Editorial Reviews
War [Gold CD]
Music Review:
Music Review
Three of a Perfect Pair [Import] [Original recording remastered]
Organ Symphonies of Edward Shippen Barnes
Romantic songs from Scandinavia
Party/Stack-O-Tracks [Extra tracks]
Amazon.com essential recording
The final album of U2's early period, before the group broadened its sonic palette and lyrical vision, War is a brilliantly conflicted album, sounding martial and majestic while its very purpose is to tear down false idols propped up by politics. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "40" take the subject of Ireland's troubles head-on, while it's the subtext of "New Year's Day," which is about a sundered love relationship symbolic of a greater division. "Torn in two, we can be one," Bono pleads, as Edge's guitar scratches and snarls behind him. Songs such as "Two Hearts Beat as One" and the delicate "Drowning Man" take a back seat here, but they help make War a compelling and well-rounded album. --Daniel Durchholz --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
Amazon.com
U2 weren't always over-the-top multimedia showmen. Early on, as on this third album, they were an impassioned young rock band from Ireland, a country trapped in an endless civil war--a war whose terrors find their way into nearly every song on the record and into Bono's tormented howl, even as military rhythms find their way into Larry Mullen Jr.'s rattling drumbeats. War doesn't quite capture U2's live fire, but its arty production does augment the songs with some extraordinary touches: the... read more --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
Album Details
Same as USA Version. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.