The Joshua Tree

I still haven't found what I'm looking for, but I know it's definitely not U2.

I think this is the worst thing I've listened to yet. I tried. Honest. It was really a struggle to power through this. Every song was exactly the same. At its best, I found some of these songs to be somewhere between "Gen X Easy Listening" and "Songs to hear when you're in the dental chair". If you found a Gen Z kid who had never heard U2 and then played this album for them while saying "These guys sell out stadiums", they straight up wouldn't believe you

Seventeen year old me chalks this up as an easy 5. And upon listening again, 51-year old me is pleased to agree with my younger self. Bono can get on my nerves pretty fast, but I have to think even his harshest critics have to give him props for a lot here, especially With Or Without You and my favorite track on the album, Running To Stand Still. This was the moment for U2 when everything fell together, and they finally reached an audience who somehow missed their landmark performance at Live Aid two years earlier. The three hit songs from this album are arguably the three most popular of the band's career. It's almost the definition of a quintessential album. It's worth listening to the 30th anniversary edition, as not only is the entire original album remastered, but you get a great concert from this album's tour in 1987. For anyone tired of "With Or Without You", go watch how it was used in the final episode of The Americans. It'll make you appreciate the song all over again. As much as I cherish The Joshua Tree, it's my third favorite U2 album. Quick research tells me the other two will be coming up on this list.....

I needed exactly this album today. I mean, this is one of those all-time-great albums anyway but there's nothing like listening to the perfect album for a particular time. This morning, this is the album I needed and I'm not even a U2 fan. But these tracks are undeniable monsters.

When I grabbed The Joshua Tree on cassette when dropped my senior year of high school, it was exactly what I needed and solidified that U2 was my favorite band. There was no album I knew better that year. Its symbolic and poetic lyrics are rich with very human truths and contradictions, as well as spiritual longings. I could write on and on about how each song has influenced my own writing, spirituality, and outlook on life, and how the musicianship from Bono, Edge, Adam and Larry in this piece of art framed a sound that I gravitated towards back in '87 as well as inspired my search for more of the same moving into college and beyond. There isn't 1 of the 11 songs that I don't love and that doesn't spark contemplation and joy in me. I know each one personally and have meditated on each with endless hours and emotional intention. Initially One Tree Hill was not a popular song, but it made it onto several mix tapes that Scott and I made. One of my Top 10 albums of all time, The Joshua Tree is one of my favorite representations of why an album is greater than the sum of its parts, even though each individual song is so powerful!

I'm not a fan of U2, and this is a great representation of their sound.

I've written and deleted the word "bloviated" at least five times. Thing is, despite each song being a short walk up a small hill stretched out to feel like an ironman challenge courtesy of those neverending synth lines, marching drums, and Bono's mouthful of cotton wool, these songs move at some kind of clip. Right, they spend longer in each section of the song than most artists would, but within their clearly defined aesthetic, they don't spend longer than they should. So I'm happy to call it a formal achievment, even if I found virtually nothing that made me want to come back.

My first 5* new discovery (although hardly a hidden gem) and of all the artists for it to be... not a weak song in sight though and there's just a weird kind of atmosphere throughout which I can't pinpoint but I'm all in for. Best track: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

U2 seem to be the band everyone loves to hate, mainly due to Bono. I never really felt that is particularly fair but I've never really previously found a good reason to ignore this viewpoint either. A further listen today hasn't changed this. I tried to be open minded and enjoy it, but I just cringed. Bono over-sings every line like a 3 years old who hasn't got his or her own way. Some people are just born to be really annoying and you can't quite pinpoint exactly why. With regret Bono, that's you.

