Top 100 Albums - #25: All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000)

U2's fifth and final entry on the chart is All That You Can't Leave Behind, widely seen as a return to critical and commercial success after the poor reception of Pop (1997).
While both Achtung Baby (1991) and Zooropa (1993) had won U2 new audiences and critical acclaim, as the 1990s wore on their new image began to turn on them. In 1995, following the end of the Zoo TV Tour, the band collaborated with Brian Eno on Original Soundtracks 1 (1995), a mostly instrumental album of songs for imaginary films. Released under the band name Passengers, the album was spurned by both fans and drummer Larry Mullen Jr., who worried that the band were becoming self-indulgent. These feelings were exacerbated by Pop, an album recorded at breakneck speed because of the pre-arranged tour. Despite being dark and political in places, the album received mixed reception from critics and the cold shoulder from many fans. Following the release of compilation The Best of 1980-1990 (1998), the band returned to the studio in a desperate bid to reinvent itself, just as it had done ten years before.

We begin, of course, with 'Beautiful Day'. It may been merecilessly overplayed on ITV, and reduced to the relative banality of a football theme tune, but this is a still an amazing song. The oscillating keyboards and bass drum are a great way to introduce this new U2 - combining the best from the heavy rock of the 1980s and the more electronic touches of the 1990s. Bono's voice is weaker than it was on, say, The Joshua Tree (1987), but he still wipes the floor with just about every other forty-something rocker on the planet. If anything, the lack of his once-trademark falsetto - for the most part - allows you to discover a new, more pleasant side of him, a side you thought had been lost long ago. The band as a unit feel tight, together and thoroughly modern. They have their pulse on the sound of the day, but still create something new and defining. This gets better every time you hear it, it's a sheer belter.

I have been unkind about the next track before. In my review of The Best of 1990-2000 (2002, #43), I attacked 'Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of', describing it as a bizarre cross between pop rock and lounge music. Some of that is still very true - Bono's lyrics are not his best, fulfilling his own words that There's nothing you can throw at me/ That I haven't already heard. But somehow, in the context of the album as a whole, this comes across a lot better. Being only the second track, we are still getting used to the new sound, and so there are bound to be little things we don't like even in the best tracks.

'Elevation' needs no such excuses, though. It may begin with the e-piano pootlings of a five-year-old, but The Edge's riffs are jagged and distorted, filled with a new metallic potency. Bono begins annoyingly, but soon he settles down into a very bizarre set of lyrics which push the boundaries of what it acceptable as rhyme without being cheesy. It's a proper rock single - not the most substancial thing in the world, but still a great listen. The most interesting section is the bridge - Bono's voice is electronically altered, not something he would have normally allowed.

With 'Walk On', we downstage slightly in terms of subject and take a more spiritual approach. The song provides us with the album's title and is dedicated to Burmese peace activist and 'prisoner of conscience' Aung San Suu Kyi. This does feel more like traditional U2, with The Edge soaring on the choruses on his highly strung Strat and Mullen playing more crisply than on previous songs. The lyrics achieve the rare feat of being both political and spiritual without sounding twisted or compromised. We get our fair share of both in the second verse:

You're packing a suitcase for a place
None of us has been
A place that has to be believed
To be seen
You could have flown away
A singing bird in an open cage
Who will only fly, only fly
For freedom

From this point of view, this is one of the band's finest achievements - though not as fine as 'Kite'. This is a complete heartwrencher, designed to move you beyond what you consider possible. The violins in the opening section are beautifully orchestrated, and The Edge is at the top of his game on slide guitar. Mullen keeps the drumming economical but effective, perhaps conscious that this is Bono's song. The meanings of the lyrics are many and varied, including that of a father letting his children out into the world, lovers getting over a failed relationship, and a eulogy of sorts to Bono's father, Bob Hewson, who passed away during the Elevation tour in 2001. Whichever of these you choose to believe, it is impossible to deny the emotional power of this track, summed up in Bono's breathtaking (and breathless) performance on vocals, his most emotive and exceptional to date. This is a song which you will listen to sparingly, so that you can savour its every perfection; in return, it will always, always, bring you to tears.

After what can only be described as a phenomenal start, the band drop the ball on the next two tracks. 'In A Little While' is about the much less attractive subject of a hangover, picking up the drunk song baton from 'Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World' (from Achtung Baby). This is U2 trying to be funky, incorporating the open hi-hat and scratching sound of hip-hop to create something which at its worst points is, frankly, embarrassing. 'Wild Honey' is equally disparate, beginning with some gut-wrenchingly tinny guitar, such as you would hear on a theatre student's demo tape. And while the chorus might have something to it, it cannot in itself hold your attention for the length of the song. This means you will have to try and understand the verses, exposing yourself full on to the apogee of modern tweeness.

