U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind
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Free Music Notes for All That You Can't Leave Behind
Free Music Review: No Mid Life Crisis Here
Hit: 5 Stars
Twenty odd years ago the world was first introduced to U2, four youthful Dubliners, whose debut album, `Boy', burst at the seams with chiming guitars, raw, emotive vocals and a tingling sense of twilight adolescent wonder. U2 were a welcome antidote to punks stark nihilism.`Boy' was followed by the `October' and `War' albums and a relentless commitment to touring that saw them make serious inroads into the hearts and minds of America. But it was 1984's `Unforgettable Fire' album, with its panoramic soundscapes and lush melancholy that set them on their "spiral stairway to the higher ground", emphatically confirmed at their dramatic Live Aid appearance the following year. U2 reached their peak in `87 with the `Joshua Tree', monumental in both scale and success. The rest, they say, is history.The 90's brought us their last great album, the angst ridden and ironic, `Achtung Baby' but what followed was patchy as U2, tired of being earnest rock messiahs, played around with Post Modernism and the new media.
Now, at 40, without the surging electric energy of their youth and done with experimenting and subverting both their music and their image, U2 seem to want to play it open, honest and straight. Not exactly back to basics, mind, more a case of letting the songs speak for themselves and by and large they pull it off with dignity and aplomb. The opening two songs from 'All That You Can't Leave Behind' encapsulate this approach. `Beautiful Day' is a four minute ecstatic rush, filtered through a dazzling pop kaleidoscope and by way of contrast `Trapped in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of' is an uplifting, aching soul ballad. A large part of `ATYCLB' echoes the widescreen approach of their heyday. `Walk On' comes on like an Oasis anthem without the ....
Equally anthemic but more rugged and arguably the most emotionally charged song on the album is 'Kite' where Bono, addressing his wife and kids, projects himself far into the future, looking back on what's been and wondering about what's still to come. `New York,' is particularly reminiscent of early U2, the Edge letting rip with a dark and shuddering sonic assault. Only Bono's personal lyrics remind you that this is U2000: "In New York I lost it all to you and your vices / Still I'm staying on to figure out my mid-life crisis"
There are flaws in the grand design, Bono's irritating little Smokey Robinson fixation flares up on the otherwise passable 'In a Little While' and 'Wild Honey'. And being brutal, 'Peace on Earth' and 'Grace' are damp squibs. Neither fowl nor fish. The latter, for all it's well meaning sentiments and ironic little asides, meanders away to no great effect, whilst the former, which some might regard as a welcome respite from the grand scaled intensity, is little more than an anemic chill out hymn.
U2 might no longer be considered the World's most important band - that dubious crown currently sits uneasily on Radiohead's frail heads - but unlike Thom Yorke and co., U2 are still able, or at least willing, to place their faith in the traditional virtues of a good tune. Maturing well, no mid life crisis here.
Free Music Review: like a fresh water flowing through the mainstream sludge
Hit: 5 Stars
Like a lot of U2 fans and unlike more than a few others, I'm a huge fan of their 1990s output. They took the kind of risks that resulted in a few fans turning against them, sales dropping dramatically, and critics writing them off as washed-up. Most people loved 'Achtung Baby', but when 'Zooropa' showed up with its peculiar experimental tunes like "Numb" and "Lemon", the kids weren't alright with it. Neither were the baby boomers who grew up listening to U2's anthems in the '80s, the punk rockers who already hated U2 for everything they did post-'Boy', etc. But anyone who really enjoyed good music saw "Zooropa" and its excellent followup "Pop" for what they were: albums by a group that wanted to follow their collective muse and attempt to incorporate the sounds of musical movements that they felt were truly innovative. What they did was to be admired, because they pulled it off nicely. U2 created in "Zooropa" an album that captured post-Cold War Europe rather incredibly, and in "Pop" we saw them craft their most personal album to date, not to mention an album that, on paper, has Bono's finest lyrics. Look, we all know that U2 is a mainstream group and many of their fans have alarmingly mainstream thoughts. Those albums are, to them, "lame" because they're "weird", and people can't wrap their head around the concept that U2 would craft something that sounds completely different from 'The Joshua Tree'. It's all good. Which brings us back to 'All That You Can't Leave Behind'! There's all this crowing about how it's a return to form for U2, even though it's really rather different from their '80s work. Bono's lyrics are his most direct in years, and while I've heard chatter about how the lyrics are simplistic, it doesn't bother me. I've always felt lyrics in music were an overrated commodity, since no one has a clue as to what Beck is talking about, Al Green had (on paper) banal lyrics, and you couldn't even understand a word Mick Jagger said on 'Exile on Main St.' It's not what is being said that matters, but how it's said. Performance is what counts, not content. While I say that mainstreamers should learn to accept weird detours taken by groups like U2, I also think music snobs who think free jazz and Pere Ubu are where it's at--at the expense of all other types of music--should relax their dull musical vocabulary (though I myself like Pere Ubu and free jazz, Ornette Coleman and his ilk).
