Amazon.com essential recording: The final album of U2's early period, before the group broadened its sonic palette and lyrical vision, War is a brilliantly conflicted album, sounding martial and majestic while its very purpose is to tear down false idols propped up by politics. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "40" take the subject of Ireland's troubles head-on, while it's the subtext of "New Year's Day," which is about a sundered love relationship symbolic of a greater division. "Torn in two, we can be one," Bono pleads, as Edge's guitar scratches and snarls behind him. Songs such as "Two Hearts Beat as One" and the delicate "Drowning Man" take a back seat here, but they help make War a compelling and well-rounded album. --Daniel Durchholz
Amazon.com: U2 weren't always over-the-top multimedia showmen. Early on, as on this third album, they were an impassioned young rock band from Ireland, a country trapped in an endless civil war--a war whose terrors find their way into nearly every song on the record and into Bono's tormented howl, even as military rhythms find their way into Larry Mullen Jr.'s rattling drumbeats. War doesn't quite capture U2's live fire, but its arty production does augment the songs with some extraordinary touches: the stately piano that offsets the Edge's stuttering, keening guitar on "New Year's Day," the electric violin that darkens "Sunday Bloody Sunday," the disco-fied thump behind the jittering riff of "Two Hearts Beat as One." --Douglas Wolk
Life changing This release was my first introduction to U2. Sunday Bloody Sunday was phenomenal, and it still is. The highest praise I can give is thanks.
A different U2 Forgot what you know about Modern Day U2. Since they are still on top of the pop charts, I am sure that there is a younger fan base that might like some of their newer material. If you do, then there is no way that you shouldn't purchase "War" "War" is easily U2's best album. Even though "The Unforgetable Fire" and "The Joshua Tree" produced hit after hit, "War" is a different U2 then some are used to. This album is dark, and the Edge does some great guitar work (in which he seems absent for the more modern albums) If you aren't even into the band (which I am not, I just love this album) then I highly reccomend it. If you are a huge fan, and dont have this in your collection, you are missing their best material. ENJOY
Actually 4.5 ! War is a part of my trilogy of fav U2 albums I find it hard to believe that I have never written a review for this album. First of all I believe U2 had never been as rocking and driven as they were with WAR, they have not been since it either. Song by song the album might not seem as good, but this is one of those strange situations where the whole is much more than the sum of it's parts. This album features their first two real master pieces New year's day and drowning man. The latter not as known to newer fans, it is a haunting song that provides us with a different U2. The anger and determination, their youthful energy, talent and focus, just blended perfectly in this album, creating the epic closer for their early album trilogy. If this album misses the label 'masterpiece' is by frustrating inches, probably because of "The refugee" it would have been a much stronger record without it, as it stops the flow of the record and sounds totally out of place. This is all of course my opinion... but I feel WAR is light years ahead in terms of musical and lyrical contents than pretty much most of their albums, specially their two newer ones (yes that ones that sound like a rehash of their "old" sound cough *sellouts* cough) All that you can't leave behind and How to dismantle an atomic bomb.
WAR Master pieces: New year's day, Drowning man Oustanding songs: Sunday bloody sunday, Seconds, Like a song..., Good songs: Two hearts beat as one, surrender, red light Regular songs: 40 (Great lyrics and all but as a song itself it feels weird) Bad songs: The refugee
If you have heard U2 and recall their "old" albums (Joshua tree, Unforgettable fire) Do yourself a favour and listen to their true old sound and roots... I guarantee this four young lads will impress you way beyond the Joshua tree and you will, now, truly know what you REALLY can't leave behind.
The beginning of something great With this album, U2 reach the international market with hits like "Sunday bloody Sunday", and "New year's day". Other tracks are really good like "Surrender" and "40", the rest is good but not great. The best was just coming soon...
U2's best and most hard hitting album. This is probably one of U2's most focused and hard rocking album's to date, while their later albums tend to focus too much on pop music War has a more edgier sound to it and there is obviously a little bit of pop. I consider this to be one of my favorites from U2 of course not alot of people are going to like this cause U2 are a band that you either love or hate, my friend hates these guys and thinks that their music is pointless and very dull, oh well thats just his opinion. The album starts of with Sunday bloody sunday which is one of thier biggest hits, its an anti-war and protest song and is very effective cause of the way Bono sings he sounds very emotional and the song has a very nice drum beat done by Larry Mullen then theres the song Seconds which also sounds like a protest song. The other hit single from this album and one of my favorites New years day is one of the best songs that U2 has ever made, if you haven't heard anything from U2 yet I suggest you hear this song first so you might get this album as well. Bono of course being a great song writer and lyricist attempts to write a great love ballad with Two hearts beat as one and his vision carries through the rest of the album which has a strong political and religious theme to it. I have to admit that Refugee is not a fovrite cause it sound a bit outdated and bad like a synthpop new wave song but still doesn't matter since the rest of the album was absolutely amazing and The edge has some great guitar riffs especially in the song New years day where he makes a slightly echo like sounding riff that complements the nice basslines and piano, this song is absolutely phenomenal. I highly recomend this to U2 fans or those who are looking for a great 80's rock album.
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