We get back on track with 'Peace On Earth'. Despite the daunting title, this is actually indicative of the relationship between Bono and the rest of the band at its best. Just as on 'October', the other members, especially The Edge, have tied Bono to the ground, stopped his head swelling up and forced him to deliver an honest performance. The result is a very real, pleaful and lifting piece (see my review of October (1981, #87)). The lyrics are very focussed and yet modest, with the digs being subtle and shrouded in principle, e.g. It's already gone too far/ They say that if you go in hard/ You won't get hurt. Then Jesus comes into the equation with no cheesy fanfare, and the honesty factor rises again.

'When I Look At The World' is much in the same vein. We find a U2 more restrained, still potent but trying to reign themselves in to avoid looking like a bunch of rich ageing idiots. The lyrics should be relevant to anyone who has been a Christian for a long period of time. They describe deep-seated doubt, prompted by world events but rooted in questions about the very foundations of one's faith. When Bono sings the chorus, he is so stricken that you really do feel that he is wrestling with God:

So I try to be like you
Try to feel it like you do
Growing up, but it's no use
I can't see what you see
When I look at the world

In the midst of all this soul-searching, The Edge keeps the song rolling along, providing some wonderfully crisp chords on a guitar which sounds like a wasp stuck in a steel pipe. Mullen uses his snare and ride cymbal well to create another dynamic rhythm, and as if by magic Adam Clayton's bass pops up at the most apposite moments, lifting the whole mix. The song concludes with the classic lines of the doubting Christian, Tell me, tell me/ What do you see?/ Tell me, tell me/ What's wrong with me?.

The last major slip-up on this great album is 'New York'. Until now, Messrs. Lanois and Eno had been on sensational form, but here they have taken a good mix and then made a hippo sit on it. As a result the drums, especially the hi-hat, sound tinny and overly funky - and worse still, it is impossible to hear Clayton al. With this in place, Bono may as well have not bothered. In the lower registers especially he sounds like a threepenny crooner. Even when the band kick the tail out at the end, it still sounds impotent.

'Grace', on the other hand, is a gem. Clayton begins the song, with his double-tracked bass taking both the high and low rhythms while The Edge lays down a downbeat, chilled-out series of chords which make you close your eyes and picture a garden full of summer flowers. Despite being very long for a U2 song (a not-so-punchy 5:32), there is hardly any drag here. Bono may be singing in what feels like slow-motion, but he is not slow enough to try your patience to any great degree. Instead, he produces a worthy sequel to the likes of 'One', for this has all the sensitivity and great lyrics of that track, combined with a contemporary feel and much better production.

We round up with 'The Ground Beneath Her Feet'. This is unusual in that it is one of the few songs in the U2 canon without Bono as lyricist. The words come from the pages of Sir Salman Rushdie, which is not hard to pick up on. This does have a more literary feel to it, much more arty and poetic than anything Bono could have created on his own. Despite that, this is easily one of the most accessible songs on here, which is just as well when you consider how good this is. We have an ethereal slide guitar melody from The Edge, counterpointed by Bono's acoustic and captured like rain on a lake by Lanois. We have a vocal performance from Bono to rival anything he has produced thus far at his peak. And we have a finished product which sounds like both a rock song and a piece of orchestral soundtrack work. It is a fabulous way to finish.

In many ways, All That You Can't Leave Behind is like the Rolls Royce Phantom. First, you get the instant impression of quality everywhere you go, from the playing to the production - even the album cover looks like brushed aluminium. Then, when you step inside, you are made to feel as comfortable as humanly possible, cocooned in your own little world with nothing to distract you or disrupt the experience. Leaving the car analogy aside, this album offers you the best of everything U2 have served up thus far, but there is still enough variety among the tracks for you to choose your own favourites. The follow-up could do that too, but How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (2004, #82) suffered from trying to be too political and in doing so saw the band slip into self-parody. Here, though, everything feels genuine, everything sounds new, and everything is worth savouring. It may be quieter and more understated than any U2 album since The Unforgettable Fire (1984), but it is in this meticulous level of restraint and self-control that true beauty emerges, making this truly the Rolls Royce of U2 albums.

4.00 out of 5

Top 100 Albums - #43: The Best of 1990-2000 (2002)

U2's penultimate entry is The Best of 1990-2000, a compilation which sums up the second full decade of the band's career, drawing on the albums Achtung Baby (1991), Zooropa (1993), Pop (1997) and All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000).After the shaky reception of the semi-live album Rattle And Hum (1988), and the resulting concert film, U2 announced at a concert on December 30, 1989 that they needed to go away for a while to "dream it all up again".¹ The following year saw the band nearly split as bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. favoured keeping the sound which had brought them success, Bono and The Edge wished to go into more experimental, electronic areas. A compromise was reached in the hands of producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, who helped to synthesise the two interests into a series of demoes which became 'One' and which led on to the band's comeback, Achtung Baby.

