Taking Sides: ACHTUNG BABY by U2 VS. MONSTER by R.E.M

I wouldn't say Depeche Mode were approaching this sound by "Violator". "Songs Of Faith And Devotion" was very obviously an attempt to sound like "Achtung Baby" era U2, but "Violator" is more of a classic "dark" electropop album, which has also been the case with all of their post SOFAD-efforts.

monster for me is listenable, but fairly forgettable. it doesn't have a great deal of consistency or even a particular standout track (ok, maybe 'crush with eyeliner') to make me reflect on it when it's not playing. i've tried to revisit it a couple of times, but never seem to get more than a minimal kick out of it.

achtung baby is a strange record for me. it really does seem to be built around a few very good songs ('mysterious ways', 'one', 'acrobat', 'the fly') while the rest are either interesting ('love is blindness') or completely expendable ('so cruel', 'trying to throw your arms around the world'). the whole thing sounds great, and when the better tracks merge with the slick production, the record truly shines. really, a bizarre instance of an album where i treasure the highlights and tend to overlook the impact of the weaker tracks, perhaps because they're largely inoffensive and unmemorable. somehow it remains relatively untarnished and a landmark of early 90s rock.

This is OTM in every way. Add "Imitation Of Life" to "Bad Day", though. One of the great "eighties" R.E.M. songs.

(Ha, Just noticed the coincidence with the titles: "Beautiful Day" and "Bad Day" both being attempted -- and successful -- returns to form.)

And - and this is important - the last two U2 records are not returns to their 80s style. The U2 of the 80s were a mainly riff-based rock band, with The Edge's guitar playing the obvious centrepiece of everything, while the U2 of the oughties is more of a melodic pop band, heavily influenced by the classic songwriting style of the Britpop bands.
I obviously prefer the latter, which is why the last two U2 albums have been my favourite albums by then ever.

I'm a Zooropa guy. Though I believe gear (obv. not Geir) will occasionally post in defense of Pop.

Geir, I agree that the last two records are not "returns to form," and I even think They've got some of Teh Edge's coolest playing, but what you're overlooking is that they're also boring and irrelevant. They're like the greatest Remy Zero records ever.

http://cache.kotaku.com/gaming/bono_takes_two.jpg

"...and y'know, I also think we need to sort out the environment because people are affected by that too and...what's this?... Alright, then, Geir has told me that I'm not supposed to talk about the environment. Just stick to poverty, yeah."

"By the way, did anyone buy that song we did with Green Day?... You did? Fookin' suckers!"

"in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, for which their music was often used as an inspirational backdrop."

while the U2 of the oughties is more of a melodic pop band, heavily influenced by the classic songwriting style of the Britpop bands "Acrobat" by U2

I'm still waiting for R.E.M. to go through a "let's go to Berlin and record" phase.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Monday, October 30, 2006 10:24 AM (5 years ago)

It happened!

This kind of leads in the direction of ultimately giving REM more long-term credit, insofar as, even though their albums have gotten less and less consistent, they've steadfastly refused to do a "they've returned to their classic sound!" record - even going so far as to release "Bad Day" just to prove that they could still do it if they wanted to

(Ha, Just noticed the coincidence with the titles: "Beautiful Day" and "Bad Day" both being attempted -- and successful -- returns to form.)

"Bad Day" wasn't a return to form, it WAS their old form, an outtake from Lifes Rich Pageant.

> they've steadfastly refused to do a "they've returned to their classic sound!" record

Every album after New Adventures was marketed as a "return to form"

"Star 69" just came on. This would have been a much better single than "Bang and Blame."

I can't check to see if it was an official single but it did get a lot of airplay.

it was a promotional single w/ no video but it was maybe the 3rd or 4th biggest radio hit off the album.