If the measure of a great album is how long you can keep discovering new things in it, then the best album to show up for the holiday season is Achtung Baby by the Irish rock band U2.
Theirs is a collection of songs that defies instant decoding. On the surface, this appears to be U2 making a U-turn, taking a major departure from what it did throughout the ’80s.
The production reinforces that impression. With Brian Eno, who did U2’s earlier albums, joining Daniel Lanois, who oversaw the breakthrough The Joshua Tree, there’s texture galore on these tracks.
Furthermore, there are significant changes in the band’s basic signatures. The opening “Zoo Station” tweaks as much electronic enhancement into Bono’s vocals as Eno put on David Bowie’s high-tech Berlin trilogy in the ’70s.
And then there are the rhythms. No more simple four-four plodding, at least not on every track. The innovations can be heard on the second single, “Mysterious Ways,” where the arrangement is stripped-down and funky.
What’s more, the group shifted from its long-standing interest in social concerns and started singing about matters of the heart.
Since U2 has become one of the richest bands in the world, this might be seen as an attempt to sustain a certain level of fame and fortune. After all, Genesis got funky and tops the charts on a regular basis. As for enhancing Bono’s voice, it could just be covering for his acknowledged shortcomings.
After repeated listenings, however, Achtung Baby starts to yield up other revelations. It begins with The Edge’s prominent guitar work. Pushed forward in the mix in answer to an emphasis on bass and drums, he’s continuously magnificent. In “Zoo Station,” he might be mistaken for Adrian Belew.
Then there’s Bono. Despite the studio tricks, it becomes clear that his singing is uncharacteristically strong and assured, especially when he steps out unencumbered in a ballad like “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses.”
Finally, it appears that the group’s mystical Irish Catholic undertones are still present, even in the love songs. “Ultraviolet (Light My Way)” seeks personal salvation in a way not all that different from the Joshua Tree favorite “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.”
As a result, Achtung Baby is unique among the holiday blockbusters. Not only is it more adventurous than the rest, it’s also the one that’s most likely to still sound fresh next year.
© The Buffalo News, 1991.