U2 fucking sucks

As someone who grew up surrounded by desert but didn't appreciate the landscape until I grew up and moved away, I connect with U2's desire to build an album around their desert inspiration. The album builds up and opens with so much excitement and energy. That energy builds and is held throughout the entire album. This album marries unique rock instrumentation with Bono's soaring, ethereal voice to make every track something interesting, unique, and a little bit mysterious. Everything about Bono's voice seems deliberate; you can feel the emotion behind the way he sings, artistic and full of emotion, but in full command of his vocals. Bono's lyrics, inspired by political and world events, are also deliberate and done incredibly artfully, as if writing a poem. This album caught my attention and didn't let go until it was finished. Every song was strongly written, sung, and performed. This has definitely inspired me to dig further into U2's discography.

Beautiful album. The opening three songs are probably the best album opener of all time. The rest of the album is filled with mysterious atmospheric songs about American desert, which are not standout hits, however give a great vibe.

Classic! Everyone needs to hear these songs

Perhapss the most important Irish rock album of all time and certainly the album that turned U2 into the biggest band in the world. It is both a political and religious album and makes no apology for it; ground well covered by U2 prior to Joshua Tree. On this record however there is a power and conviction in the songs as well as a confidence in the presentation and imagery of Americana, despite most of the songs not being directly about America. ‘WTSHNN’, inspired by Belfast, is as good an opener as you’ll hear on any album whilst the soaring ‘Red Hill Mining Town’ is about the UK miners strike of 1984. Although the second half of the album cannot match its powerful opening run of anthems The Joshua Tree is a triumph.

Hard to think of an album with a stronger opening three songs. This album turned U2 into global superstars and rightly so. It’s not just the anthemic Where the Streets have no name, Still haven’t found what I’m looking for or With or without you that make this such a good album, it is consistently excellent all the way through. Blues and Country influences add light and shade throughout as U2 tap into their American influences and the result is a near flawless record with some epic track that have more than stood the test of time.

Greatest three-song stretch opener of all time. These songs are loud and orchestral, carrying New Wave into a more alt rock direction in the late 80s. This is an album hard for me to describe why it deserves all 5 stars, but it's intelligent and hardly possesses any negative characteristics. Between the lyrics and choice of instruments like the harmonica, the songs reflect strongly of American folk culture, speaking of the vast open space and American ideals. The gospel-like orchestral sound puts you in that environment, feeling insignificant yet open to opportunities. Did I mention Eno helped produce this piece? Explains a lot considering he invented the ambient genre. There is hope and optimism in these songs (also religiously influenced). This is U2's most impressive record yet and got me into plenty of their singles.

Hard to think of an album with a stronger opening three songs. This album turned U2 into global superstars and rightly so. It’s not just the anthemic Where the Streets have no name, Still haven’t found what I’m looking for or With or without you that make this such a good album, it is consistently excellent all the way through. Blues and Country influences add light and shade throughout as U2 tap into their American influences and the result is a near flawless record with some epic track that have more than stood the test of time.

It’s been said that Elvis died musically when he reported for duty after receiving his draft notice. U2 died musically with Joshua Tree. The rating is not based on the music which is better than my rating. It’s a 1 because it marked the death of an excellent band’s music and how big of a letdown that was. Their first album Boy came when exciting music was staring to make its way to Sudbury. I expect MG procured Boy since I recall having it on cassette. I stayed a U2 fan for their first three albums picking up what I could on cassette. I saw WAR on release in the local record store, bought it on the spot and it was my favourite album. I was a big U2 fan. They were getting better known and their music kept getting better. They had a hard driving original sound, were exploring new areas, playing w passion and had an original and provocative sound. WAR was better than prior albums and they were on an insanely good trajectory. I could only dream about what might come next. Spoiler Alert Then came Joshua Tree. They simply followed what worked on WAR. They died musically. I think they realized this and tried to get back on the trajectory but never did. The ship had sailed. Of course the record buying public rewarded them which didn’t help. Its hard not to think of Joshua Tree when I hear the song American Pie.

The best album opening ever and one of the best albums ever made; should be played through high-quality speakers for maximum effect...

Classic U2 album. Probably their best with some of their most well-known and best loved songs. Probably a band at their peak on this.

