Published on Nov 11, 2004
Novice U2 fans may see
War as being one of the trio of “white” albums from U2: the
early batch of U2 albums where all of the black-and-white covers
looked alike. With
October and
Boy, U2 were generating a huge buzz from critics and the
college rock circuits. What they were lacking was a breakout
album.
War was the breakout album U2 needed. Pete Townshend
reportedly said he considered hanging up his guitar strap after
hearing The Edge’s guitar work on
War. As good as The Edge’s guitar is on
War, the most prevalent instrument you hear throughout
War is Larry Mullen Jr.’s relentless, militaristic drumming.
The urgent drumming hammered the impression that this was an
“important” album, filled with warnings of apocalypse, odes to Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. and, of course, a chick magnet song (“Two
Hearts Beat As One”).
With all of the changes U2 has gone through over the past
two-plus decades, it’s always a kick to come back to
War. In the early-90s, U2 buried their emotions in blips and
ironic rock star posturing (even though some of their most sincere
songs came from that decade). With
All That You Can’t Leave Behind, their sentiments rang
slightly false. For its flaws, the much-lampooned “wear your heart
on your sleeve” sentimentality the band displays on
War is actually admirable. They want so much to be soulful.
And for the most part, they succeed.
If there is a signature sound of early U2, much credit can be
given to Steve Lillywhite. Unlike the Daniel Lanois-era U2, Bono’s
vocals are not in the forefront. Like
Boy and
October, Bono sounds like he’s singing in an aircraft
hanger. The Edge lays some of his best buzzsaw attacks on “Like A
Song…” and “New Year’s Day.” And Mullen Jr. sounds like he’s
auditioning for Keith Moon’s vacancy. Unfortunately, Adam Clayton’s
bass work is oftentimes overpowered by Mullen Jr. and The Edge’s
sonic assault.
You’ve heard “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “Two Hearts Beat As One”
and “New Year’s Day” countless times. It’s the other seven songs
that keep
War from losing that
Led Zeppelin IV-played-to-death feeling. “Surrender” is an
extended jammer, complete with female backing vocals. “The Refugee”
sounds like total early-80s retro, complete with Clayton’s new-wave
bass line. Even though it’s a fun listen for nostalgia purposes,
it’s the weakest track on
War.
War was a hit for U2. While mainstream America was watching
Def Leppard and Michael Jackson battle it out for chart supremacy,
college kids were being wooed by these earnest boys from Dublin.
And like
Pyromania and
Thriller,
War has aged relatively well, considering its “for the
moment” feeling it had upon its release. And with
War‘s accomplishments, U2 was able to ride a wave of
momentum that lasted nearly a decade.