Ok I'm pinching ideas but I feel the need to defend an underrated album! Theres a lot of dissing of October going on...for me its full of angst..great tunes (October itself makes you shiver) The hard second album that spawned some great tunes - lost lyrics, issues with faith and yet they came through it all to bring even more fantatstic tunes for us all. October could have been the end instead i think it restored their faith in themselves - so lets borrow with pride and see who else out there agrees and wants to worship!

Wow, you must have been reading my mind.  For the last couple of weeks, I have been thinking about how much I have always loved the October album!  It is so horribly underrated and criticized by fans a lot.  It is a beautiful piece of work.  Tomorrow is one of Bono's most beautiful vocals.  It inspires me everytime I listen to it.  I think some of the other albums that get all the praise are actually a bit overrated (Achtung Baby) while this one flies under the radar and remains a quiet little gem (in my humble opinion of course!).  I was happy to see someone post this.  I was thinking of starting this topic myself.  Well done singnomore!! I am worshipping with you.

The energy and rawness on this record are magical.  I'd rather listen to this than the two newest albums to be honest.  Good thread.

I too adore the album October. Gloria was the first song I heard from this album; I remember watching the video on MTV and falling madly in love with Adam and Larry – ahh youth!!!  October is a haunting song, it gives me goosepimples each time I hear it. That song proves that simplicity works - just vocals and piano.  “I Fall Down” I love for a different reason – it has my name in it!! Silly, I know, but we each like songs for different reasons………..

I love I Fall Down.  Great piano!

Tomorrow is a personal fabourite of mine - I saw them do it live - full of raw energy and thats what i think this whole album has. Is it perfect - no - but you could describe some of the later albums as over produced (I still like though!!) For me it also makes the links when they got things wrong on stage - a mad frantic time - youthfulness at its best!

October is great. Never considered it a weak/unfinished/whatever else album. It was great at the time it came out, and it's great still.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mIGIcTBHiA
 
I think that one of the possible reasons it's underrated by many fans is because many might not know it very well.
Take, for example, a 16 year old fan. Let's say they've been a fan since they were 10, that's 6 years ago, year 2002. By then U2 has released 10 studio albums, The Best Of, Rares, concert videos, you name it. That's a lot of music, a lot to choose from. You give something a listen once or twice, if it's not your favorite you have tons of other stuff to listen to.
Another thing is, U2 music changed a lot over the years, Zooropa lovers might find October not to their liking, and vice versa.

Well, anyway that's just my 5 cents on the topic.

I worship. 

Dont think any U2 fan will deny there's some great songs on it. Whens its great its great but when its bad its their worst.

But Id still take Gloria/I Fall Down/Fire/October/Tomorrow over anything they've done recently with the exception of 'Kite' and 'Mercy' (if that counts)

GREAT JOB Singnomore!!! 

While October may not be my favorite U2 album ever, it DOES hold some great songs which never quite got the credit they deserve: Gloria, I Fall Down, October, With a Shout, I Threw a Brick..., and, my personal favorite, Scarlet. It may not "rock" like War, it's not as "cinematic" as TJT, and it's sure not as "Ironic" as Achtung Baby, but I do see it has a pre-qual of sorts to the abtracness of TUF. From Edge's icy and echoy but rocking guitars, Adam's funky basslines, Larry's developing drums, and Bono's personal serching lyrics.

A solid album from start to finish, though I will say it's not as consistant than TUF and TJT. But solid notheless.

And btw, singnomore, you don't have to do this but it might be better if you put the album cover in your first post. Heck it's not the best U2 cover in my opinion, but it does represent October. That it if you want.

Great idea - but think I'm being thick how do you do that!

There's a black car parked at the side of the road.....

I'm listening to it right now.  I love this album so much.  The energy completely makes up for any other shortcomings for me.  It propels the album forward when it otherwise could have been bogged down by a few misteps.  I know many disagree but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.   

Tomorrow is a personal fabourite of mine - I saw them do it live -

You're my hero !  Tell us more about how Edge plays the flute !

I think the problem with October is that it really makes sense if you discovered it in the 80's...discovering it in the 90's or 00's is probably hard, given it so much in its time -soundwise-

I can get the point around the 80's - production is rawer than later albums - but lets use this thread to encourage those who have not fully discovered the beauty and depth of this album!

I discovered it in 2006 and dismissed it originally.  However, the raw energy and that undefinable U2 magic kept bringing me back to it and at some point it just clicked.  Now I love the whole album. 

Tomorrow is the best hint at what was to come with U2.

What an amazing, soul stirring song.

The remaster has been a complete pleasure to listen to. It just
blasts out of the speakers. It really is part space rock.