And it's at Achtung Baby that we start, appropriately. 'Even Better Than The Real Thing' has an ironic title, considering what has been said before, and it does carry the self-affacing swagger that the 1990s U2 represented. But, when you finally settle down from the changes and begin to dissect the sound, it's not that pleasant a place to be. The intro is a garbled mush of distorted guitars and synthesisers, the former of which feels weak throughout the track. And the lyrics may hint at ambiguity - is it about a woman? It is about the band? - but there's nothing for you to grab onto so as to find out.

'Mysterious Ways' is a damn sight better. Indeed, this would be a brilliant track but for one thing. If there's one thing that's wrong with compilations, it's where they go back and tinker with old lyrics. And really good lyrics at that. Just like 'Games Without Frontiers' was altered on Hit (2003, #72), here the second bridge to the chorus has been changed from She's the way, she turned the tide/ She sees the man inside the child to She's the way, she turned the tide/And amongst you she goes wild. It's always been quite an untelligentible passage, but you can't help feeling cheated if you spot it. Otherwise this is a much better effort. Not a brilliant one though.

Only now though can we start to get at the good stuff; the next two tracks are complete belters. 'Beautiful Day' is lifted from All That You Can't Leave Behind and it remains fresh every time you listen to it, even if you did have to put up with ITV using it as a footy theme (philistines). Bono's voice is more gravelly than on the previous tracks but that makes him easier to love and appreciate. This kicks off the third phase U2 by bringing back together all the right ingredients - brilliant lyrics; uplifting guitars; simple, powerful drums; and an uncomplicated bass line which chisels deep into your spine. It's an amazing song, even if it has been overplayed.

The other corker is something different. Very different. Because 'Electrical Storm' is a new song. Yes, it is a love song, and yes, when you first hear the pulsating keyboards and echoey vocals, you get images of middle age pop stars losing their minds. But if you have the faculties to perservere to the soft, heartfelt acoustic, then you are transported somewhere quite beautiful. It's very hard to put your finger on what is so good with this song; but whatever it is you like you find yourself drawn to it. Even the ending, which is edgier and darkier, works because the whole product is light enough for there to be something here from all concerned.

Now we come to the famous 'One', the song voted the best recorded of all time by Q Magazine² and the song with the greatest lyrics of all time by the British public.³ With a reputation, one would expect a music maverick to trash it, write it off as tosh. But actually no - it's not too bad. Sure, it's not the greatest song ever written, but the band play tightly, it builds nicely and the lyrics are notable - not least for their ambiguity. Unfortunately, the next song has one of its qualities. 'Miss Sarajevo' features both a wasted Pavarotti (perhaps in more ways than one) and Bono in 'save-the-world-in-what-I-say' mode. The music drawls along like a crippled snail on a harp while the inane lyrics tumble out, and when the opera section comes you just want to break the tenor's neck. It's off the forgotten album Original Soundtracks 1 (1995) - recorded under the pseudonym Passengers - and should definitely be avoided.

Sticking with the 1990s, we jump back a couple of years to 'Stay (Faraway! So Close!)'. Lifted from Zooropa, this is much more like it. The riff is pure pristine Edge, jangly, jaunty and high-pitched, set against Mullen's ominously simple drums. Bono half-snarls, half-sighs the lyrics, displaying despair and disgust in equal measures. The lyrics are more attractive because they are refreshing cryptic and indirect; it takes several listens for it all to make sense. But even before it all hits you and you stop dead like the ending, there are delightful segments to tease you; for instance, You're dressed up like a car crash/ The wheels are turning but you're upside down.

Back to tedium, sadly, and it's 21st century tedium. 'Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of' is the second single off ATYCLB and it's a big let-down, as second singles usually are. In the first place, the opening is very flat for a U2 song; with its metallic drumming, trapped hi-hat and very 80s piano dabs, it comes across as a bizarre cross between pop rock and lounge music. But even after you've overlooked that, Bono's lyrics are too weak to offer you anything to cling onto and eventually you lose interest completely.

The next two tracks are heaps better though. 'Gone' begins with an ominous strum or two before launching into the jagged whine of The Edge's guitar. This is actually closer to the sound of How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (2004) in Clayton's pounding bass lines which throb beneath Bono's workout. The lyrics are amazing - look at the second verse:

You wanted to get somewhere so badly
You kind of lose yourself along the way
You change your name, but that's okay, it's necessary
And what you leave behind you don't miss anyway

This is precisely what U2 should be giving us at this point in their career - we know what they sound like, but they are refining the content of that song. 'Until The End Of The World' is just as good, with its astonishing repeating riff. The opening might be offputting, but from thereon in it's a complete riot. It's one of the best songs off Achtung Baby, describing the relationship between Judas and Jesus in a way which manages to be both subtle and obvious in its message. U2 have always been trailblazers in the non-oblique, non-cheesy end of Christian rock, and this is a perfect showcase as to why.

