How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
by U2
User Score
7.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 409 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 294 out of 409
  2. Mixed: 34 out of 409
  3. Negative: 81 out of 409

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  1. AristonB
    Sep 21, 2009
    3
    The worst album of U2. They could tour without this crap. Maybe 3 songs worth listening. New low.
  2. FHay
    Feb 24, 2005
    0
    This mistake is extremely boring and meaningless. Bono is extremely annoying here, unlistenable. This album is the perfect example of how... can save a music lover fromwasting money on over-rated trash. This sellout U2 doesn't deserve the colossal amount of hype it has been getting. Anyone who would call "Sometimes You Can't Make It" a 'deep song' has absolutely no This mistake is extremely boring and meaningless. Bono is extremely annoying here, unlistenable. This album is the perfect example of how... can save a music lover fromwasting money on over-rated trash. This sellout U2 doesn't deserve the colossal amount of hype it has been getting. Anyone who would call "Sometimes You Can't Make It" a 'deep song' has absolutely no credibility to judge music... it's probably the most cliché U2 song ever, possibly tied with "One Step Closer" and "Crumbs For Your Table". What horrible pick for a band's second single!. If you want to listen to a brilliant song related to a father's death, listen to Pink Floyd "When The Tigers Broke Free" instead. Video Clip is even worse and more cliché, with all those silly shots at the Opera theatre. They've somehow menaced their way onto the charts and remained, selling their faceless wan. They music sounds so plastic, unimpressive, worthless and commercial that gives me urge to go to the first restroom out there, really. Incredibly unoriginal and predictable, this is the worst U2 album, and the most overhyped as well. All songs sound too similar ( by the way, the whole same ATYCLB sound ). Not even decent songwriting, this soup is just low quality pap for the bucks. U2 have become no more than a mainstream music corporation. I can't believe these are the same men whom used to take white flags to their early concerts. Yet some stupid fans say this half-worked Ipod product is a 'return to their roots'. I bet you young Bono would hate this sellout faceless Ipod man.… Expand
  3. SidK
    Feb 24, 2005
    0
    A senseless attempt to 'Return to their roots' or some other nonsense. No creativity, no soul, there´s absolutely nothing original here.
  4. Chris
    Feb 24, 2005
    1
    This crap is the final stage of their gradual metamorphosis from one of the greatest and most original living bands on earth to sellout men with a deep, gargled, throaty croon that makes them sound like one of those old pros on the Vegas circuit who refuse to quit, merely altering tehir act to accommodate their gradual disintegration. So, another frustratingly inconsistent effort from one This crap is the final stage of their gradual metamorphosis from one of the greatest and most original living bands on earth to sellout men with a deep, gargled, throaty croon that makes them sound like one of those old pros on the Vegas circuit who refuse to quit, merely altering tehir act to accommodate their gradual disintegration. So, another frustratingly inconsistent effort from one of pop's most frustratingly inconsistent artists - former great 80's and 90's band. No change there, then.… Expand
  5. Michael
    Feb 24, 2005
    2
    If the lyrics and feel of the album don't thoroughly depress you, its ploddingly slow pace and lack of any spark whatsoever will bore you to tears. Absolutely nothing here rises to its only half-arsed pseudo-melodicism and -accessability. Every little Edge guitar snippet is so obviously studied, canned and played by rote, so seemingly devoid of any feeling, it's painful. If you If the lyrics and feel of the album don't thoroughly depress you, its ploddingly slow pace and lack of any spark whatsoever will bore you to tears. Absolutely nothing here rises to its only half-arsed pseudo-melodicism and -accessability. Every little Edge guitar snippet is so obviously studied, canned and played by rote, so seemingly devoid of any feeling, it's painful. If you want to hear the sound of a once-great band growing old right before your ears, and accepting it, this is the dull disc for you. Expect the old dated jangle-pop tunesmiths of ATYCLB to return with this album. Spare, empty, trite. Like an overhyped bad action movie as Matrix, U2 2000 are all machines and no relevancy at all.… Expand
  6. ErikA
    May 2, 2005
    1
    Bad album. Don´t belive the hype. Buy The Jooshua three instead.
