It's been a while since we thought of U2 as an up-and-coming anything, but if you go back to 1980 and the release of their debut Boy, that's what they were: an exciting new band coming out of Ireland, heavily influenced by Joy Division, but with a frontman almost the opposite; where Ian Curtis seemed as brooding and inscrutable as his lyrics, Bono was engaging, enthusiastic, and maybe just as effective at nailing the experiences of adolescence, experience, and striving to grow up in a messed-up world. With their debut album released 40 years ago this week, this week on Teenage Kicks we feature songs from Boy by U2.

Segments

Playlist, hour 1

Playlist, hour 2