U2's new album "All That You Can't Leave Behind" is available for preview on Napster, and will be for sale on Oct 31. What's good : Overall, this is U2's best album since Achtung Baby, possibly since Joshua Tree. Technology turned down, classic Edge guitar sound turned back up. What's not so good : Not a hard rock album by any means. If you think U2 went too soft after War, this probably isn't your album. Also, the album is too damn short. Even with the 2 B-sides included, my preview CD was still under 60 minutes. Still, this is a great comeback for those who thought the band was finished after "POP" Suggested songs: Beautiful Day (current single), Walk On, Kite, Stuck in a Moment, Summer Rain (B-side). This die hard U2 fanatic rates it 8.5 out of 10.http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7430#msg-7430Wed, 22 May 2013 00:44:53 +1000 Phorum 5.2.16 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7696#msg-7696 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7696#msg-7696 F.O.R.D. NoticeboardThu, 26 Oct 2000 15:06:05 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7601#msg-7601 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7601#msg-7601
...like stalking out 5150! (sorry couldn't resist...was a joke bud...dont take offense)]]> sfk kurt NoticeboardWed, 25 Oct 2000 03:01:24 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7592#msg-7592 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7592#msg-7592
]]> Captain Chaos NoticeboardWed, 25 Oct 2000 00:15:10 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7573#msg-7573 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7573#msg-7573
The first 3 U2 albums were propelled by a guitar driven sound that rose from the ashes of punk rock. If you have ever heard early U2 recordings from 78 & 79, you would know exactly how close they were to a punk band at the time. I was hoping that the new album contained a little more of that spirit, since for months, I have been hearing that it's a return to the band's classic sound. Though I can't bring myself to hate any U2 album (not even the "Passengers" thing), their best stuff will always be rooted in that sound.

Same thing with Tom Petty. He hasn't altered his style very much, but he has slowed way down over the years. I loved "Echo", but it sure as hell wasn't "Damn the Torpedoes".

I wasn't looking for either of them to headline Ozzfest next year, merely to make the best album they're capable of, judged by their own standards. ]]> F.O.R.D. NoticeboardTue, 24 Oct 2000 11:42:36 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7546#msg-7546 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7546#msg-7546The Edge plays guitar one more time, and it's the best thing they could do since 1991.
Rocker songs (I believe this is what FORD meant) are still nowhere to be found, with two exceptions, and the record has ballads in the style of last Bono's If God would send his angels...
Good record, not their best compositions (memorable songs... hmmmm... lemme think, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Pride, With or Without You, Desire, One, Where the Streets have no name, I still haven't found, no Zooropa or Pop here).
A "first version" U2 fanatic's vote: 7 out of 10.]]> ddregs NoticeboardTue, 24 Oct 2000 02:49:01 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7468#msg-7468 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7468#msg-7468
U2 aint exactly heavy but they do rock. Achtung Baby was GREAT!]]> sfk kurt NoticeboardSat, 21 Oct 2000 07:29:53 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7465#msg-7465 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7465#msg-7465
p.s. I too was a little disapponted (a LOT, actually) by what U2 has done since Achtung Baby. Good to hear they went into the rockier direction again.]]> clemens NoticeboardSat, 21 Oct 2000 06:19:33 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7438#msg-7438 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7438#msg-7438 Captain Chaos NoticeboardFri, 20 Oct 2000 22:42:17 +1100 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7430#msg-7430 http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/read.php?1,7430,7430#msg-7430
What's good : Overall, this is U2's best album since Achtung Baby, possibly since Joshua Tree. Technology turned down, classic Edge guitar sound turned back up.

What's not so good : Not a hard rock album by any means. If you think U2 went too soft after War, this probably isn't your album. Also, the album is too damn short. Even with the 2 B-sides included, my preview CD was still under 60 minutes.

Still, this is a great comeback for those who thought the band was finished after "POP"
Suggested songs: Beautiful Day (current single), Walk On, Kite, Stuck in a Moment, Summer Rain (B-side).

This die hard U2 fanatic rates it 8.5 out of 10.]]> F.O.R.D. NoticeboardFri, 20 Oct 2000 17:29:33 +1100