Amazon.com essential recording: Having nearly exhausted their capacity for pop-song politics on War and The Unforgettable Fire, U2 turned toward themes of personal identity and complex relationships on The Joshua Tree. Not that the group was willing to come down off the barricades entirely: "Mothers of the Disappeared" and "Bullet the Blue Sky" turned a jaundiced eye toward Central America and the United States' role there. But the predominant mood here is one of self-discovery and the hunger for something more on tracks like the pulsating "Where the Streets Have No Name" and the gospel-ish "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." The album's masterstroke, however, is "With or Without You," a nasty love song dressed up as an ode of devotion and care. It ranks with the Police's "Every Breath You Take" as the most misread smash hit of the '80s. --Daniel Durchholz
Amazon.com: U2's most successful album (their first No. 1 album and the 1987 Grammy award-winner for Album of the Year) is also their most dour. From the stark, black and white cover photography, with U2 looking like missionaries (or at least M*A*S*H extras), to the existential angst at the heart of each track, The Joshua Tree is one long, atmospheric wail at the abyss. Producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois turn in an austere production that heightens the drama substantially. --Rob O'Connor
To say that this was probably a red-letter day in the history of music ... is an understatement.
When this first album came out, I missed it completely. I just wasn't listening to anything this mainstream at the time and was caught up in the beginning of absorbing myself with classical music. I was young once and couldn't possibly be that hip to catch everything on the early adoption tip. I view this album probably as important as Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, as that may be what they were going for, or Vivaldi's Stabat Mater. These albums are all equally important and affected both music ever after and the listeners as well.
To date, April 2008, The Joshua Tree has several different releases now.
The Original Studio Release - c. 1989 The Superbit `Gold CD' Release - c. 1990 The Remastered Release - c. 2007
Amazon also has a combined 460 reviews on this product now and while most of the populous enjoy this, a contingent of listeners don't feel that this measures up to be one of the great rock albums of all time.
While I do feel that this is one of the best albums of the last 100 years, easily, it is not a Rock album, per se. I know that may sound deviant to you, but it's very simply explained.
The bulk of the songs on this album are ballads. You may not want to hear that, but it's the truth. Some may just be realizing this for the first time, and it's okay, too. While I have no problem with ballads, being big fan of Beethoven and Chopin, masters of just such a thing, I wouldn't dare call Moonlight Sonata (Sonata Quasi una Fantasia) Rock Music at any time. Ballads are just that, they're ballads. They're beautiful and they typically speak on the subject of love, loss, frustration or isolation. That's not a rigid rule, but just a personal observation.
1. 'Where the Streets have no name' - Ballad. A song about feelings of isolation and love. 2. 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' - Ballad. Another song about the feelings concerning isolation, loss and love. 3. 'With or Without You' - Ballad. Another song about the feelings concerning isolation, loss and love. 4. 'Bullet The Blue Sky' - Rock Song Primo. A song about political discord, military might, poverty, etc. 5. 'Running To Stand Still' - Ballad. A song about isolation 6. 'Red Hill Mining Town' - Ballad. A song FULL of double entendres about sex, love and frustration. 7. 'In God's Country' - A Bluesy Ballad. A song about a girl ... 8. 'Trip Through Your Wires' - Rock Song. 9. 'One Tree Hill' - A bluesy ballad. A song a bout a girl, and emotions of love. 10. 'Exit' - A unclassifiable song about frustration, danger and isolation 11. 'Mothers Of The Disappeared' - Your guess is as good as mine on this one.
So ... what's the score here? The ballads heavily outweigh the Rock anthems. While this isn't necessarily an indictment on this album it's just an opinion placed casting light on seeing this album in the proper context. U2 has been branded passion rock since this album came out, and it's probably fitting to say the least, but they are one of the best RnR bands on the planet. People should just see this release for what it is. If one day, the bulk of us decided to start referring to Sting's Ten Summoner's Tales as Rock or even Hard Rock and not Easy Listening, then more of his listeners would be displeased by that as well.
The Joshua Tree is a groundbreaking album where a lot of U2 fans split off after this, unhappily. But over the years they gained even more fans with the releases after Joshua Tree, myself included. But it is a masterpiece in every sense of the word.
Their best album! This album contains many of people's favorite U2 songs - this is my favoite album (and I have all of them). Highly recommended!
Still a work of art! This album was released over twenty years ago, I was in college when it broke, and in this era where actual musical talent is no longer required to get someone on MTV...this CD is still a work of art.
A sonic departure from their earlier works, Tree builds upon the European sound of "Unforgettable Fire" and adds an American R&B simplicity to it. The hits from the the first side of the album are well documented...but the real magic here is on side 2...well from "Red Hill Mining Town onward for the CD generation. "Town", "Trip Through Your Wire", "Exit" are remarkable tunes and "One Tree Hill" might be the best song U2 has ever laid down (perhaps only eclipsed by "One")
This is one of the classic albums of the eighties without a doubt, and of our generation.
I Don't Get It Not only don't I get why this is considered one of the best albums of the 1980's, I don't get how U2 came to be so successful at all. I've listened to all of their music and I can count on an average of about 3 songs per album that don't put me to sleep. Then, the songs that are fast always sound like they have the same guitar part! Maybe I'm not "worldly" enough or something. I just never got it.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
