The Joshua Tree
by U2

The Joshua Tree is often a very controversial chart pick because of the sheer amount of hate it receives from our forum regulars. And yes, I can see where the hate is coming from. But every time I listen to this album, I completely forget the constant lashings that the members here give this album. For one, the production work of Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno is absolutely stellar. This record just sounds fantastic. Not only that, the album is filled to the brim with a staggering amount of emotion. Tracks like "Running to Stand Still" make me just want to sit down and cry. Bono puts so much emotion into his vocals, it is amazing the emotion he can convey at times. The Edge's guitar work is fantastic, too. It sounds dreamy, and his riffs really add a lot to the album. U2 are very tight playing wise. Every one of these tracks are just great, not a single bad one. I love this album, and I feel that no one here can change that. (Edited)

Through the Joshua Tree, U2 cemented their position as one of the greatest rock bands of their era. In fact, some of the songs here, like Where the Streets Have No Name, sonically dared to push the boundaries of rock to places it had not yet been. Because of this, much of The Joshua Tree has a timeless feel, with just the right amount of nostalgic callbacks. The lyrics throughout the LP can be relatively simple at times, but they always fell just right for their songs and more often than not come across as incredibly beautiful, such as in With or Without You. Lastly, and this is more personal than anything, the Joshua Tree is one of the greatest albums to listen to while driving. The music makes you feel calm, yet ambitious and it truly allows you to take in and appreciate your surroundings. Because of this , the Joshua Tree represents the pinnacle of what U2 has put out and is a peak in their career which they have yet to replicate.

From johnner TOP 100 COMMENTER 10/31/2012 20:50 | #53809 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

U2 get a lot of stick for their so called over earnestness during this period, one of the charges being that they are "un-cool". However, in 2012 it is this characteristic that is the most attractive, especially as subsequent generations of 'rock' bands have failed to communicate anything beyond an overwhelming sense of APATHY; that and a sneer. Here is a band, that at least believes in itself and what it is saying, and for that they should be applauded. Long live U2. And if you don't like that you can go fuck yourself.

Some of the comments about this album and this band are absurd - sure U2 became rather annoying, but that has nothing to do with this album. This is not a pretensious album, its a haunting album.

I find Bono's singing on this album to be about the best male performance ever, all of you men know what i mean, you cant hit those notes, who can? Tell me which male singer could do this and still sound open, not like Plant or Cornell, who are shrill, the heavy rocker screech has its - awesome - place but they could not pull this off.

That aside, the songs are simple, but back then U2 had the darkness in their sound, the bitter sweetness, the torn-ness - and they mastered it. I love radio head, but how are a full 3 of their albums in front of this? Radio head impressed us so much by giving us progress from this, showing what was next and what had a better future - but they could never have done this.

Bono now is mystifyingly annoying, how or why or what is this? What counsel is there for him? What is his condition, that seems to grate? The mind boggles. He is still the most interesting of them to listen to but...

Their music now for me is just boring pop, all sweetness and light. A bunch of guys loving their amazingness, their freedom, money and their legacy and boring us to death.

But lets not forget the J Tree!

From ToeAndno 07/06/2008 23:35 | #782 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

What can you say about U2? Quite alot apparently. There are those that love them and those that loathe them. Whatever you say about them, there is no denying that The Joshua Tree is something special. No doubt this is the album that put them firmly on the map despite being around for about ten years and releasing considerable efforts such as War and The Unforgettable Fire. Most people knew them but when Joshua Tree was released tens of thousands actually owned a piece of their work.

Over twenty years old the album still holds its own and actually starts off sounding like a greatest hits album. Such classic singles such as With or Without You, Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For and Where The Streets Have No Name are just so good and well known that its easy to forget that they all come from one album. I believe that this is the point that Bono found his true voice. In earlier releases he sounded like every other new band to come out during the early 80’s, but here his vocals are spot on and the start of the Bono that we have all come to recognise and, most of us, love. This in itself breathes freshness into the bands sound but add that to superior song writing and The Edge’s new guitar sound and we have a giant leap forward from the Irish lads.

There is a nice mix of songs here but they all help with the overall feel of the album. It’s easy to emagine being in the desert that is pictured on the cover as the sound perpetuating every track give off that feel of the desert. Every song seems to fit perfectly after the previous one taking us alone through this journey of the desert. All great albums should have this sense of wholeness within it, rather than being just a collection of songs, even if they are great ones. To me this is what Joshua Tree does. Put any other U2 song in and it wouldnt fit, take one of these ones out and the album would collapse. Each track relies on the others to balance out this mood.

However good your music collection may be, if this is not included then you having a glaring chasm in it. This is U2’s best. Even if you do not like U2 then you should at least try this album. It may change your mind and, if not, then at least you are being open minded.

1. Where The Streets Have No Name: A great opener for an album. This track slowly builds up to the hit that it is well known for being.
2. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For: Another classic single, this track can be read on many levels. Perhaps this is one reason why it was so popular. People identified with it in different ways, people’s questioning life and answers, looking for that special someone or that drive in life. All or none of these can be applied to this song. Bono surely has his own interpretation of it but he purposely leaves it ambiguous for the listener.
3. With Or Without You: Maybe the best known, and over played, track of the album, and perhaps their entire career.
4. Bullet The Blue Sky: My least favourite of the ‘big songs’ on here, this track is still quite powerful and deserves its place. The guitar and drums in the intro again evoke the desert feel.
5. Running To Stand Still: It’s a tragedy that this track isn’t more well known. This is such an understated song, Bono tempers his voice well here, not overdoing it but putting the exact amount of feeling into it. A beautiful and simple pleasure, easily one of the best U2 songs ever.
6. Red Hill Mining Town: Some of Bono’s finest vocals are present on this track. Bono screams ‘I’m hanging on, You’re all that’s left to hold on to’ and you can feel it in his voice.
7. In God’s Country: A catchy song that doesn’t quite impress but is a good listen nontheless and should never be skipped when listening through the album.
8. Trip Through Your Wires: The harmonica that opens the song seems a bit out of place, especially this late on in the album. There is nothing really special about the song, it’s pleasant enough but too mediocre to follow the previous great tracks.
9. One Tree Hill: Again, another understated song. Whilst this isn’t as good as other tracks, it is still a good solid piece. Just about everything is underplayed, the guitar, the vocals but the lyrics are really quite good.
10. Exit: For me, this is the weakest of the album. It doesn’t fit as much as the other songs and it sounds more dated, harking back to a sound of the early 80’s. The slow build up really doesn’t end with anything worthwhile.
11. Mothers Of The Disappeared: A simple tribute to the women who lose their children to kidnappers and slavery. A beautiful guitar riff plays gently behind Bono’s soft singing. A slow track but definitely one to listen to several times before being judged.