U2 - The Unforgettable Fire
|
Our Price: $3.39 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for The Unforgettable Fire
Free Music Review: The Sincerest form of Flattery
Hit: 5 Stars
After years of Hyundai car commercial jingles and Beer adds that have usurped the surface appeal of this ground breaking album it is easy to understand why it has slipped from favor in the U2 cannon. To be fair, it is not always possible to ask listners to listen to music for its historic or contextual value. Then again there have been scores of magazines heralding the virtues of Sgt. Pepper as the finest rock record ever even though... well... who really spends time having their world view shaken by the likes of "For the Benefit of Mr. Kite" anymore? The point is that this album, as difuse dreamlike, and well, dated, as it sounds now was a shocking departure in its day. This was U2's first stab after something more "artistic" than the visceral sound of a rock band. It may well be for this reason that it has offended so many. It is also the album that really won for them the stature their later work has attained. String sections, layered guitars, open spacious arrangements that became the signature of so many '80s acts were introduced to that decade by this ground breaking work that finally allowed Brian Eno not only to conquer, but to change the world with his oblique stratagies. The fact that an album from 1985 should sound so completely familiar and played in another millenium is testimony to just how much its soundscapes became a part of the popular consciousness. It is easy not to forgive this album for all the crass imitations it has spawned, but try, just try listeneing to it on its own merrits. Listen to the chiming harmonics, and low cello strings, and wonder just where the ideas to mate the two came from. Miles Davis is said to have listened to this album frequently during the last few months of his life. Its musical merits, and earnest youthful atempts to surpass itself are in fact part of its charm. Its stumbles are not mere errors, they are unguarded moments and as such they are quite brave considering the commercial success that the band was guaranteed by simply sitting on its laurels and playing it safe.Free Music Review: My Favorite of U2
Hit: 5 Stars
This album is their least commercial of all, but the most artistic, in my view. The cascading drums of 'A Sort of Homcoming' begins the passionate journey, which is The Unforgettable Fire. It's interesting to hear the musical progression from 'Boy' to this record, in only 4 short years (I'm assuming that Eno and Lanois' influence had a big part in that evolution). 'Pride' is the only departure on an album that cares more about taking you on a passionate journey, than feeding you songs with a hooky chorus. Some of my favorites include, ' A Sort of Homecoming', a great opening force of raw passion and spirit, 'Wire', which reminds me of some the music of today, although with more depth and focus, 'The Unforgettable Fire', with its haunting guitar overlaying and strong supporting string arrangement, 'Prominade', for it's beautiful story of falling in love in a seaside town and it's poetic lyrics, and of course, 'Bad', which is a fantastic build type song that reaches a pinnacle of emotional passion. I love every song on this album, including Elvis Presely and America, and everytime I hear the opening of Edge's guitar on 'Pride', it reminds of of that fall of 1984 when the airways were filled with Cindy Lauper, Madonna, hair bands, and a host of New Wave synth [stuff] and remembering that great guitar work just blowing me away. For a 20 year old who wanted something raw, yet powerful, that was music to my ears and thank God U2 was there to keep mainstream rock honest and back on course.
'Joshua Tree' and 'Achtung Baby!' may have a better collection of pop tunes, but when I want to hear U2 at their artistic pinnacle I always put in Unforgettable. This record is timeless and it still stands up today.
I'm somewhat looking forward to U2's next, which should be coming out late this year, but I'm not expecting anything to match what was done from '84-'91. I just hope they continue to be as passionate as ever, regardless of what Henry Rollins says about them. (...)
Free Music Review: Recorded in an Irish Castle
Hit: 5 Stars
Sure a castle (Ireland's Slane Caste in Meath Co.) may not be one of the most acoustically friendly structures but the ancient setting must have lent U2 a formidable muse in order to turn out this gem. Out of U2's big back-to-back-to-back triumvirate of The Unforgettable Fire (1984), The Joshua Tree (1987), and Achtung Baby (1991); The Unforgettable Fire is at the height of their artistry. It is a moodscape with each song seemingly blending into the next and outside of "Pride in the Name of Love", no real radio-friendly hit. Speaking to the power of the album though, is the fact that The Unforgettable Fire brought U2 to a broader audience despite not having a litany of hits like Achtung Baby. The Edge really owns this album as his weaved hyper-kinetic seemingly looped guitar work is a wonder to behold. Bono is lyrically strong and sings with conviction all over the album. Such does not seem to be the case in the days of "Pop", "Zooropa", and the return to form but somewhat inconsistent, "All That You can't Leave Behind."
