How to Dismantle an Atom Bomb

[LA_0013]

Sorry guys, but I was pumped about the album, and already I think its VERY over-rated to some of the reviews flying around. I'm an avid U2 fan, and have had the pleasure of seeing them live twice, but i'm not such a fan that I let my taste get 'clouded' just for the sake of it. Whilst I do think its much better than ATYCLB, I can remember being far more satisfied with POP when it came out. Songs like Do You Feel Loved, MOFO, Please etc were a fantastic departure to the old sound yet it was definately U2 I was hearing. But this album is full of....I dont know what to call it. Sure Vertigo is catchy, was no 1 everywhere and was probably single of 2004, but already its very irritating. Much like Elevation was. Miracle Drug is a stand out track for me with fantastic arrangements etc and should be a single. But then the album just gets far too whiney and is a far cry from the return of the 'rockier, anthemic U2' that everyone has been missing. I can rattle of countless U2 B'sides that are better than One Step Closer to Knowing and others on this album. I dunno, the album is OK, but the band definately peaked with The Joshua Tree/Achtung Baby, and its been a slow and steady slope downwards in terms of the quality of music written since in my opinion.

LA

[Bono]

Sorry guys, but I was pumped about the album, and already I think its VERY over-rated to some of the reviews flying around. I'm an avid U2 fan, and have had the pleasure of seeing them live twice, but i'm not such a fan that I let my taste get 'clouded' just for the sake of it. Whilst I do think its much better than ATYCLB, I can remember being far more satisfied with POP when it came out. Songs like Do You Feel Loved, MOFO, Please etc were a fantastic departure to the old sound yet it was definately U2 I was hearing. But this album is full of....I dont know what to call it. Sure Vertigo is catchy, was no 1 everywhere and was probably single of 2004, but already its very irritating. Much like Elevation was. Miracle Drug is a stand out track for me with fantastic arrangements etc and should be a single. But then the album just gets far too whiney and is a far cry from the return of the 'rockier, anthemic U2' that everyone has been missing. I can rattle of countless U2 B'sides that are better than One Step Closer to Knowing and others on this album. I dunno, the album is OK, but the band definately peaked with The Joshua Tree/Achtung Baby, and its been a slow and steady slope downwards in terms of the quality of music written since in my opinion.

LA

You contradict yourself by saying it's been a slow and steady decline in quality of music while at the same time saying it's better than ATYCLB I agree with you that One Step Closer is definately the weak point on this album. It shouldn't be there. The B-side Mercy is sooooooo sadly missing from this album. Also Fast Cars should have definately been incuded on all albums, not just the Japanese edition. I personally feel it's U2's third best album after Achtung Baby and Joshua Tree. You are right that was definatly their peak but with Bono sounding better than ever the band can only go up from here. I mean how many singers actually get better with age? Not many but Bono is one of them. The killer standout track for me is Sometimes You Can't make it on Your Own. It's the only song in the history of songs that has made me cry. It's quiet possibly U2's best song ever though they have alot of those It is though in my opinion the most emotional song they've ever done. As for the album not living up to the hype or your expectations well..... What U2 album can? It didn't meet my expectation either but I mean i always expect the next U2 album to be the best album ever made and how often are those expectations met? It's album of the year for me though.

[F*ck Fear]

I think it's all crap....Not my thing.

[Bono]

I think it's all crap....Not my thing.

Did you hear it? It kinda sounds like Sepultura.

Edited January 7, 2005 by Bono

[F*ck Fear]

I think it's all crap....Not my thing.

Did you hear it? It kinda sounds like Sepultura.

Are you sure we are talking about the same band?....U2??? Sepultera????

[Bono]

I think it's all crap....Not my thing.

Did you hear it? It kinda sounds like Sepultura.

Are you sure we are talking about the same band?....U2??? Sepultera????

I know! Who would've thought? But hey that's the direction U2 is going. Sepultura is schedualed to open for U2 on their upcoming tour.

[F*ck Fear]

I think it's all crap....Not my thing.

Did you hear it? It kinda sounds like Sepultura.

Are you sure we are talking about the same band?....U2??? Sepultera????

I know! Who would've thought? But hey that's the direction U2 is going. Sepultura is schedualed to open for U2 on their upcoming tour.

I won't be going....Don't like either band

[Bono]

I think it's all crap....Not my thing.

Did you hear it? It kinda sounds like Sepultura.

Are you sure we are talking about the same band?....U2??? Sepultera????

I know! Who would've thought? But hey that's the direction U2 is going. Sepultura is schedualed to open for U2 on their upcoming tour.

I won't be going....Don't like either band

Oh well. What can ya do? I tried

[LA_0013]

You contradict yourself by saying it's been a slow and steady decline in quality of music while at the same time saying it's better than ATYCLB I agree with you that One Step Closer is definately the weak point on this album. It shouldn't be there. The B-side Mercy is sooooooo sadly missing from this album. Also Fast Cars should have definately been incuded on all albums, not just the Japanese edition. I personally feel it's U2's third best album after Achtung Baby and Joshua Tree. You are right that was definatly their peak but with Bono sounding better than ever the band can only go up from here. I mean how many singers actually get better with age? Not many but Bono is one of them. The killer standout track for me is Sometimes You Can't make it on Your Own. It's the only song in the history of songs that has made me cry. It's quiet possibly U2's best song ever though they have alot of those It is though in my opinion the most emotional song they've ever done. As for the album not living up to the hype or your expectations well..... What U2 album can? It didn't meet my expectation either but I mean i always expect the next U2 album to be the best album ever made and how often are those expectations met? It's album of the year for me though.

Pardon my contradiction; i worded it wrong, what I should've said is there has been a definate steady decline in U2's music since their peak during the Zoo TV era, and whilst the latest album is slightly better than ATYCLB, it's still generally sub-par compared to earlier work.

And I aint dissing the album - I love U2 dude, I'm just being a bit more subjective than most critics who are labelling it up there with their best work; which in my opinion is far from the truth. Songs such as Yaweh are certainly catchy enough - hell I was even humming it in the shower this morning - but it lacks substance.

"As for the album not living up to the hype or your expectations well..... What U2 album can?" - Thats my point dude, I think that people think the album HAS lived up to the hype, not the opposite. Whereas I don't.

I do agree on your point however regarding Bono's voice - I heard them play their 5 song set on Radio 1 recently and his voice was better than spot-on, raw emotion. And Mercy is a great track. (Fast Cars is not bad)

LA