As good as these two tracks are, and they are very, very good, they are no match for 'The Hands That Built America'. Recorded for the soundtrack of Martin Scorsese's Gangs Of New York (2002), it begins with some simple tender piano, the bedrock of all the greatest U2 songs since October (1981 - see my review, #87). Bono may have lots of echo to play with her, but by keeping the instrumentation simple (guitar, piano/keyboard and what sounds like a oyloxophone, all at isolated intervals) The Edge managed to reign him in, to stop him getting lost in the atmosphere. It's a hard task, considering the mood and depth of the song, so it's to his eternal credit, for all our sakes, that he does it. This may not feel like a typical U2 song, but it's a more than worthy candidate for inclusion here.

After all this Pavarotti-related glory, 'Discothèque' brings us back to the world of Pop and the dodgy side of U2. With its synth-heavy opening, this rapidly dovetails into U2-lite, a quirky combination of Eno's meddling and self-parody. Much like the Passengers album, this has a lot less substance; and the production cannot make up for this dearth because there is nothing genuine to grab hold of. No matter though, because 'Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me' is there purely to grab you by the scruff of the neck. Once again, there are brilliant lyrics - Dressing like your sister/ Living like a tart/ They don't know what you're doing/ Babe, it must be art - but here U2 succeed where before they failed in combining this with a more electronic feel. The result is a relentless masterpiece, a perfect film score piece which sounds like something off Zooropa.

Sadly, as it often the case with U2, no sooner have they produced something brilliant that they ruin it with something inane. 'Staring At The Sun' is from Pop and often nothing compelling whatsoever. The guitar sounds garbled, Bono's delivery is lazy, Clayton is unintelligible and where Mullen can be heard, he's boring. 'Numb', from Zooropa, suffers from a different problem. This was never the best track off the album, but this remixed version features both Bono's original, annoying falsetto and Clayton's stupid I feel numb, which clunks across the soundscape like a football fan trying to speak French.

'The First Time' is amazing. No more needs to be said. This was the best track on Zooropa when it came it and it's the best track here. The emotion which Bono pours in is incredible considering that most of the song is spoken. The beauty of this track is its simplicity, both of its message - the relationship between a lost son and his father, i.e. God - and it's execution. The Edge is on superb form with his downbeat licks, and the piano in the final third is absolutely ethereal. This is a sublime song, full stop.

It's a real shame, then, that we are forced to finish with something as inextricably awful as 'The Fly'. As shown from the new film U2-3D, this track really comes into its own live, but on record it's always been a massive disappointment. Bono can't make up his mind, oscillating widely from whisper to early-1990s falsetto, and the band seems completely lost. What a shame indeed.

U2 are like The Smiths in that their work seems to translate well onto compilations as well on the albums themselves. This is not so much because of the quality of the material so much as you are able to see the spread of both the good and bad in one place. And we get plenty of both here. There are plenty of gems, largely from Zooropa, and the compilers have generally chosen well; even if you have to put up with stuff from Pop, it doesn't take too long to get back on the good stuff. The Best of 1990-2000 is both a good record to dip into for the rarer stuff (like the soundtrack work) and a decent way to look back at the band in its most transitional period.

3.88 out of 5

References
¹ 'Rattle And Hum', http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rattle_And_Hum. Accessed on March 7 2008.
² 'Achtung Baby', http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achtung_Baby. Accessed on March 7 2008.
³ Paul Lewis, 'Britain's best-loved lyricist? Bono's the One', The Guardian, 18 April 2006 - available at http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1755768,00.html. Accessed on July 11 2007.

Top 100 Albums - #82: How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (2004)

U2's most recent offering is their third of five appearances on the chart. Regarded as a continuation of the themes and attitude on All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000), it set the tone both for the highly successful Vertigo tour (2005-06) and Bono's strong presence in the Make Poverty History campaign.


The late-1990s had been a difficult time for U2, with their previous album Pop (1997) getting indifferent reviews. Some questioned whether, with the rise of a new generation of rock bands led by the likes of Green Day and Sum 41, U2 had a place in the modern music industry. But the success of All That You Can't Leave Behind had reinvigorated U2, leading Bono to declare quite immodestly: "[We're] reapplying for the job. What job? The best band in the world job".¹ Following the end of the successful Elevation tour in 2001, the band spent the next three years releasing a 90s hits compilation - The Best of 1990-2000 (2002) - and the EPs 7 (2002) and Exclusive (2003).

