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: the heavyweight champions of rock
Hit: 5 Stars
this album is ridiculous. the only bad thing is they might never be able to make an album that compares to this one. i mean "beautiful day" is one of the most superb songs ive ever heard, "elevation" just makes you nod your head in a frenzy, "walk on" another beautiful song etc. i could go on and on but i think you get the drift. u2 i salute you.Free Music Review: MASTERPIECE
Hit: 5 Stars
U2 are the greatest band of all time. Yes they are better than Led Zeppelin, Beach Bums and the Beetles. So that only makes it fitting that this is arguably the greatest album by the world's greatest band. Almost 5 videos from this album were released and became MTV staples. That should speak everything about how good this album is. Free Music Review: Incredible? No, but an honest effort.
Hit: 4 Stars
After reading many of the negative reviews of this album posted here, I simply must clear the air. Simply put, it is true that this is not U2's best work (in fact, if you don't put yourself in the right frame of mind before you listen to it, it's easy to interpret some of the material as being somewhat boring). But it is still not to be dismissed. Essentially, this is a good album to listen to when you are in the mood for something melodically mellow and relaxing (think "easy on the ears"). Too many people are being too hard on U2 regarding this CD, and I somehow suspect that these individuals are expecting them to put out "Boy" and "War" every single time they come out of the studio (or "Pop" for that matter -- after all, how many times are they supposed to reinvent themselves?). To me, it's impossible to deny the harmonies that exist in songs like "Wild Honey" and "When I Look at the World," or the laid-back energy emanating from tracks like "Elevation," "Walk On," and "New York." Sure, songs like "Kite" are a bit sluggish, but on the other hand, "Beautiful Day" is quite the opposite -- it's uplifting and serves as a good introduction. And what about Bono's trademark lyrics in phrases such as "Now he's in the dirt, Peace on Earth?" There are a few elements of disposability here and there, I admit, but not enough to call this album a failure. So, if you are a U2 fan, I can assure you there's no need to feel guilty or embarrassed regarding your fondness for this CD. Come on out of that closet!Free Music Review: The best U2 Album since "Joshua Tree"
Hit: 5 Stars
I have listened to this CD a million times and could listen a million times more. Every track is awesome. If you're not a U2 fan, you'll still like this CD. If you are, you'll love it. Free Music Review: Soaring high (on fumes)!
Hit: 3 Stars
I hate the phrase "return to form." But when you are talking about U2's "All That You Can't Leave Behind" from 2000, it's impossible to ignore phrases like "return to their roots" and "triumphant comeback." Not because that's what this album ultimately is, it's because those words were dribbling from the lips of every critic around the world when the album was released. But in the back of my mind, I flinch at the idea of "returning" within the realm of pop music, as if a group like U2 needs to make concessions. It's rock n' roll music, Bono. Not diplomacy. Stop confusing the two.
It was an exciting thing to hear, that guitar riff from "Beautiful Day." I remember it vividly. I remember thinking that the whole song rang of a certain confidence that was nowhere to be heard on "Pop," U2's previous album. "Elevation" kicked out the jams too. And there were enough ballads like "Kite" and "Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of" (silly, redundant title) to fool people into thinking that U2 sang for the thinking-man's romantic side. But your special "comeback" doesn't mean beans if you're too deliberate about it. Although this is not a bad album, it's also a realistic picture of U2 trying to do things that they can't really do anymore, at least not quite in the same capacity as they used to.
Case in point is "Beautiful Day," the first single and the album's kickoff track. While there is an impressive display of musical fireworks shooting off in all different ways in the beginning, the song ultimately comes off as too synthetic. The Edge (get a different name, man) plays his guitar a little too seamlessly while the rhythm sections plays more or less what it always has played over the years. All of this would be forgivable if it weren't for Bono's tacked-on presence. His falsettos of "re-e-e-each me!" sound like they recorded in a different room, at a different time, from the rest of the band; studio trickery is supposed to hide such things. The same goes for Bono's falsetto yelps on "Elevation," sounding all too obviously like an overdub. The frustrating thing is that "Beautiful Day" and "Elevation" are very good songs, but they sound entirely too sleek to be exciting.
In a nutshell, this seems to be the problem with the album. The individual songs are good but the overall sound has too many holes in it. Things just don't add up the way they should. Many factors can be blamed, but one that I can't let go unmentioned is Bono's voice. Whatever he had, he has lost it. Close listens to "When I Look At The World" and "Wild Honey" (nothing to do with the Beach Boys) reveal how this once iron-lunged lead singer no longer has a safety net. That's a shame too, because these are good songs. Yet when I hear them, I can't help but think that Bono's pipes are just too rusted for this line of work anymore.
Feeling embarrassed by the shockingly lukewarm reception to 1997's "Pop," the creative side of U2 is toned to a minimum. Only a few times does U2 conjure up the nerve to try and make something that doesn't really sound like it would fit on "The Joshua Tree, Part II." "In A Little While" is a short and sweet little bouncy ditty that proves what true U2 fans knew all along: good songwriting isn't always about amping it up. "New York" is a subtle shift, taking the stadium-ready rawk a step further. The result is a climactic, but not entirely catchy at first. But this is a good song, and it would prove to be the last time U2 actually took a true-blue chance on something.
And if this is a "return to form," then there are lots of old faithfuls to fall back on. Much like the Edge's lead guitar in "Walk On," U2 marches forward while never heeding the fact that this song sounds like it could've been made in 1987. And the lyrical content supplies plenty of choose-your-own-sentiment for the spiritually hungry with lines like "Don't wanna see you cry/I know that this is not goodbye" from "Kite."
So in summary, "All That You Can't Leave Behind" has some confidence. But like "Pop," it doesn't have the same consistency that U2 fans are used to seeing. Half of the album is mature while the other half wishes it could be twenty years younger. But at the end of the day, who cares? They're rich.