  7. Don´tLookNow
    Jul 21, 2005
    1
    Here is what happens when a good band writes a bad record. Marketing takes over music. It happens to the best of them. Let's hope that this is a blip in the system and not the new trend. The Rolling Stones have done marketing over music for years. People sadly think they are the greatest rock band in the world. In reality the Stones are just one band from a long gone era doing Here is what happens when a good band writes a bad record. Marketing takes over music. It happens to the best of them. Let's hope that this is a blip in the system and not the new trend. The Rolling Stones have done marketing over music for years. People sadly think they are the greatest rock band in the world. In reality the Stones are just one band from a long gone era doing greatest hits shows and tricking record labels into giving them large sums of money for the new turds they call albums. U2 can very eaisly fall into that trap. Look no further than the IPOD commercial that turned Bono into iBONO... Better luck next time guys.… Expand
  8. Pignoah
    Jan 9, 2008
    1
    Mundane, repetitive, pretentious and phony musical trash.
  9. RingoT
    Feb 24, 2005
    0
    Bono should stay out of the studio and stick with his politician buddies. That seems to be his priority now instead of the music. The other three should retire to thier families. It would be a full circle if they were to start with producer Steve Lillwhite(BOY) and END with him as well(HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB). But no, they are going to destroy thier legacy like the Rolling Stones Bono should stay out of the studio and stick with his politician buddies. That seems to be his priority now instead of the music. The other three should retire to thier families. It would be a full circle if they were to start with producer Steve Lillwhite(BOY) and END with him as well(HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB). But no, they are going to destroy thier legacy like the Rolling Stones did and continue to release products..er, albums as excuses to tour. They are a money-making machine now. The 00's has been U2's worst decade by far.… Expand
  10. TheRefugee
    Feb 24, 2005
    0
    Kick me out of the cult. To be a true-blue, diehard member of a rock band's cult following there are certain unspoken rules. Perhaps the most sacred of which is to maintain that even the band's worst album is still a great piece of music. "I just don't like it as much as the other ones," you may safely admit to other fans, who either nod or politely defend the work in Kick me out of the cult. To be a true-blue, diehard member of a rock band's cult following there are certain unspoken rules. Perhaps the most sacred of which is to maintain that even the band's worst album is still a great piece of music. "I just don't like it as much as the other ones," you may safely admit to other fans, who either nod or politely defend the work in question. But objectivity in rock cults is unheard of. That's why cults dwindle. Let's review this new (NEW?) U2 album: Cheaply sentimental, a glibly sanguine bit of pap from a band that once explored places that hadn't already been squeezed dry of meaning. And it gets worse. After an outdated empty rock number 'Vertigo', there's the terrific badness of a 'With Or Without You' rip off called 'Miracle Drug'. Then, a spectacularly inept attempt at traditionally uplifting ballad 'Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own'. At this moment, it's clear U2 are just repeating themselves. 'Love and Peace Or Else' is an even more lackluster song. 'City Of Blinding Lights' is the only one decent melody, but it isn't the new 'Where The Streets Have No Name', nowhere near to be honest. 'All Because Of You' is like a bunch of 60 years old members of a dated band trying to remain young by playing their well known rock formula. The "B-side" of the album offers no weighty numbers. If you want to listen to 5 filler songs, try this. Those "B-side" songs bland, lacking musical and lyrical hooks. U2 just overcompensate for their gradual decrepitude by trying too hard, swinging for the fences and singing for Grammy, Super Bowl, etc. U2 love to perform at any main TV show. What a difference!. That proves their pathetic double standard, by the way, it's true: U2 are sellouts. While Bono cry for help for the poor Africa, he appears at any sellout event to promote any new U2 stuff. U2 are dead.… Expand
  11. InTheNameOfLove
    Feb 24, 2005
    2
    Well... what I can say after reading all these commentaries. My personal opinion, indeed. I do not want to speak of the wonderful career of U2, only about the new album. 11 nice done songs with a big commercial interest are here. The A side of the disc is far better that the B side , which is singsong and boring. There are interesting songs like City Of Blinding Lights, but there are Well... what I can say after reading all these commentaries. My personal opinion, indeed. I do not want to speak of the wonderful career of U2, only about the new album. 11 nice done songs with a big commercial interest are here. The A side of the disc is far better that the B side , which is singsong and boring. There are interesting songs like City Of Blinding Lights, but there are horrible ones like One Step Closer, Yahweh (Bono in his lowest level as a singer), Original Of Species and Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own. The Edge uses the same guitars all the time, Larry almost is unnecessary in this album, as well Adam. It is a simple, short disc, designed to sell. I don't feel the album, that's all. After 49 minutes I'm the same person, worried about the same things and trying to listen to better albums. This album won't change me at all, unlike previous U2 albums like Pop, Acthung Baby or Joshua Tree.… Expand
  12. Andy
    Feb 24, 2005
    0
    Grosely overhyped even by 'critics' as Rolling Stone, NME, Billboard, etc. This is the worst U2 album ever.
