U2, Achtung Baby

U2 must love their album Achtung Baby because they've spent the last 20 years of their career trying to record another album like it.

So far they have failed.

Released late in 1991 while Nirvana was slowly conquering the world, Achtung Baby was the follow up to Rattle & Hum, a mostly disappointing album which found U2 trying too hard to be the 'worlds greatest band.'

U2 recorded Achtung Baby in Berlin, so it's no surprise that the Americana blues/folk sound that they leaned heavily on for their previous albums was replaced by late 70s Bowie-esque sound, another rocker famous for reinventing himself in Germany.

Combining Bowie's electronic sound with the music coming out of 'Madchester' (psychedelic dance rock), U2 created what has been their sound ever since, swirling guitars drenched in effects over a pop/dance heavy rhythm section. For Achtung Baby Bono trades in his politically fueled lyrics for more personal ones.

Songs like "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses", and "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World" are far cries from the politico-leaning tunes like "Pride" and "Mothers of the Disappeared". This is Bono concerned less with saving the world and more interested in saving himself.

"Zoo Station" opens the album with its buzz-saw guitar and trash can drums, and for the first 30 seconds of the song you'd think you were transported 4 years into the future listening to the best part of some band trying to copy Nine Inch Nails.

Bono is already deep into his 'Fly' persona when he hits the chorus after explaining all the things he's ready for. The song is a clear sign that U2 is going to go places they hadn't before and buying a ticket at the station is only way forward.

The highlight of the album is "One", a song so good in its simplicity and lyrics you wonder why someone hadn't already written this song. Like most great songs, it was written quickly; "the melody, the structure—the whole thing was done in 15 minutes," Bono said. He also stated that the lyrics "just fell out of the sky, a gift."

A good sign that it is hailed (and rightfully so) as an all-time classic song is that its been covered by artists as varied as Johnny Cash and Mary J Blige in the 20 years since it was recorded.

There really isn't a bad song on the album, a rarity for any album from any band. Even the most classic of albums nearly always have a song or two you skip while listening to, not Achtung Baby. When you think things may be heading south with the slow piano shuffle of "So Cruel" the band responds with the one-two punch of "The Fly" and "Mysterious Ways".

Both songs are dominated by superb guitar parts from The Edge. The fuzz-buzz riff of "The Fly" carries the song all the way through his blistering solo and out the other side. "Mysterious Ways" is spearheaded by a wah-wah riff over a mid-Eastern percussion funkfest. It is truly alright.

The final third of the album slows down, but it is no less impressive or emotional than the rest of Achtung Baby. "Ultra Violet (Light My Way)" has the most singable chorus on the album and has some impressive tambourine playing. Seriously, this album contains almost as much tambourine as the entire Motown catalog. Larry Mullen Jr must have gone through 2 or 3 of them during the sessions.

The album closer, "Love Is Blindness" just may be the best song Mazzy Star never recorded. Exchange Bono for Hope Sandoval and The Edge's wounded-goose-in-flight guitar work for a strummed acoustic and you have "Fade Into You". Don't believe me, check it out yourself.

Achtung Baby is the last good album U2 has recorded, but they have remained one of the largest bands in the world. They are still able to sell out arenas 30 years after their first album was released and have become my generations version of the Rolling Stones. It hangs somewhere in my Top 50, but not quite the top 25.