U2 - The Joshua Tree
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Free Music Notes for The Joshua Tree
Free Music Review: Sonic improvement, but worth the price?
Hit: 5 Stars
Since many other reviewers have amply debated the artistic merits of this album (the phrase, "beating a dead horse," comes to mind), I'll direct my review solely to those people considering purchasing the MFSL version, who might be wondering if it offers any sonic improvement over the standard CD version of the album, and, if so, if those improvements are worth the price of purchase.
There is no question that the sound on this MFSL release is an improvement over that on the Island Records CD, still featuring the original 1987 mastering, done when the album was first released. However, the improvements on the MFSL disc are subtle. The most noticeable difference between the two discs upon first listen is the difference in volume; the MFSL disc is decidedly louder. I decided to rip a few tracks from both CDs into waveform and then compare them in a wave editor to see just how much louder the MFSL disc is. The MFSL's signal gain is roughly 50% greater than that of the original CD. If one were to compare the two discs without compensating for the difference in volume, that difference would contribute to the perception of improved sound quality in the Gold version. This perception is not entirely inaccurate, however; the signal-to-noise ratio on the original version is lower, and by increasing the volume of the original version to match that of the Gold version, one is also increasing the base noise level. There is noticeably less background noise on the Gold version, even when played at higher volume levels. This helps present a cleaner sound picture. That aside, once I compensated for the volume difference, I really had to focus closely to hear the differences in sound between the two discs. The MFSL disc has consistently cleaner, more focused, more dynamic sound than the original, and generally sounds like a higher quality mastering, but those differences presented themselves to my ears only upon close listening on high-end equipment. In many "real world" listening situations, and on anything other than high-end equipment, the differences will be subtle, to say the least, and quite possibly unnoticeable.
The MFSL mastering does not improve the basic quality of the recording or the mix, which is still dense with atmospherics and highly ambient. Reviewers who complain about the sound quality of the original disc and blame it on old mastering techniques may have missed the mark: U2 specifically asked engineer Flood for this kind of sound (as he explained in the "making of" DVD), and as such, I suspect a lot of what is considered poor mastering is actually intrinsic to the original recording. The MFSL version does not alter that. It just presents a slightly cleaner, more accurate version of a rather murky soundscape.
So, is it worth getting? Cost and availability notwithstanding, this is definitely the better CD version of the album to have. However, those expecting miraculous improvements might find themselves disappointed. The diminishing returns theory applies here: you will spend a lot for incrementally slight improvements. Moreover, Island Records can't hold out forever; one of these days, they'll likely issue a remastered version of The Joshua Tree, one which most likely will improve on MFSL's nearly two-decades old mastering, for a much lower purchase price. (This goes double in the unlikely event that the album will have been remixed for re-release.) Until that time comes, the MFSL version is the best one out, but given the cost, I suspect only collectors or those whose ears are extremely particular would find it to be a worthy investment.
Free Music Review: One of the best U2 albums
Hit: 5 Stars
Personally, it's really difficult to decide if Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby ranks as U2's best album but I'll have to give it to Joshua Tree to the fact that the songs still stand up to today without the bravdo of later albums. Simple, beautiful and down to earth. Free Music Review: Good
Hit: 4 Stars
This album, to me, is really really slow. I really love the first three songs. I love the whole cd, but it can get a little boring. It's a slow album compared to most of their other ones, and some points feel like there should just be more there. It is amazing for a slower album, and U2 masters the slow songs beautifully, but it's not, nor has it ever been, my favorite U2 album.Free Music Review: The Joshua Tree
Hit: 5 Stars
Even years (and years) later - this Disc is a classic. But then again, it IS U2. Five stars...Free Music Review: Meaning of With or Without you
Hit: 5 Stars
With or without is about a woman who gives her virginity away to an another.
"See the stone set in your eyes
See the thorn twist in your side
I wait for you"
A man is waiting for a woman who has beautiful eyes and her beauty resembles a rose.
"Sleight of hand and twist of fate
On a bed of nails she makes me wait
And I wait without you"
Due to chance and fate (a relationship which failed due to bad Karma), a man is torturously waiting for her.
"With or without you
With or without you
Through the storm we reach the shore
You give it all but I want more
And Im waiting for you"
The failed relationship was very stormy and she "gave it all" but that wasn't enough. Now, he can't do much except wait for her to come back to him.
"With or without you
With or without you
I cant live
With or without you"
Even though he wants her back, something is holding him back. He couldn't live with himself even if she did come back to him.
"And you give yourself away
And you give yourself away
And you give
And you give
And you give yourself away"
She gives her self away. ..But what?
"My hands are tied
My body bruised, shes got me with
Nothing to win and
Nothing left to lose"
The is the key phrase of the entire song. His hands are tied and there is nothing he could do. He is devastated by what had happened because there is nothing to win (her virginity and heart)..and nothing left to lose (her virginity). Now he must live with the torment of wanting her and yet not wanting her back because she has given herself away to an another.
"And you give yourself away
And you give yourself away
And you give
And you give
And you give yourself away
"With or without you
With or without you
I cant live
With or without you"
This describes the torment.