 | Tracklist:
1. Discotheque
2. Do you feel loved?
3. Mofo
4. If God Will Send his Angels
5. Staring at the Sun
6. Last Night on Earth
7. Gone
8. Miami
9. The playboy Mansion
10. If you Wear that Velvet Dress
11. Please
12. Wake Up Dead Man
| Ranking: #112 for 1997 | |
| | other reviews | MasterSan (4)
Bursts out of the gate with some great tracks, loses steam, gets increasingly erratic, and stumbles ... |
On 3 Lists
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1 of 1 thought this review was well written
Band Members:
Paul Hewson (BONO) - Vocals, guitar
Dave Evans (Edge) - guitar, backing vocals
Adam Clayton - Bass guitar
Larry Mullen Jr. - Drums
Producer: Flood
Background Information:
This was U2 attempt to introduce influences from different genres to their music, such as techno and dance, but don't be mistaken, none of the songs in the album would make you dance, it's still a rock album. As far as I'm concerned this is their best album to date. Why? Well, (in my own opinion) this album features Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton's best work. They create intricated rhytms that are perfectly coloured by the Edge's obscure lo-fi sounds and Bono's strong vocal performances.
Discotheque: The song starts low with some bass-drum kicks accompanied by some wierd sounding guitar in the background, building up until eventually the bass joins with a simple yet very effective line and the drums kick in fully. The rest of the song is pretty much straight-forward and Bono's lyrics are nothing too special, although they do include some fun chorus at the end of it. Overall I think it's a very good song to open a cd. Rating: 4/5
Do you Feel Loved? This is one of my favorite songs in the album, it has a very catchy bass riff, and the guitar at the intro is really cool. Bono's lyrics are again nothing too special but the way he executes them is awesome. The Edge also do some good background vocals. One of the things that impressed me the most of these song is the drums, it has what seems to be like an endless layering of loops and drums, but yet they are done with such taste that it doesn't bother at all. Rating: 5/5
MOFO: It took me quite a while to like this song, because it is just so repetitive, it seems that after ten seconds you pretty much heard the whole song, but when listened closely it has a lot of ear candy, specialy the drums and bass that do little fills and counter-runs that back-up nicely Bono's lyrics about his mom and family relations. All in all it's a song with a lot of energy. Rating: 4/5
If God Will Send His Angels: This is much more of a typical U2 song, and it shouldn't be surprising given that this song (together with staring at the sun) where songs that remained from the Zooropa sessions (I read it in an interview of Bono somewhere). It features a nice bass line and great lyrics from Bono who wonders about human nature and what God is doing with us here. It's a nice song, but in contrast with the first three songs it seems a little out of place and lacking. Rating: 3.5/5
Staring at the Sun: This song is loaded with political references, claiming that our indiference to the world's problems is not due to stupidity but rather to playing dumb. This song has some catchy guitar parts, and by the middle of the song it has a very nice bridge where the bass and Bono make a very goovy statement. Rating 4/5
Last Night on Earth: This song starts off with a cool dissorted bass line that's very well complemented by the guitar scratchy/dry sound. The chorus is awesome, with the Edge replying to Bono creating a part full of tension, although in some parts it seems that Bono's voice fails a little and looses breath. But anyhow, this is another favorite of mine. Rating: 4.5/5
Gone: The song starts with yet another cool bass line, very deep sounding, although it (the bass line) does bear a strong resemblance to Bullet the Blue Sky (Joshua Tree). Great lyrics by Bono, and the band just supports him wonderfully. Rating: 5/5
Miami: An odd song, with a very industrial flavour to it. It starts with some cool lyrics accopanied by the guitar, where the Edge does a pretty good job once again. As cool as the beggining is, the song bored me a little bit, and bono seems to be singing a lot of cliches, like trying to be funny but not quite doing it. For me it's the worst song in the album. Rating: 3/5
The Playboy Mansion: A fun song to listen to, featuring a catchy bass part with some clever wording by Bono. Rating: 4/5
If you Wear That Velvet Dress: This is the slowest song in the album, and the first minute and half are just Bono singing about the moon with the Edge making strange noises, and although it's a very simple part, I love it. Then suddenly the bass and drums enter and the song just seems to take you somewhere else, it's so smooth yet so sexy. Great song. Rating: 4.5/5
Please: In my own opinion, this is the best song U2 has ever made. Awesome driving bass line with a military drum beat underneath whilst Bono sings about this pathetic rich kid or something...it produces this extremely strange mood, and the suddenly the interlude arrives. The song stops and it's the Edge who takes over the task of pulling foward the song in the interlude, waiting, building up tension, until !BAM! the song just explodes. I love it. Rating: 5/5
Wake Up Dead Man: Another cool song, with the band supporting Bono's attempt at rising a political conciousness in the listeners.
OVERALL RATING: 4.5
hope you liked it :thumb:
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I would give this album a 3.5/5.
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I agree. This is one of my least favourite U2 albums, and one of the reasons I was so pleased when All That You Can't Leava Behind came out. For me, U2 aren't a band that are brilliant in a number of styles, like Radiohead, but are at their best making stadium rock. There are some good songs on here, like Discotheque, but I can't say I like the album.
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I don't think their best work at all. Still better than all that you can't leave behind, though. And although i wouldn't give it more than a 3/5, I must admit I also felt moved with do you feel loved and if you wear.... Have you tried Achtung Baby?
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
^^Acthung Baby is awesome, and yes POP may not be typical U2, but it seems to me that this album has much movement and moodiness than any other. Anyway it is a personal preference, and I know it's not widely shared. :rolleyes:
Anyhow, what do you think about the review, any suggestions or comments to improve the next one would be highly apppreciated. :thumb:
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Yeah, it's a nice review, just the kind of thing we look for on here really. Basically, the more information, the better, but it's good.  . It's by no means a *bad* album, but in my eyes, not quite as good as what U2 can do.
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U2 should have broke up in the 80's, before Joshua Tree. They would have left the business on a good note.
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Good job. This is the only U2 album I own, and I don't like it.
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The review is quite good
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Good review. I love U2 and I love this album. Despite what anyone says, its still my favourite. I love '...velvet dress'. So sexy. If y'all like this song, Bono did an excellent version of it with Jools Holland. Its very good and worth checking out.
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I pretty much agree with you.
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i love this album
Wake up dead man is my fav u2 track
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[QUOTE=owlandtree]U2 should have broke up in the 80's, before Joshua Tree. They would have left the business on a good note.[/QUOTE]
Broken up *before* the Joshua Tree? :amaze:. That's an extraordinary album, maybe the best thing they've done!
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Medopalis, i think the point he was making was that he doesnt like u2 and they shouldnt of made any albums...
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
This is my first ever posting on any forum, and i felt compelled to comment for the good of all those who read these reviews...
I own every album U2 has ever made. And of every album out there, I HAVE TO SAY that this album is the most underrated of any album they have made.
Do yourself a favour and don't make the mistake of passing this album up. There is some real U2 gold in it.
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POP may be the worst but without it there would be no All That You Can't Leave Behind and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. U2 will be good no matter how many U2 haters are out there.
| | | Album Rating: 2
:barf:
Digging: Electric Wizard - Dopethrone | | | Album Rating: 5
"POP" is my fav U2 album.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Pop is a lyrical classic.
I'd have given it a 5, but the system wouldn't let me.
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pop sucks ide give it like a 2.5 its just not U2 at all its like they completely changed and didnt do a good job at it either.
| | | Album Rating: 4
I think I'll take a chop at reviewing this too. (I love Pop as well).
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