U2 - The Joshua Tree
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Free Music Notes for The Joshua Tree
Free Music Review: Enduring U2
Hit: 5 Stars
"All That You Can't Leave Behind" was a fantastic collection, a welcome return to form. Still, nothing on that album compares to the U2 of 1987."The Joshua Tree" explores a variety of styles, but is unified by an elegant simplicity. The band channels its penchant for layered guitars and keyboards into sparse arrangements that allow the songs -- which have always been the best thing about U2 -- to shine through.
Take, for example, "Where the Streets Have No Name." First we hear the swirls of keyboards, which seemingly combine an organ and choral voices. The effect is not schmaltzy or overwrought, but completely mesmerizing. Then Edge's finger-picked guitar enters, blending seamlessly into the keyboard textures. Just as the guitar segues into a gallop, the rhythm section of Mullens and Clayton drops in and anchors the song.
No extraordinary studio trickery, no "Pet Sounds" sonic pileup. Just good, stripped-down rock. "Gimme Shelter" aside, is there any more effective opening in rock music?
The first three tracks are the most renowned, and they deserve it --"With or Without You" might be the best song in the U2 playbook. But "Joshua Tree" was recorded as, and is, an album. In fact, "Running to a Standstill," in all its understated beauty, rivals "With or Without You." The band propels "One Tree Hill" along smoothly, while Bono provides the emotional charge (apparently the song was written for the funeral of a friend -- the grief is definitely palpable in Bono's voice). "In God's Country" is one of the best air-guitar songs this side of AC/DC. "Exit" seems somewhat shapeless, but the gorgeous "Mothers of the Disappeared" brings the album to an appropriate close.
I hesitate to predict that U2 will ever make music like this again. There is a certain youthful exuberance and joy of discovery in the sound of "The Joshua Tree" that I doubt a band of middle-agers can capture. "All You Can't Leave Behind" seemed to confirm this: while excellent, it sounded pedestrian in comparison.
But then again, U2 has made a career of being unpredictable. So prove me wrong, guys -- please.
Free Music Review: This is U2 at their finest!
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the defining album in U2's catalogue, and was lustfully lauded. U2 has a lot of energy, as heard in "Boy" and "War," but when they sublimate that energy, the can work Irish magic.The Tracks:
The album begins correctly with "Where the Streets Have No Name," a song and long fade in that takes us to an unknown place. But once we get there we realize that we "Still Haven't Found What [We're]Looking For," a nihilistic disappointment. Even at times religion can let us down. But what can bring us satisfaction is Love, "With or Without You," U2 at their finest.
"Bullet the Blue Sky," is the heavyset political song, and a break of the narrative. Bono wanted Edge to "run El Salvador through his amps." One of the punchiest songs every written.
"Red Hill Mining Town," brings us back to the narrative. We seem to have ended up in mining town were not only time but life has stood still. But don' let the facade fool you, beneath it is "God's country." Why is it God's country? Love again as you find your girl and "Trip though [her] wires."
"One Tree Hill" and "Exit" rind us that life is fleeting, and really love is what is permanent. "Mother's of the disappeared is one of the greatest outro ever recorded.
For some of the greatest outtakes from "The Joshua Tree" can be found on "U2-The Best of/The B Sides."
The Music:
Some of the best ever recorded. You feel the energy that highlights "War" and "Boy," but it is subdued and sublimated. Even "With or Without You" has a brooding power that tingles your ears and heart.
The music is somewhere between rough and ready of a garage band, and the slick and heavily produced pop music that has marked their more recent albums. The production does not get in the way of the punchy music.
The Album:
The black, white and gold album is inviting, since the music itself is black, white and gold. It is rough music that you would expect from the Electric Co., but the gold glistens in the background and guilds your ears.
Free Music Review: Great Sonice Imagery
Hit: 5 Stars
U2 is unparalleled at creating images from their sounds, and this album is probably the absolute best of their attempts. In some ways its sad that none of their other albums were ever able to truly capture all this album had though some of them came close "Achtung Baby" in particular. Though that has a completely different sound to it.This is an absolute great album, I bought it mainly because though I have so many of these songs already on the greatest hits collection I still wanted to get the feel of the whole album and it is definitely worth it. This album really works together to create a feeling and mood of being that I have never really felt with any other album.
I love this album because of the pictures and images it conjures up. It's actually one of the songs that doesn't receive much airplay that works the best for me. "In God's Country" is just a great poem in some ways, but everytime I hear it I just visualize myself walking along through this wood path when I was a Boy Scout and coming out upon a meadow that was atop of a small plateau from there I could see out across a valley. That is the kind of detailed imagery that this song and the rest of this album bring to mind.
Of course there are the other great songs on this album. "Where The Streets Have No Name" could be a modern classic in and of itself and will be heard for years to come. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" reminds us all that life is a search and that everytime we get caught up in the details and unpleasantness of life we have to look ahead to what we're truly aiming for. "With or Without You" is a great song, in many ways emotionally tearing. And what I believe to be one of the most emotional songs on this CD is "One Tree Hill" which was supposedly written in part because of a friend's death.
If you like this CD I would also recommend War which is another good early U2 CD. Achtung Baby is good but has a completely different, much more modern sound.
All in all, I highly recommend this CD to anyone who likes modern rock music.
Free Music Review: One of the best albums ever.
Hit: 5 Stars
U2 is one of those rare bands that deserves every bit of popularity they've obtained. Their knack for writing catchy, intelligent melodic rock is matched by very few. While Bono is often accused of being arrogant and pretentious (which may be true; never met the guy, so I couldn't say), he is undeniably a very talented fellow. He has one of the most distinctive and emotive voices in all of rock, and his lyrics are poignant and poetic.
The band are certainly no slouch in the talent department either. The Edge is often ridiculed for being a "simple" guitarist, but what he does with that simplicity is amazing. He can create melodic soundscapes and atmospheres that are like no other guitarist, and he always complements the song perfectly. Adam Clayton's basslines are always prominent and memorable, and Larry Mullen is a solid groove drummer. People who accuse these guys of being bad musicians obviously expect to be knocked over by insane chops, and are totally missing the point. Their loss, I suppose.
"The Joshua Tree" is simply a perfect album, and some of U2's finest work. The opening track, "Where the Streets Have No Name", is a sprawling epic of mesmerizing ambient guitar and synth melodies, creating some really magnificent atmospheres. "Red Hill Mining Town" is semi-folky, perfectly evoking the imagery of a small Irish village. "With or Without You", and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" were the mega-hits, with inescapable melodic hooks. But every song on here is fantastic, from the affectionate "Running to Stand Still", to the short, chipper "In God's Country", to the weird country-flavored "Trip Through Your Wires", to the dark, sinister groove of "Bullet the Blue Sky", to the hypnotic chants of "Exit", to the super-infectious melodies of "One Tree Hill", to the staggeringly beautiful closer, "Mothers of the Disappeared". Each song is distinctive, memorable, and most importantly, good.
U2 is one of the most talented rock bands of the last 20 years, and everyone should own this classic release. "War" and "Achtung Baby" are must-haves as well.
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.