The album opens up with 'Vertigo'. With its strangely plucked guitars and Spanish in the opening, it's a signature of the new sound. With 'Captain' Bono, at the helm, this is a very worthy effort which combines Clayton's stylish bass lines with The Edge's trademark high-pitched distorted guitar. Over power chords and shredding a-plenty, Bono delivers some of their strongest lyrics in years, for instance: The night is full of holes/ As bullets rip the sky/ Of ink with gold/ They twinkle as the/ Boys play rock and roll/ They know they can't dance/ At least they know... There is a hint of self-deprecating in both these lyrics and the song in general; it's as if U2 are making out that they are settling into their image and can live with their flaws.

'Miracle Drug' takes things right down at the start. Right from th beginning you sense that this is an attempt to match something along the lines of 'With Or Without Out'. On the down side, it features one of the worst lyrics on the album - Freedom has a scent/ Like the top of a newborn baby's head (sure it does, Bono). But while this can't even come close to that Joshua Tree masterpiece, it's a very good effort and a worthwhile equivalent for those who don't appreciate U2's 1980s sound, which admittedly can be a little rough.

This down-rock tone continues and improves on the next track. 'Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own' is Bono's tribute to his father, Bob Hewson, who passed away with cancer in 2001. Despite the cumbersome title, this is a brilliant effort. Bono is at his heartfelt, introspective best, and the lyrics could not be more genuine. He and his father did not always see eye to eye and they chronicle this, as you would expect. Musically, this is also a strong effort, notable for The Edge on backing vocals and sensitive playing from Mullen - although, to make one criticism, even at this stage he has been rather quiet on this album.

The first song on the album to underwhelm is 'Love And Peace Or Else'. Just looking at the title it's clear that Bono is switching into preacher mode. Despite its rather atmospheric opening, the song is relatively hollow and has the feeling of a rehash. Valid though the message is, it's one which Bono has said many times before in much better ways, and when he's this direct it rapidly becomes tiresome. To make a further criticism, Bon is allowed too much room for manoeuvre in relation to the rest of the band. As I said of October, a U2 with a flailing, unrestrained Bono is usually a U2 to avoid.

But before long, we ditch such criticism as we come to 'City Of Blinding Lights'. As on 'Vertigo', the signatures are all there - The Edge excels on his echoey guitar, Clayton is brooding on the bass and there is good stuff coming from Mullen. But the track is lifted and its sensitivity increased by the inclusion of piano, something which made October a lot more listenable. It doesn't work to have it on every U2 song, but here it's exactly what is needed to turn this from better-than-average rock song into a concert favourite. The song sees Bono at his spiritual apogee as he sings about heaven and beauty in a way which no other 40-year-old rockstar can carry off. It's a splendid, rousing song which showcases the absolute best in a band still at the top of their game.

Bono manages, having orchestrated such a triumph, to drop the ball on the next two songs. 'All Because Of You' may be a much more clever effort as far as the lyrics are concerned, but as far as the music is concerned, it's heavily clichéd. The Edge is relying on power chords to keep Bono in check, and while on this count he succeeds, he does so at the expense of whatever power the song possessed (as an inside, this frequently happened in The Who but with the vocals undermining the guitar - check out The Who By Numbers (1975) if you don't believe me). 'A Man And A Woman' sounds too much like 'Wild Honey', one of the lesser tracks on All That You Can't Leave Behind. To come straight to the heart of its faults, it's a dull way for Bono to show off his vocal range and play out with the mixing desk like a no-good Lindsey Buckingham.

'Crumbs From Your Table' drags things back temporarily from the land of boredom and self-parody. Rather than linger in sweet musings about relationships, Bono cuts to the spritual and Biblical chase with this song about Jesus. Though he does slip in the odd political hint - Where you live should not decide/ Whether you live or whether you die - this is a toned-down, straight-spirutual U2 which manages, because of this to gel together a very reasonable number. As is 'One Step Closer', for that matter. The sleeve credits Noel Gallagher for his help on this, and it shows in the restrained yet beautiful guitar work, as if Gallagher had broken all The Edge's fingers and then taught him to play again from scratch. The production is also very beautiful, with equal space given to all the players - imagine the surprise then, when it turned out that Steve Lillywhite was behind it. It seems the guy who cocked up October has got better with age.

It's just a shame that this creative coup doesn't last. 'Original Of The Species' was panned by MTV, and rightly so. It features that most clichéd of features on a rock track - a full violin section. A word to the wise, Bono - orchestral arrangements belong in classical music, progressive rock and rubbish ballads, not in stadium rock. Lines like I'll give you anything you want/ Except the thing that you aren't are difficult to comprehend and Bono's voice in grating and annoying on this, the track you are most likely to skip over on this shaky album.

