Matt McGee ([email protected])
Sat, 31 Oct 1998 00:22:08 -0800
Matt
---------------
Irish Echo
October 28-November 3, 1998
(Some of) what U2 fans are looking for
By Eileen Murphy
It's been 20 years since Larry Mullen Jr. tacked up the now-legendary note
on a bulletin board in Mount Temple secondary school in Dublin. The
aspiring drummer was looking for people interested in forming a band. A
number of would-be rock and rollers answered the ad, among them guitarists
Dave "The Edge" Evans and Adam Clayton, and a would-be singer named Paul
"Bono" Hewson. Two decades, millions of dollars and dozens of hit records
later, U2 is acknowledged as one of the top bands in the world. And just in
case anyone's forgotten how they made the climb to the top, Island Records
has released a greatest hits album, "U2 The Best of 1980-1990."
The compilation hits record stores on Tuesday, Nov. 3, in a limited edition
2-CD set. Available for one week only, the "Best of" set contains one CD of
hits, and one CD of "B" sides -- rare tracks that were previously released
to accompany popular singles. Though a few, like "Silver and Gold" and "The
Three Sunrises," were included on albums, most were not.
According to press releases from the band's record label, the special
edition CDs will be pulled from store shelves after the first week.
Replacing them will be the official "Best of" CD, which will not include
the B-sides. The company gives no reason for the limited vs. regular
edition swap, but it's clear that Island's parent company, Polygram, wants
to ensure big sales -- and lots of publicity -- during the initial rollout.
And, of course, having the album become a hot item on the collectors'
market can't hurt.
So, is it worth the money? Should you go out and stand on line at midnight
(or whenever) just to get your hot little hands on a copy? Is this the
absolute must-have for any serious U2 fan? Well, yes . . . and not really.
Though this greatest hits compilation is a good start, it's not
particularly satisfying. U2 is at their best during live performances,
which accounts for the success of "Under a Blood Red Sky," "Wide Awake in
America" and the better parts of "Rattle and Hum." The band should have
included at least a few live tracks. After all, it's hard to imagine that
anyone could choose the studio versions of "Bad" or "I Will Follow" over
the live recordings.
If U2 had wanted to give something back to the fans, they'd have scrapped
the B-sides and included a collection of live tracks -- perhaps even an old
concert recording from the "Joshua Tree" era. But with two more best-of
collections due out, we're sure one will feature live stuff -- which might
be almost as good as the concert bootlegs available on the black market.
Of course, what's there is good. All the big hits are here: "Sunday Bloody
Sunday," "With or Without You," "New Year's Day," "Pride [In the Name of
Love]," and "Angel of Harlem," as well as some lesser-known singles: "The
Unforgettable Fire," "When Love Comes to Town," and "All I Want is You."
It's interesting to note that "All I Want" didn't get much radio play until
a few years after its release, when it was used on the soundtrack of the
Gen-X movie, "Reality Bites." This really makes it more of a '90s single,
but this is just splitting hairs: technically, it dates from 1988, when it
was the last song on the brilliant but underrated "Rattle & Hum" album.
It's appropriate that the first of U2's planned three greatest hits
collections focuses on the period between 1980-1990. During these years, U2
carved a unique identity in the music world: at once achingly earnest,
oddly naive, passionately political, unflinchingly spiritual.
As the band members matured during the decade, going from their late teens
to their late 20s, their music matured as well: The writing became more
sophisticated, the arrangements more complex. The band has often said that
they weren't very good in the beginning. Bono is on record as saying that
U2 learned to write their own music because he couldn't manage to sing
anyone else's.
The earliest cut on the album, "I Will Follow," from 1980's "Boy" album,
has all the energy one would expect of a bunch of teenagers let loose in a
recording studio. The sound echoes a bit, Bono's voice is surprisingly
unpolished (and, at times, a little flat) and the backup vocals don't quite
blend. But Edge's guitar work is electrifying, and Larry's steady behind
the drum kit. The song is a teenager's search for guidance: "When a boy
tries hard to be a man/His mother takes him by his hand/He starts to think,
he starts to cry/Oh, why?"
