1991: U2 - Achtung Baby

Introduction:
My familiarity with Achtung Baby goes back quite some time, so for the most part my review of the album may be slightly different than Richie's. This is to say, it will be more boring. I know this album pretty well, but I haven't listened to it very much recently. So, here we go.

First Impression:
My first impression of this album is that it definitely is one that people shouldn't forget about. People tend to think of Joshua Tree as U2's ultimate masterpiece, which tends to overshadow this one, which is essentially its immediate successor (not counting Rattle and Hum), but I feel like this one is their other quintessential piece of music. Yes, it may not be exactly the same full blown masterpiece the other album is, but does it have to be? The answer is no, because absolute repetition doesn't necessarily equate greatness.

I enjoyed this album as much as I remembered it, in fact, in some small ways, I may have enjoyed the thing more. It sort of had the "old friend" factor, since I hadn't listened to it for awhile, and a definite sense of warm familiarity accompanied this first attempt through the album.

First Impression Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Favorite Track: The track that kept popping out to me is Ultraviolet. This album is loaded with thoroughly good tracks, but this one for some reason just stands out. Another song that was a close second was Acrobat, but mainly for its lyrical content.

Least Favorite Track: Probably would have to be "So Cruel". Originally I thought this would fall to "Mysterious Ways", but for some reason that one grew on me. "So Cruel" doesn't have bad lyrics, but just doesn't feel completely at home on the album, or at least as much as I'd like.

Final Impression: After listening to the album thoroughly for an entire week, I would have to say that the album only sounds better with repeated listening attempts. Nuances in the music tend to come out, that with only one listen don't seem to exist. The music definitely doesn't have minimal layers.

Sonically, I find the album very pleasing. As with U2's good albums, it maintains a certain level of ambiance, and for me this is very important. If something has the right vibe, then consider me a subscriber to that frequency.

Lyrically, it is a grower as well. Songs that may be less exciting musically usually don't suffer on this album lyrically; that is to say, if the song is less impressive sonically, the lyrics on this album rarely take a hit.

My first impression was rated relatively high, but by the end of the week, I only liked the album better. Yes, there were a few tracks I liked less than others, but overall, the album had good flow, even with a couple tracks that seemed to fit less. In total, the album, even with flaws, was definitely one I'd keep in my favorites, and hopefully I won't wait this long to take a listen to it again.

Final Impression Rating: 4.9 out of 5