'Yahweh' is the only time on the album when we find a track to match the brilliance of 'City Of Blinding Lights'. The reason is clear before you've even heard the first chord. Bono has once again disposed, more or less, of the politicking and the emotional diarrhoea and gone for the straightforward song about his Maker. Sure, he does slip in the odd reference, as before, but when vocally he has never sounded better you are willing to forgive or overlook it. Lillywhite has struck gold here by restraining both Bono and Mullen while The Edge strums away in passion.

The closer, 'Fast Cars', has a Spanish guitar feel to it. This doesn't harm it necessarily, but overall this is a lazy effort, and while 'Yahweh' would not have been a good closer, that hardly makes this a better choice. Sure, Clayton is given plenty of room - but to do what? There is some cheesy echo on Bono's vocals which make them sound even more off-putting. In general it's a bad way to end the album - a very bad way indeed.

How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb is not U2's best album by any criterion. There are many unhelpful flaws. Just like David Bowie, U2 here have entered into and consolidated a 'neo-classical' sound, taking the best bits from their back catalogue and writing new songs around their styles and themes. The difference is that Bowie can do it without slipping into self-parody, which is the track which this fall into on a number of isolated occassions. That said, on a number of occassions, the finest moments gel together into a number of good and great songs. As a general guide, the best songs are those on which Bono forsakes his role as the political saviour of the world, and focusses on his relationship with God. It's a good addition to their catalogue and a sign of consistency which often deserts band once they pass a certain age. Nevertheless, perhaps U2 are wise to change direction at this stage, since following this up with more of the same would probably be a foolish waste of money. All signs point to the new album being a success, but it must be precise and well-approached - even after 31 years in the business, U2 still have something to prove.

References
¹ Josh Tyrangiel, 'Bono's Mission', Time, February 23 2002 - available at http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,212605,00.html. Accessed on July 29 2007.

3.75 out of 5

Top 100 Albums - #87: October (1981)

U2's second entry on the chart is also their second album, October, the successor to their debut Boy (1980) - which, incidentally, doesn't feature on the chart. U2 had signed to Islands Records in March 1980. Under the watchful eyes of producer Steve Lillywhite, Boy was released in October of the same year. Though it was praised as a relatively good debut effort, critics remarked that the lyrics had the feeling of being improvised, losing all possible impact. With their live reputation growing, a quick follow-up was needed to prove that U2 were not just the successors to late-1970s 'arena rockers' like Peter Frampton. Spurred on by these two stimuli, Bono et al returned to the studio with Lillywhite in July 1981, to record an album with a more directly spiritual feel. In between albums, Bono, The Edge and Larry Mullen Jr. had all joined the 'Shalom Fellowship', an Irish Christian group which explored the contradictions between the Christian message and the rock-and-roll lifestyle.

But enough preamble, onto the album itself. 'Gloria' makes it obvious from the start that is a very spiritual or religious album. Some of the rhythm section work, like The Edge's high picking and Mullen's good hi-hat work, would be happily at home on later U2 albums (see my review of War). But this is otherwise a very difficult listen. The lyrics are heavy-handed enough when they're in English, and when Bono switches to Latin in the chorus it falls flat on it face. His voice is not suited to the tongue; he finds it impossible to pronounce exalte sensibly, with it coming out like 'Nick Nolty' (whoever he is).

Things are better on 'I Fall Down', which features in its intro the most distinctive and interesting feature of the album - The Edge on piano. As we shall see on the title track, this acts not only as a great mood-setter, but it's also a great way to reign Bono in just when it seems that this most charismatic of frontmen will go flying off the rails. The Edge would later perfect this technique with his guitar on War. The lyrics are simpler - for instance, I want to get up/ When I wake up/ But when I get up/ I fall down. Like most of the stuff U2 produced in the 1980s, Bono's voice is more indistinct in the studio. On the other hand, there is enough energy here to prevent this from becoming a mumbling section set to a decent instrumental.

'I Threw A Brick Through A Window' begins with intriguing work from Mullen, on what sounds like a floor tom. But soon all illusions of a departure are gone, swept aside by mainstream MTV riffs and Bono's terrible pitching. Even though the higher registers are his natural home, this sounds like a choirboy singing over a backing tape. Lillywhite has tried to pep this flat song up with echoes, double-tracking and prog-sounding drums, but it ends up an incoherent nightmare - and, to our eternal detriment, Clayton is nowhere to be seen.

It is only with 'Rejoice' that we begin on any kind of consistent streak. This is upbeat, and for once the Christian lyrics work well with U2's riffs. The preamble to the chorus is very impressive: What am I to do?/ What in the world am I to say?/ There's nothing else to do/ He says he'll change the world some day/ I rejoice, clearly conveying both Bono's faith and the increasing desperation of the world, a theme again reflected in War. And though once again Lillywhite seems to have forgotten to record Clayton's bass, this is a much better song with a more-all rounded feel.

