Average Rating: 
Rating: - IT'S NOT A ROOTS RECORD!!!!!!!
All That You Can't Leave Behind was a breath of fresh air in 2000 and a remedy for many lives after the events of September 11th, however the media (and most of you) have been too quick to judge that U2 is returning to their roots (or as some say, their Joshua Tree days), but no...they aren't. The Joshua Tree was influenced by blues and country and was made after they released three harder-edged albums (Boy, October, and War), and a softer, more introspective and less political record (The Unforgettable Fire). However, All That You Can't Leave Behind was made after U2 dove into European music with a more electronic feel. With albums such as Zooropa and Pop, U2 expanded their horizons by moving away from their drum/bass/guitar setup and incorporating electronic elements. All That You Can't Leave Behind is U2 reinvented. Yes, it is less electronic than Pop and Zooropa, and less experimental than Achtung Baby. But do we need to classify it as returning to their roots...no we don't. This album is a return to the drum/bass/guitar setup, with some keyboards, occasional sonic experimentation ("Elevation") and loops ("In A Little While"). But I'm just sick of hearing that its a roots record.
Rating:  - U2 informed by all of their pasts
This is a great album. The one thing that I missed most about U2 over the last few years is the fact that they really care about what they are doing and have an obvious social conscience, which is a refreshing change from the fast-dollar skin-deep pop and rock that dominates the radio now. They don't generally make albums that they don't believe in, and they definitely believe in this collection. It has been said that this album is a return to the band's roots, but that is an oversimplification. In reality, this whole disc is very much informed by everything they have learned during their trysts with the techno-industrial during their last three studio albums, using this as the backbone of each track here while also returning their original sound of delay-laden lead guitar, solid rythm from bass and drumkit, and Bono's honest vocal delivery to the fore. The first single and opening track, Beautiful Day, is a catchy euphoric rocker, but it is not the strongest song here. That is maybe Peace on Earth, where Bono continues his tradition of an obvious but not blind faith and which also exhibits the bands interest in social woes. Stuck in a Moment... and In a Little While are also very strong, both of these exhibiting a huge amount of soul and optimism. Elevation is an extrovert rocker with borderline-throwaway standard lyrics, but with some great gutiar riffs and some really phenomenal playing towards the end (but way down in the mix). The song Grace closes the album with a quiet and poignant flourish where Bono seems to tell us all that God's grace is so deep and profound that each and every one of us owes it to others to also exhibit this trait. There are other great songs on All That You Can't Leave Behind and the album holds together in a remarkably organic way, progressing pretty clearly from the first track to the last. Only the track Wild Honey is a real disappointment for me, but I must say that there have been dozens of U2 songs that just didn't do anything for me at first that I have grown to love. Even if that doesn't happen here, this album would still be surpassed in my view by only The Joshua Tree and maybe Achtung Baby as an absolute masterpiece in U2's impressive canon.
Rating: - The Best of the Best
My review may be be biased due to the fact that I consider myself to be one of U2's biggest fans (I own 13 albums to date), but I speak the truth when I say that this album is the best of the best.U2 have once again differentiated themselves from other bands by blending the best of their '80s albums (Joshua tree especially) with the best of their '90s album (Pop). The result: an album as powerful in rythem and song as it is in depth and meaning . From the excitemnet created in "Beautiful Day" comes the best of the Edge, allowing him to be able to dig deep and unleash his musical genius - reminiscent of "Where the streets have no name " and "Pride". The catchy lyrcs of "Stuck in a Moment you can't get out of" (my personal favorite at the moment!) allows Bono to work his magic with the microphone. This man is a true poet and one day in the distant future, if music ever dies (!!), his words will be recited as poetry. The band with their vast experience and ability take a step backwards and still go forward with "Elevation" as they once again turn music on it's head in a mixture of electronics and special effects whilst the tune remains catchy and vibrant '...a mole digging in a hole...' I could continue but that would negate part of the effect that I am sure this album is supposed to have: Continous surprize and increased pleasure with every listen. Do yourself a favour. Buy the album listen to it. Think about it. Listen to it again...and enjoy!!
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