Great column, Dutch! For me it’s clearly Achtung Baby but I think that’s because I came more into my own in the early 90s in university and this album really resonated with me. Bought the CD, saw them live on the Zoo TV tour which was probably the biggest show I’d ever seen at that point in time. I loved my wild horses and mysterious ways and every other song on the album, still do, whereas I would and still do skip (gasp) tracks on Joshua Tree.
In with you, the song by song leans to Achtung Baby, but, Joshua is the iconic album deeper in my heart… and there is no Achtung without Joshua and yin/yang that set up.
I think that Joshua Tree benefited from 1987 being a good but not great year for music - Bon Jovi was huge, GnR didn't really take off until 88. But what was the competition - Whitney? Tiffany?
Meanwhile 1991 is what the best? the second best? year ever for music. I think that Achtung Baby suffered from a loaded marketplace. Sure it was a massive album, but Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Guns n Roses...
These are the 2 best U2 albums so I won’t split hairs with people choosing one over the other. I have AB slightly higher due to the overall depth (Mysterious Ways is actually my least favorite song on AB). My #1 U2 song is Streets and I rank Until the End of the World as #2 between these 2 albums. Might as well go listen to both albums again.
The three opening tracks of The Joshua Tree is an opening no album has surpassed. The rest of the album is not on that level. U2 fell off my radar after that, like so many things.
Achtung was my first U2 record so I'm a bit biased here, but I also think it's a more even record than JT is. Maybe it's that the highs on JT are so high that the other songs can't help but pale a bit in comparison. Personally though I really like the direction the band took in the 90s.
Closer than i expected! I never gave Achtung much of a chance, really. I'd still rather listen to Unforgettable Fire, even (-or War) -than Achtung any day. But. That's. Just. Me. Cool article tho.
Achtung Baby is still my favorite U2 album. It's more adventurous than The Joshua Tree which has great songs but always felt a little cold to me.
Great column, Dutch! For me it’s clearly Achtung Baby but I think that’s because I came more into my own in the early 90s in university and this album really resonated with me. Bought the CD, saw them live on the Zoo TV tour which was probably the biggest show I’d ever seen at that point in time. I loved my wild horses and mysterious ways and every other song on the album, still do, whereas I would and still do skip (gasp) tracks on Joshua Tree.
That was fun!!
In with you, the song by song leans to Achtung Baby, but, Joshua is the iconic album deeper in my heart… and there is no Achtung without Joshua and yin/yang that set up.
I think that Joshua Tree benefited from 1987 being a good but not great year for music - Bon Jovi was huge, GnR didn't really take off until 88. But what was the competition - Whitney? Tiffany?
Meanwhile 1991 is what the best? the second best? year ever for music. I think that Achtung Baby suffered from a loaded marketplace. Sure it was a massive album, but Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Guns n Roses...
Listening to them now is still great.
War is still my favorite but I enjoyed JT very much. Tuned out after AB until the stuff they just released.
I’ll see you again when the stars fall from the sky and the moon has turned red over one tree hill.
my all time favorite u2 lyric. poetry.
These are the 2 best U2 albums so I won’t split hairs with people choosing one over the other. I have AB slightly higher due to the overall depth (Mysterious Ways is actually my least favorite song on AB). My #1 U2 song is Streets and I rank Until the End of the World as #2 between these 2 albums. Might as well go listen to both albums again.
The three opening tracks of The Joshua Tree is an opening no album has surpassed. The rest of the album is not on that level. U2 fell off my radar after that, like so many things.
Achtung was my first U2 record so I'm a bit biased here, but I also think it's a more even record than JT is. Maybe it's that the highs on JT are so high that the other songs can't help but pale a bit in comparison. Personally though I really like the direction the band took in the 90s.
Anthems - all they do is write anthems. Some might be yours. But eventually they will write one that speaks to you.
That was fun!
Closer than i expected! I never gave Achtung much of a chance, really. I'd still rather listen to Unforgettable Fire, even (-or War) -than Achtung any day. But. That's. Just. Me. Cool article tho.