I never saw a concert and didn't bother hearing "Pop" during my high school writing days, but I DID put Zooropa at #9 on the 25 best alternative albums of ALL TIME, between Black Love and The Modern Lovers:
"The classic band really got it right on this one: classic melodies, futuristic sounds and soul searching lyrics. What went wrong between this and 'Pop'?"
― da croupier, Monday, 14 May 2012 13:08 (1 year ago) Permalink
This album reminds me so much of my first Inter-rail trip in the summer of 93, despite the fact that I've never owned it or heard it in full. Seems like it was the soundtrack to many a backpacker
― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Monday, 14 May 2012 13:23 (1 year ago) Permalink
― ♆ (gr8080), Monday, 14 May 2012 17:47 (1 year ago) Permalink
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Monday, 28 May 2012 00:01 (11 months ago) Permalink
The worst album Henry Rollins has made, no less
― Morrissey & Clunes: The Severed Alliance (PaulTMA), Monday, 28 May 2012 00:52 (11 months ago) Permalink
still haven't voted. so hard!
― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Monday, 28 May 2012 14:48 (11 months ago) Permalink
still in contention:
ZooropaLemonStaySome Days Are Better Than OthersDirty Day
― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Monday, 28 May 2012 15:02 (11 months ago) Permalink
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Tuesday, 29 May 2012 00:01 (11 months ago) Permalink
poor "Babyface."
― go down on you in a thyatrr (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 29 May 2012 00:49 (11 months ago) Permalink
Was fully expecting 'Lemon' and 'Stay' to be up there. Pretty surprised that the title track only managed 4 votes, though. I think it's definitely better than 'Numb'.
― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Tuesday, 29 May 2012 00:51 (11 months ago) Permalink
'babyface' is probably my least favorite track on the album, which isn't to say i don't think it's really good. 'achtung baby' is probably my top U2 album but i think the valleys here are higher than the valleys there. and it's their best 'nighttime listening' lp.
― omar little, Tuesday, 29 May 2012 19:27 (11 months ago) Permalink
ha, i almost voted babyface there at the end. it's a pretty lazy song, but it kind of works in that way.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 29 May 2012 19:28 (11 months ago) Permalink
I dig its chorus (backup vocals are nice), & the bell sound on the verses. I like it more than "The First Time", which is still great.
― Euler, Tuesday, 29 May 2012 20:15 (11 months ago) Permalink
Oh, fuck me. It's not just nostalgia for the back of my first drummer's car. I actually *like* this album.
Curse you, Elvis Telecom
::shakes fist::
― I want to smother him in electronic butter. (White Chocolate Cheesecake), Wednesday, 1 August 2012 10:37 (9 months ago) Permalink
Yeah, I like this album quite a great deal, and I wouldn't call myself a U2 fan. The first five songs are incredible, and I have more than a soft spot for 'Some Days Are Better Than Others'. What makes this album comparatively more palatable to me in U2's discography, is that Bono (when he's not singing in that ridiculous falsetto as on 'Numb' and 'Lemon') seems to adopt a more restrained vocal style here. Listening to his vocals here and comparing them to say, his vocal approach on The Joshua Tree and most certainly Boy is like day and night. I find "bellowing Bono" gets a bit much.
― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Friday, 3 August 2012 20:30 (9 months ago) Permalink
listening to this right now, crazy nostalgia rush. stormy otm above about 'stay', the context of the album makes it hit so much more than it might - first vaguely "traditional" u2 cut. this thing still sounds fantastic.
― balls, Wednesday, 10 April 2013 03:04 (1 month ago) Permalink
stay still catches me off guard no matter how many times I hear it
― jokestoldforu (gr8080), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 04:24 (1 month ago) Permalink
i just went back & listened to stay for the first time in years
damn
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 04:50 (1 month ago) Permalink
I just love everything about Stay. Great lyrics and a perfect vocal.
― Kitchen Person, Wednesday, 10 April 2013 04:56 (1 month ago) Permalink
put zooropa on just now. i remember thinking it sounded so horrible & alien, but I dont hear any of that now
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 05:05 (1 month ago) Permalink
wish the band that made this record still existed
― inste grammophon (rogermexico.), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 16:53 (1 month ago) Permalink
truth bomb
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 17:35 (1 month ago) Permalink
^^^ how did they go from this to 'Pop'?
― Will you see a political publicity stunt? (snoball), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 17:37 (1 month ago) Permalink
(which aside from Discotheque is more like 'Poop' or 'Plop' or something)
― Will you see a political publicity stunt? (snoball), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 17:38 (1 month ago) Permalink
― inste grammophon (rogermexico.), Wednesday, April 10, 2013 12:53 PM (56 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
iirc, the story is that they were hastily rehearsing in a hotel basement the night before their Pop tour kickoff. They didn't have their samplers, drum machines etc. set up, so it was just guitars, amps and drums. Their soundman remarked on how much he dug their sound, and they incredulously replied, "Well, yeah, this is what we sound like." A light bulb went off, and they resolved after the tour to go all back-to-basics and shit.
― Pope Frank is the messenger of your doom (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 17:58 (1 month ago) Permalink