  13. GeorgeN
    Feb 24, 2005
    1
    U2 should just retire. How can I possibly like this album when here we have 11 songs and there's really only one truly good one: 'City Of Blinding Lights'?. This soup is pathetic. The only amazing thing about this trash is that Bono can stand or sit up there with his Yamaha synth and his annoying rough strained voice and entertain all with this totally sweet mess boring U2 should just retire. How can I possibly like this album when here we have 11 songs and there's really only one truly good one: 'City Of Blinding Lights'?. This soup is pathetic. The only amazing thing about this trash is that Bono can stand or sit up there with his Yamaha synth and his annoying rough strained voice and entertain all with this totally sweet mess boring sedative. The songs are evidence of a rich men whom are over-the-hill, sitting on their cash, spending their empty lives aloof behind dark glasses, cover magazines (As Rolling Stone and Time), fast cars, posh reunions and drinks. Any REAL U2 fan should not accept this awful mediocrity. Enough said. There is no hungry passion anymore. Ironic because U2's newer songs certainly have provided passion for some people, like ones such as Celine Dion fans would "die" for but PLEASE... No deliberate attempt at making music to think about anymore. Their egos are just too damn big… Expand
  14. AMusicFan
    Feb 24, 2005
    0
    Sticking to an insignificant music statement. Simply put, HTDAAB is the most disappointing record of U2's strong, lengthy career. It suffers from Bono's weathered voice and many moments of their weakest writing ever. A lot of that has to do with Lillywhite's astonishingly uninspired production. However the sad truth is that this is an album dominated by filler tracks- all Sticking to an insignificant music statement. Simply put, HTDAAB is the most disappointing record of U2's strong, lengthy career. It suffers from Bono's weathered voice and many moments of their weakest writing ever. A lot of that has to do with Lillywhite's astonishingly uninspired production. However the sad truth is that this is an album dominated by filler tracks- all that 'A Man And A Woman', 'Original Of The Species', 'One Step Closer', 'Love And Peace Or Else', 'Yahweh', etc - and shows a band in need of a new wind. What does HTDAAB have to distinguish itself? Nothing at all. It's U2 by numbers. Each track seems to blend into the nest with nothing to grab the attention. The band sounds tired, the tunes have run out, the zest is gone. Even the packaging looks boring. I got hooked on U2 far before they became the corporate/money machine they are now. Listen to their incredibly under appreciated albums Zooropa and Pop instead. Rest In Peace U2, please… Expand
  15. arielb
    Feb 8, 2005
    2
    I cant believe critics and fans alike are still buying the old rehash sound of this album.....Cmon guys...apart from 'Vertigo" it really sounds like a tweek songs from old u2 albums...every songs sounds familiar...they're given to much credit for nothing. I felt bad for buying the cd.
