U2
All That You Can't Leave Behind

THE REVIEW

This is the first time I'm reviewing one of their albums. In 2000, I was 16 years old, so the "first real album" by U2 I grew up with, related to, and feel the most is "All That You Can't Leave Behind," also because, being born in 1984, I couldn't "attentively live" through U2's period from 1980 to 1992. Having started to concretely perceive what was happening around me from ages 7-8 onwards, I remember With Or Without You being played on the radio as their most famous hit, and then in 1993 on TV, Numb was used as the soundtrack for an anti-drug campaign ad. I began to build a serious musical culture from 1999, going back and forth in the History of Rock to study the great bands. It seems like yesterday when All That You Can't Leave Behind was released, but 13 years have passed since then. It was an album aimed more at sales and popular appeal than at the final quality of the product, perhaps because "Pop" from 1997 was thrashed by critics and the public (6 million copies mostly in Europe, Australia, and South America). Indeed, U2 could have easily retired from the scene and hung up their boots, instead they decided to accept the challenge and step into the field. Certainly, it is not an album comparable to their masterpiece "The Joshua Tree" or "Achtung Baby," but the lyrics were and remain very deep. At its core, it's a simple and sincere album, as it is light years away from the sadness and desolation described in "Pop." In this record, they abandon the electronic influences that had both positively and negatively affected previous works: it's an accessible album for everyone, but it doesn't mark a true return to the roots as it remains distant from the post-punk atmospheres of "Boy" and "October." In All That You Can't Leave Behind, they talk about Faith (as in all their works), and within the simplicity of the final product, empathy emerges, the joy of savoring every little thing, and every single moment life offers, always moving forward. The serenity that emanates from each track is so intense, at first listen, it also elevates us. Moments of light are scattered here and there, despite peace and hope in the world not making a rhyme. Certainly, sometimes we need to stop when we can't overcome some bad moments, but despite everything, we have the courage and certainty to say that every day is "a great day." And then, on the road, we might meet a girl named Grace (perhaps on the streets of New York) who finds beauty even in the ugliest things. I believe all of this is wonderful. All That You Can't Leave Behind was awarded a Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album" in 2001; Beautiful Day won 3 Grammy Awards for "Song of the Year," "Record of the Year," and "Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals"; Elevation was awarded a Grammy for "Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals" in 2002; Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" written for Michael Hutchence, won in 2002 a Grammy in the category of "Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals." Finally, Walk On won the Grammy Award as "Record of the Year" in 2002 and is mentioned in the acknowledgments of my thesis. Produced by the tried-and-tested duo Brian Eno-Daniel Lanois, with collaboration on some tracks from Steve Lillywhite, Mike Hedges, and Ricard Stannard, the album, to date, has sold over 12 million copies. The success is certainly due to the 4 singles. Indeed, some music detractors often raise this doubt: << Besides the first four songs, what remains of ATYCLB? >>.

Beautiful Day - 4:06

Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of - 4:33

Elevation - 3:48

Walk On - 4:57

Kite - 4:25

In a Little While - 3:40

Wild Honey - 3:47

Peace on Earth - 4:49

When I Look at the World - 4:14

New York - 5:31

Grace - 5:45

"And if the darkness separates us, and if daylight seems a long way off, and if your glass heart should crack, and for a second you turn back, oh no, be strong. Walk on, walk on. What you got, they can't steal it. No, they can't even feel it. Walk on, walk on... Stay safe tonight. You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been. A place that