U2 is so together on this album it's incredible. The first five cuts are vintage U2 classics already and among the best songs they've ever recorded, incorporating elements of their old sound in with some modern twists. The rest of the tunes are far from shabby as well, with the oft-overlooked "Grace" being my current favorite, continuing U2's tradition of moody and slightly sad album closers (40, Mothers of the Disappeared, Love is Blindness, Wake Up Dead Man) quite nicely. But as with all music, I find it somewhat difficult to write about. This is something that should be experienced, not written about. U2 have merely gone out and proven that they are still the kings of transcendental rock music.
Free Music Review: It rocks, but in a different way and mood!
Hit: 5 Stars
At last it has come! So long we with have patiently waited and now it is over! I've listened to it 5 times and I sort have come to this conclusion, so far:Basically, I think its brilliant! It's nice to see them go back to more of a rock sound. Saying that they've gone back to their roots is wrong, however, because this album is nothing like the Joshua Tree. It is completely different and that's the magic of U2. There's no 'pride' or 'with or without you' or 'the fly', songs which capture you in the same way that their albums of 10 years ago (more for Joshua=13 and U.F=16!). And this is exactly the point. I see tonnes of people criticisng this record for not being like `Actung Baby' or the `Joshua Tree', sometimes even the `Unforgettable Fire'. I answer you guys with a simple fact. That was 10(+) years ago! I think you forget this. 10 years is a long time for a band. Bono isn't 30 anymore, he's 40! Of course this will affect his vocals and the themes of his songs. The band has also made its mark in music history already so why are people complaining about this album being a shade of their work in 87 and 91? They have nothing to prove, accept that they can still make music after 20 years. This is the key. I feel this is an attempt to bring rock and roll into the next millennium and in that sense, you can say that they're still experimenting! To see people still have taste or whether they've been confused and distorted by the pop charts.
As a record it is probably their most consistent album as in all the songs are fabulous in there own right. Albums like Pop and even Actung baby have a few weaker songs but this one is great throughout with none of them really lagging behind (well, maybe Grace does a bit!). Most of them seem to make you relax; perhaps this was Bono's theme.
My favourites so far are: Beautiful Day, Elevation, Walk On, When I look at the World, New York and The Ground Beneath Her Feet (its on the UK version and I'm glad it is!)
These songs are really special but they are all great songs! Seriously, it is hard to choose! Really hard!
There is no other U2 album that you can just sit down and relax to. I really like it. Bono's voice may not be what it was like 10 years back but it is so atmospheric and echoes in every song. This album is a solid masterpiece but not as good as Joshua or Actung Baby because they were at a time when these guys really had to hit out hard and conquer the world! They've done that now and this album sees them taking it easy and focusing on collection of great tunes. More consistent than any other album they've ever done but the road has already been laid. It comes third, which is still a great achievement. Shows they can still make great records! Keep up guys!!
Fans of U2 should all go out and get it. If you like rock, music, you must get this and add it to your collection. Some people have found they need a couple of listens, that was the same for me, you need time to really appreciate it. People who disliked the experimentation of the later 90's, check this one out cause it back to rock for U2!
Free Music Review: A Worthwhile Effort
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the album that got me into U2. And while they definitely have better albums under their belt, this is definitely not as "bad" ... I actually give 4.5 (rounded up) stars because it is not U2 at their best, and I am a somewhat nitpicky rater. But through and through this is a solid album by one of the world's best bands and hopefully the album that will revive rock and roll in the currently bland music scene (e.g. boybands, rap, computerized pop/hip-hop, etc.). ATYCLB starts off with the uplifting, joyous "Beautiful Day." The lyrics are all about realizing what the most important things in life are, and about losing everything but still being able to look outside and see beauty in everything. It reminds me of the Beatles' classic "Here Comes the Sun," at least thematically. "Stuck in a Moment" is another upbeat but deceptively simple song. Listening closely to the lyrics, one realizes that they are about suicide. Bono basically is slapping the person across the face and telling them to stop wallowing in misery and get on with their life. The next song, "Elevation", is a quirky uptempo rocker faintly reminiscent of Mysterious Ways. A really good song with cool guitar sounds, if you can get past the sometimes silly lyrics ("a mole, diggin' in a hole..."). But my favorite song on ATYCLB is definitely "Walk On." I always liked it, but after September 11 it has a whole new meaning. It's a song of hope for anyone who has been through tough times. And the world needs that kind of hope now.