  16. ThomasR
    May 2, 2005
    2
    a bad record
  17. GeorgeC.
    Feb 7, 2008
    0
    Totally irrelevant. U2 hasn't made a good record since War. If these guys aren't careful... in 5 years they're going to end up opening for Hinder or Nickelback on a tour of gay biker bars... in Bulgaria.
  18. Steve
    Nov 23, 2004
    3
    the moments of past charm are lost. a predictably inconsistant cd that has become U2's trademark. difficult to listen to from start to finish.
  19. GeorgeS
    Feb 11, 2005
    0
    This album is an absolute piece of crap and anyone with any musical sense would throw it out the window for being tainted by this bland, vanilla, and sickening commercial use of the name "U2". Fortunately, I didn't waste any money on this piece of trash. My aunt gave it to me because she couldn't bare the embarrassment of owning it herself. Those who thought Pop a low musical This album is an absolute piece of crap and anyone with any musical sense would throw it out the window for being tainted by this bland, vanilla, and sickening commercial use of the name "U2". Fortunately, I didn't waste any money on this piece of trash. My aunt gave it to me because she couldn't bare the embarrassment of owning it herself. Those who thought Pop a low musical effort will take it back when they hear this sad attempt to make up for the fact that the real U2 is no longer with us. Bono has become a total sellout egomaniac. Furthermore, this album is atrociously boring and overhyped as their pitiful 2000 era. Overall this crap is just forgettable drivel taking snippets of other ideas from their previous album and trying to market what people expect to be the "U2" sound. Score more points for the recording industry and for the greed of artists thriving on past glories and too indifferent to produce new ones. Stay away from this lame album and buy some of U2's 90s work instead.… Expand
  20. RicardoP
    Feb 11, 2005
    0
    "Vertigo" is a clear indicator of how awful this album is. Bono - with the reluctant agreement of Adam and Larry - decided it would be clever to release an absurdly radio-friendly single that had no melody, no rhythm, and an inane lyric repeated over and over. Video promo is even more stupid. Neverthless that garbage was N°1 both in the USA and the UK... There are too many stupid "Vertigo" is a clear indicator of how awful this album is. Bono - with the reluctant agreement of Adam and Larry - decided it would be clever to release an absurdly radio-friendly single that had no melody, no rhythm, and an inane lyric repeated over and over. Video promo is even more stupid. Neverthless that garbage was N°1 both in the USA and the UK... There are too many stupid songs to be even considered U2. For example "Sometimes", "Love and Peace", "Species", "All Because Of You", "A Man", "One Step Closer", etc. This is an unimaginative album with the overdependence on Bono. He makes whatever he wants in this crap, he screams all over the place with his thin voice, he sings the same s**t once again, he does it everything. Dreadful Lyrics, horrible lead vocals. At least it's clear The Edge plays guitars...but the rest ? who the hell are Adam and Larry now ? I mean, every kid who has been playing guitar for 2 years can play better basslines than Adam. The same thing happen with Larry's drumming. Where were you identityless hypocritical phony U2 fans supporting the band when this trash came out ? U2 lost their original fan base by releasing this overhyped mainstream bulls**t. I'd prefer that they never released this complete disaster. This unlistenable monstrosity is tired, dull pop, the kind it gets worn out after a few weeks of radio exposition. A pity. "Species" is a collection of bad songwriting decisions. This doesn't even deserve the name of U2 on it. Goodbye Bono, go sing your iPod/Super Bowl/Grammy you sellout !… Expand
  21. ChrisR
    Feb 19, 2005
    1
    They've lost it. No imagination, no new ideas, just recycling older material. Same lyrical treatment, same production skills. Some of their '90s albums even sound more modern. This proves two things: 1) They've run out of creativity, 2) They're just in it for the money now. Sad.
