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intereact!U2
Retail Price (not our price): $13.98
Release Date: 2004-11-23
Manufacturer: Interscope Records
Format: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Track List
Now here, for your listening pleasure, the tracks...
| Disc 1 |
Editorial Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):
1) Amazon.com
The album that carries U2 into its 25th year--and likely the mixed blessings of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame--is one of its most frank and focused since the days of October and War. But its gestation was anything but simple, in part salvaged from '03 sessions the band deemed subpar. Enter Steve Lillywhite, the band's original producer and sometime collaborator in the decades since, who helped retool the track "Native Son" (originally an antigun screed) into the aggressive iPod anthem "Vertigo" and leaves his distinctive stamp on the muscular "All Because of You." Perhaps weary of ceaseless, fashion-driven reinvention in the wake of monumental success, U2 seem only too happy here to re-embrace their original sonic trademarks in service of more daring, pop-melodic hooks than they've collected in one place in decades. The Eno/Lanois produced "Love and Peace or Else" may shimmer with the duo's electro-production conceits, but it's Edge's lugubrious, postmodern John Lee Hooker guitar swagger that drives it. Elsewhere, Bono's trademark dramaturgy is spotlighted on "City of Blinding Lights," the unabashed romance of "A Man and a Woman," and the confessional "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own." It may come wrapped in a conundrum--is it nostalgic retrenchment or a sum of the band's endless musical catharsis?--It's also the album where, Fly and MacPhisto be damned, U2 boldly claims its arena titan mantle with apologies to no one. --Jerry McCulleyRecommended U2 DiscographyWarThe Joshua TreeAchtung BabyAll That You Can't Leave BehindThe Best of 1990-2000The Best of 1980-1990
Customer Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):
Average Customer Rating: 3.5 out of 5
1) Looses flavor. [Rating: 2 out of 5]
You know what? I really liked this album at first, through electrolysis, but even the hits loose their flavor after a few listens, a rudimentary synopsis of a general scope of the symbols' meanings. Which means they have exceeded the speed of light 100-fold. It was a nice try, but this is, so to speak, no "Pop Mart" not even a "Rattle & Hum."2) U2 Keeps Getting Better! [Rating: 5 out of 5]
I don't know the reason for all U2 hate reviews. Take those reviews for what they are, as such negativity usually reflects a limitation on the part of the reviewers. And yes, in some cases, jealousy; it is easier to criticize others than to do something concrete and meaningful with your own life. This release is phenomenal, with music that transports you and lyrics that are full of meaning and emotion. The band is very cohesive and the music is tight. Bono is as full of energy as ever and his voice has matured with age and has a pathos at times that is haunting. Gone is the over-produced hype of Zoo and PopMart (although I appreciated both for what they represented and said about our culture) and instead we have songs that are complex and full and speak to our hearts. Try to truly listen to the words of "Miracle Drug" and "Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own" and you can't help but feel deeply touched by them. Add incredible music that drill that deep bass and singing electric guitar and tribal drums into your belly and it is a transcendent experience. And of course, they just truly rock out at times as in "Love and Peace or Else", reminiscent of Bullet the Blue Sky, and "All Because of You". Finally, Yahwee is a prayer with the power to change the world - if we work for it. What an amazing c.d. To my hear the only somewhat weak song is "Man and a Woman" - but that just speaks to personal preference. I don't think there is a bad cut here. Keep up the good fight, U2; and let's help them by working in our own communities and to find peace and love in our own hearts.3) Listen to it a thousnad times before attempting to dismanlte any bombs [Rating: 2 out of 5]
Lets all hope U2 doesn't end with this album. And lets not be nice in our reviews just b/c its U2. Listeners do not need to mature. U2 exist for the listeners and should be trying to enterain us, Thats their job, thats why they are famous and rich. People do not exist to appreciate art, Art exist to be apreciated by people.That is, if its good enough. The cd doesn't completely suck,Of course not. But its one of the weakest albums I've heard from them. but, I'm a young listener and only have 3 of their cds, Joshua Tree, All you can't leave behind, Aching baby, and the 18singles disk. All You Can't Leave Behind is their best album by my thinking. This one is a step down throm that.4) Fading but still competent [Rating: 2 out of 5]
These lads clearly have seen better days. I believe they still have enough left to justify their existence but unfortunately Achtung Baby is a ghost while listening to this long player. Like Sachin Tendulkar at the crease these musicians still induce awe but could anyone honestly describe them as the band in the world on the basis of this long player?5) U2 matures; I wish the listeners would too [Rating: 5 out of 5]
Too many people here are complaining that this album isn't enough like The Joshua Tree or other earlier U2 works. Well, guess what: The band has been around since 1976 and you can't reasonably expect them to sound the same as they did back in the 80s. They have changed, grown, and experimented a lot over the years. If you just give this album a chance and listen to it several times, you'll realize how gorgeous "City..." is, how inspiring it is to hear "All because of you," how ominous "Love and peace..." actually is, what a crowd-pleaser "Vertigo" is, and what a lovely tribute there is in "Original..."