U2 - The Unforgettable Fire
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Free Music Notes for The Unforgettable Fire
Free Music Review: The Unforgettable Fire
Hit: 5 Stars
This is undoubtably the most fine U2 album written.What one of the other reviews says is true - it is the bridge of the gap between the albums such war and Joshua Tree. This bridge, in my opinion, makes for the best U2. What makes this album extra special is that each individual musician works his instrument to levels of mastery never seen in any other U2 album. Joshua Tree may be the best known album, but I can't help thinking that it is dominated exclusively by the guitar work of the Edge. The later albums although each of them are outstandingly clever and well crafted, become more dominated by information technology. The Edge - in The Unforgettable Fire his work varies from the energetic vibrance of Wire and Pride to the sultry brilliance of Bad and Promenade. As far as guitar is concerned, the syle is so varied the album doesn't represent the mere product of a working musician, but a master in every area. Moreover I have never heard in any other band a guitarist with the same style of Edge - how many songs have you heard on the radio with the same guitar playing?
Larry Mullen Jr. in my opinion represents the very escence of U2. In The Unforgettable Fire he is more open in his drumming than in any other Album. Without his varying drum lines and patterns U2 would not be U2 at all. In this album he combines his Sunday Bloody Sunday brilliance with his extreme technical perfection to produce such an amazing result that it is hard to give any respect to other drummers. Try listening through Pride, A Sort Of Homecoming and Wire and The....every song and listen for the extremely understated excellence.
It is hard to count out Mr Clayton because his bass in this album is simply formidable.the sound of the title track is made by him in harmony with the Edge. When you stop to listen to the song, instead of letting it pass through ear to ear - like U2 does because it seems to be like life itself - Adam Clayton's bass work is what holds it all together. I won't go into the styles of Bono but I'm sure you will all agree that his input is absolutely invaluable.
A Sort of Homecoming, as #1 serves to get you in the rythmn of the new U2 beat. It's frenetic drumming and logical but random guitar create such an atmosphere as to actually lift your feet of the ground. It does actually sound like travelling from place to place on tour - which is I think what it is about. This is a relatively forgotten song but a delight that people only discover now, 16 years on, if they but the album. Pride simply goes without saying. Simply everything about this song is perfect. Down to a T. It doesn't seem to be remembered as a groove for Martin Luther King, moreover as a powerfull swerve into the reality of life and love. This song contains so much atmosphere that it is hard to forget where you were everytime you've listened to it in a public place. Wire is a great bridging song between 2 of the 3 greats of the album. This is the song though that, in my opinion, opitimises the 1980s U2 sound. Frenetic drumming, fast guitar work, groovy bass and Bonos vocal chords on full. Complete with all of his well-loved quirks. The Unforgettable Fire is the most atmospheric song of the album. It does not conform to the normal rules of U2 - it has musically more side to it. It is my favorite song of the album. It was written by Bono after visiting an exhibition (called the Unforgettable Fire) in one of the Japenese Cities hit by an atom bomb in WW2. I can't really see how the lyrics convey this fact but that is irrelevant. The song wells up such massive feelings of nostalgia and fogotten memorys that it is ill met in excellence, in my opinion, by any other U2 song. Promenade is another atmospheric great, along with 4th of July. It is fully understandable why they put both of these shorter tracks on the album - to give the listener a bit of a break after the first 4 and before Bad. Nevertheless, Promenade I see as a mini Unforgettable Fire. This song is utterly made by the excellence of the Edge. It has very much the same nostalgeic effect as the song before. Bad, is many people's favorite on the album. Many pop singers count it as their favorite song ever, when asked. I love it, as I do all U2 songs, but for me it does not conjure up the same power as the songs formerly mentioned. It is definitely the crescendo in Larry Mullen's drummin' that makes the song, and for all you out there who want to know what it is about. I'm running out of time, but all the other songs on the album have the same U2 effect and are no worse one from the other. Try listening to them, and maybe you'll get the same effect as me.
