Ah, the dreaded sophomore album. The thing that every fan of a new band looks forward to, and that most of them end up criticizing sharply when it doesn't meet their expectations. Few bands seem to have a whole lot of luck with their second album, and while this may be surprising to some folks, not even the almighty U2 was immune to this problem.
Ask a hardcore U2 fan who has listened closely to all of their albums what their least favorite is out of the band's entire discography. Unless they belong to the faction that disowned U2 in the 90's due to Zooropa and Pop, I bet you they'll say October. But why? Does U2's follow-up to the well-received debut Boy really deserve so much criticism? To be honest with you, I thought that it did at first. Most of the album struck me as an unsure and inconsistent attempt to quickly recapture the dynamic that worked for them on Boy. And I didn't think Boy was an amazing record, either. So I had a tough time with this one. But was that really fair?
Let's weigh the pros and cons here. First, the cons. October was an extremely rushed album. Boy released some time in 1980, and October came out in the latter half of 1981. Releasing a record before at least a year and a half has gone by generally doesn't allow enough time for the artist to be entirely comfortable with their new creation, unless that artist is just amazingly prolific and has tons of spare time, which I don't think was one of U2's luxuries at this point. To make matters worse, Bono's lyrics for the entire album were stolen not long before they hit the studio to record. (Seriously, they just got returned like, last month. Maybe in another 20 years the stolen demos of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb will find its way back to them!) That left the band in a serious lurch, but they pulled through regardless and Bono remembered what he could. Any other cons associated with this album are really just bi-products of the era. Bono had a certain yelp in his early days that provided a sense of urgency when he sang, but that could easily become overbearing. At several point on this record, the guy has one volume and one volume only, which is a bit frustrating because the rest of the band was doing just fine in terms of playing in different volumes and moods at this point. This is also U2's most dated-sounding project - they're still clearly a rock band even at this early stage, but some of the inherent excess of popular music in the 80's comes through as a few of these tunes proceed to overdo it. Truth be told, it's hard to come up with a whole lot that's truly memorable here - lots of interesting moments for U2, but in the end, there are only about 2 or 3 songs that I'd feel compelled to go back to again and again. That's a pretty low ratio for U2. The band's own record label even gave the album the shaft when The Best of 1980-1990 was assembled, only using its title track as a hidden item, and not featuring any of its songs among the band's hits from that era.
But there are pros. Oh yeah, there are definitely some pros to this album. As a historical document, it's excellent in terms of getting a sneak peek at the heroic guitar style that The Edge would master by the end of the decade. Not to be outdone, Larry Mullen is quite energetic on the old drums when the mood calls for it, and Adam Clayton is no slouch either, delivering fluid bass lines that keep a number of these songs moving. There are also a few unexpected musical experiments here that worked out really well for the band, even if the songs overall are hit and miss. October is also recognized as many as being one of U2's most openly religious records, which I guess is both a pro and a con. How can that be? Well, it's notable that a well-known rock band in the "me decade" could openly proclaim Christian beliefs and not be completely shunned for it. And their religious beliefs don't prevent them from asking hard questions and dealing with non-religious subject matter. So we have very worshipful songs sitting right alongside relationship songs and songs of grief. U2 would learn how to mix these elements in more enigmatic ways, even within a single song, but this wasn't a bad start. However, some people have stated that the Christian group which Bono, The Edge, and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr. were involved in at this point in time was more of a cult. And it's hard to separate out that knowledge from the music. Bono doesn't say anything offensive or shocking here, but there are times when he gets overzealous in a manner similar to some of the eager but naive Christian bands of today.
So yeah, October is a real can of mixed nuts. But given time, it reveals that it still earns its place in the collection of a true U2 fan.
Gloria
I try to sing this song
I try to get in, but I can't find the door
The door is open
You're standing there, You let me in...
The album fades in nicely with a heroic rock song that apparently was a misfire for the band in terms of radio success, but that definitely took on a second life with Christian audiences, thanks in part to covers by Circadian Rhythm and Audio Adrenaline. Infusing a bit of Latin into Bono's confessional lyrics about how he can accomplish nothing apart from God, this is U2's most straightforward "worship song" ("40" would be one of the others in that short list). It's no surprise that so many CCM bands followed in U2's footsteps after realizing that this sort of a guitar rock format could work so well for a fervent song of praise, though few of them ever came close to matching U2's powerful dynamic. Even if the Latin chorus of "Gloria, in te domine/Gloria, exultate" sounds a bit awkward as Bono enunciates the words, and even if the metallic clinking and clunking in the background is a rather unimaginative copy of what they did during "I Will Follow", there's no denying that the bass and guitar solos in this song are awesome, and that the chorus is infectious.
