[.ca] October

Chronique amazon.fr:
S'il n'en reste qu'un, ce sera celui-là. Produit par Steve Lillywhite, sorti en octobre 1981, trustant les premières places dès sa parution, October est sans doute un des albums les plus cohérents et les plus peaufinés de la formation irlandaise. Ouvert par un curieux Gloria aux accents ouvertement catholiques, (Irlande oblige…), cet album étonne dès les premières notes par l'attention portée à la production, qui s'accommode fort bien de quelques claviers au son doux, voire de quelques accompagnements de piano acoustique distillés au fil des titres. C'est que cet album marque pour le groupe, une recherche musicale nouvelle, une exploration des mondes connexes, mais surtout, fait nouveau chez U2, une utilisation de nouveaux instruments comme les trompettes ou les timbales qui résonnent par exemple sur With A Shout. Mais c'est aussi sur cet album que se font sentir les influences premières du groupe, piochant allègrement dans le répertoire des Stooges ou de Bowie, voire de Joy Division. En termes d'émotions, ensuite, U2 a rarement fait mieux que Stranger In A Strange Land qui fait écho à la situation militaire irlandaise ou encore October qui navigue en eaux troubles, soutenu par quelques accords d'un piano léger. Incontournable, October déploie un panache d'idées musicales ingénieuses au travers desquelles le groupe étend la gamme de ses possibilités, variant les sons et les idées, selon une recette que l'on retrouvera à bien des égards sur les albums suivants, et notamment sur War. --Toma Blondeau

From Amazon.com:
Long a favorite of U2's original core following, October not only avoids the sophomore slump, but adds an edgy, emotional resonance to the buoyant self-confidence they showed on their debut, Boy. Though producer Steve Lillywhite deserves mention for helping effectively frame the material with production that manages to be both stark and atmospherically murky, this is the music where Bono, Edge, and company first show the potential that would make them superstars. Lacking the sometimes ham-fisted polemics that would mar War, The Joshua Tree, and later works, October has an oft-tortured sense of emotional and philosophical ambivalence that only underscores concerns that range from the crypto-spiritualist yearnings of "Gloria" and "Rejoice" to more anxious moments like "I Fall Down," "I Threw a Brick Through a Window," and "Fire." In retrospect, they may have peaked early. --Jerry McCulley

This was U2:
"Gloria" was the first U2 song I heard. "October" was U2 and is still their best recording! And, "Gloria" is still their finest song!

Oh yewus...:
October is U2 during their untouchable stage. These days it seems everyone just wants to bring them down and complain that U2 are not what they used to be. Excuse me but they were slightly younger in those days. Excuse me but good bands dont stand still and milk previous success. U2 are still doing good quality music - granted there are one or two songs that slip through the net but come on - its still U2! They must be THE hardest working band on the planet (come on guys, get your feet in gear and get that new album out ya lazy gits!!!) Right, October. An album way ahead of its time with songs that have stood the test of time (except Fire which I think is really Adam and the Ants in disguise). Gloria - classic U2 with all the stadium ingredients Rejoice - you cant beat that riff and that power October - a song so easy to play on the piano but hauntingly beautiful, Tomorrow - probably the best track on the album. I have a copy of this live and there is a guest musician playing the irish instrument (cant remember the name of it - I think you blow it!!! cheers) and its as good live as it is in the studio. Stranger In A Strange Land - not sure if he's dissing the English Army (maybe thats my ignorance) but its still a great power riff. Scarlet - I dont think they needed Eno in later years, the proof is all here where they were heading for Unforgettable Fire. Is That All - maybe a throwaway song with raw lyrics done before the studio lights went out for the night, but it gave birth to Cry which would later be used on Electric Co. I would say this was a great natural progression from Boy. Its rawer in its execution but far more mature in its overall delivery. A step in the right direction. Can you imagine if Bono got his book of words back and they went into the studio now and redid the songs how they wanted it to be originally? By the way, I think it would be a great idea for U2 to release a remastered version of Under A Blood Red Sky. Having heard Twilight and The Black Cat on the flip side of Sweetest thing, I think the sound is far greater than the 'way too noisy crowd' and overly mixed version of the original mini album. Cheers... and god bless ya, goodnight.