To close, if you have not bought this album you are missing out on a huge chunk of life. If I could I'd rate it 10*. Everytime you listen to the first line - "and you know its time to go" - it sounds different and more exciting.
Free Music Review: A Forgotten Gem, and one of U2's most Underrated
Hit: 5 Stars
Mention the band name U2, and instantly people will probably think of The Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby, and most recently All That You Can't Leave Behind, which just won 4 more Grammies.As incredible as those 3 CDs are, it is this often times forgotten gem that really started my lifelong dedication to U2.
For those who remember what the music scene was like back in 1984-1985, it wasn't too much different than today - pop groups that are here today, then gone the next, only to show up on one of those "Where Are They Now" shows. I remember the first time I ever heard the 6 note introduction to "Pride", and I was awestruck. That's all it took to make me a lifelong fan of U2. I sensed there was something different about this band, and something told me "These guys are going to be around for a while...you might want to pay attention to them." A divine message or a premonition? I'll let you decide that.
Another reviewer called this disc the link between "War" and "The Joshua Tree", and be right. The trademark characteristic of U2 is that no two albums ever sound alike, but they truly are pieces of work. Here's a track by track run down, with ranking.
"A Sort of Homecoming": 5/5 Great guitarwork by the Edge, who has constantly proved to be one of the most creative guitarists ever. Adam and Larry, as always, doing what they do best. Good vocal performance by Bono.
"Pride" 5/5 Again, this is the song that kindled my passion for this band by rising above the sludge of mindless pop and metal that was around when this disc was first released. Passionate lyrics about Martin Luther King who gave everything to see a world in which racism is a thing of the past. Outstanding guitarwork by the Edge, as always.
"Wire" 5/5 Great opening with the Edge's rhythm guitar work, but this song really belongs to Adam, with his bass line that dominates the whole song. I've heard of two different intrepretation of the lyrics to this song, but I'll leave it up to you, the listener which you think fits better. One is that it is about Jack the Ripper, or possibly about suicide. Of course, U2 has always been ambigious with their lyrics, so songs can have different meanings to different people.
"The Unforgettable Fire" 5/5 This song is one of the most atmospheric on the whole album, and one of the tracks that I overplayed when I first got the record. Guess that gives away my age.
"Promenade" 4/5 Another slow, atmospheric song, with a great vocal performance by Bono.
"4th of July" 3/5 Probably the only instrumental that U2 has ever done. Again, a standout peformance by Adam. I see this song as sort of a link between Promenade and Bad.
"Bad" 7/5 I can't say enough about this song...this is the one that brought the house down at Wimbley Stadium during Live Aid. That performance marked the beginning of U2's rise to superstardom, and global dominance in the rock world. Outstanding vocals by Bono, with some of his most passionate lyrics, which deal with heroin use in Dublin. Great performance again by Larry (especially at the end), the Edge, and Adam.
"Indian Summer Sky" 4/5 Probably one of the most underrated song's on the entire disc. This is another song that I played constantly. This song is among my favorites on The Unforgettable Fire. Adam, again, dominates this song, with the Edge doing what he does best, in adding color to the song with his contributions.
"Elvis Presley and America" 4/5 A good song, but if I recall right, it used the drum and bass tracks from "A Sort of Homecoming" while Bono ad libbed the lyrics over it in just a stream of consciousness fashion.
"MLK" 5/5 U2 has a tradition of ending each release with a slow, thoughtful song, and TUF is no exception. This is among my favorite album closers. A passionate vocal performance by Bono, with lyrics dedicated to King. The best way, as another reviewer pointed out, to experience this song is to turn out all the lights and listen to the song in the dark on a discman. It becomes a lot more powerful.
This CD will always hold a special place in my heart, as it was the spark that ignited my passion for one of the greatest rock groups ever.
Free Music Review: The last "real" U2 album
Hit: 5 Stars
All bands that grow from small underground followings to pan-galactic stardom seem to have distinctive "before" and "after" periods in their recording history, and Irish rock gods U2 are no exception. For the first half of the 1980's they were staples of college radio, a time when it really MEANT something to be big on college rotations. They had a small but extremely dedicated fanbase and were telegenic (well, Bono was, mullet and all) enough to make the video rotation on MTV, especially after the concert taped at Red Rocks theatre in Colorado, one of the best shows I've ever seen (and one I'd really like to see re-released on DVD.