This new-found (successful) geling of Christianity and rock music continues on 'Fire' and 'Tomorrow'. 'Fire' is a traditional 4/4 rock song with great bending and backing vocals from The Edge. True, the lyrics are both indistinct and overly repetitive, but this is overall a very likeable song. 'Tomorrow' sounds, at the outset, somewhere between a Dylan outtake and 'The Carny' by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. This is about Bono's mother, who died when he was young, and you sense he is really, really trying to be emotional without seeming passé or cloyed. The use of Uilleann pipes disguise the weak and repetitive lyrics. Bono is trying very hard to get across the message that he misses his mother deeply. Musically, this is achievied and then some, which manages to disguise the indifference of the lyrics.

We now come to the title track, which is without a doubt the best on the album. Why? Because it's a complete rejection of the U2 formula. There are no powerful drums, wailing guitars and screaming high-pitched vocals here. It's stark, with just Bono and piano to make it up. Just as on 'I Fall Down', The Edge has tied Bono to the ground and in doing so has brought out the best in him. But best of all, the lyrics are forthright and say what they have to say without being tied up in pretention or 80s whimsy:

October, and the trees are stripped bare
Of all they wear. What do I care?
October, and kingdoms rise
And kingdoms fall, but You go on
And on

Sadly, the glory (or 'gloria', perhaps) doesn't last. 'With A Shout (Jerusalem)' is not just a return to formula, it's a return to half-hearted mediocrity. The guitar parts are fast becoming clichéd, and the odd choice of notes on the first few bars make them if anything more suited to a David Bowie album. The lyrics are weak, at least when you can make them out, and for most of the song you cannot. It's without a doubt the lesser track on the record.

'Stranger In A Strange Land' is a far superior effort - though, considering how disappointing the last track was, that isn't the hardest thing in the world of music. The opening sounds like an outtake from Live At Leeds, treated with filters to distance it and then spaced out further still. Things quiet down as the band attempt to give Bono the room to sing properly - an opportunity he only half-ruins this time around. The message is a little unclear, though the Christian themes can come through sufficiently when this is studied as part of the overall record; standing alone, it is not as coherent.

Both 'Scarlet' and 'Is That All?' are shorter and sparser. The Edge's piano rears its thankful head again in 'Scarlet', which sounds like a piano-based prequel to 'With Or Without You'. The priority is given to the band over Bono here, given Mullen more room for some interesting echoey fills. Clayton doesn't use the oppurtunity to muscle in as he should, giving this a three-piece feel. Nevertheless, it's a damn sight better than the closer. 'Is That All?' is more formula rock, regurgited and plastered with electric drums to produce a faux-pop shambles. The title and its positioning as the closing song on the album was perhaps meant to leave you wanting more. It doesn't. If U2 had possessed any sense, they would have retitled this 'Is This The Best They Can Do?', because that's precisely the feeling you get.

October is generally seen as U2's weakest effort before Pop (1997). And there are many, many things wrong with this album which make it a very difficult listen. We have already seen the faults in the songs - Bono is as incoherent as a falsetto Gordon Brown, Clayton is almost non-existent, The Edge is teetering on the edge of clichéd - so thank God he can also play the piano - and Mullen is not given sufficient space to improvise. The biggest flaw though lies in the production - it's flat, bland and frankly boring. It's as if Lillywhite came in on every song, flicked the same old switches, gave the thumbs up and went to sleep (but not before turning off the mike nearest to the bass). Having said all that, October is mildly better than War for one good reason - piano. The title track adds a gravitas that War didn't have as much of. It's surprising, and music should surprise you. What was it that Imogen Heap sang: Music is worthless unless it can/ Make a complete stranger/ Break down and cry? Sure, October doesn't do that, but given enough patience you will be able to tease out some of the touches which showed up on later and better albums.

3.73 out of 5

Top 100 Albums - #95: War (1983)

U2's first of five entries on the chart is widely regarded as both their breakthrough record and their first overtly political one.

U2 formed in 1976 and until War came out struggled to get recognition outside of their native Ireland. Their first album, Boy (1980) sold fairly well, received good reviews and produced the kitsch and slightly embarrassing hit 'I Will Follow'. The rapid follow-up, October (1981) - which also appears on the chart - had a much cooler reception and produced no hit single. Both albums were a showcase for U2's well-rooted Christianity, captured by Bono in both his direct lyrics and his emotive delivery. War was the first of many U2 albums to take this forthright Christian message and combine it with contemporary politics. Written as it was at the height of the Troubles, in the aftermath of the Falklands and, of course, with the re-ignition of the Cold War, it was hailed as one of the few records - along with Pink Floyd's The Final Cut - that summed up the political climate of the time.

