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  2. A Sort of Homecoming
    Pride (In the Name of Love)
    The Unforgettable Fire
    Bad
    only four good songs.
    I hate the rest of the songs on this album
  3. Originally posted by kharbouch:[..]


    A Sort of Homecoming
    Pride (In the Name of Love)
    The Unforgettable Fire
    Bad
    only four good songs.
    I hate the rest of the songs on this album
    Wow, surprising. Wire, Promenade and Indian Summer Sky? 3 gems for me.
  4. Originally posted by KieranU2:[..]
    Music journalists do it every day. They have to separate favouritism and objectivity, in the exact same sense sports journalists work. I might detest a certain footballer but I can admit they're very good. I don't really like Billie Eilish's music but I can appreciate that Bad Guy is a terrifically written pop song. People who have the problem that a music journalist gave an album 4 out of 10 don't realise that it is written from a wholly objective and artistic perspective. It does not feature their opinion.

    U2 = I don't like Cedars but I could appreciate its art form. Music is not linear. Art is not linear.

    These reviewers are actually proof that you can’t be objective because they all come up with their own different review. There isn’t a way to measure ‘better’ in music by fact. I think to be objective in music is actually just over analysing. You’re trying to look for things rather than just listen and form an opinion. Music isn’t about science and proving things it’s all a matter of opinion and opinions aren’t really objective.
  5. Originally posted by deanallison:[..]

    These reviewers are actually proof that you can’t be objective because they all come up with their own different review. There isn’t a way to measure ‘better’ in music by fact. I think to be objective in music is actually just over analysing. You’re trying to look for things rather than just listen and form an opinion. Music isn’t about science and proving things it’s all a matter of opinion and opinions aren’t really objective.
    So what you're trying to tell me is that cultural journalism and criticism of all forms is a load of bollocks? Because the same applies to film, theatre and to, most importantly, art.

    They come up with different reviews because there's more than one way to be objective, in the same sense in which opinions can be multifaceted. Nobody is over analysing anything - why do you think it can take an artist months to make an album? Music is a broad palette and it's there to be discussed and dissected. Nobody is "trying to look for things". It isn't just about having an opinion; there's more to live than forming an opinion. Nobody is saying music is comparable to science or even happens to be science.
  6. Originally posted by kharbouch:[..]


    A Sort of Homecoming
    Pride (In the Name of Love)
    The Unforgettable Fire
    Bad
    only four good songs.
    I hate the rest of the songs on this album
    I would say that these four songs are all GREAT songs that stand (head and shoulders) above the other six tracks on this album - which range from good to not-very-good/enjoyable-at-all.
  7. Originally posted by KieranU2:[..]
    So what you're trying to tell me is that cultural journalism and criticism of all forms is a load of bollocks? Because the same applies to film, theatre and to, most importantly, art.

    They come up with different reviews because there's more than one way to be objective, in the same sense in which opinions can be multifaceted. Nobody is over analysing anything - why do you think it can take an artist months to make an album? Music is a broad palette and it's there to be discussed and dissected. Nobody is "trying to look for things". It isn't just about having an opinion; there's more to live than forming an opinion. Nobody is saying music is comparable to science or even happens to be science.
    I think it’s a load of bollocks in a sense yes. Certain information detailed in a review can be interesting so that’s not bollocks, it can help identify what you or I might like about a song or a film and then we might go ahead and listen to or watch it. Is the 3 or 4/5 star element bollocks? Yes. We don’t need a rating based on certain criteria that doesn’t necessarily indicate the level of enjoyment of the person giving it this rating. That’s a complete waste of time. So you say somethings objectively better, or you give something a 5 star review, that’s just taking certain criteria and going this is what makes this better than that, but what about the criteria that hasn’t been used? The review is limited, the opinion is limited. In fact that sums it up perfectly, to say how you feel about something objectively is actually just giving an opinion based on a limited set of factors rather than just give your own opinion which takes into account every single factor that’s got you to that opinion.
  8. I don't know if this adds anything to the conversation but I will admit there are certain songs that I "like" because they were released as singles or have received either critical acclaim or are popular amongst the masses. I feel that, as a fan of the band, I will force myself to enjoy them....kind of like many vegetables (yes, I know I sound like a six year old).

    My point being that I think it's not only very difficult to be objective, it can also be very difficult to be subjective.
  9. Originally posted by kharbouch:[..]


    A Sort of Homecoming
    Pride (In the Name of Love)
    The Unforgettable Fire
    Bad
    only four good songs.
    I hate the rest of the songs on this album
    My goodness.

    The only song I believe doesn’t fit on UF is Wire.

    The rest is a timeless, spacious, ethereal lullaby that simply casts a spell on me.
  10. Originally posted by deanallison:[..]
    I think it’s a load of bollocks in a sense yes. Certain information detailed in a review can be interesting so that’s not bollocks, it can help identify what you or I might like about a song or a film and then we might go ahead and listen to or watch it. Is the 3 or 4/5 star element bollocks? Yes. We don’t need a rating based on certain criteria that doesn’t necessarily indicate the level of enjoyment of the person giving it this rating. That’s a complete waste of time. So you say somethings objectively better, or you give something a 5 star review, that’s just taking certain criteria and going this is what makes this better than that, but what about the criteria that hasn’t been used? The review is limited, the opinion is limited. In fact that sums it up perfectly, to say how you feel about something objectively is actually just giving an opinion based on a limited set of factors rather than just give your own opinion which takes into account every single factor that’s got you to that opinion.
    you're right, we can't be objective without missing the most existential things about music and art.
  11. Originally posted by RememberEveryMoment:It's been a while

    [..]


    Achtung Baby
    The Joshua Tree
    Songs of Innocence
    All That You Can't Leave Behind
    Songs of Experience
    Pop
    Zooropa
    No Line on the Horizon
    How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
    Rattle and Hum
    The Unforgettable Fire
    Boy
    War
    October


    I've gone back to see which albums I've listened most to in the recent years...

    Achtung Baby
    Joshua Tree
    Pop
    The Unforgettable Fire
    Songs of Innocence
    All That You Can't Leave Behind
    Zooropa
    Rattle And Hum
    No Line on The Horizon
    How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
    Boy
    War
    Songs of Experience
    October

    SOE really hasn't aged well. It's not a bad album per se, but it's pretty forgettable. There's not a lot on it that sticks.
  12. Achtung Baby
    The Joshua Tree
    All That You Can't Leave Behind
    The Unforgettable Fire
    War
    No Line On the Horizon
    How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
    Boy
    Pop
    Zooropa
    Songs of Innocence
    Songs of Experience
    October
    Rattle and Hum