[albummaster]

Today's album of the day

The Unforgettable Fire by U2 (View album | Buy this album)

Year: 1984.
Country:
Overall rank: 392
Average rating: 78/100 (from 579 votes).

Tracks:
1. A Sort Of Homecoming
2. Pride (In The Name Of Love)
3. Wire
4. The Unforgettable Fire
5. Promenade
6. 4th Of July
7. Bad
8. Indian Summer Sky
9. Elvis Presley And America
10. MLK

About album of the day: The BestEverAlbums.com album of the day is the album appearing most prominently in member charts in the previous 24 hours. If an album, or artist, has previously been selected within a x day period, the next highest album is picked instead (and so on) to ensure a bit of variety. A full history of album of the day can be viewed here.

[AAL2014]

The decent to great stuff outweighs the bad to abysmal stuff. This was the first U2 album I listened to from beginning to end. I was surprised by all that I liked, but I still can't stand Promenade and Elvis Presley And America.
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[AAL2014]

I do however love A Sort of Homecoming. I think that is a phenomenal track, especially to start an album like this.
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[craola]

the only weak spot for me is Elvis. apparently, the band wasn't fond of it either and didn't want it on the record, but Brian Eno insisted it make the cut. it was a straight-up jam the band did, which explains the meandering nature of it.

otherwise, this is phenomenal.
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[RoundTheBend]

[RoundTheBend]

Well, so I've been told this is the place to make discussion about albums that are regular and the only albums really worth discussing are less known albums.

I think this might be a good album for talking point.

I think my first question that I have to ask, is if you use formalism as your lens (meaning you forget about how much you hate Bono as a person because no other rock star has a mansion and helping people is boring), what is it about U2's Music is hated? I remember on this site U2 was actually ranked 11th and they've gone down from that ranking possibly due to giving away an album for free and then Apple settings weren't changed to not automatically download (techtards), so there was this big uproar. So anyway, I digress completely out of the formalism, but wanting to take some of that lame stuff that I swear people just hear from each other in forums like these and don't even really think about it.

I'm asking because I assume most people on the forums hate U2... but maybe that's just me.

What about this album do you like or not like?

Anyway, I think I'll give some of my feedback about the album:

Track breakdown:

1. The drumming on this is absolutely fantastic. This type of drumming is a huge reason what I like about U2's music and I think Mr. Mullins is a very underrated drummer. The guitar/bass parts aren't anything special, but one thing I've learned about U2 is that sometimes it is ok to just do your part to help the song be and you don't always have to be this virtuoso guitar player to be a GREAT guitar player. Edge gives great ambient feel to the song and Adam has a little bit of a melody going on, but mostly they give room for the drums and vocals to be amazing. Guitar Wankers gonna hate.

2. Everything about this song musically is super tight. The bassline is funky yet driving. The guitar is massively sonic for its time and fantastically rhythmic. The drums are simple yet solid. The middle eight guitar part is fantastic. And well as much as we hate Bono... dude's balls are coming out his mouth from belting this song. Plus the lyrical content is solid. The sacrifice of humans in passion is such a beautiful message.

3. One of the only songs Adam does some bass slapping. This is possibly one of the most intriguing guitar and bass work from U2. The songwriting is less interesting (lyrics and vocals). Drums are solid. Not a bad song, but it also isn't a song I'd show someone who didn't know anything about U2.

4. This song really had potential, but I feel it was ruined by efforts to sound like a typical 80s sound (something I love about U2 is they don't try to be something they aren't... well except for this song). I mean it isn't a bad song, but it just needs to stay in the 80s where it came from.

5. This is quite possibly my favorite U2 song ever written. I don't expect others to enjoy it... but somehow it is so playful and flirtatious with my heart and mind. The guitar sings, the bass has a solid yet interesting thing going on, and Bono is really in this surreal vocal thing. This is the stuff Nostalgia is made out of... I don't have nostalgia particularly for this song as I heard it first later in life, but somehow the football, cocacola, radio thing and idk... it just encompasses the feeling of nostalgia really well for me.

6. Nice little instrumental ditty. Interesting bass work/harmonics. Of course Eno.

7. I go back and forth on this song. Sometimes I think it is the sappiest thing ever (especially the live version of this) and then on another listen I feel it is the most soulful/full of heart song written. Fantastic guitar and bass work. One of the first bass ideas I remember learning. Love how this song builds and again Bono belts well. Possibly better than any other singer.

8. This song is just a little more interesting than #3. I don't dislike it, but it isn't that great. Has a great moving motion to it though... good song to travel/run to.

9. Possibly the worst U2 song the only good thing is the drums. haha.

10. Absolutely fantastic performance. I thought I heard this as an old spiritual... but can't find it on the internets right now. Introduction to that organ/synth sound that would then be used as the opener to the greatest album ever made... ahaha. Anyway, blame Eno because U2 could never be anything but terrible.

[Rhett]

So I just got an iPhone SE after years of Androids and on my phone is that damned U2 album. I didn't notice for two weeks because I have a streaming service that isn't Apple's.

How is that not fixed yet?

Anyway, this album just doesn't do it for me. I like U2's very first albums and then it all goes to hell for me. I'm fine with Bono. I don't hate him or his sunglasses. U2 just stopped sounding interesting to me. Not a real good answer, I admit. I don't think the stuff is bad--it just doesn't grab me.

So, usually, when people say they like U2, I think yuck, then I try to be more charitable and think well it's fine that they like that--they are allowed.

[craola]

I see U2 as two different bands: the band pre-Achtung and the band post-Achtung. the earlier U2 is incredible. War, The Unforgettable Fire and The Joshua Tree are three of the greatest albums to come out of the 80s.

The band nearly broke up during the Achtung part of their careers, and for selfish reasons, I wish they had. Everything they've done since have gotten progressively less interesting (including Achtung). I realize that their priorities in life have probably shifted a lot. They've got families. They're involved in stock-trading, commercial contracts, politics, et cetera, and that's fine. They've already created some incredible art. But they're just not as interesting as they used to be. I doesn't feel like the band's heart is in it anymore.
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[RoundTheBend]

Yeah totally. Feel like they are the next Rolling Stones. Totally getting bland boring old man rockers.

Also I see them as three different bands, 80s, 90s, and everything after. I actually like the mcphisto stuff of the 90s. It's different and ironic but yes, did ruin them as anything to be considered pure anymore. I do have to respect all the changes they went through...Muse and Foo fighters are basically the same band the whole time. U2 pushed themselves, I feel. And it mostly worked in tier favor in my opinion, but I think it did pass a lot of people off, which isn't that the punk rock spirit that ignited them? In the 2000s though...not so much.

Having said that, I feel U2's post peak is easy better than the stones post peak.

I guess I'm trying to figure out the bad taste in the mouth feeling...like U2 is somehow this awful like 98 degrees level shit.

With the stones it's like, eh, they went down hill, that's expected, but U2 went from a highly respected band to utter shit. Curious phenomenon. Same with smashing pumpkins.

I guess I tend to respect an artist that can put out 5 amazing albums instead of the one hit wonder, even if they did 5 terrible albums later.

Typing from phone...so...

[AAL2014]