Well I do. And I don't. You see to me there are two U2s. Not actually two - good grief could you imagine two Bonos on the planet? Anyway nature would'nt allow that and a rip in the fabric of time-space would have to be created to correct the anomaly. Or something. But there are two U2s; one that creates inventive and powerful music - music that generally does lift you and enriches the spirit and the other that ...... well ...... just tries too hard to be U2. This is the evil half brother who makes pompous, overly earnest music its raison d'être. Exactly the sort of band who would chuck a French phrase into lyrics just because they could. This is the U2 that gave us 'No Line On The Horizon'. Not to be trusted.
Meanwhile the other U2 gave us 'The Joshua Tree' and this, its magnificent predecessor. In the 'The Unforgettable Fire' U2 crafted a glorious rock album which expanded their canvas to create expansive and sometimes abstract soundscapes. No doubt that Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois played a hand in this, but the bombastic nature of the previous album 'War' was reigned in and replaced with thoughtful and atmospheric music.
The highlights are too numerous to list but try the edgy 'Wire' or the soaring title track for starters. Then there is the stadium friendly 'Bad' and the ambient 'Elvis Presley And America'. And then there's.....
It's all wonderful and created the blueprint for their follow up masterpiece 'The Joshua Tree', catching the band in a transitional phase.
Just one thing puzzles me though. What the hell does "Slide show see side town. Coca-cola football radio radio radio..." mean?
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