Album of the day (#1896): War by U2 - Music

albummaster
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Gender: Male
Location: Spain
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Today's album of the day

War by U2 (View album | Buy this album)

Year: 1983.
Country:

Overall rank: 306
Average rating: 79/100 (from 627 votes).

Tracks:
1. Sunday Bloody Sunday
2. Seconds
3. New Year's Day
4. Like A Song...
5. Drowning Man
6. The Refugee
7. Two Hearts Beat As One
8. Red Light
9. Surrender
10. 40

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.

Applerill
Autistic Princess <3

Gender: Female
Age: 30
Location: Chicago

I unironically love a lot of U2, but probably never more than I love "Sunday Bloody Sunday". (Okay, "One" may be better, I dunno please don't hurt me).

Grzywa

Gender: Male
Location: Polska

Their only album I really care for. Good early stuff, The Edge developing his clangy guitar tone, nice post-Joy Division basslines and songs that actually matter yet do not aim to save the entire world. U2 at their purest and most interesting.
_________________
Always shouts out something obscene

Satie

hint with U2: if it has that kid on the cover, it's by a good post-punk band. if it doesn't, it's by two complete egomaniacs and sounds like the physiological process of viagra making someone become erect.

Applerill
Autistic Princess <3

Gender: Female
Age: 30
Location: Chicago

Satie wrote:

hint with U2: if it has that kid on the cover, it's by a good post-punk band. if it doesn't, it's by two complete egomaniacs and sounds like the physiological process of viagra making someone become erect.

I don't know if I like that (very, very common) divide. Even though their arena-ballad era isn't nearly as cool as their early stuff, it still has some really great singles, all the way up to "Beautiful Day".

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

Satie wrote:

hint with U2: if it has that kid on the cover, it's by a good post-punk band. if it doesn't, it's by two complete egomaniacs and sounds like the physiological process of viagra making someone become erect.

Bono, totally agree with the egomaniac title... who is the other? I feel when you watch It Might Get loud, I don't feel that way about the Edge at all. If anyone is an ego maniac in the film, it's Jack White.

Anyway, some dated sounds on this record (attempting to fit in 80s with 8. Red Light and 9. Surrender), but some really awesome stuff too.

Probably my 3rd to 6th favorite U2 record pending on my mood.

mickilennial
The Most Trusted Name in News

Gender: Female
Age: 35
Location: Detroit

Quote:

If anyone is an ego maniac in the film, it's Jack White.

All three of them are egomaniac's in that documentary. It's basically all of them subtly suggesting their style is better than the other two involved in the doc, Jack White is just more transparent about it and honest of his preferences despite it being egotistical in nature.

Satie

Gowi wrote:

Quote:

If anyone is an ego maniac in the film, it's Jack White.

All three of them are egomaniac's in that documentary. It's basically all of them subtly suggesting their style is better than the other two involved in the doc, Jack White is just more transparent about it and honest of his preferences despite it being egotistical in nature.

Yeah, I've seen that doc and thought it was trash. Agree with Gowie's assessment here.

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

Applerill wrote:

I don't know if I like that (very, very common) divide. Even though their arena-ballad era isn't nearly as cool as their early stuff, it still has some really great singles, all the way up to "Beautiful Day".

There's quite a few divides with U2, which is why I like them. Post-Punk (first 3 albums), to some other genre (4 and 5) to an exploration of American music for which they were crucified for (6), and then a survey of electronic/dance music while still being a rock band, into a kinda bland dad rock/alternative rock band of today (their last effort played with some ideas that went back to their post-punk, but still meh).

I even like the album Pop (maybe slightly more for it's statement about pop music than for it's music). I think the 90s were great for U2, but that's me. Zooropa has this chill living room vibe, and Achtung Baby is as Bono put's it, the sound of U2 cutting down the Joshua Tree. It's one reason I really appreciate U2 as musicians... having the balls to discover new sound scapes and not failing terribly as other musicians may have... or 10 years later they sound just like they did in the beginning (Foo Fighters/Muse).

I'd say a U2 show is only about 20% "Arena-Ballad" music (maybe the why the hyphen?), at least by definition of Arena rock and Ballad that I read on wikipedia.

"In the later 19th century the term took on the meaning of a slow form of popular love song and is now often used for any love song, particularly the pop or rock sentimental ballad."

Also if you hate U2, you might find this side project interesting and maybe at least gain some kind of respect for the group:

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Original Soundtracks 1 by Passengers

Last edited by RoundTheBend on 02/08/2016 02:41; edited 1 time in total

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

Satie wrote:

All three of them are egomaniac's in that documentary. It's basically all of them subtly suggesting their style is better than the other two involved in the doc, Jack White is just more transparent about it and honest of his preferences despite it being egotistical in nature.

Yeah, I've seen that doc and thought it was trash. Agree with Gowie's assessment here.

The thing I hated him for was saying, I hate using effects, blah blah blah, the Edge is an ass... and then the very next scene he's using effects on his guitar.

Do you guys have examples of Jimmy Page and Edge being egomaniacs? I just didn't get that vibe, but maybe I missed it.