Then "The Joshua Tree" came out in 1987 and they became mainstream rock stars playing in stadiums on tour and being mentioned in TV shows like "thirtysomething". Then came "Rattle & Hum" and they've been trying to sound like everyone else but themselves ever since.
But "The Unforgettable Fire", now 20 years old, was the last album they made that still had the same raw and vital energy they had from when they formed during punk's dying gasps. The Edge was still one of the most distinctive (and I honestly believe the last truly innovative) guitarists on the music scene. Larry Mullen Jr.'s savage chops showed that he could keep up with any drum machine programmer; Adam Clayton's bassplaying has never been equalled either in the mix or stylistically speaking on any other U2 album. And of course Bono's voice was just amazing...truly versatile, monumentally inspiring on some tracks while utterly heartbreaking on others.
The album hits the ground running with "A Sort of Homecoming" (unbelievably the only lyrics printed on the liner notes), shifts gears to the arena-friendly "Pride (in the Name of Love)", the monumental hit single that set the stage for their mainstream success (and became overplayed to the point that I sometimes forget to tingle inside when I hear it today...most unfortunate for me; it's still a great song), then upshifts yet again to my favorite track "Wire", an exercise in kineticism with a laid-back growl rising to a searing howl played over a frenzied rhythym; great contrast.
"The Unforgettable Fire" brings things down a bit, but some of Bono's finest singing is displayed here. The string arrangement may have been a bit over the top, but...it still works. "Promenade" and "4th of July" may be throw-aways, but they still add to the feel of the record. They fit the overall mood of the album. "Bad" is a crescendo-build-up that fits the same mood as "The Unforgettable Fire", and "Indian Summer Sky" fits hand-in-glove with "Wire".
"Elvis Presley and America" I've never fully understood, but it is the only track featuring a droning acoustic guitar and the compressed effect (with Mullen's staccato drumming) give the song (to me, at least) more of a Hindustani feel, which I dig. "MLK" closes the album out on a very Eno-esque mellow note; it may not be remembered as one of U2's best tracks, but it should be remembered that they also chose to perform that song during their halftime appearance at Super Bowl XXXVI, which was the NFL championship game following 9/11. The roll of the dead from that day's events was displayed as a backdrop; obviously the song meant more for U2 in 2001 than it may have even in 1984.
Remembering that this album was initially designed to be a 2-sided LP or cassette tape should give the listener even more appreciation for the degree of balance demonstrated when comparing the first five tracks with tracks 6-10. Overall it's a terrific album, and the last time U2 recorded an album where they sounded like U2, which is to say they sounded like no one else before them or no one else since. Buy it at once.
Free Music Review: Poetic, Atmospheric, Ground Breaking, Fabulous!
Hit: 5 Stars
Its important to understand the context in which this album was written, especially because some critics regard this album as "aimless." This album broke important new ground not just for U2, but was a big influence on a whole generation of sound that was to follow by many other bands. Thom Yorke, of RadioHead, for example, cites this album as one of his favorites of all time.I've been a U2 fan from the very beginning, I owned "Boy" (their first album) about 1 month after it was first released in 1980, and I've been a big fan every since. The first three albums, "Boy", "October" and "War" show a brilliant band starting to "gel" and hit their stride. By the time "War" was released, with the big hit "New Years Day", U2 had opened up to a much wider audience while still remaining true to their music. War solidified a creative process they had started with "Boy.'
After "War", U2 could have, perhaps, produced several more excellent albums that were very similar to War. But to their credit, U2 have a restless creative spirit which saw them cast about for new directions.
The first three albums were produced by Steve Lilywhite, an excellent producer, who among other things, was famous for a sound that made the drums sound as big as houses. U2 decided to hook up with Brian Eno for their next album. Eno had achieved reverential status in art circles for his atmospheric "ambient" music. Eno was one of the early innovators in using the recording studio as an instrument in its own right. His influence is strong on "Unforgettable Fire."