Love

Amazing, not listened to this in a very long time. Forgot how brilliant U2 are, when they are just being brilliant. I was back in the car with my Dad listening to this on cassette during the drive to school.

Awful, like Phil Collins all the songs have completely rounded edges, anything interesting is sanitised for mass appeal. Anything that seems like it might be worth listening to is repeated for ages until you forget how it could have been interested in the first place. With or without you is the best track and it's terrible.

You can tell that U2 knew what album they wanted to make, and they succeeded on all fronts. All the singles are frontloaded but you never want to stop listening because every track could’ve been a single. Another example of albums as art.

I struggle to think of a better opening three tracks of any other album - it’s quite something and nearly 35 years later the 3 tracks remain as iconic as ever. The rest of the album can’t cope to keep up but still holds some of U2’s best work by a distance. I debated a four but felt I would be doing this album a disservice so I listened again - it’s gets the five it deserves

I was going into this expecting to have a 5, I think I set myself up for disappointment. This is an amazing album, the first half being my favorites. After the half way point, however, I became less interested and impressed. A bit too similar in the later half. Standouts: Where The Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, With Or Without You, Bullet The Blue Sky, and Red Hill Mining Town.

Some of the tracks on the second half of this album are a bit boring/naff but the first 4-5 really make up for it. Bullet the Blue Sky is slammin'

There is literally nothing I can say about this album that has not been said by thousands of other Irish. It's a national heritage at this stage. It should be on a podium in Dublin Airport, and it probably is. Bono is still a gobshite though.

Classic. Nostalgic.

This one is easy, all time favourite of mine, there is only one song I usually skip, if I am in the mood, everything else is basically perfect.

A perfect classic.

Still one of the greatest running starts to an album, first four tracks are brilliant and peak U2. The rest of the album holds up well too, in mu opinion.

I was in a pub once and I heard these two Irish voices behind me saying ‘I’ll have a pint of Guinness’, I turned round and it was Bono and his mate The Edge. Bono looked at me and said ‘Alright mate?’ and I said ‘Oh no, not YOU TWO again!’. Anyway we all laughed and I told that while I’m no U2 super fan, this is a perfect album. I asked him why he was wearing sunglasses indoors but I don’t think he heard me because he started talking about something else.

Well shit I love this album. Second half cannot keep up with the galactic speed of the first but that is only because the first three songs left the world breathless. “Running to Stand Still” remains in my list of top 10 songs of all time.

Wow, the first three songs are back to back bangers. I’ll never not like Where the streets have no name with its subtle start from nothing to that great guitar line. Didn’t know the rest of the songs but enjoyed what I heard. Atmospheric sounds and nice rising melodies. Doesn’t sound like it’s from the 80s. 5* Highlights: where the streets have no name, I still haven’t found what I’m looking for, with or without you

A foundational favorite, even far into the depths of hipsterdom the following decade and beyond. It does take itself a bit seriously (e.g., "Bullet The Blue Sky", the coda of "One Tree Hill") but fair enough, the tunes are more than sufficient to carry the weight of the ego (I even made a pilgrimage up the latter while in Auckland and, of course, have visited Zabriskie Point). Caused a spirited debate amongst my kids whether "Where The Streets Have No Name" is grammatically correct, and if "Running To Stand Still" is a stupid expression, so thanks for that Bongo. If you like this, and you like "War", check out "The Unforgettable Fire"; it's basically the average of the two, a bit more new wave with limited Americana and Enofication, epic soundscapes that are a bit rougher around the edges. I can't hide from my unfashionable tastes on this website - yes, I really do like U2 and The Doors, let's see who crawls out of the woodwork next..

Great album

Incredible. Epic. Interesting. Lyrically diverse. An all time classic.

One of the great albums of all time!

