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U2
CLASSIC ALBUM REVIEW – 1980
“I Will Follow” is not exactly a punk rock sentiment, but U2 turned it into an anthem. Between Bono’s full-bore howl and the Edge’s chiming guitar, we had little choice in the matter. It was an undeniable pop song, and it seemed to scream at us with import. At the time, though, the message was unclear. Bono sounds like he’s desperate to communicate, but nothing specific comes across. Nothing except for the crystalline brilliance of the Edge, whose tone is among the most influential of the entire decade.
Other than that lead-off single, signs of U2’s impending hugeness are also suggested on “Out of Control,” “A Day Without Me” and “Electric Co.” At the time, it could have been anybody’s guess whether they’d end up huge or mostly forgotten – like, say, what happened to Big Country in a few years. Anyway, the key to enjoying the album is to treat repetitious sameness as signs of ‘continuity’. And maybe excuse their young flamboyance. The ingenuity of the Edge keeps Boy alive, even when all else falters. His riff salvages "Stories for Boys". Comparably, the rhythm section of bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen offers little ingenuity, but makes up for it in energy. The band leans heavily on the production ideas of Steve Lillywhite, but there are times when they don’t give him much to work with. “Into the Heart” just isn’t that interesting, regardless of the big and marvelous recording.
On this debut, U2 would have come off as simple post-punk new wavers, if it weren’t for the remarkable guitar work of the Edge. Bono makes his presence known, but he never clarifies his message. Child imagery abounds, making Boy something of a theme album. It is a treatise on innocence, which might explain the sentiment expressed in “I Will Follow,” come to think of it…
Grade: 
 
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