Members Fender&EHX4ever Posted September 5, 2007 Members Share Posted September 5, 2007 This album was released around this time of the season (beginning of the school year) during my freshman year of high school, and it still remains the hallmark by which I measure musical innovation and influence: radical use of guitars and effects, extreme dynamics, emotional intensity spanning the spectrum of quiet despair and violent rage, balance of noise/dissonance and melody, balance of improvisation and clever studio manipulations, tribal rhythms and lush atmospherics, simultaneously etheriel and earthly... The Unforgettable Fire transcends its era and remains a classic. Wire: Probably U2's fastest and most aggressive song. The guitar-work is like shrapnel. The Unforgettable Fire: If not for this song, would there be Coldplay's "Clocks" and "Speed of Sound"? : A lot Native American spiritualism all over this album. I love Bono's owl call. A Sort of Homecoming: I prefer the studio version of this song, with all of the distorted ambience. If you think Radiohead and My Bloody Valentine were not paying attention, you would be in denial. : One of the greatest songs ever built on a 4 chord progression, another being "With or Without You." Great bagpipe tones and chucka-chucka-chucka use of delay. MLK: Melodramatic, but a beautiful way to end the album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members melx Posted September 5, 2007 Members Share Posted September 5, 2007 I never really got into U2 at the time, I never really liked edge's guitar playing, maybe I'll go back and give this a listen again because sometimes time does wierd things to your ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mofx4me Posted September 5, 2007 Members Share Posted September 5, 2007 I was a junior in high school at the time. I had been a fan for a while, but this was the first album that of their's that I actually waited to be released. I was not disappointed. I remember thinking at the time that the album was so good that U2 should break up and have that be their swan song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fender&EHX4ever Posted September 5, 2007 Author Members Share Posted September 5, 2007 I was a junior in high school at the time. I had been a fan for a while, but this was the first album that of their's that I actually waited to be released. I was not disappointed. I remember thinking at the time that the album was so good that U2 should break up and have that be their swan song. I'm glad it wasn't their swan song, but I know what you mean. TUF is so darkly romantic, it would have been apropos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fender&EHX4ever Posted September 5, 2007 Author Members Share Posted September 5, 2007 I never really got into U2 at the time, I never really liked edge's guitar playing, maybe I'll go back and give this a listen again because sometimes time does wierd things to your ears. I see a lot of commonality between The Edge's style, and Daniel Ash's style: 1 or 2 string riffs on the G, B, and E6 strings, single-coils, droning, repetitive, sparing use of distortion or fuzz with a preference for clean tones overdriven by lower wattage amps, generous amounts of echo... Both seem influenced by the Tom Verlaine school of razor sharp Fenders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dZjupp Posted September 5, 2007 Members Share Posted September 5, 2007 Its good to know i'm not alone in my good taste. i'm one of those kooks that likes unforgettable fire better than the joshua tree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members melx Posted September 5, 2007 Members Share Posted September 5, 2007 I see a lot of commonality between The Edge's style, and Daniel Ash's style: 1 or 2 string riffs on the G, B, and E6 strings, single-coils, droning, repetitive, sparing use of distortion or fuzz with a preference for clean tones overdriven by lower wattage amps, generous amounts of echo... Both seem influenced by the Tom Verlaine school of razor sharp Fenders. I'm downloading it as we speak, I hope i'm not dissapointed, I've not heard it since I was about 15, at school and listening to the clash!! i'm sure it will sound nothing like I remember it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fender&EHX4ever Posted September 5, 2007 Author Members Share Posted September 5, 2007 I'm downloading it as we speak, I hope i'm not dissapointed, I've not heard it since I was about 15, at school and listening to the clash!! i'm sure it will sound nothing like I remember it!! Damn Melx, I'm feeling a lot of pressure now Joe Strummer R.I.P. That would have been a welcome reunion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members melx Posted September 5, 2007 Members Share Posted September 5, 2007 Damn Melx, I'm feeling a lot of pressure now Joe Strummer R.I.P. That would have been a welcome reunion. yeah, that was a shock...I loved his mecalardos (or however you spell it) stuff, he was still making damn good music and i'm sure he would have continued for quite a long time. lol, don't worry...if I hate it I'll come over there and gaffa headphones to your head and make you listen to bad dance music all day!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members letterswewrote Posted September 5, 2007 Members Share Posted September 5, 2007 I'm downloading it as we speak, I hope i'm not dissapointed, I've not heard it since I was about 15, at school and listening to the clash!! i'm sure it will sound nothing like I remember it!! to be honest, i still listen to london calling and have long since sold or lost this album... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EightmanVT Posted September 5, 2007 Members Share Posted September 5, 2007 Bad is still my favorite U2 song.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fender&EHX4ever Posted September 5, 2007 Author Members Share Posted September 5, 2007 A clip from the documentary, The Making of The Unforgettable Fire. I like what Eno says, but The Edge and Bono lack eloquence in these interviews They were still young. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fender&EHX4ever Posted September 7, 2007 Author Members Share Posted September 7, 2007 Another Bump! Where is the ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members machine gunner Posted September 7, 2007 Members Share Posted September 7, 2007 Another Bump! Where is the ? Right here!! Of course it's great- it's got Eno's footprints all over it Last great U2 album before things went south IMO. Fourth Of July is a great & trippy echofest, makes me want to break out my delays Nary a bad song (no pun int.) to be found. Title track is prolly my favorite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members machine gunner Posted September 7, 2007 Members Share Posted September 7, 2007 I see a lot of commonality between The Edge's style, and Daniel Ash's style: 1 or 2 string riffs on the G, B, and E6 strings, single-coils, droning, repetitive, sparing use of distortion or fuzz with a preference for clean tones overdriven by lower wattage amps, generous amounts of echo... Both seem influenced by the Tom Verlaine school of razor sharp Fenders. Daniel Ash was/is great- saw Love And Rockets twice way back in the day. Express may be the most underrated album EVER... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members damnuandurdog Posted September 7, 2007 Members Share Posted September 7, 2007 Weird, I used to go to sleep every night when I was young listening to the Joshua Tree. No matter what branches of music I explore and regardless of how long it's been since I've listened to it I cannot question how much of an impact that album had an effect on me. Yet... I never explored the unforgettable fire. I will fix this posthaste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members willyemerald Posted September 8, 2007 Members Share Posted September 8, 2007 oh i forgot about that one ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members melx Posted September 8, 2007 Members Share Posted September 8, 2007 well I listened and it's ok, better than I remember...but it's not exactly blowing my socks off!! It just kinda sounds like 80's chart music...which I guess is what it is!! edge's guitar playing? well obviously he's a good player, I'm not gonna say he's not. He has a very distinctive sound and I guess it's either one you love or you don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fender&EHX4ever Posted September 8, 2007 Author Members Share Posted September 8, 2007 well I listened and it's ok, better than I remember...but it's not exactly blowing my socks off!! It just kinda sounds like 80's chart music...which I guess is what it is!! edge's guitar playing? well obviously he's a good player, I'm not gonna say he's not. He has a very distinctive sound and I guess it's either one you love or you don't. Fair enough on the "love or you don't." Taste is always a difficult thing to explain. I find the "80's chart music" statement intriguing, though. Are you referring to the production style, the approach to guitar, the singing, the songwriting...? I guess I'm not hearing just how dated it must sound to others, in the same way that I can't hear how dated Led Zeppelin IV sounds, or The White Album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Salty Posted September 8, 2007 Members Share Posted September 8, 2007 I don't get the "80's chart music" thing. That to me is like, um, early Bon Jovi. "Unforgettable Fire" was to me where U2 started to truly find their niche, or their identity. And their own sound among the sea of "80's chart" bands. They were'nt punk kids anymore, and had something else to offer. And a chemistry between the four that was undeniable. How many successful bands are around 26 years from the start, with NO PERSONNEL CHANGES! A few; Bon Jovi, Aerosmith. How many guitarist can lay claim to having had a role in changing the way the instument is approached on a large scale. Van Halen, Hendrix are the front runners, but not alone(please, no one say Vai/Satriani, I said LARGE scale). The Edge has had major impact on the instrument. Hell, I seriously doubt we on this forum would be as giddy about the delay effect if not for him. It would be no more important than your average chorus pedal. No one realized the ambience and texture that could be created. He was/is able to actually paint pictures with the sounds he creates. Point: I'm a die-hard fan. Personally, I think my favorite is "With Or Without You" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members goodhonk Posted February 2, 2009 Members Share Posted February 2, 2009 my favorite u2 album too. he sounds very femme on some of the tracks. i like it, but get a little embarrased if people hear it around me. sleep, sleep tonight... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stratman Tigers Posted February 2, 2009 Members Share Posted February 2, 2009 I love U2. All eras. This is my favorite though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fender&EHX4ever Posted February 2, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 2, 2009 my favorite u2 album too. he sounds very femme on some of the tracks. i like it, but get a little embarrased if people hear it around me. sleep, sleep tonight... Yes, he sounds very femme. Androgyony used to be the norm until the macho cowboy voices of Cobain, Vedder, Weiland, etc. suddenly made androgynous voices uncool for alternative music. I grew up on the voices of Bowie, Prince, Robert Plant, Bono, Perry Ferrell, etc., so I hear all these cowboy voices in Alt Rock now and Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IRG Posted February 2, 2009 Members Share Posted February 2, 2009 This is one of my favorite albums ever, and Wire is my favorite U2 song. Still sounds good today too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jaron Posted February 2, 2009 Members Share Posted February 2, 2009 im wearing one of my u2 shirts today. i approve. this album gets over looked a lot (by me as well) since it is between joshua tree and 'early u2' i will be listening to this during my work out today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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