Un classique. Le debut est incroya le 5*

Gran disco, la verdad. Quizá hoy en día, U2 ha perdido vigencia, pero sin duda, tuvieron lo suyo. No sé bien cómo explicarlo, pero creo que es un álbum grandilocuente: en su conjunto, las melodías con las letras, la voz de Bono, tranquila en ocasiones, en otras, más bien hasta desgarradora. Creo que todas las canciones me gustan, la triada del principio está muy bien, pero quizá mi fav esta vez sea "Mothers of the Disappeared". Un cierre genial. Finalmente, un pensamiento random: ¿le debe mucho Muse —con sus atributos y carencias— a U2? 9.5/10.

a classic

don't LOVE U2 but this album is pretty damn good

Not much to say, really.

Nice music. Not a song on the album that I didn't like the sound of. Easy listening. Pretty hard to believe that some songs on the albums have so much more plays than the others. There's a lot of people who are probably missing out on some good songs because they all just listen to that one track.

And on the first day Bono said, Eno, make me sound like God. I wrote that on Friday, and on Sunday night I can’t remember where I was going for that. This is a very good record, front-loaded but never less than bold.

Great album, great band. This album touches all genres, rock, gospel, etc. Fantastic album. Alway a pleasure to listen to.

This still stands up after all these years.

where the streets have no name is an incredible way to start the album and really leans into that moody 80s post punk which is a genre i really love. I still haven't found what ive been looking for and with or without you continued the trend of awesome fucking songs. the rest of the album couldnt really compare to the first three tracks but honestly thats fine: it was all enjoyable

listened before, makes me think of mom (surprise surprise), love that bono is a man with Feeling (tm)

I do not love U2 and would go so far to say that they get a big eye roll from me, but I like the more muted rock from this album compared to their hits from the aughts.

Never been a huge U2 fan. Not bad, but pretty generic and samey sounding.

Joshua Tree? More like Jogging in Circles. 'Running to Stand Still' made me squirm—like, Bono, we get it, you're emotional, but why is he breathing so loud? Did someone forget to bring an inhaler to the recording session? Best tracks? Definitely 'Bullet the Blue Sky,' 'Exit,' and 'Mothers of the Disappeared'—at least there’s some edge there (pun intended). But overall? Yeah, it's kinda like being lectured by that one guy at the bar who really wants you to know how deep he is. Overrated? U(get)2. 2/5.

U2 sucks. Which is probably just how Gen Xers feel about sixties and seventies rock. We all want to burn down what came before. Can’t understand how this is a totemic album if the eighties. Because the rest is so much worse? The hits are good but repetitive. I probably would have loved it if I were born in 1970 and 17 when this came out. Alas, I wasn’t, and I don’t. Bono’s carefully triangulated liberal Irish Catholicism - I wanna drink with my lefty friends but not offend the pope or Reagan, challenge them, convict their hearts for Jesus! but not offend - is exhausting. As is his keening wail. As is his self indulgence. And that thumping rhythm that a hundred bands drove to death - looking at you, Coldplay. Like all these albums, maybe great for someone sometime. Now a period piece curiosity at best. I’ve found what I’m looking for, elsewhere.

More confused than ever at how popular U2 are, especially this record. It’s not terrible. They arent terrible. But it isnt great either. Hated the first 3 songs - each one sounded tiresome and strained. Like theyd found a catchy hook and wanted to drag it out over and over and over. But then Bullet the Blue Sky came on which has a totally different sound. Almost Nick Cave at times in terms of the vocals. I’d go as far as saying the non-singles are what saves this album. Enjoyed Bullet the Blue Sky, In Gods Country, One Tree Hill, and Exit. None are amazing, but decent enough. Seems to me that when they arent striving to write a stadium rock song they aren’t too shabby. Either way, I wont be returning to this. It’s ok. Nout special. Dont get the hype. 2.5

It’s wild to me that the wiki page said this was a push for a harder hitting sound. As someone who hasn’t heard a U2 album before this, I can only imagine their previous albums were marketed as sleep aids. Everything is so soft and rounded off like the album was childproofed. Truly one of the albums of all time.

