Friday, May 21, 2004 | 8:28 a.m.
Call "October" the U2 album that time forgot.
You might not think that possible, considering the Irish foursome spent the 1980s under a microscope as the world's anointed "band of the decade."
But with a catalog that includes massively popular -- not to mention critically embraced -- discs such as 1983's "War," 1987's "The Joshua Tree" and 1991's "Achtung Baby," perhaps it's easy to understand why U2's second release often gets overlooked.
Many likely dismiss "October" simply on the basis of the music's backstory. As legend has it, vocalist Bono lost his lyrical notes prior to entering the studio, forcing the band to come up with new tracks on the fly.
Though we'll never know for sure, that may have actually proven beneficial. Many of the CD's 11 tracks boast an immediacy missing from some of the albums that followed, which sound overly planned at times.
"October" vacillates comfortably between fist-pumping, up-tempo numbers and ethereal cuts that tug on the heartstrings.
Guitarist The Edge takes the lead on the former, pacing U2 classic "Gloria," the less-heralded "Rejoice" and "With a Shout" with his trademark crisp and clean, cascading riffs.
The album's mellow moments belong to Bono. His echoey vocals make the spacey "Scarlet" memorable, while his somber rendering turns the disc's title track into one of the most emotive tunes in the U2 songbook.
Lyrically, "October" is often referred to as the band's most overtly religious effort. You have to dig deep to come up with more than a couple such references, however, so don't be deterred if that's not typically your bag.
Far from a depressing, preachy effort, U2's sophomore release is the sound of a band coming into its own, in terms of songwriting and musicianship.
Sadly, it appears the band has also largely forgotten about its existence. The quartet skipped over it entirely when compiling its 1998 "Best Of" retrospective, and plays next to nothing from the album in concert these days.
Don't take that to mean "October" marked a low point for U2. Priced less than $10, it's well worth judging the disc for yourself.
Artist: U2.
Title: "October."
Year of release: 1981 (Island Records).
Tracklisting: "Gloria," "I Fall Down," "I Threw a Brick Through a Window," "Rejoice," "Fire," "Tomorrow," "October," "With a Shout," "Stranger in a Strange Land," "Scarlet," "Is That All?"
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