So Now What Do You Think of U2

Following tradition, here is a self-interview written after spending a significant amount of time reviewing one particular band's catalogue. This may be the last of these! I am still deliberating on whether one of the few upcoming bands left warrants it!

Do you still like U2 after listening to almost nothing but U2 for an entire month?

You bet! Listening to their work in chronological order actually made me somehow appreciate them even more. I loved hearing the growth and changes between albums. Nobody has successfully added to their repertoire of skills and textures, while successfully maintaining their core sound like this band has. Maybe that's why they're still my favorite.

Do you still think U2 are the "greatest Christian band of all time?"

I think the phrase "Christian band" has been used in the 21st Century the most by bands in the following context:

Don't call us a "Christian band." We're not a "Christian band." 

I fully agree with the argument that a specific note or chord progression isn't Christian. That's silly. However, if you ARE a Christian, then you must in some way believe that God created sound and musical tones, and thus, any attempt at both creation, and thus, the creation of music, is in a way a divine process. Therefore, in that context, all music is by definition "Christian," even Deicide. With that said, yes, U2 are the greatest Christian band. No band has explored the ideas of God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and man individually, as well as society as a whole's relationship to those things to the depth and extent that U2 have over the last 45 years.

Who is the best U2 member?

Larry Mullen, Jr., because he started the band and also his constant "I'm a little embarrassed that people are looking at me" face is just the greatest. It's like he's always a little constipated and I love it.

Has your opinion of any of U2's albums changed over the past month?

Most of my opinions have stayed pretty similar, with a few slight changes--I like All That You Can't Leave Behind a little less, and I was much better able to pinpoint what I think works on Pop and what doesn't. My only two extreme changes were that How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb went from, "It's fine," to "I don't like this very much," and Songs of Innocence went from, "I don't like this very much" to "I think this might be the best thing U2 have done in the 21st Century." I still like the vast majority of U2's discography, The Unforgettable Fire is still my favorite album of any band ever, and I can still easily say U2 are my favorite band ever.

Okay, then rank the albums!
Okay, I objectively think U2's best album is Achtung Baby, followed by The Joshua Tree. However, if there's ever been a band where emotionality trumps technicality, it's U2, so the only way I can rank their albums is by saying, here are U2's 14 full-length albums, ranked from my least to most favorite, and you'll notice, slightly irrespective of the scores I gave them in my reviews:
14. Songs of Experience (2017)

13. Rattle and Hum (1988)

12. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004)

11. Boy (1980)

10. October (1981)

9. No Line on the Horizon (2009) 

8. Pop (1997)

7. Zooropa (1993)

6. All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000)

5. Songs of Innocence (2014)

4. War (1983)

3. The Joshua Tree (1987)

2. Achtung Baby (1991)

1. The Unforgettable Fire (1984)

What's next for this series? It actually does seem like you are reaching the end!

That's right, there's not much left! A few U's, and not many for any of the remaining letters, though holy cow, is one band in the W's going to hog some time. However, my family is going on the same trip this summer that the three of us took back in 2011, and coincidentally, that's the trip where I started writing this series. I must finish by then! Talk about full circle!

What have you learned over the last ten years?
Ask me when I'm done with this.