I am not too excited for today's album; I've been known to traditionally not like U2's music. I have never, however, sat down and listened to a full album of theirs either, so we will see how this goes. Right off the bat, three of their "hits" play back to back: Where the Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, and With or Without You. I am familiar with these songs, and don't particularly like any of them. It may be because radio stations have literally played them to death, or it may be the ethereal, slow, elevator music-esque atmosphere that all of their songs have, but I just don't like the music, I don't have a reason why. Also, a minute passes before anything happens in Where the Streets Have No Name for some reason. Bono's try-hard, angst filled vocal delivery is just grating. Leave it to Bono to not look at the camera for the album cover photo. He probably saw a koala in distress. What a tool. I think my favourite story about Bono is that one time, Shane McGowan (lead singer of the Pogues) was crashing with Bono for a time. Bono's house was quite handy to a busy railroad. Droves of people went by on the train every day to see Shane flapping his cock at them in the window of Bono's home, unbeknownst to Bono. Bono got the blame, and promptly kicked Shane out. Overall, this is bland Walmart rock. I just don't like U2. I will never listen again if I can help it. Favorite songs: Bullet the Blue Sky, Trip Through Your Wires (the little bit of energy this album has is during these two songs) Least favorite songs: the whole beige, bland album. 2/5

Kinda begrudgingly didn't mind this. Much better than achtung baby that we've had previously, but mostly because I knew the hits on this album. Still not a u2 fan and I don't think I ever will be, but didn't dislike it like I thought I would. It's still all just so safe and dull though. Nothing remotely exciting here either With or without you is probably the best track, although not sure I would be bothered if I never heard it again.... They also look like knobs on the album cover 2.5, I enjoyed Alanis more so this is getting 2

I knew one or two of these songs already. This album was not bad by any means, but I didn’t find it particularly interesting. It’s not something I would choose to listen to again.

Tried to get through it a couple of times, it just doesn't work for me. The calculating earnestness of their influences and output is very disingenuous, always has been. They're copyists rather than innovators - music for people without ambition or imagination. Some of their music is magical, but even that is lost in the face of the zealotry of their believers. The Manchester United of music

This list has made me re examine a few huge rock albums which I have always written off as trite and I now love. This was not the case here. They have taken all the elemnts of post punk and ambient pioneers and just made it all so incredibly boring. Even the involvment of the great Brian Eno couldn't save them from devolving on every song into the same pseudo ambient shimmering guitar and Bono droning in exactly the same tone on every track. Fair enough they have fit on a formula and it works but wheres the variety? Apparntly their previous album was much more experimental. I'll check that one out instead.

Gone back for a listen … No surprises, nothing intriguing hiding inside, never really a fan Just leaves me a bit cold to be honest …

I try to ignore my previous feelings about bands and artists and this was particularly hard for me. I hated U2 cos my elder sister and her chums loved them, as an angry adolescent I wanted to find my own thing and so shut them out. a crazy attitude as my sister is an awesome person with great taste in music, but that's hormones for you. still relistening with an open mind I find it's pretty shit. over produced, concieted annoying metaphors and just really dull. I tried to like those first three songs so universally played and enjoyed but they left me cold. it just total arse.

Listening to this album feels like I'm trapped in an MC Escher painting on a never ending staircase. Every song feels like it's building to a crescendo that never happens.

i genuinely do not understand the hype behind U2. how they have managed to cling onto relevancy is beyond me. album comes across as whiny and drab. entirely doleful. genuinely a hard 45 mins to sit through.

The first three tracks can easily be the most overplayed first three songs on a album of all time. Horrendous stuff. I almost turned this record off. Why did bullet in the sky get no play? Wow the rest of the album is really bad. If the next few out of these 1001 also bomb I probably won't continue to weed through this mediocrity. 1 outta 5 mics

Está fuera de lugar oiga

Classic

I don’t imagine I’m the only Gen Xer for whom this album is a touchstone of a specific time in life. This album is, for me, everything about being 19, second year of college…it all comes back so vividly. U2 was held in reverence by my peers. This was the soundtrack to my 1987 and everything I felt in that ridiculously serious transition to adulthood. This one is all about the memories, but the music is still great, too.

