The U2 album Rick Rubin called the best “they ever made”
As one of the most influential producers in contemporary music, it makes sense that Rick Rubin should have a unique perspective on the topic. Coveting feel over anything truly technical, this nature has underpinned some of the most lauded albums of the past 40 years, ranging from the Beastie Boys debut to Slayer’s Reign in Blood. It was Rubin who turned production into a genuinely expansive undertaking, and since his formative years in the 1980s, he’s continued to work with a variety of artists and stretch their scope.
As he is so deeply entrenched in his laissez-faire approach, the bearded studio whizz has occasionally come under fire from those who have entered his studio and found him less attentive than they thought he would be. Perhaps surprisingly, given that he has brought many classic metal moments to life, is that when Des Moines’ Slipknot hired him to produce their long-awaited third album, Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses), the man they found cut a different figure to that of the storied studio behemoth that helmed some of their favourite records.
Before the nu-metal masterpiece arrived, when speaking to MTV, Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor slammed Rubin’s chilled-out approach and claimed he was barely present. Instead, he has asserted that engineer Greg Fidelman should take the most credit. The vocalist’s major gripe about Rubin’s rare presence echoed that from years before from Slayer axeman Kerry King.
As you might have guessed, Rick Rubin does things on his own terms, including how he listens to music. From revitalising Johnny Cash by doing away with his usual studio accompaniments to naming Gang of Four’s Entertainment! as his favourite British post-punk album, he likes to surprise.
Perhaps one of the most outrageous takes he has sent into the ether is that regarding what he believes is the best U2 album. To be fair to Taylor and the rest of Slipknot, you can imagine that it would have been incredibly irritating paying lots of money for a producer, for him rarely to show up, and then when he did, provide absolutely outrageous comments such as the following.
Some context is required before delivering such a shocking revelation because Rubin’s general point was salient. When speaking to Musicangle in 2004, he noted that it is rare for established artists with extensive oeuvres to make truly great albums later in life. He cited Tom Petty’s 1994 release, Wildflowers, as an exception.
However, Rubin then provided another example of an act bucking the trend. Not only is his mention of U2 generally contentious anyway, but it was the album he picked as their best to illustrate the point that completely undoes his argument. He chose their tenth album, 2000’s All That You Can’t Leave Behind, as the best they ever made.
Spawning hits such as ‘Beautiful Day’ and ‘Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of’, the record was a tremendous success and took home seven Grammys. It was deemed a return to form for the Irish band after the flop of 1997’s Pop. However, all longtime fans of the quartet would state it is nowhere near their top album, with the likes of The Joshua Tree, The Unforgettable Fire and War much stronger bodies of work.
Regardless, Rubin said: “That’s what I’m finding so impressive with U2. I feel that their last album for me, may be the best album they ever made.”
Continuing: “All That You Left Behind. That whole album. There are so many good songs. The ratio of good songs to the number of songs on the album is higher than on any album they’ve done.”
Alas, music is a subjective matter. I’ll let you decide whether the 2000 album is U2’s best effort.
Listen to All That You Can’t Leave Behind below.
