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From the outset, U2 went for the big message -- every song on their debut album Boy sounds huge, with oceans of processed guitars cascading around Bono's impassioned wail. It was an inspired combination of large, stadium-rock beats and post-punk textures. Without the Edge's echoed, ringing guitar, U2 would have sounded like a traditional hard rock band, since the rhythm section and Bono treat each song as an anthem. Of course, that's the charm of Boy: all of its emotions are on the surface, delivered with optimistic, youthful self-belief, yet the unusual, distinctive guitar textures give it an unexpected tension that makes it an exhilarating debut. The songs may occasionally show some weakness -- the driving "I Will Follow," the dark "An Cat Dubh," and the shimmering "The Ocean" stand out among the sonic textures -- yet the band's musical and lyrical vision keep Boy compelling until the finish.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Paul Thomas, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Lillywhite, Producer - Bono, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - U2, MainArtist - Adam Clayton, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Moloney, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Edge, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Larry Mullen, Jr., Composer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Paul Thomas, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Lillywhite, Producer - Bono, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - U2, MainArtist - Adam Clayton, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Moloney, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Edge, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Larry Mullen, Jr., Composer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Paul Thomas, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Lillywhite, Producer - Bono, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - U2, MainArtist - Adam Clayton, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Moloney, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Edge, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Larry Mullen, Jr., Composer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Paul Thomas, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Lillywhite, Producer - Bono, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - U2, MainArtist - Adam Clayton, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Moloney, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Edge, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Larry Mullen, Jr., Composer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Paul Thomas, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Lillywhite, Producer - Bono, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - U2, MainArtist - Adam Clayton, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Moloney, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Edge, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Larry Mullen, Jr., Composer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Paul Thomas, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Lillywhite, Producer - Bono, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - U2, MainArtist - Adam Clayton, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Moloney, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Edge, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Larry Mullen, Jr., Composer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Paul Thomas, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Lillywhite, Producer - Bono, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - U2, MainArtist - Adam Clayton, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Moloney, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Edge, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Larry Mullen, Jr., Composer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Paul Thomas, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Lillywhite, Producer - Bono, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - U2, MainArtist - Adam Clayton, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Moloney, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Edge, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Larry Mullen, Jr., Composer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Paul Thomas, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Lillywhite, Producer - Bono, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - U2, MainArtist - Adam Clayton, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Moloney, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Edge, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Larry Mullen, Jr., Composer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Paul Thomas, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Lillywhite, Producer - Bono, Author, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - U2, MainArtist - Adam Clayton, Composer, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Moloney, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Edge, Composer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Larry Mullen, Jr., Composer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2008 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Paul Thomas, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Lillywhite, Producer - U2, MainArtist - Kevin Moloney, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2008 Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Album review
From the outset, U2 went for the big message -- every song on their debut album Boy sounds huge, with oceans of processed guitars cascading around Bono's impassioned wail. It was an inspired combination of large, stadium-rock beats and post-punk textures. Without the Edge's echoed, ringing guitar, U2 would have sounded like a traditional hard rock band, since the rhythm section and Bono treat each song as an anthem. Of course, that's the charm of Boy: all of its emotions are on the surface, delivered with optimistic, youthful self-belief, yet the unusual, distinctive guitar textures give it an unexpected tension that makes it an exhilarating debut. The songs may occasionally show some weakness -- the driving "I Will Follow," the dark "An Cat Dubh," and the shimmering "The Ocean" stand out among the sonic textures -- yet the band's musical and lyrical vision keep Boy compelling until the finish.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:42:45
- Main artists: U2
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Universal-Island Records Ltd.
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2008 Universal-Island Records Ltd. ℗ 2008 Universal-Island Records Ltd.
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