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U2 had just started exercising their world-stage potential, releasing début album, Boy, to a flurry of interest. But as was proven with follow-up album October, success brings with it increased expectation. U2 unquestionably had star status lurking within them, but this album felt at times like they were still flexing their muscles, tweaking the mechanics of what would become a tightly honed outfit. Inside that startling sleeve, featuring a photo of four windswept youths, lies a mixed effort. It starts off on a high, 'Gloria' breaking the U2 mould with it's Gregorian chant style vocal harmony that fused religion and rock music into an original package. There are other high-lights to be savoured such as the haunting title-track October with it's trickling piano played by The Edge, and the drum-parts on many of the songs, are expressive and involving. But the album has also pieces which feel either under-worked or offcuts of projects not correctly utilized. Bono has frequently dismayed in interviews over one such track 'Fire' which unceremoniously plummeted in the charts the week after the group appeared on Top Of The Pops, what should have been an opportunity to extend U2 to a more widespread fan base. Other factors which hindered the making of October include the well-documented dalliances Bono and Edge had in the Christian 'shalom' group, which left them wrestling their ideas about the morality of playing in a rock band at all. Thankfully On later projects U2 would strike a perfect balance when coupling their faith-related attitudes and music, but here it feels for the most-part uncomfortable, lethargic and as though the group members are playing under a cloud. Religious elements aside on the whole it feels a little rushed, and sometimes greatness can't just be told to 'wing it' however talented a group is. Given more time and attention to detail October could have lived up to or even exceeded expectation. As it was the end result was half-baked, not entirely hashed, in fact it still outplays many other artists efforts of the time, but it was something the band had to recover from, rather than improve upon. Gladly just around the corner lay a renewed U2 with a new fire, zest, competence and authority, and for a band whose faith was everything, the faith of their fans was just as unwavering.Read full review
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