This can be heard right from the very first cut on the album "A Sort of Homecoming". It has a beautiful, spacious quality with a muted drum sound that is none the less driving and energetic. It launches you into a beautiful dream world that much of the rest of the album continues. The second song "Pride (in the name of Love)" was the first big hit for the album - their tribute to Martin Luther King. Its a great song, but there are several works on the album that even better. Also "Pride" sounds more like the "War" album than it does like the rest of "Unforgettable Fire."
The third song, "Wire" is just absolutely incredible. It manages to be both fierce, and yet also, dreamy. It has great, searing guitar work, and great, driving drums. And yet it also sounds like it came from another planet! I think this is in part due to Eno's influence, who encouraged the band to just let it flow, to let the great unconscious come pouring forth.
However, as good as these songs are, they aren't my favorites on the album. The title track "Unforgettable Fire" and "Bad" are my favorites. They are just utterly amazing. "Unforgettable Fire" has both a rich, complex, sonic landscape, a dreamy ambience, and a killer beat that just pulls you in and takes you away. By contrast, "Bad" is quite simple in structure, and yet it spirals upwards until you feel like you've left earth behind! Just incredible.
And yes, to comment on some other critics, there are some cuts on this album which don't seem so wonderful, such as "Elvis Presley and America". However, I'm more than willing to accept them as part of the stream of consciousness that seems to be in play for creating the heavenly works that also inhabit this album.
"Unforgettable Fire" is for poets, artists, and dreamers of all sorts. Utterly amazing!
Free Music Review: What Irish roots give this album and ultimately the band.
Hit: 5 Stars
*The fourth Cd of U2's musical emporium, Unforgettable fire reveals a transition from War into Joshua Tree.*It can be said of "War," that the album was and is the apex of U2's political [rawness] in sound and lyrical style. Unforgettable fire has a phoenix like emergence from the ashes sensibility as the majority of its songs are in the key (or chord) of C, a regretful, longing chord . . . and usually melt into the G chord which evokes resolution and completion.
*U2 for most listeners are the bards of political issues that become metaphors for the heart and personal relationships.
*It can be said in a critical eye that as the band has progressed from its humble beginnings, they have lost their edge, (no pun intended) in dynamically representing the political turmoil of their or anyone else's homeland . . .
*Unforgettable fire is the exempt of this criticism, since its creation was in the throngs of U2's involvement with conflicts in their country(s) as well as their own personal lives.
*Brina Eno and Daniel Lanois do an incredible job producing, adding soft 80's synth and great echo and reverb.
#1, Sort of Homecoming, the first song on the CD, is a longing tune about returning to what was once known, and a permanent hiatus that changes home to a place no longer home, and the regret of the movement. The song is a perfect harbinger for the tone and aesthetic set for the rest of the CD.
#2, Pride is an incredible anthem that undoubtedly most have heard on the radio over the years, if not on the conglomerate best album. The song lyrically draws artistic similarities between the Historical and Christian Jesus with Martin Luther King.
#4, Unforgettable fire reminds me of a traveling ballad where old friends meet at an inn at twilight after a crossing the Gaelic lands. Bono serendanes an eeire falsetto, as the bard element here is clear and poignant, giving depth and meaning to the lyrics and melodies.
#6, Bad is a great breakup song, as I listened to it in my adolescence almost religiously during one of my first breakups. All relationships have emotional turmoil which often results in time apart from each other to dwell on what was done. All of the members of U2 have a relationship with Dublin, the city (or town) this was written on. Wonderful allegory in this song.
#7, Indian Summer is an awesome fall-song about reminiscing of the summer and settling down into the tempo of fall. I love how U2 utilizes the seasons in classic romantic style.
*All in all, a wonderful CD with powerful statements and allegory whether you agree with them or not. It is as effectual as it is full of energy and meaning. It is as calming as it is thought provoking and invigorating.
*This album is a must-have with the best of. It certainly is worth buying because of the omissions this CD contains from the Best of.