Having set the tone and provided sufficient context, onto the album itself. We open with 'Sunday Bloody Sunday', one of the most forthright, political songs ever composed and one of U2's finest. Larry Mullen Jr.'s drumming sets the tone for the album - it's stark, aggressive and is designed to compel you. Bono's lyrics are strident and he sings them in a voice so stricken that you can feel the blood on his hands and the fire in his heart. It's a cracking song that speaks of the futility of conflict - And the battle's just begun/ There's many lost, but tell me who has won? - and the dual vocals between Bono and Mullen (unusually) add even more emotional tension to this masterpiece, this hard-listening anthem of the broken-hearted.

'Seconds' continues things much in the same vein, only this time it is the bass of Adam Clayton that is more prominent. As with all his work, the riff is simple but effective, creating a buzzing pulse which puts Bono on an emotional leash, making it again a compelling listen. What sets that apart, in a bad way, is the sample at about 2:03 of an American chant on megaphone - it just doesn't work. It takes the atmosphere that you could cut with a knife and ruins everything. The last 45 seconds manage to recover something, but not enough to equal the opening track.

'New Year's Day' may seem more uplifting, but beware: it can also chill you to the bone. Lines like Nothing changes on New Year's Day alter the mood to one of distressed depression at a world going around in circles. There is a desire for unity and togetherness, echoed in lines like Oh, torn in two/ We can be one, and a theme of spiritual renewal. The Edge's guitar work is brooding and perfect for the mood. Though his solo is less impressive than one might expect, it at least brings fond memories of the days before every U2 guitar part was written on the highest string. At the death, Bono turns bitterly ironic with the lines And so we are told this is the golden age/ And gold is the reason for the wars we wage. Though this sounds more like the kind of line Roger Waters would have gladly employed, the source is more likely to be the words of G. K. Chesterton, who quipped in 1931 that "The Golden Age comes to men when they have, if only for a moment, forgotten gold."

The lyrics of 'Like A Song' are less memorable and less potent than the other three covered thus far, as is Bono's delivery. But, thankfully, the musical prowess of Mullen, Clayton and The Edge keep things together and produce, almost by accident, a good rocker, albeit for the non-lyrically minded. The same cannot be said, however, for 'Drowing Man'. The opening is reminiscent of 'The Wanderer' from Zooropa (1993), and for all the acoustic efforts of The Edge, valiant as they are, it is a little clunky. This is an example of how, until recently, Bono's work in the lower registers has been poorer than when he sticks to emotive shrieking. While this track would be at home either on October or the more country elements of The Joshua Tree (1987) - which, like Zooropa, failed to make the list - it seems out of place here.

Almost to confirm the theory of the mid-album dip, 'The Refugee' finds Bono trying to be funky and hip, but ending up sounding like a drunken moron. Mullen's cowbell is hopelessly out of key, and the only things to prevent this from being considered a very half-arsed effort are The Edge's marvellous strumming and, as ever, Clayton's casual, cool bass. 'Two Hearts Beat As One' is a return to focus, with the intro being the best combination of bass and guitar that U2 have produced to date. Mullen, now confined to high hat and snare, is on top of things, and Bono manages to craft a hearfelt toe-tapper, sustained by distorted bass guitar and a romantic theme.

'Red Light' is the most annoying track on War. In the first place, having a female vocalist, even a guest one, really lowers the pace and energy of U2's songs; in the second, she's having to sing a really annoying repeating section, which jars the nerves and makes you reach for the stop button. Add some dodgy echo, indifferent guitar work and rubbish trumpets, and you have the 'lesser track' of the album. It's like U2's equivalent of 'Any Colour You Like' by Pink Floyd - it's not out of place, but you just don't feel that the band are trying as hard as they could.

Thankfully, the closing tracks, 'Surrender' and the oddly-named '"40"', restored the enegy levels and your faith. 'Surrender' sees great slide guitar from The Edge, who keeps things relatively simple but does so much. Bono has once again managed to pin down the romantic edge which so often slips through his fingers as he wails around. The Christian edge is here again, with such lines as She tried to be a good girl and a good wife/ Raise a good family, lead a good life/ It's not good enough implying (rightly) that there is something more than material existence. '"40"', despite its garbled beginning, has a gospel feel to it, mostly because the lyrics derive almost exclusively from Psalm 40 - hence the title which at first may sound unusual, at least in the context of whole album. It's a mellow way to close this outspoken album.

War is not as focussed as its thematic contemporary, The Final Cut, but that doesn't seem to really matter since the general effect is still felt and we get the message behind so many metaphors. In many places, as mentioned, things either get too whimsical or else the band tries to be too clever and in the process cocks things up big time. A further point for rock bands who also releasesingles - which U2 continue to - is that if you want to grab people's attention, don't place your best single as the opener, so matter how well it fits. Nevertheless, this is a welcoming and promising effort by a band with big things to come. War may not be the pinnacle of U2's achievement, but it's a good indicator of what got them there.

3.70 out of 5