U2 has a spotty recording history achtung baby the exception although the jtree remaster is quite good not missing much with horizon sounds like their last 3 efforts which is kinda boring the bonus dvd is great if u have trouble sleeping |
How did it get 5 stars in Rolling Stone? I'm no fan of RS but do they have any credibility left at all? I haven't really cared for a U2 album since Joshua Tree and earlier. Saw them in the late 90s for free. They were ok but not worth the $160 per ticket price they were charging at the time. We left before the last couple of songs in the encore. Bono's histronics are trying after a while. |
The first time I listened to No Line On The Horizon I had to lower the volume on my preamp four clicks from where it had last been set. Normally it is one, maybe two clicks, up or down if any adjustment is needed. Opening song just blasted with the compression turned all the way up. Horrible sounding disc. |
Ditto lowering the volume on the vinyl version. There is no reason why rock can't be mastered without all that ghoul damn compression. Oh right, this is music for the masses with their earbuds and mp3 players that would catch fire if there was greater than 50 dB of dynamic range pumping through them. We can't have that now can we? |
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NO.
Tell them to keep the politics to themselves. |
Sure, the new album's sound quality can be really annoying -- I've found myself turning it down, too -- but there really are a whole bunch of great U2 songs on "No Line on the Horizon." I've played it over and over and have really found myself liking it more and more. (Granted, I've been a fan from the first. Even saw them way back in the day before they were at all well known. It was in a college auditorium that probably doesn't seat more than 1,000 or so, and they completely blew the roof off the dump.)
Get on your boots and give the new one another listen. It's no audiophile recording, but it's damn good rock 'n' roll played by a band that is still on top of its game.
-- Howard |
Don't know about the CD, but the double vinyl rocks with excellent SQ. And "Unknown Caller" might be the song of the decade. |
Hodu, I've got on my boots and listened to the album for a 2nd time, but with some changes. I swapped my amp to the more forgiving Plinius and placed some absorption panels on the side walls. The rough edges were slightly reduced and "Magnificent" sounded quite magnificent now. I agree the first song is full of compression. I will give "Unknown Caller" a try later. |
Excellent news, Ryder. I'm willing to bet that you find more songs you like as you hear the disc a few more times. I'll admit to being predisposed toward liking the boys, but I really do think that this is their best album in quite some time. |
I ran across my copy of the Joshua Tree last night in the basement & about half way through I had to turn it off.
I guess I'm not a fan. |
This is a continual problem with their albums. They all suffer with compression.
IMO, Only Boy and the Unforgettable Fire have good sonics.
I personally like and collect bootlegs of their key performances in the 1980s and 1990s. There is a wonderful soundboard of their 1993 Dublin show that rocks better than any of their official releases. |
I am a bigfan, but I have noticed that all of their work after Zooropa seem to be characterized by ear bleeding compressed sound when played back at moderately high levels. |
I'm a big fan of their early stuff. They peaked with Joshua Tree, IMO, and have been spotty ever since. As for sound quality, it is poor. |
I aw the War tour at the pier, NYC, 1980(?). All downhill since that album. |
Does the 7" vinyl version of this album sound better than the CD? I may be getting my first turntable if the record sounds substantially better than the compressed version of the CD. Thanks in advance. |
Yes, I am a U2 fan. I am sorry to say that they do not have they have not always had the best recording track record. You are correct that the music is good but is impacted by poor recording at times. |
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10-14-09: Seditious3
Rockstar poseurs. Unfortunately, it comes with age. What else they gonna do? |
I love u2! Specially when they played the saints are coming with greenday...It is one of the best Uk bands. |
I did not realize that U2 played "The Saints are Coming" with Greenday. Do you know in what year this was? |
Peaked with Joshua Tree, downhill after that.
Regrettably, they didn't have the good fortune to break up and instead have become a corporate simulacra of what they once were.
Where's Yoko when you need her? |
I have the vinyl edition of "No Line on the Horizon" and I think it sounds quite good. Everything is relative, however, and I guess I should say that the sound exceeded my expectations, which were not high. I think the music is very good. I'm only a moderate U2 fan, by the way.
I was considering buying the new remaster of "Joshua Tree" on 180g vinyl. I only have the original 1987 CD, which I played yesterday and found the sound very disappointing (bad early digital mastering).
Any comments on the vinyl re-issue? |
I have the latest U2 on vinyl as well and it is very good. Excellent sonics and the vinyl is extremely quiet.
However, it's a PITA changing sides after 2 songs. |
Well I tested the U2 vinyl on my low-end turntable and the sound is surprisingly very listenable, better than CD. It possibly has got a lot to do with the analog domain, or the CD just sucks and needs some kind of tube DAC coloration to make it more listenable. |
Oh yeah listening to the new one on vinyl as I write, great record! And recently got the remastered Boy and October on vinyl and they are excellent too. |
I was reading something yesterday where Bono was relating that there must not be many music lovers out there these days because their last record did not sell as expected.