  22. RyanC
    Feb 22, 2005
    1
    Its about time we remembered that U2 are not actually any good. Really, it was over long ago. End it before they do an REM and make us foreget why people liked them in the first place. Remember them for pre-91 material I guess
  23. Lisa
    Feb 24, 2005
    1
    After Pop ( rediscovered recenty by thousands of dissapointed fans ) the band became increasingly conventional. This album just displays something to feed those hysterical, swooning teens who love anything named as "U2". It's an unwritten rule that any new product seem to be "the best", even for "critics" like Rolling Stone. But U2 forgot 99% of their fans aren't those children After Pop ( rediscovered recenty by thousands of dissapointed fans ) the band became increasingly conventional. This album just displays something to feed those hysterical, swooning teens who love anything named as "U2". It's an unwritten rule that any new product seem to be "the best", even for "critics" like Rolling Stone. But U2 forgot 99% of their fans aren't those children who listen to Jessica Simpson or Beyonce, so we can't swallow the hype alone. We were promised a "REAL PUNK ROCK ALBUM" ( Bono, 2004 ) and that's what seems to be if you take a look at the sleeve. With the cover front alone U2 make fool of fans. That's something censureable. Far from the former "three chords and the truth" band we discovered by 80's. What we found was just something we've heard since 2000. AN UNDENIABLE FRAUD. Everything was calculated, neverthless they made a big mistake: to take us for granted. Everything they did was wrong. And now they have to carry on with that. Fans don't want to be treated as stupid children anymore. We don't care if they're going to tour, it will be a vocal disaster, and surely it will be a mix between 90's and Elevation Tour. U2 have become a predictable commercial company. Pathetic… Expand
  24. KevinIsmyRealName
    Feb 24, 2005
    0
    In eliminating both the mystery of its early years and the restless avant garde spirit of 90's times, U2 leaves just exactly what U2 haters probably felt the band made all along: midtempo, largely hookless adult corporate pop. It's a shame to see the detractors proved right. Where is this depth?. Simply, nobody can describe this as groundbreaking or original. It's just In eliminating both the mystery of its early years and the restless avant garde spirit of 90's times, U2 leaves just exactly what U2 haters probably felt the band made all along: midtempo, largely hookless adult corporate pop. It's a shame to see the detractors proved right. Where is this depth?. Simply, nobody can describe this as groundbreaking or original. It's just recycling past glories in search of a `classic' sounding album that fan base should be able to embrace. It's 11 'new mixes' - as bad as those ones presented on 'Best of?' 1990-2000 - of ATYCLB. The production values on this lame attempt at U2 are equally indefensible. Every single track sounds like it could have been written, I mean, copy-paste on a laptop, and much needed qualities such as 'Please' and 'The Fly' are completely non-existent. It's hard to figure out how U2 sees itself in 2004; whether it has an idea of where it wants to go, musically, or even whether it realizes that it's making music that's far removed from the forward-thinking ambition that defined its amazing sound as 90's underrated POP. I think MONEY & COMPLACENCY have taken its toll. A big dissappointment… Expand
  25. WebTheEndOfTheWorld
    Feb 24, 2005
    1
    The U2 mystery has gone. Apart from being a quartet of forty-something blokes with the same trademark guitars and an immense back catalogue, their purpose seems unclear. Unfortunately, this dull album shows this lack of purpose to have reached crippling levels. At times it's as if as the band, lost as to their true identity, start playing what they think U2 should be playing. It The U2 mystery has gone. Apart from being a quartet of forty-something blokes with the same trademark guitars and an immense back catalogue, their purpose seems unclear. Unfortunately, this dull album shows this lack of purpose to have reached crippling levels. At times it's as if as the band, lost as to their true identity, start playing what they think U2 should be playing. It sounds so familiar. No substance at all. It's just marketing, fashion, Grammy Awards, etc. The album quickly descends into an uninspiring mid-tempo plod. The overall impression is that they've forgotten about the songs and preoccupied themselves worrying about the textures. Stuck between second-guessing their audience's expectations and where they actual want to travel, they end up in a cul-de-sac of their own making. Stuck In A Moment They Don't Want To Get Out Of.… Expand
