Reviews
 Covers
James Taylor
This Is the Life
Amy McDonald
Live in Gdansk
No Bull (Live in Madrid, Spain 1996)
What Happened?
The Lone Sharks
Nine Lives
Steve Winwood
Moneyland
Various Artists
I'm Not There (Original Soundtrack)
Various Artists
Home Before Dark
Neil Diamond
Toby Keith's 35 BIGGEST Hits
Toby Keith
|
U2
Classic Album Review 1982
On their second album, U2 inadvertently proved that they still had some ways to go as songwriters. While they had developed a sound that was exclusively their own (thanks to guitarist The Edge), their songwriting skills weren’t yet on par with their instrumental capabilities. Gloria offers promise, though, both literally and figuratively; Bono belts out messages of hope, and the rhythm section sways with more confidence than on the band’s debut, Boy. Unfortunately, the songs here are too flimsy to provide adequate framework for their effort. Virtually all of side two (OK, the 2nd half of the CD) sounds like half-constructed shells that have been fleshed out but remain unrealized. Only occasionally do the songs sound completely developed.
The title song starts things off with a glorious promise, meeting all expectations head on with its chiming guitars and soaring melody. Once again, the Edge’s guitar playing defines the song, providing character with each stroke of his wrist. Interestingly, another Irishman, Van Morrison, wrote his own tune called "Gloria"("Her name is G-L-O…") fifteen years earlier. Before then, the word ‘gloria’ had only religious significance, but Van changed that for good. U2 reclaims it in the name of faith, but Van Morrison’s lustful tale remains the definitive "Gloria".
After the opening number, things taper off quickly, and nothing else comes near the euphoric energy of "Gloria". The main problem is that the album hews territory that is nearly identical to their debut album, leaving fans to wonder if the band might have already spent most of its artistic credibility. Tellingly, the last song of the album is titled "Is That All?" For the time being, I’m afraid so. This is U2’s second album, and careers hinge on such moments. After October, U2 remains a band on the cusp of something, promising greatness but not quite fulfilling it…yet.
Grade: 
 
|
More Music Reviews
More Movie Reviews
More Book Reviews
More Concert Reviews
Powered by Millennium Communications Inc.