I remember my introduction to this album was their concert. It touched me deeply!

In college this was the default soundtrack for a year or two. I don’t listen to it a lot today, and for some reason haven’t been compelled to, but after listening again this time had a “why don’t I listen to this more?” thought cross my mind. I realized that I may have absorbed the backlash that people have to U2 and this album. Glad to be back. This is an amazing album and it is clear to see why it became one of the best selling albums of all time. It does belong on this list, no matter how played out you think it or U2 is. Incredible album.

U2 was my first concert I grew up listening to them so I have entirely too much nostalgia. I know people hate them because of their album being downloaded onto everyone’s phone that one year… but imo that’s more of an Apple issue and this album specifically is so good man. Just classics.

Rijedak album di je druga polovica albuma di nisu hitovi zapravo bolja. Jedina stvar koja mi je slabija je trip through your wires jer je prespringsteenovska

Another album that is church to me. If someone made me choose a favorite album, this might be it. Holy. Holy.

very good album, all songs were amazing but not all like each other, creating a very nice listen. very good vocals and very nice accompaniment

Amazing

i knew u2's hits and of bono's humanitarian work, but i was still taken aback when listening for the first time. this album, with lyrics written only by bono, covers so many topics and political themes. i love pop-y, mindless songs, but songs with great meaning? those are dynamite. bono's heart and compassion come through the lyrics so clearly. "mothers of the disappeared" in particular is going to stick with me for a long time--"we hear their heartbeat." i'm not sure if i've ever heard of a genre called "art rock," but as i listen to this album, really listen to it, i totally get it. all music is art, yes, but u2 takes it further, on all possible musical levels. every song has such beautiful instrumentation. definitely a concept album. i cannot wait to listen to this album again and grow to truly love it.

In contrast to the ambient experimentation of their 1984 release, The Unforgettable Fire, the band aimed for a harder-hitting sound within the limitation of conventional song structures on The Joshua Tree. The album is influenced by American and Irish roots music, and through sociopolitically conscious lyrics embellished with spiritual imagery, it contrasts the group's antipathy for the "real America" with their fascination with the "mythical America". Throughout the sessions, U2 sought a "cinematic" quality for the record, one that would evoke a sense of location, in particular, the open spaces of the United States. They represented this in the sleeve photography depicting them in American desert landscapes.

Brilliant

The greatest rock album of all time.

Can still always listen to it, even though it's become pretty basic.

I love when they stack the hits up front. Even better, this really is a strong & varied album throughout, hard & soft. Vocals & lyrics are great.

This is the only U2 album I really like. I wish they kept with this style throughout their career, but I understand their need to adapt to pop trends. This is such an iconic 80s album; truly one of the bests of my not-so-favorite decade for music.

I had never really gotten U2. The songs when they came on the radio sounded samey, and I wasn't overly impressed with Bono's vocals. Because of this, I avoided listening to much of the band and skirted around challenging myself to listen to an album. Then 'The Joshua Tree' came up in this generator, and I put off listening to it for the longest time. What a mistake. Now I certainly understand why this album is on here. I gave Bono's vocals undue criticism, because I think they're perfectly fine here. It's the lyrics, the instrumentals, and the production that really blew me away, however. The album starts off super strong with 'Where The Streets Have No Name' and 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.' Apparently Brian Eno helped out with this album? For a guy I knew nothing about, he has a wide-ranging musical career and has done some really miraculous things. Anyways, I really felt like this album had some genuinely interesting things to say, and it said them in an musically entertaining, catchy way. I think I'm starting to 'get' U2.

5/5 One of the best albums of all time.

Get some stick but this is actually an unbelievable album!