I Fall Down
Julie say something, Julie say you're sorry
You're gonna get better
You better not leave me here anyway...
The band follows up with a mellower track that features The Edge on piano as well as guitar, which adds more of a melancholy feel to the song , and yet it's not without its rocking urgency in the impassioned chorus. This song is rather unique for U2 in that it looks at a relationship between two people from an outside perspective. I have no idea who Julie and John are, or what that has to do with Bono falling down and breaking himself, but it's an interesting attempt at a story song. The lyrics are a bit too vague to get much out of it (a problem in a number of places on this record), but it's pleasant enough as a pacekeeper between the rocking first track and the more groove-motivated third track.
I Threw a Brick Through a Window
I walk up to a window to see myself
And my reflection, when I thought about it
My direction, going nowhere, going nowhere...
You have to love the audacity of that song title. It sounds like something you'd expect from a rebellious, punk-inspired band. Surprisingly, the mood here is not dominated by a fast tempo and blistering guitars, but rather by some pummeling, echo-laden drum fills that showcase Larry Mullen's talents quite well. The Edge fills in the groove with some tasty little licks (think of this as an earlier version of "The Fly" in terms of his contribution), and the bass bumps along to create a real head-nodder. I have no clue what the title has to do with the actual song, other than depicting a general air of frustration and protest, but as in many of Bono's best songs, he seems to be protesting himself. He alludes to his own tendencies to talk to himself and walk into walls and basically remain in a confused state, and given the religious tone of the album, it's pretty clear that this refers to some sort of persistent sin in his life. "No one is blinder than me", he tells us, and it's the kind of sentiment I'd actually expect from one of the band's later, more cynical records such as Achtung Baby. Surprising what originally struck us as a drastic change, but that turns out to have always been an ingredient in U2's recipe, isn't it?
Rejoice
This morning I fell out of bed
When I woke up to what he had said
Maybe it's crazy, but I'm too lazy to lie...
The lone call of the electric guitar starts this song off, and it's met by rolling drums which establish a fast beat. Bono's singing seems a bit rushed on this one, but his subject matter is admirable - he's singing about the ability to "rejoice" despite the world falling apart around him. It's a cheerier sentiment than you're likely to find on most of the album, and Bono is rather quotable here when he sings "I can't change the world, but I can change the world in me." The lyrics kind of give way to drum rolls and guitar solos at this point, which bring the song to a definite boiling point by the time it's over, and while I wish the band had more to say and that Bono's vocals were a little less dopey-sounding, the song still rocks.
Fire
Calling, calling, the moon is running red
Calling, calling, it's pulling me instead...
Some echoing voices serve as a call into one of the record's bounciest, but also most obviously dated, tracks. It's also one of the moments where the religious fervor that boils and spills over the brim isn't one of the album's assets. There's a spiritual fire here that Bono is excited about, but it doesn't amount to much other than a lot of "Oh!'s and "Ow!'s and "Yeah!"s, and piercing shouts in general, that make this track a tough one to get through. I love the rhythm - Edge, Larry and Adam do a good job as usual, but the fact that Bono prefers interjections to lyrics throughout much of this song (there are verses, but they're mostly cliche sentiments about fire falling from the sky) makes it tough to enjoy. I end up getting this strange picture of 21-year-old Bono (mullet and all) having someone lay hands on him at a Benny Hinn crusade and then dancing around like a maniac. And that's a rather disturbing image.
Tomorrow
Outside, somebody's outside
Somebody's knocking at the door.
There's a black car parked at the side of the road
Don't go to the door...
WOW. This one really came out of nowhere the first time I heard it. A desperate cry from the distinctly Irish-sounding Uillean Pipes pierces the cold night, and until Bono starts singing, it would have been easy to fool me into thinking that this was a long lost Iona song. But this song is distinctly U2's - it's one of the earliest moments in the band's history where we find Bono dealing with the death of his mother. He approaches it like a young child who doesn't understand what's happened, repeatedly crying, "Won't you come back tomorrow?" and asking why strange men are coming to his house in black cars. It's a bit of a tear-jerker, and because this is early U2, the despair eventually turns into a clear plea for Jesus to return and end the suffering. The rest of the band jumps in and makes this more of a traditional rock track by the time the song is over, but the melody played by the pipes and Bono's mourning process are easily engraved on the memory, ensuring that this song cannot be forgotten. It would have never been a hit in a million years, but this is one of my favorite moments out of the entire U2 catalog.
October
October, and the trees are stripped bare of all they wear
What do I care?
