U2 - Zooropa
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Free Music Notes for Zooropa
Free Music Review: U2: They've done better, They've done worse
Hit: 4 Stars
When I fist bought Zooropa over 10 years ago now, I thought that this album sucked. I guess that's the mind set of an immature kid fresh out of high school, with little appreciation for things that are different. I had been used to the U2 of old, like War, The Joshua Tree, The Unforgettable Fire, and their masterpiece, Achtung Baby. On Zooropa, it seems like they took innovations that they had first discovered on Achtung and stretched them further. The electronic music was evolving, and this was showcased in songs like the title track, Babyface, Lemon, and Numb. However, the two best songs on the album, I feel, are Stay and Dirty Day. To me, these songs are closer to some of their older work, and give a sense of completeness to the entire album.Overall, they've done better, and they've done worse.Free Music Review: The album of lost souls
Hit: 5 Stars
U2's old school fans were able to tolerate Achtung Baby. It still had several straight forward songs though none that were as anthemic as what the band put out in the 80s with the song One being an exception. I think many of the old school fans found Zooropa to be the line and the following album, Pop, to be a step beyond it. I think they had a reaction worse than the one that fans of the Boy/October/War era had when they heard the richly textured, more subdued The Unforgettable Fire. Still, Unforgettable Fire featured Pride and Bad, two pillars of U2's live act. Zooropa has not been so fortunate.
But what does it matter if you keep pleasing those fans, putting out the anthems ad infinitem when you really are an artist that wishes for something more challenging? Zooropa is certainly a challenging listen from both a lyrical and musical perspective. It's probably the most different of any U2 album as there's very little straight forward rock here. It also features characters completely lost, guys who just don't get it. The album is a ball of confusion representative of people seeking identity but finding all the wrong conclusions. All the songs take greatly perverted or distorted views with the final song, The Wanderer, seeming to restore reason to the equation but also getting to the wrong conclusion in the end.
There are some "techno" aspects to be found here. Lots more orientation towards the rhythm and very little traditional guitar. Edge's instrument is almost always distorted.
I'm one who thinks every track is a winner here, though I especially love Numb, Lemon, Dirty Day, and The Wanderer (great cameo by Johnny Cash). Stay (Faraway, So Close!) is the most conventional song here and Dirty Day is the closest to straight forward rock.
This album is not recommended to those who do not want to listen to music that leans towards the experimental and the electronic. Listening to Achtung Baby can get you ready for it but not entirely prepared you because it is THAT different but equally excellent nonetheless. Open your mind, realize this is the album of lost souls, and give it a few listens. You might just find that you love it.
Free Music Review: Respect For Sydney Reviewer
Hit: 1 Stars
Ever notice the 'helpful' votes lean to 'no' most often when a review is a pan?
I have much respect for the reviewer from Sydney; though many tout this U2 clunker to be terrific, he's the only one bold enough to give it 5 stars--misguided though he is....
Going in a new direction is not synonymous with improving. That U2 continued to lose their way by proffering new sounds to ever-restless fans is proof that they had run out of their greatest asset: songs of faith. Now, faith is hard to hold onto, no doubt; but since this album (and the previous ACHTUNG), they haven't re-found their souls, try as they might to make spiritual statements. "We were just ACTING the rock star persona, wink-wink." A recent mild return to their greatness is promising, but likely you will never hear an album like WAR again. Remember Neil Young's awful 80's? He came out on the other side with SILVER AND GOLD. Remember Dylan's 80's? He rose like a phoenix with LOVE AND THEFT. Unbelieveable, really. But U2 haven't yet hosed the stink quite off of themselves.
Free Music Review: Zooropa: A more modern experimental album
Hit: 5 Stars
This album was first released in the fall of 1993 and this period echoed in the fine middle years of this second decade band from Ireland. And from this album many fine songs became hits with fans and dance clubs all around the world. Many songs have been used in TV, ads, movies and marketing promotions and are familiar and catchy tunes. The songs of 'Numb' and 'Lemon' will most definitely be familiar to the loyal and deeply entrenched U2 friends and fans. 'Numb' was U2's first experimentation in rock mixing with low techno ambient beats. Another song that was made famous is the romantic and sensual song 'Stay' which is another personal favourite of mine. Bono's voice in this song conveys and carries so much emotion that one cannot be helped but me swepted along on the wave of deep-rooted emotions.
The latter part of the album is less sparky and more of a contemplative quiet jaunt of a softer U2 sound. Overall, this album is a success and U2 again shows why they have been popular for so long. This CD is a must for any true U2 fan out there.
Free Music Review: The most important U2 album????
Hit: 4 Stars
Joseph Muir's is right when he describes U2's major strength as diversity. After the hit success of Achtung Baby it would have been easy to do a Achtung Baby II or rehash The Joshua Tree but instead the band decided (and rightfully so) to go on an even more different path (Achtung Baby before its release was thought at the time to be a big risk because it didn't follow to normal U2 conventions).
Zoorpa is an add on in some ways to Achtung but more soft. There are great songs Some days are better than others, Crazy Day, fantastic songs Zooropa, Babyface and the classic songs Numb, Stay, For the first time. The album almost hits 5 actually but I feel it is more to do with the album being a bit uneven (especially in the middle) than lack of quality.
Zooropa is an important album as it would see an important change of direction & also signalled that U2 were prepared to change though not sell out with the times (something they've sadly done from 2000 onwards!!!). So whilst War, Joshua, & Achtung made them, Zooropa kept them in the public but most importantly their fans interest. In short without this U2 would probably be a mere memory now!!!!