Album Reviews
Unfortunately, much of the rest of Boy doesn't quite equal that first vital piece of precocity. U2 plays smart, bass-heavy trance-pop, urged on by the earnest vocal emoting of Bono Vox and enlivened by the ringing accents of the versatile guitarist who calls himself the Edge. But their songsmostly chronicles of psychic growing painsare a diffuse and uneven lot. "Out of Control" boasts the same heady rumble as "I Will Follow," while "Stories for Boys" is carried by its B-movie guitar line and soaring youthful harmonies. Other tunes, however, are less successful. "An Cat Dubh" and the seemingly interminable "Shadows and Tall Trees" ramble without resolution, neither coalescing into identifiable hooks nor attaining the seductive atmospherics of, say, Echo and the Bunnymen.
Hopefully, U2 may yet justify Island's hyped-up optimism. With the help of creative producer Steve Lillywhite, they've already blended echoes of several of Britain's more adventurous bands into a sound that's rich, lively and comparatively commercial. And, unlike the real innovators, they'll have the tour support to back it up. U2 is talented, charming and potentially (they're all still under twenty-one) exceptional. But as a new Next Big Thing, they're only the next best thing to something really new.
(Posted: Apr 16, 1981)
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- I Will Follow
- Twilight
- An Cat Dubh
- Into The Heart
- Out Of Control
- Stories For Boys
- The Ocean
- A Day Without Me
- Another Time, Another Place
- The Electric Co.
- Shadows And Tall Trees
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Your Turn
Review 1 of 2
Mati writes:
One of the greatest debut albums of all time.It's the darkest mark on U2's releases but the introspective sound -with a remarkable performance by bassist Adam Clayton-is balanced by the innocence and beauty of the songs.
Oct 11, 2007 05:43:11
Review 2 of 2
Bluemask writes:
U2's debut is a maze of guitar and bass. I Will Follow and Out Of Control are areana ready anthems while songs like The Ocean and Into The Heart swirl with ambient beauty. Overlong and over-produced numbers like Shadows And Tall Trees and Electric Co. bog down what would be an otherwise brillant album.
Dec 12, 2005 00:20:28
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