  26. SteveH
    Feb 24, 2005
    1
    Everything you know is wrong. Or so U2 claimed on the multi-media overload intro sequence of the Zoo TV tour back in 1992. To put it more accurately and adapt that post-modern adage for U2's ninth album, everything you've read is wrong. Because, despite the almost universal hyperbole that has greeted HTDAAB - courtesy of Rolling Stone, New Musical Express, Billboard, etc -this Everything you know is wrong. Or so U2 claimed on the multi-media overload intro sequence of the Zoo TV tour back in 1992. To put it more accurately and adapt that post-modern adage for U2's ninth album, everything you've read is wrong. Because, despite the almost universal hyperbole that has greeted HTDAAB - courtesy of Rolling Stone, New Musical Express, Billboard, etc -this far from being even a decent album. Certainly their worst album, by U2's stratospheric 80s and 90s standards. HTDAAB: rolls past like a spanking red carpet, limped on by leaden-footed royalty. An early affair, a hazy infatuation, that has since bloated into comfortable taking-for-granted. As with all ubiquitous products, the familiarity of logos, slogans, and icons eventually supplants whatever original feelings we may have had. This U2 sellouts are, indeed, a universal product, much like the Catholic Church Bono humbly admires. The swoosh on The Edge's skully cap, and the golden arches of Bono's glasses spring to mind. The emtpyness of 'Vertigo' opens with bombast after Larry's sticks counting, and peaks with Bono's annoying cracking voice in the shouted coda. With 'Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own' Bono seems dead set on ruining U2's return with clichés. The vulnerability of Bono's rough voice become even more evident on 'A Man And A Woman', 'Original Of The Species', 'All Because Of You' and 'Yahweh'. I really don't know how the hell he likes the sound of his own voice. Maybe he feel numb, comfortably numb. This mainstream album is so predictable, safe, radio-friendly, and uninspiring and uninspired. Still, this dull record is disliked even for the traditionalist fans that U2 lost by making daring and admirably masterpieces like 'Pop' and 'Zooropa'. PS: R.Johnson. Stop putting your childish reviews twice, that's pathetic. Thank You… Expand
  27. DerekE
    Feb 24, 2005
    0
    U2 are selling out and playing what 16 years old kids want them to play. In other words, more ATYCLB stuff. Of course, those kids didn't live Achtung Baby times. Rather, they experienced ATYCLB times. They loved it, because they pretended to experience what we experienced back in 1987, 1991 or 1993. The same thing happen here. "It's a classic", "their third masterpiece", "best U2 are selling out and playing what 16 years old kids want them to play. In other words, more ATYCLB stuff. Of course, those kids didn't live Achtung Baby times. Rather, they experienced ATYCLB times. They loved it, because they pretended to experience what we experienced back in 1987, 1991 or 1993. The same thing happen here. "It's a classic", "their third masterpiece", "best since Achtung Baby", etc. Those reviews sound like written by a bunch of 16-17 years old mainstream fans who just listen to the album once before writing their snapshot lines. But in the end, I do believe those reviews are written by U2's marketing team. Just go to the first 100 reviews. Most of them were 5 stars ones...mmmm... U2 stopped releasing decent material with POP. Despite I'm not crazy for it ( I'd give it 4 stars ) at least they took worthy risks with that album. U2 are not worth paying any attention to anymore. They look more like GQ models than musicians. They don't sound unique anymore but merely a second rate "Rock" band. Everything on this album sounds recycled. And when you're in the musical recycling business, you truly do not grow or mature. So many critics mistake stagnation for growth and maturity, particularly for this album. Quite simply, HTDAAB is not growth. It is their worst regression ever. Stay away from this unless you are a die hard U2 and simply have to have just for the sake of having it, like those kids. U2 have become very rich and all of that money seems to have dulled their whole creative vein. I'm tired of listening to little teenybopper mainstreamers who listen to whatever MTV tells them to and not to what has quality tell me that U2 did not sell out. Surely they've got their Ipod and I-Tunes...… Expand
  28. ThomasJ
    Feb 24, 2005
    1
