Roygbiv

War is U2’s most powerful album, no matter what decade is considered in the comparison. The band will never be this electrifying and naked again. Its successor and virtually every album afterward will be produced by Brian Eno, who gave the band too much density, giving with it weight and stage power, but before Eno (and Flood, and a billion others) there was only Steve Lillywhite, Mullen’s underrated drumming, Clayton’s funky bass, Edge’s fantastic guitar and Bono’s soaring voice, which will coincidentially never sound this young and unlidded again. There are no synths to add mood nor a guitar mixed to become so predominant that Bono’s voice takes the back seat. It’s just the band and the listener, and that’s why War is so powerful. Every rhtyhm aims at your spirit, hoping to grip a nerve and sticking to it with all its might, and they often succeed.

In War, U2 marry the punk spirit with rock grandeur to be the superheroes they were considered to be for such a long time. But unlike what's often considered punk and rock, War is a record you can listen to and rebel with without your parents knocking on your door, asking whose awful voice they hear.

The album’s short comings are only evident if you like the post Eno U2 better, which is the U2 most of us are familiar with. It takes a lot to discard Eno’s take on the U2 sound, and for those who hate the band, it’s tough to discard what’s arguably their most accessible sound. U2 detractors wouldn’t know what to think of War. I mean, it’s not sh!t, and that’s what they expect. They expect soaring hooks and choruses, like with “Pride” and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” and “Mysterious Ways,” “Beautiful Day” – you name them, they aren’t here. They expect tracks their Danielle Steele reading wives will like and would love to get married to - they aren't here. War is catchy and accessible, and there certainly are hooks, but they aren’t produced the same way, so they don’t resonate with radio stations. That’s why you wouldn’t hear “The Refugee,” or “Seconds” on the radio. “Sunday Bloody Sunday” manages to be a huge hit thanks to its inarguably powerful rhtyhm and unforgettable chorus, and “New Year’s Day” is also popular because its reminiscent of Eno’s sound. If you do hear any of the other tracks on the radio, then count it as a rare occasion. Why play the rawer U2 that audiences today probably wouldn’t recognize (save for Bono’s voice) when their hits are still just as catchy as they have always been? It helps that the two aforemtioned tracks from the album were released as singles, but so was “Two Hearts Beat As One.” How many of you know how that song goes? Okay, now how many of you can sing along to it? There you go.

War is everything that Boy and October did but streamlined, refined, and put together better, making for a much more rewarding experience. Unfortunately, though you might love what it stands for, subsequent U2 albums will be easier to listen to, keeping War below The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby in terms of popularity. But as U2’s most powerful and alive album ever, it’s a blast to listen to, so do listen to it. You might just respect the band afterward.

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