Contrast this with the title track from 1981's "October" album. It is here
that U2 starts to experiment. There are no drums, just Edge on keyboard and
Bono's trademark breathy wail. Though short, the song takes a giant leap in
perspective: The "Boy" is no longer looking for guidance; he is not quite
as self-centered. "October/And kingdoms rise, and kingdoms fall/But you go
on and on . . ."
"New Year's Day" from 1983's "War" album was a breakthrough hit. This was
the first indication of the band's growing political awareness; the
enduring images of "a world in riot" under a "blood red sky."
But the track from "War" that everyone remembers is U2's most personal, and
controversial song, the anthemic "Sunday Bloody Sunday." From the
military-style drumbeat to the distinctive guitar riffs, the instrumental
track underscores the singer's struggle against heeding the "battle call"
of sectarian violence. Given the band's strong Christian leanings -- Bono
and Edge both derived their nicknames from the Lypton Village prayer group
-- they worried that the song would be misread as a call to arms.
After the success of "War," U2 entered a period of introspection, reflected
in the moody, ambient sound of the Brian Eno-inspired "Unforgettable Fire."
Though the title track was never a big hit, the album contained the
wrenchingly beautiful "Bad," and the group's biggest-selling single to
date, the defiant "Pride [In the Name of Love]." This is the album where
Bono's vocal style is fully developed -- he's finally able to hit the high
notes without straining or lapsing into falsetto. The trademark breathiness
is never more evident than on these two tracks, but here he uses it as a
dramatic device, rather than as a crutch. There is a lot of religious
imagery in the songs: in "Pride" there is a "man betrayed with a kiss,"
while in "Bad," there is a desperate desire for "revelation."
1987's "The Joshua Tree" marked a change of mood (and location) for the
band. This was the group's breakthrough album in the United States; it
stayed near the top of the pop charts for months and yielded top-selling
singles, including "Where the Streets Have No Name," "With or Without You,"
and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." It was quickly followed
by a documentary film titled "Rattle and Hum," which spawned a soundtrack
album of the same name. These are the band's "American" albums --
influenced by rhythm and blues, gospel music and Bob Dylan. The best tracks
are the Billie Holiday-inspired "Angel of Harlem" and the duet with B.B.
King, "When Love Comes to Town."
The only new thing on this best of collection is a retread of "The Sweetest
Thing," a lightweight, throwaway song that was originally slated for "The
Joshua Tree." The song is nothing extraordinary -- a lot of overblown
Bono-isms: "My love throws me like a rubber ball/The sweetest thing," and
uninspired instrumental accompaniment. It's hard to imagine the song
fitting into the near-perfect "Tree."
The B-sides are a collection of curiosities; after all, there is a reason
these were B-sides. Among the few exceptions are a couple of terrific
covers, "Everlasting Love" and "Unchained Melody," both of which were
backing tracks on the "All I Want is You" single. U2 shows a real flair for
the '60s girl group sound on "Everlasting Love" -- they would later take
this talent full circle with their performance of the Ronettes' "It's
Christmas [Baby Please Come Home]" on the charity album "A Very Special
Christmas."
Larry's deceptively lazy percussion track and Bono's throat-straining
shouts during the chorus are strangely compelling on "Unchained Melody,"
especially for someone who's not a fan of the Righteous Brothers' version.
Bono occasionally sounds off-key, but somehow, it adds to the sense of
urgency.
All things considered, "U2 The best of 1980-1990" may be regarded as a
leisurely stroll down memory lane. It's a good deal for someone who's a new
fan or for someone who enjoys collecting rarities. For everyone else, it'll
look nice on your CD rack -- or it would if the cover were more evocative.
At worst, you'll be able to give your CD disc changer a rest.
_________________________________
Matt McGee / [email protected]
@U2 Web Page Curator
http://www.atu2.com
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