Skynet: California: Ranking U2

Another U2 post? Yes, another U2 post. Probably the last for awhile though, so rejoice if its not your thing. In the meantime, you can read Blue Napkins' scathing review of Twilight to prepare for the New Moon release. For those of you who are interested in U2, I reexamined their body of work after the concert last week and am prepared to unveil my official rankings. Official until I change my mind anyway. Here is the list in all its awesomeness, complete with download recommendations for each disc.

12. War - This will get me drummed out of the U2 clique by some of the more hardcore fans, but I've never thought much of War. When listening to all of their CD's over again, it was the only one that was a tough slog. New Years Day and Sunday Bloody Sunday are classics, but most of the rest of the album borders on terrible.

11. Boy - How good is U2? I like the album I ranked next to last. Their sound is definitely raw here, but tracks like Out of Control and Stories for Boys give a good indication of what's to come.

10. October - October is one of their most underappreciated albums. It even sold poorly when it came out. Its certainly a little unpolished like Boy, but there are a couple of classic songs on here like October and Gloria.

9. All That You Can't Leave Behind - U2 released this after a lot of people hated Pop and it is pretty boring. I struggled to put it ahead of October or Boy, and in a future ranking it may fall further. Beautiful Day, Walk On, and In a Little While keep it semi respectable.

8. No Line on the Horizon - I ripped this disc apart when it came out, and there is still about half of it that I don't care for. Over time though I've grown to really like the other half. No Line on the Horizon, Magnificent, Fez-Being Born, and even the idiotic Get on Your Boots have unexpectedly found a nice warm place in my heart.

7. The Unforgettable Fire - This used to be higher, but a lot of it just sounds dated now. There's still plenty of quality music here to keep it in the middle of the pack. MLK, The Unforgettable Fire, and Bad are classic examples of 80's U2.

6. Pop - I will never understand why so many people hated Pop. If you pay attention to Achtung Baby and Zooropa, this affair with dance music was pretty much inevitable. Plus, the tour had a giant lemon. Who can hate that? Discotheque, Do You Feel Loved?, and Please are the best songs on the CD, but the best song from the Pop era is the Discotheque B-side of Holy Joe.

5. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - This disc and its ridiculous title are the finest example of where the band is in their third decade. It alternates between preachy and inane, but from beginning to end its a solid collection of songs. Vertigo, Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own, City of Blinding Lights, and Original of the Species all need to make it on your iPod.

4. Rattle & Hum - This is a song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles...we're stealin it back! At the time of its release, some thought this album coupled with the movie were a little self indulgent. That may very well be true, but its also a collection of brilliant and beautifully written music. Van Diemen's Land (Edge on lead vocals!), Love Rescue Me, Heartland, and All I Want is You with its midget love story video are among my favorite U2 songs.

3. The Joshua Tree - The Joshua Tree first put U2 on the map for a lot of people and is widely considered one of the greatest rock albums of all time. The Irish homage to America's wide open spaces still holds up after 22 years. If you own one of the 25 million copies of this album that have been sold, you're already familiar with Where the Streets Have No Name, With or Without You, In God's Country, and Exit.

2. Zooropa - Zooropa often falls through the cracks, but its basically Achtung Baby Part II. It was written and recorded while the band was on their epic Zoo TV world tour. They were the biggest band in the world at the time and the CD just oozes the fact that they knew it. They were free to experiment and we got gems like Numb, Zooropa, and Lemon on the same disc as classic U2 style songs like Stay (Faraway so Close).

1. Achtung Baby - Music achieved perfection in 1991 when Achtung Baby hit the shelves. I have my doubts any CD will be this awesome again. U2 completely reinvented themselves musically while retaining the essence of what had made the band so popular in the 1980's. Words can't really express how great this album is from beginning to end, so I'll stop trying. I love the entire disc, but The Fly, Ultra Violet, Mysterious Ways, and One need to be on any respectable U2 playlist.