Fuck i love it

10/10

Ah, U2. Such an interesting discography, and yet this album is probably still my favorite. Fun fact, I used to hate "With or Without You".

Capolavoro

This was the first album I've heard before so far. U2 is a great band, and this album has one of their greatest hits. It's a very comfortable listen for me, because it seems to me that after a while we always go back to the songs and bands we used to listen as teenagers, like eating your favorite chocolate bar because, besides the flavor, it brings nice memories.

5 stars. Classic album with brilliant songs.

Ambient perfection from beginning to end.

I remember my older brother coming home really excited from a concert at a local community college on Long Island in the early 80s. "This band from Ireland is the next big thing, they're amazing!". While I was young and unable to go see them until the Achtung Baby tour, my fandom jumped onboard like any other impressionable early teenager's would when their mentor in all things music discovered a new gem. My love / hate relationship with the Dublin boys would swing both ways through the years, but you can never argue that Joshua Tree is an amazing album. Yes, Bono can be an irritating prick at times and The Edge's guitar stylings can be predictable and lazy, but this era of U2 that launched them beyond the stratosphere will always be peak. 5/5.

5*

Loved it

love this album!

Killer intros, great textures.

What an album. It’s pretty flawless in every way, and an easy 5. I was 16 when this album came out. Joshua Tree felt timeless then and still does, so many years later. It was U2’s fourth album, but really different than anything else they had put out at that point. It was a continuation of the band’s relationship with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois that began with The Unforgettable Fire, but in a far more mature and carefully crafted work, their most perfectly realized album. Joshua Tree marks a turning point for U2, after which they were simply the most important band in the world. No one makes albums like this anymore. From that first slowly unfolding open in “Where the Streets Have No Name,” you know you’re in for something special, something monumental. It really does have a cinematic quality to it. This is mature, thoughtful music, beautifully written and expertly played. In 1987 it stood out starkly in a landscape full of spandex and hair, of glossy, gimmicky songs. It was also their most focused work to date as a band. Bono’s ode to/critique of “America” is palpable here, but not at all overwrought. I often think of this U2’s Springsteen album, which I mean as a giant compliment to both of them. The earthiness of these songs, the warm and resonant arrangements, the full throated expressions of emotion, the sense of spiritual longing, the images of a promised land out of reach… it all comes from the same musical place. Lyrically, Bono has matured tremendously on these songs. The lyrics reflect the band’s lived experiences at that time, like the death of band roadie and friend Greg Carroll (One Tree Hill) and Bono’s growing interest of global social and political issues (“Bullet the Blue Sky" and "Mothers of the Disappeared"). U2 was always an openly political band, but these songs just feel much more personal, more passionate, more spiritual. Still, he’s also able to address his own demons, with the stunningly lovely, slow burning “With You or With or Without You,” which pulls away from the political to look inward and face his own frustrations and anguish. The emotion feels real because it is real, simply put. Bono’s delivery of course is captivating. He sings with an urgency and an earnestness that I think a lot of people don't understand, but he makes you feel these songs in your bones. As for the Edge, I mean, come on. Here is one of the greatest guitarists of his generation, making some of his best music ever. There is a texture and a resonance to the Edge's playing that no one really can touch. I mean, he's painting with sound here, showcasing that signature chiming style through an adept use of studio effects. Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. are also in top form, one of the tightest rhythm sections in rock. Clayton and Mullen’s ability to intuit just the right amount of intensity to serve each particular song is an underappreciated talent and really the backbone of the band’s entire sound. Individually these songs are all exceptional. Taken together, they’re nothing short of a masterpiece. Fave Songs (All songs, in order from most to least favorite): Where the Streets Have No Name, With or Without You, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, In God's Country, Red Hill Mining Town, Bullet the Blue Sky, Mothers of the Disappeared, Exit, Running to Stand Still, One Tree Hill, Trip Through Your Wires

Banger. Their best album- 5 of the first 6 songs are fire and the closers have grown on me too.