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JennYBlast From The Past Vol. 3 - Part I: U2 - The Unforgettable Fire Album Review
October 1st 2008 18:28
This month in Blast From The Past, we'll take a look at artists across the pond – U2 and Oasis – and come back to the States with rapper turned actor Will Smith.
Release date: October 1, 1984
Genre: Rock, post-punk
Length: 42:19
Label: Island
U2's fourth album, The Unforgettable Fire, was a risky change of direction from their previous arena rock-like efforts. It embraced the 80s sound - atmospheric sounds, synthesizers, funky bass and guitar – that became popular in U.S. culture through movies and television series (think Miami Vice). Was it a good choice for the Irish icons? Read on to find out.
The album begins with the aptly-named A Sort Of Homecoming. The song feels a bit weird at first listen. It sounds like U2 but isn't quite the original U2 sound except for Bono's trademark voice. In that sense, it's a great way to ease the listener into this new sound.
A Sort Of Homecoming is then followed by the massive hit, Pride (In The Name of Love). You have to be living under a rock if you haven't heard this song before. I heard it so many times that I was pretty surprised that it was such an old song. It sounded pretty recent to me. It's one of U2's classics, right alongside Sunday Bloody Sunday.
Wire, The Unforgettable Fire, and Indian Summer Sky are the kind of songs that you would hear on a Miami Vice episode. They're a lot more upbeat than the rest of the tracks, and fit nicely with the image of sunny Miami South Beach.
At the other end of the spectrum, Promenade, Elvis Presley And America, and MLK are the slowest songs of the album. Promenade is a 2:20-long track. It's the kind of song that is perfect for relaxation – short, calm, poetry-like. Elvis Presley And America is a bit similar except that it's longer (in fact, the longest track of the album at 6:23). The ambiance sounds bring a soothing vibe to the listener, and is a great track to listen to before going to sleep. Finally, MLK – the final track of the album – is just Bono and ambient noise. It's a sublime peace of work, almost heavenly. It brought a sigh of contentment out of me after listening to it.
4th Of July is the sole instrumental track of the album. It's pretty short (2:12) but stays in the vein of Promenade and Elvis Presley.
I was really disappointed in the song Bad. It started well with each instrument going one after the after, creating a crescendo-like effect. First the drums, then the bass, then the guitar (or maybe the bass comes after the guitar, I don't quite remember). I expected it to pick up after the first verse by having some cymbals crashing, but it never happened, the song stayed on the same rhythm. The cymbals did come towards the end, but at that point it was already too late. Despite all of that, the song had a pretty good vibe.
In the end, although the sound was very different, the same old U2 was still lurking behind those sounds. I'm not really a U2 fan – I find them a bit too soft and slow for my taste – but this album was really nice. You really feel at peace while listening to it, so I give it a 4/5.
[Click here for Part II: Oasis - (What's The Story) Morning Glory? Album Review]
[Click here for Part III: Will Smith - Big Willie Style Album Review]
Genre: Rock, post-punk
Length: 42:19
Label: Island
U2's fourth album, The Unforgettable Fire, was a risky change of direction from their previous arena rock-like efforts. It embraced the 80s sound - atmospheric sounds, synthesizers, funky bass and guitar – that became popular in U.S. culture through movies and television series (think Miami Vice). Was it a good choice for the Irish icons? Read on to find out.
The album begins with the aptly-named A Sort Of Homecoming. The song feels a bit weird at first listen. It sounds like U2 but isn't quite the original U2 sound except for Bono's trademark voice. In that sense, it's a great way to ease the listener into this new sound.
A Sort Of Homecoming is then followed by the massive hit, Pride (In The Name of Love). You have to be living under a rock if you haven't heard this song before. I heard it so many times that I was pretty surprised that it was such an old song. It sounded pretty recent to me. It's one of U2's classics, right alongside Sunday Bloody Sunday.
Wire, The Unforgettable Fire, and Indian Summer Sky are the kind of songs that you would hear on a Miami Vice episode. They're a lot more upbeat than the rest of the tracks, and fit nicely with the image of sunny Miami South Beach.
The Unforgettable Fire Video
At the other end of the spectrum, Promenade, Elvis Presley And America, and MLK are the slowest songs of the album. Promenade is a 2:20-long track. It's the kind of song that is perfect for relaxation – short, calm, poetry-like. Elvis Presley And America is a bit similar except that it's longer (in fact, the longest track of the album at 6:23). The ambiance sounds bring a soothing vibe to the listener, and is a great track to listen to before going to sleep. Finally, MLK – the final track of the album – is just Bono and ambient noise. It's a sublime peace of work, almost heavenly. It brought a sigh of contentment out of me after listening to it.
4th Of July is the sole instrumental track of the album. It's pretty short (2:12) but stays in the vein of Promenade and Elvis Presley.
I was really disappointed in the song Bad. It started well with each instrument going one after the after, creating a crescendo-like effect. First the drums, then the bass, then the guitar (or maybe the bass comes after the guitar, I don't quite remember). I expected it to pick up after the first verse by having some cymbals crashing, but it never happened, the song stayed on the same rhythm. The cymbals did come towards the end, but at that point it was already too late. Despite all of that, the song had a pretty good vibe.
In the end, although the sound was very different, the same old U2 was still lurking behind those sounds. I'm not really a U2 fan – I find them a bit too soft and slow for my taste – but this album was really nice. You really feel at peace while listening to it, so I give it a 4/5.
[Click here for Part II: Oasis - (What's The Story) Morning Glory? Album Review]
[Click here for Part III: Will Smith - Big Willie Style Album Review]
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