release date: Oct. 10, 1988
format: vinyl 2 lp (gatefold - U 27) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Jimmy Iovine
label: Island Records - nationality: Ireland
6th studio album by U2 following 1½ years after The Joshua Tree (Mar. 1987) is a double album produced by Jimmy Iovine. This is when U2 conquered USA, or actually, they made way with the previous release but this one really made all of America 'luuuv' U2.
Long story short: I don't like this a lot. I adored their style up until this point. There's too much blues rock and gospel inspiration, Bono is too much, and there's too little U2, and I think there's way too much recycling. Also, the live versions and studio recordings don't mix that well. The best tracks are the singles "Desire", "Silver and Gold" (B-side on "Where the Streets..."), "Heartland", and "All I want Is You". The 17 tracks (and too long) double album could easily have been a mighty fine 4-track ep, thus making it a very good bargain. The rest is really just for people who can't get enough of listening to Bono listening to himself. For me, this is like a band believing too much in the image as the new Rolling Stones conquering the US. Commercially speaking, U2 just kept growing as a brand, but as an artistic project, I think they sold out with this. The music is only so-so and pretentions are sky-high. They simply lost me with this one.
[ allmusic.com, Sputnikmusic 3 / 5, 👍Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]
