Ultimate U2, 80's style
 Mar 27th, 2001
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Recommendable:
Yes
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  Salgirl
About me:
I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack. Be afraid. Be very afraid....
Member since:22.02.2001
Reviews:166
Members who trust:29
Review rated by 15 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
The title is taken from the lyrics of Bullet The Blue Sky, and describes the sound of gunfire. This album does indeed go off like a shotgun. Taken from the 1988 film that follows their live performances over the previous two years, the double album contains 17 top tracks, although they don't include the phenomenal "Sunday Bloody Sunday" which was peformed in an emotionally wrought way during an American concert the day after the Enniskillin bomb outrage. I'll deal with that in particular later on.
The first track is a live version of "Helter Skelter" which is introduced by Bono saying "This is a song that Charles Manson stole from the Beatles, we're stealing it back." (The classic rock song was included on the Beatle's White Album and the drug addled mind of serial killer and Family leader, Charles Manson, compelled him to tell his followers that this was talking of the race war that he himself had been predicting, and was a signal to start the revolution by murdering people. We all know it's about a fairground slide). I'll go as far to say that U2 perform this better than the Beatles ever did. "Van Diemen's Land" is sung by The Edge, for a change. He does a very passable job in the simple (and short) arrangement of a traditional song about a man who's been sent to Australia as punishment for his 'crimes' in Ireland. Apparently the lyrics get a touch political and so the song seems to get cut off a bit abruptly.
"Desire" comes next and this is the hard driving, tub thumping cross between
rock and a danceable little number. Very slick. "Hawkmoon 269" is a rather dramatic love song. The guitaring is in the vogue of Pete Townshend but without the arty riffs. Not one of the best tracks on here in my opinion, but it's okay if harmless rendition of a fair to middling rock track. Apparently the hammond organ is being played by some bloke called Bob Dylan.
"All Along The Watchtower" is an all time favourite track of mine (best played by the great Jimi) and a well covered song. Here U2 play it live in San Francisco, and do a very good job indeed. This is their kind of track, it's got clever and pertinent lyrics plus a great beat. Bono's voice comes into it's own on this song, shame the some of Edge's guitaring goes a bit AWOL for a couple of seconds, but I'm being picky. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." This classic U2 song is performed live in Madison Square Gardens, New York and is as brilliant as you would expect. The guest vocals are courtesy of the New Voices of Freedom, and George Pendergrass and Dorothy Terrell. I love the gospel choir sound and it's used to excellent effect on here.
"Freedom For My People" this lasts for 38 seconds. It sounds like a busking job but it's still a quality sound. Shame it's so brief, I could've done with hearing a lot more. "Silver And Gold". A real high spot, this track has excellent guitar by Edge and great vocal treatment by Bono. This one's being performed live in Colorado. Lucky Colorado, I say. A great rock out. There's a politically outspoken slant to this, with a nice little commentary dab bang in the middle.
"Pride (In The Name Of Love)". Performed live (again in Colorado) this is another classic U2 track performed in their inimitable way. Nice audience participation. "Angel Of Harlem". This is dedicated to Billie Holiday, the great Lady of the Blues, and recorded in the Sun Records studio in Memphis, Tennessee. Reputedly the same room as Elvis made his recording debut in. Good to singalong to and a decent production job adds to the atmosphere of the track.
"Love Rescue Me". This too was recorded in Memphis and is the first real slow track on here. Very 'deep south' and 'early Elvis' feel to this song. Sadly, it does nothing for me despite Bob Dylan efforts at co-writing and singing. "When Love Comes To Town". Famously involving BB King, this is a spanking track. This isn't a live version, which is a shame because the ones I've heard are real corkers, but it's still got a fantastic blues feel thanks to BB.
"Heartland". A slow and typically U2 start to this song, you can tell it's all building up to something. Recorded back in Dublin, this is polished to a high sheen in the studio. Very tuneful, soulful and professional. "God Part II". I've never been too sure about this track. It doesn't seem to go anywhere except in it's lyrics. A faster rock beat doesn't do much to lift it for me either. Minimally interesting sort of arty rock out bit in the middle stops it from being bland, but I usually program this one out of the playlist.
"The Star Spangled Banner" 43 seconds homage to Jimi Hendrix with his controversial 1969 live rendition of the American national anthem. Which leads rather nicely into.. "Bullet The Blue Sky". A fantastically stirring song Bono starts in an almost operatic voice at their concert in Arizona. Atmospheric, intense and menacing, this is U2 as they should sound all the time.
"All I Want Is You". Such a quiet and simple song to finish the album, and a real beauty it is too. Bono breathes his words into the mike, soft and gentle but with more than a hint of his heartfelt passions. A lovely string arrangement adds a classy touch. This is an album of maturity and not a little musical arrogance. That's fine, they can get away with it. They should, though, have included the aforementioned track of Sunday Bloody Sundayin with the collection.
I know why they didn't and it's actually explained in the film. Concerned that their performance of that song on the day after the Remeberence Day bombing wouldn't be remembered in the right context, they simply didn't include this. The reason the context was so important was because Bono goes off into a heartbreaking and articulate rant during the performance. He starts by saying, "So here we are, the Irish in America" there's a load roar. A few lines later and he's saying "I'm sick and tired of Irish Americans who haven't been home in 30 or 40 years coming up to me and talking about the glory of the revolution. F*** the revolution." There's a silence while what he's really saying sinks in. This is anti-NORAID stuff and worth the price of the video alone just to hear the undiluted anger and pain in his voice as he rages eloquently against the injustices in Ireland. And Britain get's it's fair share of the blame too before anyone on here takes offence. The film is interesting with it's clips and interviews, the music is fantastic, and this album does a more than reasonable job of representing that.
A true Supergroup in all senses of the word.
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09.06.2006 22:25
I discovered U2 by incidence while hearing "Desire" in a records shop. Who is that group ... Then I bought "Rattle and Hum" and was satisfied with the record. My favourites are "Hawkmoon69" "Desire" "Van Diemen's Land" and "Silver and Gold". There are some tracks not so appealing my ears, but matter of taste. Sometimes hard to recognize it as a live-record, as the public is mostly backdropped ... Good opinion Tomas
13.11.2004 19:39
Hi, my favs on this are "All I Want Is You", "Heartland" and of course "Hawkmoon 269", but the last one not in fact of having Dylan playing hammond organ ... Many regards, have a nice weekend, Sven (Zoobremia)
28.03.2001 01:10
As excellent as ever!