War

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

It was ok.

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

'twas really good

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

I feel like this is the album U2 came into their own as the U2 everyone knows now. I couldn't stand these guys when I was younger, but I've grown to really like them a lot.

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

An iconic album, but I’m not really into U2

This is the U2 I initially liked. I have the EP "Under A Blood Red Sky" I really liked them back when they weren't being shoved down my throat.

I’m so annoyed that I’m enjoying this. Update it got a lot worse

A good album with powerful themes. The two singles, Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day, really stand out and do some heavy lifting for the rest of the album. Even ignoring those it's a solid album from start to finish.

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

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

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

still almost a post-punk band at this point but you can see how they could become the saviours of the world

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

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

This album marks the start of a pretty damn good three-album run for one of the most popular bands in the world, and it may be their best. I think U2 would go on to have stronger songs than any individual track on War, but as a cohesive album, nothing really comes close.

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

Good and fun and catchy post punk. It's nice to remember that once-upon-a-time U2 could actually bring some energy.

Middling album. Some shiners, and some duds.

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

Nowhere near as strong as other U2 albums

If I never hear Bono's whiny bitch voice again, it'll still be too soon

just couldn't get into it

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

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

Before they became parodies of themselves they were a decent band

Great opening track...goes downhill quickly after that.

This album was fine.

It's no Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby but it was a decent album.

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

Outstanding rock

Great collection of songs with classic U2 sound!

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

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

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

Great album. I’ve become a fan of U2 in the last year or so. I’m happy this project is giving me a reason to go through their discography.

The best songs here are - of course - Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day (albeit the former having been extremely overplayed everywhere). The rest ist mediocre and firmly rooted in early 80s music, which wouldn't be bad if the songs contained any genuinely great ideas or hooks. But they don't, and Bonos ego alone isn't enough to keep my interest. 2/5

Does very little for me

6/10. What is it good for?

First half was very promising and perhaps the best I’ve heard from U2. The second half of the album didn’t hold up to that standard and this ended up being about par for the course for the good U2 albums. 7/10

Rock de U2. Dos megahits. Un 4.

103 U2 War (1983) Genres: Post-punk Formed: Dublin in 1976 Run time: songs, min, sec Track 1 “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is a great and poignant song. Everything else is Meeh! Instrumentally excellent, Lyrically it’s boring. My Rating: **

No matter what, I just can’t get into this band. It just seems to be a decent Edge riff milked for 4 minutes with Bono whining on the mic. That for an entire album.

Entertaining album that is more unique and less polished than their later pop-rock albums

The first track is good, but it gets a bit bland as the album goes on

Not a fan of U2. However, this faded into the background and I felt like I was walking through the mall mid-00s. It also felt like it would never end.

Dios, parce que bono grita cuando canta. Comparto con la opinion de que u2 es una de las bandas mas sobrevaloradas de la historia. No tienen nada innovador, incluso ni tratan letras desde diferente perspectiva, haceb las cosas bien. A pesar de esto no es un mal disco, me parecio otro de esos que son un 6/10 mas que solido. No quiere decir que sea aburrido sino que tiene algunso highligta y otros lowlights

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

3.75

Des bonnes tounes de rocks, l’album concept est ressenti tout le long, mais j’aime pas tant leur son

Awesome album.

Good album, although not their best but good enough

Really encapsulates the frustration of a Sunday.

Fine

I hadn’t listened to this whole album since its release. U2 were way better then than now. And 2 stellar tracks in New Years Day and Sunday Bloody Sunday

Not their best, but a good album.

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

Started strong and i thought maybe this is what i was missing maybe this is the U2 they told me about. 3 songs in and no dullsville.

Despite Bonio's best efforts over the last 30+ years, I still have a (surprising) soft spot for some of the early U2 stuff. He's still a monumental twit though.

Iconic artwork. Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year's Day are great. Two Hearts Beat as One is pretty good. The rest is alright, bit dated now. I'm trying not get too bogged down with Bono's ego.