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.
Boy
U2
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Boy Review
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Track Listing
| Title/Composer | Performer | Time | Stream | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | U2 | 03:36 | SpotifyAmazon | |||
| 2 | U2 | 04:22 | SpotifyAmazon | |||
| 3 | U2 | 06:21 | SpotifyAmazon | |||
| 4 | U2 | 01:53 | SpotifyAmazon | |||
| 5 | U2 | 04:13 | SpotifyAmazon | |||
| 6 | U2 | 03:02 | SpotifyAmazon | |||
| 7 | U2 | 01:34 | SpotifyAmazon | |||
| 8 | U2 | 03:14 | SpotifyAmazon | |||
| 9 | U2 | 04:34 | SpotifyAmazon | |||
| 10 | U2 | 04:48 | SpotifyAmazon | |||
| 11 | U2 | 04:36 | SpotifyAmazon |
