Practically all the best U2 creations

Irish land has given birth to quite a number of stars, and one of the most prominent of them is doubtless U2. Having started its way to fame, rather a long and not too easy at the beginning, as far back as 1976 the it has by now become one of the most popular and successful bands of the world and won 22 Grammy awards which is more than any other performers have ever got. Practically every person both in Europe and the US can easily recognize Bono’s outstanding vocals and there is hardly anybody who has never heard such hits as One or Where The Streets Have No Name. And still as if to make sure that the audience is acquainted with its creative work the collective of four people has decided to release another compilation of best singles. Bearing a simple name U218 the album offers a very lucky collection of most popular songs with a couple of nice surprises – U2 has recorded two new compositions which are both included. Besides some songs are present in versions nobody has heard before. Despite its being far from the band’s first collection it is not limited chronologically as it was with the previous works of such kind and gives an opportunity to enjoy practically all the best U2 creations at once.

The widest spectrum of the band’s works on U218

Topical and love lyrics in combination with the unrivaled vocals of singers Bono and The Edge are a long time U2’s calling card. Creating new works the collective participants do not go against their habits. Thus song The Saints Are Coming, recorded with Green Day, is dedicated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, and for example Pride (In The Name Of Love) raises some philosophic questions like the search for the meaning of life. The opener Beautiful Day is one of the relatively recent hits teaching to enjoy every day and another philosophic creation I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For tells about searching for some intangible ideal. Strength of a lonely man is praised in a desperate composition With Or Without You, and another hit Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of reminds that U2 is able to sound soft and sensual to a great effect. Abrupt tracks like Sweetest Thing, Sunday Bloody Sunday and Desire contrast well with a more melodic composition Elevation, and Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own is another true-to-life song about helplessness and the importance of friendship. A great hit Vertigo is presented in several versions as well as songs I Will Follow, Elevation, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For and some others. U2 has tried it best to let us hear all the versions of songs that have yet remained unknown, and thus U218 offers the widest spectrum of the band’s works.

One of the grandest collectives of its epoch

Any words, pronounced in the praise of U2, a band with an incomparable charisma, originality and a unique style, are sure to sound neutral for a person who has never heard its songs. To get a complete picture of the Irish rockers’ creative work, however, it is necessary to learn something of its various periods, understand how the way the participants see the world changed and which topics they wanted to raise this or that time. Today everyone has a remarkable opportunity to do it by obtaining album U218. There is everything one needs on this record – melancholy, joy, anger and deep reflections. It is going to be absolutely clear to you how a band that had started playing at one of the former member’s place has turned into one of the grandest collectives of its epoch. It is invited to perform in different spots of the planet, crowds of thousands of viewers gather at its concerts, and the albums beat all the sales records. Each record like U218 hides history behind it, and U2 does not just sing its songs here – it shares the most sacred and we cannot but appreciate it. Even though this is not a new album, it is a good way to sum the things up and prepare us for a new period in the creative activity of these Irish nuggets.

15.12.2006