U2
Achtung Baby: Deluxe Edition
Island/UME
By David Chiu
U2 did a 180 from the sound of The Joshua Tree in the form of Achtung Baby, released in 1991. It saw U2 embracing electronic textures, resulting in songs that had attitude and kick. The buzz and clatter of tracks such as “Zoo Station,” “Until the End of the World” and “The Fly” demonstrated this bold new direction but didn’t compromise the band’s integrity and poignancy — as on the classic ballad “One” And tracks like “Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World” and “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” reveal a very endearing and soulful side of the group. The electronic-influenced rock would continue through the rest of the ‘90s for U2 with Zooropa and Pop. This special edition of Achtung tacks on B-sides and rare tracks: covers of Lou Reed’s “Satellite of Love,” the Stones’ “Paint it Black,” and CCR’s “Fortunate Son”; remixes of some of Achtung’s songs; and non-album material such as “Lady with the Spinning Head” and “Salome.”
NewBeats 