This Bono and U2 at its finest!

Sorry I have to disagree. Achtung Baby is almost (so close there's almost nothing in it) as good an album as JT and in some ways it is better with a more diverse musical style. It also contans One, which is one of the best songs ever recorded by anyone proving that you can be the biggest band in the world and still write the most wonderful and beautiful songs.

It must be said, however, that none of their subsequent albums (CD's, whatever) had the scope and hunger of their work up to Joshua Tree. Every release since has had at least two excellent pieces, but none has had the same power. It's a burden that most musicians would be glad to have, since Joshua Tree is probably one of the ten greatest albums.

The band didn't necessarily start sucking, they didn't necessarily sell out, you just didn't get them any more. That's reality.

And that's cool - but don't make your disenchantment their burden.

Joshua Tree was not the "end of U2" in any objective sense whatsoever. Only for you - and that's your loss.

Proof that U2 writes some fairy dull tunes too ...Does nothing for me..sorry..

Unless you are ingenius enough to totally reinvent yourself leaving those unable to handle change of any kind behind.

I feel like 1/2 my messages on these boards are chastising people saying "X was awesome until Y."

Usually this is people who don't get U2 after Joshua Tree, or Zooropa or whatever. Or people who don't get REM after IRS or after Monster or whatever. Or people who think Dylan started sucking/sounding the same after some random album or whatever. Or Tom Petty was awesome right up until Damn the Torpedoes or whatever.

The band didn't necessarily start sucking, they didn't necessarily sell out, you just didn't get them any more. That's reality.

And that's cool - but don't make your disenchantment their burden.

Joshua Tree was not the "end of U2" in any objective sense whatsoever. Only for you - and that's your loss.

rock on,
TJ

Joshua Tree was to my mind U2's grand achievement. The song flow is so seamless, the production so pure. Once in awhile when I hear a song from that album out of context from the rest of the album I am able to hear it as if for the first time. At those times I expect that the song will lose some of its luster. But it doesn't. They are all just beautful shining pop/rock gems!

This album was the end of U2. I guess there is a danger in creating such a distinctive sound that you can't progress beyond it.

Perhaps the greatest song I've ever heard. It became my favorite song at age 13. I've loved it ever since.

I disagree. I think Achtung Baby is an excellent album. And actually, I liked a lot of the music on Zooropa. It was just a different sound and thier fans didn't buy it.

This album was the end of U2. I guess there is a danger in creating such a distinctive sound that you can't progress beyond it.

Joshua Tree was to my mind U2's grand achievement. The song flow is so seamless, the production so pure. Once in awhile when I hear a song from that album out of context from the rest of the album I am able to hear it as if for the first time. At those times I expect that the song will lose some of its luster. But it doesn't. They are all just beautful shining pop/rock gems!