U2 - The Unforgettable Fire
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Free Music Notes for The Unforgettable Fire
Free Music Review: Departure from their previous music, some great tracks.
Hit: 4 Stars
This album was definitely sandwiched by two better ones (War in 1983 and Joshua Tree in 86/87) but it's a great album in its own right. The major weakness are a few tracks that I can only describe as murky and pointless. I think some B-sides would have been better in their place, but I realize U2 was going through a very EXPERIMENTAL phase here.
Anyway, what boosts this up to a 4-star rating are a handful of excellent songs that I'll never get tired of hearing and belong to the canon of amazing U2 and 80s tracks. Pride and Bad are probably the two best. The album as a whole is representative of the new U2 sound that for me is like a time warp to the mid 80s (in a good way). Also, though you might not like the production on this album as much as their newer (or older) stuff, you can still feel the band's energy and investment in their music with a hint of Bono's egomania just around the corner. They were definitely striving for something, and at moments they were dead on.
Free Music Review: The beginning of the takeover
Hit: 4 Stars
With this album U2 became a mega-act, taking on arena rock and paving the way for The Joshua Tree and 'biggest band in the world' and 'rock's hottest ticket'.
This is the first collaboration between the band and producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. The result is a departure from the Steve Lillywhite-produced sound and is much more experimental than anything they'd done. With Eno on board, there was an emphasis on textures and the intro of keyboards and soundscapes.
The album is kind of split between big songs and much more experimental work. A Sort of Homecoming is the first track, with its rumbling percussion and fuzzy effects, a big departure from earlier albums. Perhaps best known is the ultimate-rock-anthem Pride (in the Name of Love), with its massive guitar sound and massive hook. Wire is a fast, frantic number that is atmospheric and even :;gasp:: angry. The title track is anthemic as well, moody but hopeful in that U2-way.
The album features about four or five experimental tracks that work to varying degrees. 4th of July is simply an instrumental, one of U2's few, and mostly an atmospheric piece recorded on the fly on...the 4th of July, I believe. Nothing special, but sets the mood for the next track, Bad, which became a live staple, especially after the Live Aid performance in 1985. Promenade is another atypical U2 song, a very somber song with quiet percussion and mysterious production, all courtesy of master of soundscapes and artistic knob-twiddling, Brian Eno.
The most bizarre track by far is Elvis Presley and America, which apparently was mostly ad-libbed by Bono. There are no lyrics in the liner notes (except for Sort of Homecoming) and it's not surprising. It's doubtful if Bono can remember them, and some of them are downright incomprehensible. The drumbeat is A Sort of Homecoming, but slowed down, and the whole song has a very bizarre and hypnotic feel. One of the few U2 tracks never performed live, and a real mystery, period. Oddly attractive, though.
This was a big change for U2. They would go on to work with all of their producers again over time, sometimes having each of them on one album for different songs (Eno, Lanois, Lillywhite, Flood, etc.) The production has always been very important to U2 as a band, but the songs are good and they hold up on stage as well. This is U2 at their moody, experimental, hopeful best. Bono would try getting 'deeper' in his lyrics, to varying effects, but they were on their way to being a serious, if pretensious rock band trying to do something more than the pop-rock and cheese of the time. And music is the better for it.
Free Music Review: Get this just for A Sort Of Homecoming alone
Hit: 4 Stars
This album is a sample of the REAL classic U2 - not the sold out one they want you to believe by putting the same cocktail of trademarked sounds once again -.
A sort Of Homecoming is an experience for me. Without doubt, one of my top 10 U2 songs. Then, a TRULY classic: Pride ( in the name of love ). Everyone have listen this song, so it's not worth to talk about it, simply a great song. For all those freaks whom think this U2 2000 is "classic" or whatever, LISTEN TO BONO'S VOICE !!!! WHAT A RANGE HE HAD IN THOSE DAYS !!!! not this raspy one who "likes the sound of his own voice" ( what a crap !!! ). The Edge was innovative in those days ( unlike nowadays ), as well Adam and Larry.
Bad is a TRULY anthem. Promenade includes one of the top 10 Bono's performances.
Elvis Presley and America is an amazing musical journey, I don't what do you think, but every time I listen to it I'm listening a pretty Zoo Tv times in it !!! OUTSTANDING.
Finally this album contains the most beautiful - not boring, I'm not talking about Grace or Yahweh - ending ever: MLK. It's an amazing effect if you listen to this song and then you put Joshua Tree on the first track ( Where The Streets Have No Name ).
Why 4 stars ? I really don't know why they included that filler instrumental number called 4th of July. Also I don't like so much Indian Summer Sky. The rest is fantastic.
Highly recomended
Free Music Review: Another Great U2 Album
Hit: 5 Stars
THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE is another great U2 album. "Pride (In The Name Of Love)", an homage to Martin Luther King, Jr., is a bit overplayed, but the title track and "A Sort Of Homecoming" are true gems. This was their second great album in a row (after a powerful debut, BOY, their sophmore disc, OCTOBER, had to be rush-written after the original lyrics disappeared), and the hot streak would continue up to and including ACHTUNG BABY, then pick up again with ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND and HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB.Free Music Review: Overrated
Hit: 1 Stars
There most overrated album. Pick up Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby if you want happier music. :)