Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The 1985 release of "Unforgettable Fire" vaulted U2 into heavy video rotation and arena rock. With the production team of Brian Eno/Daniel Lanois at the helm, the group's sound shaped with new keyboard textures and lots of layering of The Edge's guitars. Some might say the disk was over-produced. We also get Bono's trademark emotive breathing on several tracks.
I wavered between giving this 4 or 5 stars, so 4.5 might be the best assessment. The primary reason most people got this album was for the mega-popular anthem "Pride (In the Name of Love)" with its Christ imagery ("one man betrayed with a kiss...") and Martin Luther King, Jr. theme ("early morning, April 4, shot rings out...") and memorable guitar melody. Great vocal performance by Bono and backing by The Edge (oh-oh-oh-oh). An instant classic.
"Pride" aside, this disk has a number of excellent tracks. One of my all-time favorites is "A Sort of Homecoming" and I especially like the lyric "faces ploughed like fields that once gave no resistance." There's a strong Ireland theme here, and this is a great leadoff song. One drawback is that I think the mix is a little muddy.
"Wire" is a high energy piece with a chunky bassline, great drums, and very cool guitars.
"The Unforgettable Fire" really brings out the guitar atmospherics, along with a string section, and another powerful vocal from Bono.
"Promenade" is not a bad song, but it's really a sound-alike to many of the other songs, and not a particularly memorable memory.
"4th of July" is a sonic instrumental introduction to "Bad", which is one of the best songs on the disk. Great simple guitar melody and vocal performance with the "I'm wide awake...and I'm sleeping" rise and fall dynamics. Perhaps some of Adam Clayton's best bass work to this point. Check this song out on the "Wide Awake in America" live EP. It's a beautiful tune.
"Indian Summer Sky" is like "Promenade" in that it's not a bad song, but not as good as its sound-alike, "Wire."
"Elvis Presley and America" shows U2's growing love affair with Americana. It's a nice ballad.
"MLK" is the true Martin Luther King, Jr. tribute, a gospel-like vocal over some light keyboard textures. It's a great under-stated performance by Bono and nice closer for the disk.
The strengths by far lift up the few weaker tunes, and this disk is very listenable in its entirety.
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12" vinyl format: 16 page booklet with liner notes by Brian Eno, Danny Lanois and Bert Van de Kamp.This special edition marks 25 years since the album's original release in October 1984. Recorded at Slane Castle, Ireland, The Unforgettable Fire was the first U2 album to be produced by Brian Eno and Danny Lanois, and spawned two top 10 UK singles - "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" and "The Unforgettable Fire".--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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