Poll: U2 album recommendations

[Avatar Roku]

Alright, I'm a relatively new U2 fan, and I'm going through their albums 1 by 1. I've already got, in this order, How to dismantle an atomic bomb, Joshua tree, All you can't leave behind, and Achtung Baby. What should I pick up next? btw, please don't bother mentioning the compilations.

 

[jim_doki]

I recommend you stay as far away as you can from U2. That said, Rattle and Hum is listenable

 

[Avatar Roku]

I recommend you stay as far away as you can from U2. That said, Rattle and Hum is listenable

Funny, from U2 fans, I've heard exactly the opposite, that everything but Rattle and Hum is listenable. Meh, if you don't like them, you don't like them, I guess.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

yeah i'll second that leave u2 alone, you can do a lot better musically

 

[Avatar Roku]

yeah i'll second that leave u2 alone, you can do a lot better musically

Well, I happen to like them. Do you have anything to add, or will this be all that this thread is?

EDIT:
Just occurred to me, U2's pretty popular, so this will be the same thing as if I'd asked a question about halo, i.e. people's responses being "They're popular, so they can't be good."

 

[Jamanticus]

yeah i'll second that leave u2 alone, you can do a lot better musically

Well, I happen to like them. Do you have anything to add, or will this be all that this thread is?

EDIT:
Just occurred to me, U2's pretty popular, so this will be the same thing as if I'd asked a question about halo, i.e. people's responses being "They're popular, so they can't be good."

Yep. There's a term for that.....*looks up the term* .....Ah, I've found it:

Hype Aversion (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HypeAversion)

The more others like something, the more you are inclined to hate it.

I've never heard U2 before, and the only thing I know about them is that they are Irish, so I can't tell you which album to listen to :/

 

[Emmitt_Nervend]

The Unforgettable fire is really good. I've never actually listened to the whole album; I just really like the title song.

 

[Avatar Roku]

The Unforgettable fire is really good. I've never actually listened to the whole album; I just really like the title song.

Thanks. At least its some direction. *glares at cleverlymadeup*

 

[jim_doki]

Well, I happen to like them. Do you have anything to add, or will this be all that this thread is?

EDIT:
Just occurred to me, U2's pretty popular, so this will be the same thing as if I'd asked a question about halo, i.e. people's responses being "They're popular, so they can't be good."

actually I hate u2 because for about 8 years the same album has been coming out for them, and they claim to be innovative when they're not. I also hate them because after Rattle and Hum, which i've already stressed is quite good, they kind of abandoned the new wave punk thing and completely forgot that's where they came from. I was going to mention that The Joshua Tree was pretty good as well, but you have that, so no point in mentioning it. I recommend the best of U2, because they certainly release all of their best songs as singles. most of their albums are fillers.

but thanks for assuming that I dislike something because it's popular, it makes me feel vindicated to know that none of what i think is actually based on my own opinion.

 

[Avatar Roku]

Well, I happen to like them. Do you have anything to add, or will this be all that this thread is?

EDIT:
Just occurred to me, U2's pretty popular, so this will be the same thing as if I'd asked a question about halo, i.e. people's responses being "They're popular, so they can't be good."

actually I hate u2 because for about 8 years the same album has been coming out for them, and they claim to be innovative when they're not. I also hate them because after Rattle and Hum, which i've already stressed is quite good, they kind of abandoned the new wave punk thing and completely forgot that's where they came from. I was going to mention that The Joshua Tree was pretty good as well, but you have that, so no point in mentioning it. I recommend the best of U2, because they certainly release all of their best songs as singles. most of their albums are fillers.

but thanks for assuming that I dislike something because it's popular, it makes me feel vindicated to know that none of what i think is actually based on my own opinion.

Actually, I was talking more about cleverlymadeup. For some reason, what he said just rubbed me the wrong way.

Anyway, do you see the contradiction in the parts I bolded? you can't be stagnant and forgetting where you came from at the same time. btw, do you mean the past 8 years, or some 8 years in the middle of their career? Because, considering they've been a band for over 25 years, 8 years isn't as much as it would seem.

The part I italicized (there's got to be a better way to do this) is actually something I've heard a bit of before, but I disagree. Some of my favorite songs, such as "In a little while", "Kite", and "Walk on" haven't made it to the Best of.

Let me just end by saying that I understand that this is your opinion and you're entitled to it, I'm just giving my opinion.

EDIT: just remembered, about the "forgetting where they came from" thing, How to dismantle an Atomic Bomb and All that you can't Leave Behind are credited for being a return to the way they once were.

 

[Lord Krunk]

What's so bad about U2?

Anyway, I would recommend the 'Best Of X Decade' albums, because they have everything U2 that you will ever want, or need.

 

[Jolly Madness]

My favourite's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. It's full of awesome.

 

[jim_doki]

Actually, I was talking more about cleverlymadeup. For some reason, what he said just rubbed me the wrong way.

Anyway, do you see the contradiction in the parts I bolded? you can't be stagnant and forgetting where you came from at the same time. btw, do you mean the past 8 years, or some 8 years in the middle of their career? Because, considering they've been a band for over 25 years, 8 years isn't as much as it would seem.