Many of you will know this song as the secret track tucked away after "All I Want Is You" on The Best of 1980-1990. A slow, measured piano melody dominates this track, mulling over a sad but beautiful chord progression for a minute or so before Bono's voice can be heard. There are very few lyrics here, just Bono musing about the month of October and how God remains constant despite the turbulent changes around him. There's a sense of mourning and slight acceptance here, and I can't help but feel that this song must be linked to "Tomorrow" in some fashion. Short but sweet, it makes its impression and then gets out of the way.
With a Shout (Jerusalem)
I want to go to the foot of Mount Zion
To the foot of He who made me see...
Another quick drum beat starts this one off - kind of cool, but noticeably 80's-sounding. To tell the truth, while this song has its share of guitar licks and overall musical energy, it's probably the weakest track on the album. The Edge has actually been quoted as saying that this is a track he'd happily never hear again, and I can see why. The band was clearly a bit less aware of the fine line between faith0inspired art and plain ol' religious propaganda at this point, and this song definitely falls into the latter category, stringing together elementary rhymes to create a rather routine song about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Some weird horn sounds during the bridge and Bono's repetitive cries of "Je-RU-sa-lem!" don't add much to the track, either. It's not often that I say this, but this time around, a lot of the CCM bands that followed in U2's footsteps have done better than them on this sort of thing.
Stranger in a Strange Land
The soldier asked for a cigarette
His smiling face I can't forget
He looked at me across the street
But that's a long way here...
Another story song shows up here that feels incomplete - it opens with the sudden fire of drums and electric guitar, but quickly slows to a rather relaxed pace that gives Adam ample time to show off his fluid bass skills. It's Bono that drops the ball again here with a rather routine story of a trip to a foreign land and an encounter with a soldier that left him pondering his place in the world. The lyrics just seem incoherent and unable to convey a clear point about how this person affected him, and the music seems to jump back and forth between cool riffing and a more unobtrusive style in order to let Bono sing - like two song ideas were fused together or something. This one just takes too long in getting to its point, and then it doesn't give us much in the way of payoff before fading out prematurely.
Scarlet
While there's hardly anything here at all in terms of lyrics - Bono is just singing "Rejoice"! again and again - the music here has a nice ambience to it, with the guitars painting gentle strokes of light on the dark landscape created by the steady, almost tribal pounding of drums. I'm sure that this was meant to be a reprise of "Rejoice", though the title makes me wonder if there was meant to be more to it and the group just didn't have time to piece the song back together after losing the lyrics. This sort of thing would have made perfect sense as an album closer, but instead it's placed second-to-last.
Is That All?
Oh, to sing this song makes me happy
I'm not happy with you
Oh, to sing this song makes me dance...
The album's final song proves to be rather impressive in terms of its musicianship, but short on lyrics. (Are you seeing a pattern here?) The Edge, Adam, and Larry bust out of the gates like racehorses here, sprinting toward the end of the album in an apparent effort to outrun Bono's ad-hoc lyricism. Not that what he says is bad, it's just that it's not complete enough to give the song much meaning. He seems to be setting up a bit of an unpredictable and unsettling end to the album here, by explaining to someone - possibly God - that "To sing this song makes me angry, I'm not angry with you". Later he demands an answer - "Is that all you want from me?" And that's pretty much the song. The rest of the band continues to whip themselves into a rocking frenzy until the climax, where a flurry of drums eventually flutters to an end and the listener is left hanging - it's a cold sort of ending that U2 didn't try on us again until Pop's "Wake Up Dead Man". (Though "Love Is Blindness" on Achtung Baby was also quite chilling, but it at least sounded like the type of track that you were supposed to end an album with.)
Of course, the last song's title is going to provide the obvious snarky comment for most people at this point - "Is that all?" OK, so it's not U2's most impressive record, but the instrumental skill shines through on almost every track, I think. I can only imagine what this record might have shaped up to be if they had managed to retain their lyrics (hey, now that they have 'em back, maybe they should drag out a few songs at random in concert and play 'em with the words they were supposed to have or something!), but let's give U2 some credit for rolling with the punches and still making a decent showing despite the frenzied rush to turn something in. I'd say that the result is above average, maybe not by the standards U2 would later establish, but definitely by the standards of rock music in general, either today or in the early 80's.
ALBUM WORTH:
Gloria $2
I Fall Down $1
I Threw a Brick Through a Window $1
Rejoice $.50
Fire $.50
Tomorrow $2
October $2
With a Shout (Jerusalem) $0
Stranger in a Strange Land $0
Scarlet $.50
Is That All? $.50
TOTAL: $10
Band Members:
Bono: Lead vocals
The Edge: Guitars, piano, backing vocals
Larry Mullen, Jr.: Drums
Adam Clayton: Bass
Website: http://www.u2.com
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