The album continues with "Kite," a touching song about death and letting go of a loved one. It's nearly perfect except for the last verse, which doesn't seem to have anything to do with the rest of the song. "In a Little While" is a catchy gem, with heart-wrenchingly soulful vocals from Bono. Almost sounds like a vintage R&B number, with a catchy guitar hook and irresistable-but-not-annoying melody. The next song "Wild Honey" is not a song that I'm real crazy about. The lyrics are a little threadbare, but it's not bad. "Peace on Earth" is also another song that got a little extra resonance since 9-11. Definitely not Bono at his best, but again, not bad. "When I Look At the World" is a great song about not being able to see the world through rose-colored glasses anymore. It's something I can identify with often. "New York" is another confessional song with clever lyrics and a catchy hook. "Grace" is a tender lullabye of sorts, and wraps up the album nicely.
U2's latest is a solid, thorough effort that is just short of great only because of my lofty expectations of them. My only real gripes with this album is the slightly inferior lyrics on the second half of the disc, and the omission of "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" on the US release. "Ground Beneath Her Feet" might have made it a even better. But despite these, I give U2 my enthusiastic thumbs up for All That You Can't Leave Behind!
Free Music Review: A Moment of Beauty In the Din
Hit: 5 Stars
All That You Can't Leave Behind is, I think, a perfectly natural reaction to the albums that came before it: the increasingly complex, densely layered, often corrosive music of Achtung Baby, Zooropa, and Pop. The so-called alternative music phenomenon, of which these three albums were part of the vanguard, has now run its course and descended into a cacaphonous mess of overamped steroid grunge-rap with little musical or lyrical content. Small wonder, then, that U2 have gone back to their roots, as well as modern rock's roots, to remind themselves and us where it truly begins. From the first song, "It's a Beautiful Day," with its lilting melody, and swirling background vocals, U2 puts us on notice that this is going to be something a little different; it hearkens back to The Joshua Tree in its earnest intensity. The next song, "Stuck In a Moment You Can't Get Out Of," is a lovely, velvety soul/gospel ballad -- I could picture the Stones doing this one, or better yet, Al Green. "Elevation" is the Achtung Baby sound dolled up, so to speak, its rough edges smoothed, its lapels pressed, Bono howling with joy instead of flashing an ironic smirk. "Walk On," the "obligatory social conscience song" as one of my firends said the other day, is another lovely ballad, this one also echoing The Joshua Tree. "Kite" suggests Imagine-era John Lennon, and "In A Little While" could have been lifted from the Stones' Some Girls sessions, with its "Beast of Burden"-style riffs. There's a lot of Beatles and Stones echoes on this album, in fact: "Wild Honey" is a beautiful midtempo ballad that wouldn't sound out of place on The White Album or Let It Be -- very George Harrison-esque, that one. "Peace On Earth" is again like a Joshua Tree song, filtered through Lennonesque sensibilities once more. And just as the ballads threaten to take over, there is suddenly a burst of fresh air: the very Lou Reed-like "New York", a fun, fast-paced workout that finds Bono at his lyrical and vocal best, echoing Sinatra, Reed and even a little Billy Joel,if you can believe that. "Grace", which closes the album, is another sweet ballad. Musically, this album is far gentler to the ear than the sometimes-overripe techno soundscapes on U2's previous couple of albums; it's also a lot less fast-paced, allowing you more moments in which to catch your breath.This is a great album to unwind to, after a hard day('s night), and it is really superb mood music for a night alone with a loved one; try slow-dancing with your spouse to "In a Little While" and see what it does for you. And if all of the above doesn't convince you to get this album, then I'll say this: A suite of songs as exquisitely-constructed as All That You Can't Leave Behind comes along only once or twice a decade. You owe it to yourself not to miss out.