LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

Sealed Deluxe Official 180gr Vinyl Reissue
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.
Track Listings: I Will Follow, Twilight, An Cat Dubh, Into The Heart, Out Of Control, Stories For Boys, The Ocean, A Day Without Me, Another Time, Another Place, The Electric Co., Shadows And Tall Trees."