dann kommt „Drowning Man“ und die Sache wird interessant. Schwache 4, die sich aber bestimmt festigt beim wiederholten Hören. In den 5er Bereich kommt’s auf keinen Fall.
What if U2 before they became insufferable? Turns out it's pretty fuckin' good!
Pretty great! I liked almost every song to my Spotify playlist. “Red Light” is a cool song! The instrumentation and composition of just about every song is very deliberate and interesting (particularly the guitar riffs). I will definitely re-listen sometime! Also the album cover is very striking and memorable.
Sunday Bloody Sunday is a great song. Otherwise, even early U2 doesn't do much for me. Too bombastic.
Loved it then. Love it now
In U2's discography, War is the band at a crossroads. This album captures the raw energy from their early "punk" days right as they were transforming into the arena-rock behemoths they came to be. Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day are classics, but tracks like Two Hearts Beat as One or Like A Song... shouldn't be ignored either. There are a few songs on War that I don't really care for. Yet another album I wish I could give 4.5 stars to. It's a great album, it just doesn't quite hit the heights of their follow-ups.
I think U2 are overrated. But this is a pretty good album.
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.
U2 at their first peak, in this case post-punk, new wave.
Ooooooh. 2 U2 albums in 4 days. Am (a little) too young to have been into "early" U2 - am very much the Achtung Baby / Zooropa era, but all the signs are there. Easy to say in hindsight, but this was clearly a band hitting their groove with the key elements falling into place - Larry's heavy beat, Edge jangling away........ top notch album, and they were only getting better from here.
My favorite U2 album is the one that follows this one, The Unforgettable Fire, but this one is very good as well. A bit more raw and rough around the edges, but clear that this was a band to be reckoned with. 4 stars.
this album is so shit it physically stressed me out. there is more musicality in me banging my head off this desk repeatedly
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.
I think I'm missing whatever gene it is that makes you love U2. I liked four songs from this album and this is their seminal album. I liked all the references to Yeats.
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
Por Sunday Bloody Sunday un 5. no conocía más canciones.
I think i know what im getting but IDK.
Average, bit bland
A great album, one of U2's best. For me the stand-out tracks are "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day", but I also like "Drowning Man" and "40".
I first listened to War in the early 90s as I tried to catch up on albums from U2 prior to The Joshua Tree. War is a good album. I gave all of the tracks 3 stars or more, individually. I have some all-time favorite tracks from U2 on this album including "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "40". "New Year's Day", "Seconds" and "Two Hearts Beat as One" are favorites from this album. War feels a little uneven in its energy. U2 often draws me in with engaging lyrics, and sounds that draw me in, but the uneven War as a whole gets 4 stars.
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.
enjoyable - i’ll definitely listen again
OG Inhaler.
meh. way too underrated.
This is quintessential alternative. Bono's energy and passion raise many of these from songs into anthems. When Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day were first introduced, it was impossible to not be captivated. Beyond those two, the album is still filled with nearly all engaging tracks, ballads ("40"), more ethereal ("Drowning Man") and driving ("Like a Song", "Two Hearts"). Very enjoyable.
Essential album
U2s first two albums were good but WAR is the one that really did it for them and made the known world-wide! Standouts: Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Years Day, 40, Two Hearts Beat as One, Seconds. 4/5
Rating:8/10 Best songs: Sunday bloody sunday
One of the greatest albums ever!!
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.
U2 was my favorite band for many years, and this era is just spectacular. They were one of the best post punk bands, and it's because of them I learned a bit about Irish religion & politics. Sharp songs & lyrics. Excellent. I hope we get to hear Boy & October since they feel like part of an early U2 trifecta. 5 stars.
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!
Heard it before?: Yes Enjoy it?: I love this record, very consistent and solid tracks. It’s insane how their lyrics aren’t the first thing you notice Favourite song: Track 3 - New Year’s Day
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 song is good, rest is just bono being bono (fuck off bono)
Iconic drumbeat intro to start off what is probably Bono's best. Great tracks throughout if you can cope with the 'whoooaaaa's and effects pedal spam.
First track goes off
Ok I already thought this was my favorite U2 album but it's even better than I thought. Bass + drums are the MVP here, esp the drums. Gorramn.
No thank u
Such a great album - my favourite U2 album by far. Sunday Bloody Sunday makes me want to run through a wall. Adam and The Edge sound sp amazing on this disc. Can’t give it anything but the full appreciation.
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 usually saw that Joshua Tree and Achtung are 1 & 2 when it comes to U2, but War is probably as good as at least Achtung. The obvious three; Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Years Day & Two Hearts are obviously brilliant but Surrender is a really low key underrated u2 hem. Seconds is excellent and 40 is a great tune too. This has to be a Low/Mid 5. It's outstanding
Everyone has that one somewhat-iconic musician or band that they just don't enjoy or don't get the hype for. For me, it's easily U2. This whole album was bland, like a boiled potato. I appreciate the message, but it definitely could've been done better.
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
sonzao, varios hits, album consistente
PU 2
ну......................................
Under a blood red sky A crowd has gathered in black and white Arms entwined, the chosen few The newspapers says Say it's true And we can break through Though torn in two We can be one I will begin again Good album. Not one skippable track, and you could put it on repeat for a week and not ever get tired of New Years Day. 5/5
Yeah theres some really cool tracks on this album 4/5
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.
A solid U2 album that I've only heard in its entirety a handful of times. Lead by Sunday Bloody Sunday (*not* a rebel's song, btw) and New Year's Day, I also enjoyed the track called Surrender. I'm sure U2 will come up a half dozen more times over the course of my 1001 Albums project.
Tengo otros favoritos de esta banda, pero imagino que en 1982 esto se escuchó como una novedad y algo muy excitante.
Great
As noted in my prior U2 reviews - while the songs topics/lyrics are great and the band is phenomenal, I can't stand Bono and his voice...how long, how long must we listen to him sing...
It’s not really my type of music and because of the free U2 album on every apple device I don’t really fuck with U2 yk? Some few nice songs tho
Fantastic
There are some definite weak spots on the album, but the protest songs you've already heard are massive. Some of the deeper cuts are legit, too. Best track: Sunday Bloody Sunday
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.
Great end to the wonderful Lillywhite trilogy.
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.
Oh dear am I developing a soft spot for U2🤢
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".
Don’t like U2
I ALREADY RATED THIS YOU IDIOTS
5 stars. When they were a great band.
I like this more than most U2 albums. I find it a difficult listen as it brings back memories of over pious Christian Youth camps that turned me into the irreligious person I am today. Trying to look at it objectively, this is a band that found it's sound before it became formulaic
Solid album. New Year's Day is a classic. Surrender is an underrated gem. I do think the live versions of Sunday Bloody Sunday and Forty are better than the studio versions. Still, a young vibrant and somewhat naive U2 are better than the latter day smug posers they became in the 2000s.
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.
Just not my cup of tea
PREFS : Sunday, Bloody Sunday, Seconds, New Year's Day, Like a Song..., Two Hearts Beat As One, "40" MOINS PREF : Red Light
Very samey, I'm sure it's meant to be a classic, but I found it boring. borderline 1 or 2.
I just want Bono to shut up