    This album should be against the law for this to be packaged as U2. Bono's strained vocals ruin the album, and the songs are missing the whole talent they had back in the 80's and 90's. It's clear U2 have nothing else to prove, and they don't even want to. This album just shows their 2000 musical ignorance. U2 should be ashamed of even taking credit to these This album should be against the law for this to be packaged as U2. Bono's strained vocals ruin the album, and the songs are missing the whole talent they had back in the 80's and 90's. It's clear U2 have nothing else to prove, and they don't even want to. This album just shows their 2000 musical ignorance. U2 should be ashamed of even taking credit to these 'songs'. Consider this record to be the ultimate undoing of this once legendary band. Too bad their time have come and gone. And yet every time U2 appear, their adoring fanatics react to it like it came from the Holy Scriptures... dream it all up again instead… Expand
  29. ChrisC
    Feb 24, 2005
    2
    While the U2 of old broke new barriers with their landmark albums, on HTDAAB they are content to offer a second-grade rehash of their 80's works. To be honest, the first time I played this, I thought I was listening to a recording of some comedians on a sketch show doing an imitation of U2. Innovation is non-existent here. Cliche, boring and unfocused. The quality of all the songs on While the U2 of old broke new barriers with their landmark albums, on HTDAAB they are content to offer a second-grade rehash of their 80's works. To be honest, the first time I played this, I thought I was listening to a recording of some comedians on a sketch show doing an imitation of U2. Innovation is non-existent here. Cliche, boring and unfocused. The quality of all the songs on this disc would not get any other band in the world recorded by a hobby label. The attempt to update their used 'classic' sound became more important than making good music, and it resulted in songs that sound amateur and dated. Unlistenable commercial garbage. The lyrics are embarrassing and the vocals are far too poorly strained. U2 now slaves to mass media (have you seen the ridiculously stupid videos for the horrific new singles?) make Christina Aguilera seem like Aretha Franklin if you get my drift. I give this 2 stars because this isn't their worst album ever - that's ATYCLB - but it ranks below U2 80's and 90's standards. But don't forget U2 now show just another level of selling out.… Expand
  30. Dave
    Feb 24, 2005
    3
    I'm not going to say bad words against U2 members, but I have to say bad words about their music. My first toughts about this album were so so. But now, the more I listen it the more I dislike it. After 4 years ( the longer time between one album and another in U2's history, since between Zooropa and Pop were 3 1/2 years ) U2 give us such a fraud album, with radio friendly I'm not going to say bad words against U2 members, but I have to say bad words about their music. My first toughts about this album were so so. But now, the more I listen it the more I dislike it. After 4 years ( the longer time between one album and another in U2's history, since between Zooropa and Pop were 3 1/2 years ) U2 give us such a fraud album, with radio friendly songs, with no attitude nor new ideas. I really don't know what to say to express how bad I feel. I've been U2 fan since 1984 !!! I have 35 years old and I was used to be surprised with every U2 album until Pop, in 1997. Then they shifted to safe and more friendly music with All That You Can't Live Behind. Now with this album songs are very commercial intended and recorded, production is nothing special, as well other instruments like strings, keyboards, piano, etc. Is very annoying to listen Bono's voice now, trying to reach higher notes with his rough voice. Edge stopped to invent new guitars forever. Larry is boring, as well Adam. Guitars are always the same ones. Sorry for these words my friend, but this album is only an excuse for money… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

92
#92 Best Album of 2004
4
#4 Most Discussed Album of 2004
25
#25 Most Shared Album of 2004

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. Village Voice
    50
    This time, Steve Lillywhite and the other producers assembled simply construct a U2 album in miniature, mixing in the Edge's processed-guitar trademark whenever you fear they're straying into unforgivable un-U2ness. That's just not enough.
    Read full review
  2. Rolling Stone
    80
    This is grandiose music from grandiose men, sweatlessly confident in the execution of their duties.
    Read full review
  3. Delusions of Adequacy
    70
    While the rest of the album fails to live up to the breadth of “City” and “Crumbs,” and while it takes serious missteps on the shockingly bad “Man and a Woman” and “Yahweh,” this is, by and large, an album to be thankful for, regardless of your demographic.
    Read full review
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