The part I italicized (there's got to be a better way to do this) is actually something I've heard a bit of before, but I disagree. Some of my favorite songs, such as "In a little while", "Kite", and "Walk on" haven't made it to the Best of.

Let me just end by saying that I understand that this is your opinion and you're entitled to it, I'm just giving my opinion.

EDIT: just remembered, about the "forgetting where they came from" thing, How to dismantle an Atomic Bomb and All that you can't Leave Behind are credited for being a return to the way they once were.

im sorry, i haven't been very clear. lets try this again
After Rattle and Hum came out, U2 were one of the bands at the forefront of the new wave movement, getting rid of such commercial cash ins and musical conventions (Edge fucked The Blues right off). this is awesome. what is not awesome is that every album after that, upto about The Joshua Tree, they got more and more radio freindly, completely forgetting about their outsider sound and playing stadium rock songs. their popularity (in fairness) dived until Pop came out where again, they started trying to fuck shit up. It failed, and then along came All That You Can't Leave Behind. This album sold millions and put U2 firmly back onstage

since the release of that album they've been following it's formula on every record after it. that record came out 8 years ago. is that clearer

and yes, 25 years is a long time to be in a band and a little bit of a change is to be expected, but U2 have never stood in one space for too long. it's like Queen. you never heard the same thing twice. now most of the u2 i hear is "Generic U2 Song"

 

[Avatar Roku]

im sorry, i haven't been very clear. lets try this again
After Rattle and Hum came out, U2 were one of the bands at the forefront of the new wave movement, getting rid of such commercial cash ins and musical conventions (Edge fucked The Blues right off). this is awesome. what is not awesome is that every album after that, upto about The Joshua Tree, they got more and more radio freindly, completely forgetting about their outsider sound and playing stadium rock songs. their popularity (in fairness) dived until Pop came out where again, they started trying to fuck shit up. It failed, and then along came All That You Can't Leave Behind. This album sold millions and put U2 firmly back onstage

since the release of that album they've been following it's formula on every record after it. that record came out 8 years ago. is that clearer

and yes, 25 years is a long time to be in a band and a little bit of a change is to be expected, but U2 have never stood in one space for too long. it's like Queen. you never heard the same thing twice. now most of the u2 i hear is "Generic U2 Song"

Oh, I see what you're getting at now. Thing is, I'm coming into this without the history and am able to hear each song with a fresh ear, so maybe that's why I see it differently. Or maybe we each have our own opinion. I would have preferred if you hadn't come into a topic about how I clearly already like U2 for the sole purpose of bashing them, but whatever, lets agree to disagree.

EDIT:

My favourite's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. It's full of awesome.

I second that, my favorite too. Out of curiosity, favorite song? And, btw, what's your favorite out of the albums I singled out?

 

[Lukeje]

How come no-one's recommended Under a Blood Red Sky? Yes, it may just be a live EP, but it has the ultimate version of Sunday Bloody Sunday on it, and is effectively a 'Best of' everything before The Joshua Tree. But yes, the trilogy of studio albums from War, via The Unforgettable Fire and ending with The Joshua Tree should be in any music fan's collection.

 

[Avatar Roku]

How come no-one's recommended Under a Blood Red Sky? Yes, it may just be a live EP, but it has the ultimate version of Sunday Bloody Sunday on it, and is effectively a 'Best of' everything before The Joshua Tree. But yes, the trilogy of studio albums from War, via The Unforgettable Fire and ending with The Joshua Tree should be in any music fan's collection.

Cool, thanks. Hm... how did I forget UabrS? (I like abbreviating U2 album names, they always end funny).

EDIT: I'm not sure about "ultimate versions" of their songs, though. I heard a remix of New Year's Day that made my ears bleed.

 

[jim_doki]

How come no-one's recommended Under a Blood Red Sky? Yes, it may just be a live EP, but it has the ultimate version of Sunday Bloody Sunday on it, and is effectively a 'Best of' everything before The Joshua Tree. But yes, the trilogy of studio albums from War, via The Unforgettable Fire and ending with The Joshua Tree should be in any music fan's collection.

This is totally true

as much as i hate U2's albums, live they are nearly flawless

 

[Avatar Roku]

How come no-one's recommended Under a Blood Red Sky? Yes, it may just be a live EP, but it has the ultimate version of Sunday Bloody Sunday on it, and is effectively a 'Best of' everything before The Joshua Tree. But yes, the trilogy of studio albums from War, via The Unforgettable Fire and ending with The Joshua Tree should be in any music fan's collection.

This is totally true

as much as i hate U2's albums, live they are nearly flawless

Agreed, on the second part, anyway

 

[jim_doki]

Agreed, on the second part, anyway

if you're into live U2, the Zooropa (not sure how to spell it) DVD is really well done. oh and their performance at Live Aid is second only to Queen

 

[cleverlymadeup]

What's so bad about U2?

bono for starters, i mean going to complain about corporate greed and how evil and crappy they are and then playing the superbowl, which is the largest corporate sponsored yearly event, saying how we should all care about the environment and then going everywhere in his private jet

and musically they aren't very great, their main hook is a delay on the guitar and that's all it's really ever been