U2
The Joshua Tree: 20th Anniversary (Universal)After the initial shock of realizing that The Joshua Tree was released 20 years ago wears off, the question remains: How could this album possibly sound better than it did on cassette in 1987? U2’s multiplatinum fifth album detonated America’s love affair with the Irish quartet that had begun with The Unforgettable Fire, its lush orchestrations and thick echo the perfect blend of New Wave and rock & roll. Thank you, Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. What self-respecting audiophile born before 1985 doesn’t get a rush when the ambient synth eases into the Edge’s gallop on classic opener “Where the Streets Have No Name”? How many musicians-in-training tried to perfect the opening beats and guitar shred of “Bullet the Blue Sky”? This anniversary remaster is just as it should’ve been 20 years ago; even the snaps on “Exit” sound crisp. Released in four different versions, The Joshua Tree doesn’t need the B-sides on disc two. “Sweetest Thing” was the beginning of the end, even in its early form, and “Drunk Chicken/America” encompasses all the extraneous traits we try to ignore in Bono. The Paris concert on the DVD is nostalgic, but that’s what VH1 Classic is for. In any event, you’ll be so exhausted after repeated listens of “With or Without You” whilst reliving your first breakup that you won’t even have the energy to switch discs.
This article appears in December 14 • 2007.