After the successful first album Boy, U2 faced the challenge of transcending or at least equaling that level with their second album October (1981). The production process, again with Steve Lillywhite as the driving force, was rather chaotic. The recordings took place under time pressure and to make matters worse, Bono's textbook was stolen (which did not surface again until 22 years later). October
… is an intensification of Boy both musically and substantively. The instrumentation is broader (Edge plays the piano as well as different guitars) and it is mainly Larry and Adam who profile themselves more. Another change from Boy is the explicitly Christian lyrics (as in Gloria and With a Shout). In 2001, the album was ranked 41st in Contemporary Christian Music Magazine's Best Christian Music Albums Ever list. Critics are less enthusiastic about October and consider it with too much ambition and bombast as one of U2's lesser albums. (JWvR)more
