I had a week-long financial fraud analyst training in Chicago that I had to go to. My girlfriend at the time was from the Chicago area, but we lived in Kansas City - and she was into U2. I remember we stopped at Borders (it was still around then) to pick up the CD before heading out to Chicago. We listened to NLOTH the whole way there...and we both really liked it. That's like a 9 hour drive, so we listened to it 10 times straight through the day after it was released (we drove up on a Saturday - hung out at her family's house, then I went into the city for my training).
I still like this album. It has flaws, for sure. But I think it takes some small chances that really pay off. I love, love, love Cedars of Lebanon...and I will defend Unknown Caller to my dying day. I just say, yeah the middle 3 kind of suck but ... dab on them haters. Also, more esteemed bands (in current times) put out a lot worse dreck than "Get on Yer Boots". It's better than How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb and way better than All That You Can't Leave Behind, by a country mile for me.