Album of the Day — October 2
U2 — October
U2 — October
02.October.2020
U2
October
1981
It’s October and all; I guess this makes sense. October is U2’s second album, and arguably the least liked and most poorly received of their early career.
Yes, I get it, U2 has become a rather divisive band. We ALL remember the iPhone fiasco. Yes, I get it, we’re all tired of Bono’s proselytizing about everything from religion to rock and roll.
Frankly, I think Bono is tired of Bono.
Nonetheless, in 1981, they were still a bunch of young lads from “Dublin-town.”
And 3/4 of the lads (Bono, The Edge, and Larry Mullen Jr.) were deeply involved in a Christian “group” (cult) called “Shalom Fellowship.” Besides irritating bassist Adam Clayton, it also led the band to question their Christian beliefs and the rock and roll lifestyle.
By now, we know which path they took, but by everyone’s admission, there almost wasn’t an October.
Integrating religious themes into your second album is an interesting idea, to say the least.
Songs “Gloria” — with the Latin chorus of “Gloria, in te domine”, translated it means “Glory in You, Lord / Glory, exalt [Him]” and is a reference to Psalm 30:2. That song along with “With a Shout (Jerusalem)”, and “Tomorrow” left more than a few critics and the growing fan base scratching their head.
October, just like its predecessor, Boy, was produced by budding producer Steve Lillywhite. For this second album, the band and he played around with the sound of the band. The Edge incorporated some piano playing, and in “I Threw a Brick” Larry Mullen Jr. got to have some of the spotlight. And on “Gloria” it was Adam Clayton’s turn.
And on “Tomorrow,” Uilleann pipes are used — these are the traditional bagpipes of Ireland.
October was released on October 12, 1981 and generated two singles, “Fire” and “Gloria.” Neither song did much, although “Fire” charted well in Ireland. And despite “Gloria” receiving heavy airplay on the upstart MTV network, it still didn’t make a dent in the American charts.
The album itself performed well on the Irish and New Zealand album charts(#17 & #6 respectively), but only peaked at #104 in the United States.
CRITICS:
Jon Pareles at Rolling Stone wrote: “October is barely coherent. Boy was an intriguing, one-time-only document — the inside story from children at the brink of manhood — and its compositions were sparked by the tension between the Edge’s world-beating guitar playing and Bono’s fearful pride. Thank goodness U2 don’t have enough showbiz in their souls to repeat the concept on October.”
Robert Christgau said of October: “As they push past twenty their ambitions are showing, and suddenly the hope-addicts whiff both commerce and pretension. Sure it’s still all fresh-faced and puissant in that vaguely political way that so moves the concerned rock journalist (and fan) — just not altogether unspoiled, sniff sniff. Bono Vox gets poetic, Steve Lillywhite gets arty, and those of us who expect more than sonic essence of rock and roll get enough melody and construction to make the first side a bit of all right. What a stupid band to expect purity from.”
With 14 studio albums under their belt, October easily ranks in the lower tier of their work. It has a couple of good tracks, namely “Gloria” and “I Threw a Brick” but this album is hardly a divisive one. Most people just don’t like it.
October is no The Joshua Tree …but then it’s also no Songs of Innocence. This album is probably best left for the completists and purists.