My first u2:
A couple of years ago i knew u2 existed. I hadnt really gotten into their albums because most of the songs i had heard on the radio when i used to listen to it were a little overplayed. One day i was looking through someones cds and i found october. I dont know what came over me but i decided to play it. what i heard shocked me: the edge's amazingly super-reverbed guitar and bono's cathedral-echo sustaining voice and it sounded so full and original. from then on i was hooked. i couldnt get it out of my cdplayer. during this time in my life i didnt realize that i was developing a depression, and for some reason whenever i get really pissed off or sad i play this album really really loud and sing to it until my voice is gone. it is just so emotional and track 7 sounds so sad with the minor piano chords. it all works so flawlessly together. This is a great album and if i HAD to pick a favorite this would be it but all the u2 albums (minus zooropa and pop) were 5 star recordings and classics, but for me this was a great starter. so if you are sick of hearing 'War' over and over again listen to 'October' there are no overplayed songs here.

Is That All?:
Is that all? This wasn't just the last track on U2's sophomore album, but also the question surrounding the band during the time of this album's commercial release. You see, frontman Bono, guitarist The Edge, and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. are devout Christians, and it was around this time that the three became aware of it. Bassist Adam Clayton never shared their religous views. This difference of opinion nearly broke up the band, because the three didn't know if their Christian faith could co-exist with their chosen profession of rock music. By sticking together, however, they soon realized that their fears and uncertainties were all based on what other people would think of it. With this realization, it became clear that there was no problem, it was just other peoples' problems. U2 followed their hearts and plowed forward. This was only one of several difficult personal issues in the early days of U2 that are responsible for the strong friendship within the band that exists to this day. And this wasn't the only challenge they faced with this record. There was also the fact that Bono's lyrics were stolen, and he had to re-write them all, which is impressive when you do read the lyrics that made it to the album. Highlights include the opener, 'Gloria', 'I Fall Down', 'Fire', 'Rejoice', the title track 'October', 'Tomorrow', and 'Scarlet'. This album did not find the commercial success of 'Boy', and as a result is one of the most underrated records U2 has ever put out, but I think musically it was better then its predecessor, and, like its predecessor, was indicitive of the potential this band had. It acted as a kind of segue between 'Boy' and 'War', the album in which U2 truly arrived, and that potential became reality.

Forget Nirvana I wanna be like these guys:
I'm a geek I love Science fiction and horror movies and I listen to The Cure and Sarah Mclachlan and the old Jewel Stuff and I love 80s music like Simple Minds and The Police and Tears For Fears and so forth but this is who I wanna be like U2. Even though I think The Joshua Tree was the last good U2 record. I don't what happened the band that I loved since I was like three now have turned into this Mainstream thing or whatever they call it. This is back when they were the most amazing band I ever herd. These guys did somthing that nobody else could have done. Every band out there now wants to be like Led Zeppilen I think I spelled that wrong but those bands never really did anything you know what I mean those bands became some of the biggist bands of all time but there is nothing there It's Just a rock group. I wanna be like this but everybody says that stuff is dead well I don't get why Led zeppilen is not dead they never did anything. I Know everybody out there might think this too Intence too weird for there taste. I'm a dork and proud of it and yes I listen to Sarah Mclachlan and Jewel well before she became a sellout I love 80s music and wanna of my top 10 favorite moveies is Close Encounters Of the third Kind. I wanna make movies someday too I would love too be Involved in a John Carpenter movie or I wanna be in a band like these guys. There will never be another U2 there be will another Led Zeppilen Or Nirvanna but there will never ever be another U2.

• Gloria
• I Fall Down
• I Threw a Brick Through a Window
• Rejoice
• Fire
• Tomorrow
• October
• With a Shout
• Stranger in a Strange Land
• Scarlet
• Is That All?