Is this guy full of himself or what?
Nevertheless, I like some of their stuff. |
When rock stars promote politics and do-gooderism to the point that it eclipses any potential musical innovation it is usually an attempt to mask the fact that their creativity has run dry, if there was any to begin with. The John Lennon syndrome. When the artist runs out of gas it is time for 'causes'.
PS: I truly hate that Irish boner guy. |
Mapman hit the nail on the head.Bono has got to be the most pretentious musician of all time,and there have been many.Chashmal,I love the "John Lennon Syndrome" comment,spot on.I do like a lot of U2's earlier music. |
Whatever afflicted John Lennon we could use lots more of that today & the new U2 album is fine-- owing as much to the mature contributions of Eno and Lanois as Bono. |
The difference? Lennon had talent. All the way to the end! |
Lennon died way too young and anyone criticizing Bono for trying to leave the world a better place is just an idiot who watches to much fox news! if you wish to demean the sound quality of his recordings or make fun of the sunglasses be my guest it is all a matter of taist. but if you put down the attempt to stop malaria or feed the poor you are just down right STUPID! |
Bono does seem to do a lot of charity work (God knows he is probably wealthy enough) and is not afraid to stand up for his beliefs, which I respect.
If he just were not so darn full of himself in the process. |
Koegz...I don't think anyone,myself for sure,is criticizing the man for his "charity" work.The comment he made that Mapman cited,is what I was talking about.When an artist makes public comments that belittle the people that made them a success,I would call that pretentious. |
Yes, I do absolutely commend him for his charity, but that is hardly the point. He presents himself as a politically important figure...and he is a damn rock star! It is jaw-droppingly pretentious. Just because he has money and fame and he does good charity work this guy carries himself like a head of state. It is silly and disgusting.
My main point is that during all of this the music seems a distant second concern. I feel the early stuff was a little better, but still not my cup of tea. Ever since the 80's all I hear from them is standard commercial garbage, over produced, under written, talentless pop crap. |
>>10-26-09: Chashmal
Yes, I do absolutely commend him for his charity, but that is hardly the point. He presents himself as a politically important figure<<
Agreed but no more than Barbra Streisand, Alec Baldwin, Bon Jovi, Jeanine Garafolo, etc. etc.
Shut up and sing (or act or whatever you do) |
"He presents himself as a politically important figure"
He must have a fantastic PR organization behind him because a lot of people, especially certain media outlets, seem to buy it. |
Audiofeil: Barbra Streisand, Alec Baldwin, Bon Jovi, Jeanine Garafolo and many more are all in the same pathetic boat. However Bono bothers me more simply because for some reason I see his mug more than the others.
This is an unfortunate byproduct of our deteriorating culture; celebrity entitlement. These folks feel it is their 'duty' to 'save' the world from whatever they don't like. Gee, thanks guys. |
"These folks feel it is their 'duty' to 'save' the world from whatever they don't like. Gee, thanks guys."
The difference between celebrities and politicians for that matter) and most people in this regard is that the celebrities have the stage, coverage and money to get noticed and have influence.
That is the way the world works, for better or for worse. Best to just deal with it as best as possible and move on.
Politicians can be voted out, at least in theory. Celebrities? I guess you can stop buying what they are selling and relieve them of their fame and have the same effect, but if you like their act, that ain't likely to happen either.
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Well Mapman, I hope one day that that I can vote Jeanine Garafolo out of celebrityhood! |
WOW! WOW WOW WOW! Alex Baldwin? What about Mikel J Fox? or what of Paul Newman? for got he died guess your happy? Geoge Cloony? i guess Ted Nugent is more to your liking? don't wish to make this political but you need a serious karma check. |
I use to be a fan up to about 7 years ago and no more so when only college radio was playing their music before they became a hit. Strickly speaking from a music point of view the band should either get more creative or quit milking the golding cow. Bono's humanitarian efforts are admirable -- WITHOUT QUESTION! |
there you go. sit hit the nail right on the head(bono's head?} |
Agree on the recording quality of ALL the albums.
I remember listening to Joshua Tree on vinyl years ago and loving it. I just put together a good quality 2 channel digital system and haven't listened to much U2 at all, it just wasn't doing it for me. Then I got the remastered Joshua Tree. Wow - this is what I remember. Adam shines on many tracks including "In God's Country" and "Exit". The Edge's brilliance is heard with clarity on every pick. This release lets you hear the emotion in all the tracks that was lost on the first CD release. |
The Saints are Coming: Nov 6, 2006
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=204741943&s=143441 |
