I look at October, and think and know that this is not U2's best album.  In fact, if I had to rank their albums this would be towards the bottom, but this album is still an excellent contribution.  Boy and War are often thought of a great messages of U2's beliefs and stance on world politics and growing up, but October makes its own contribution.
In fact, October is a bold step because there are definite religious overtones throughout the album, more so than on any other U2 album. While the talent is still raw, maybe even rawer than Boy, the lyrical and music content are strong.
A few songs here are definitely among U2's best. Tomorrow is the jewel of this album I think, and it is a shame this is not considered one of their best.  It also does the best to represent their Irish culture.  October is another fantastic song, allbeit simple.  It is just beautiful, and probably best foreshadows what was to come in the way of later albums. Gloria and Fire are a great rock songs reminiscent of Boy and the rest of the album is strong, though not quite up to War and Boy.
Overall this a great album, especially for those who like early U2 or like U2 in general.  However, I would not prioritize this album over Boy or War.
I look at October, and think and know that this is not U2's best album. In fact, if I had to rank their albums this would be towards the bottom, but this album is still an excellent contribution. Boy and War are often thought of a great messages of U2's beliefs and stance on world politics and growing up, but October makes its own contribution. In fact, October is a bold step because there are definite religious overtones throughout the album, more so than on any other U2 album. While the talent is still raw, maybe even rawer than Boy, the lyrical and music content are strong. A few songs here are definitely among U2's best. Tomorrow is the jewel of this album I think, and it is a shame this is not considered one of their best. It also does the best to represent their Irish culture. October is another fantastic song, allbeit simple. It is just beautiful, and probably best foreshadows what was to come in the way of later albums. Gloria and Fire are a great rock songs reminiscent of Boy and the rest of the album is strong, though not quite up to War and Boy. Overall this a great album, especially for those who like early U2 or like U2 in general. However, I would not prioritize this album over Boy or War.