"Wire" is manic and driving, perhaps the strongest tracks of its kind on the album. The words are stream of consciousness with Bono all over the map with howls and grunts and sung/rapped/spoken ranting. It's pretty amazing really. "Indian Summer Sky" is another dark and driving track in the same vein. The Edge is edgy here. The album closes with a beautiful and haunting near-a cappella lullaby hymn titled "MLK." I sing this to put my newborn son to sleep at night and it hasn't failed to calm him yet. The lyrics are simple but effectively convey a sense of rest putting off your worries onto a sacrificial being, "Sleep, sleep tonight and may your dreams be realized. If the thunderclouds passes rain, so let it rain, let it rain, rain on him." Beautiful, like the whole of the album, muted and sincere.
Free Music Review: Unforgettable Music
Hit: 5 Stars
The Unforgettable Fire marked a distinct turn in U2's sound. It was the first album to be produced by Daniel Lanois & Brian Eno and the album has a fuller, more ethereal sound as compared to their earlier work, but there is still that sense of rebellion and immediacy. The album's single "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" is great example of the combination of the sounds. It has a driving beat, but with the Lanois/Eno production, it has a much fuller sound than say a "Sunday Bloody Sunday", but is no less powerful. "A Sort Of A Homecoming" is a beautiful, lush song that opens the album while "Wire" and the title track are pulsating, powerful songs. "Bad" may well be the best song the band has every done. A song about the perils of heroin addiction, it has the compassionate The Unforgettable Fire marked a distinct turn in U2's sound. It was the first album to be produced by Daniel Lanois & Brian Eno and the album has a fuller, more ethereal sound as compared to their earlier work, but there is still that sense of rebellion and immediacy. The album's single "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" is great example of the combination of the sounds. It has a driving beat, but with the Lanois/Eno production, it has a much fuller sound than say a "Sunday Bloody Sunday", but is no less powerful. "A Sort Of A Homecoming" is a beautiful, lush song that opens the album while "Wire" and the title track are pulsating, powerful songs. "Bad" may well be the best song the band has every done. A song about the perils of heroin addiction, it has the compassionate & understanding lyrics and anthem like quality that the band is best known for. Granted that some of the songs like "Elvis Presley & America" and "4th of July" are not the best they every done, but the bulk of the album is classic U2.Free Music Review: Trozos y retazos (de gloria) sobre este suelo...
Hit: 5 Stars
Este album es impresionante. Junto con Joshua Tree es de lo mejor de U2 y no vale la pena devanarse los sesos tratando de averiguar cual de los 2 es mejor porque tanta belleza no puede ser medida objetivamente. Es mejor disfrutarlos.De las 10 canciones la unica que no es digna de merecer el titulo de excelencia es 4th of July. Pero aguanta cuando escuchas el album completo.
Todas las demas son sublimes: Homecoming, MLK, Summer Sky son excelentes. La guitarra cristalina de Promenade casi se siente llorar y el frenesi de Wire hace levantar los pies del suelo.
De Pride y Unforgettable Fire ni que decir, ambas son clasicos y su musicalizacion no tiene defectos. Cada una hace sentir una faceta diferente con sus letras: Pride, la ira, el deseo de levantarse ante todo. Fire, el romanticismo del amor no correspondido, el amor que no muere...
Bad es una de las canciones mas apasionadas que haya escuchado (can't let it go). Las alusiones a la vida sin Vida, al "si pudiera", a desvanecerse pueblan este sueño clandestino que pocas veces un grupo puede lograr plasmar en una cancion.
Por ultimo tenemos Elvis Prsley and America. Obviando el titulo esta es una gema. Elvis no se aparece por aca y America no abarca suficiente para esta joya. Sin embargo, he leido que a algunas personas no les gusta. Tal vez porque es algo incoherente (incluso para personas que tienen el ingles como lengua materna) pero eso no importa tanto. ¿Que nadie se da cuenta que esta cancion narra una dulce venganza? Bits and pieces on this floor... Tal vez la unica manera de que la venganza sea dulce. Y la musica te hace palpitar al igual que el choque de sentimientos narrado por la cancion.
La musica y las liricas indescriptibles, Bono apasionado e inigualable y Edge con su guitarra infinita hacen de este album una de las maximas expresiones de la musica contemporanea.