U2 - War

A standard CD (as above) and a bonus CD. Bonus CD includes b-sides, live tracks and rarities. Also includes a 32 page booklet with previously unseen photos, full lyrics, new liner notes by Niall Stokes, and explanatory notes on the bonus material by The Edge. Album Description

Like Little Boys

If you are like me, finding it harder to pursue one's hobby of pretty wee boys, then you too, probably, were first aroused to U2 by their delightful cover art. Underneath the sexy cover lies a CD with some good music on it.

First track "Sunday Bloody Sunday" epitomizes them lazy Sunday afternoons. When nothing is open, and there is nothing to do. When you think to yourself "Sigh! Sunday BLOODY Sunday" and you almost (hahahaha not really) cannot wait for the next day - Monday. The drummer is clearly aware of Bona's ironic stance, with military drumming as this humerous first track's backdrop.

Unfortunately it is all down-hill from there, as the singer gets comfused and thinks that we are all about to be nuked, and that it is somehow wrong in a "it is your fault you bastard" way that refugees are smoldering upon borders.

However, the last track 40 inches is a life saver. Not only because one is near the end, but also for its reprise upon the post-ironic metaphor of "Sunday. Bloody Sunday".

This could be the sound that the new millenium has been craving like chocolate for all I know. But, if all else fails you can always stare endlessly at the little boy on the cover, imaging what you would love to do but cannot because your rational brain won't let you.

Good effort U2, you should go a long way, even if the music isn't my cup of coffee. November 8, 2008

re-issue excellence !

Re-issue CD's like this are an excellent idea! Interesting liner notes, great photos, excellent sound make these packages ideal. Most important it reminds us music fans what we saw and heard in U2 from the beginning! September 2, 2008

Quite a gift to fans

Once again, nice to get this album and the rarities in one nicely updated package. I'm no expert on sound quality but I can assume The Edge knows his stuff about audio and we are getting it the way it should be, without Greedo firing the first shot. Since I missed out on U2's pre-Under A Blood Red Sky period the first time around, it is great to live the experience it must have been like in catching on from the beginning with these re-issues.

My only wish was that the live version of "Two Hearts Beat as One" where Bono sings part of Chubby Checker's "The Twist" was included as well. But, I see some of the live extras correspond more with the date they were performed versus the album the song was on, so maybe it will be seen later, maybe as part of Under a Blood Red Sky's or The Unforgettable Fire's extras? When was that??? September 1, 2008

One Of Their Best *But*

Love the CD and the guys who have reviewed it really did good jobs, the first disc is great, really good sound, compaired to the original. The second CD is really nothing new if you have all those tracks from the 80's 12" and 7" craze. I thought they would dump those and add tracks that might have been done during the sessions. Anyway, overall, a great set but not as good as the first two recent remasters because how many times do we really need to hear "New Years Day" & "Two Hearts Beat As One" over & over!
Search google, yahoo or msn for our little site "Judemac Forever" and drop us a visit. July 31, 2008

The version to own!

Forget the original remaster. You might as well throw that in the trash. THIS is the version you need to own. U2's 1983 masterpiece 'War' gets the remaster-and-reissue treatment, something that it has long since deserved.

The record is digitally remastered, meaning the sound quality is great. Island Records did a great job. While 'The Joshua Tree' was their breakthrough, 'War' guaranteed they were here to stay.

This album has many of your favorite U2 songs from the '80s. 'Sunday Bloody Sunday,' 'New Year's Day,' '40,' 'Two Hearts Beat As One,' 'Seconds,' and 'Surrender' are fan favorites, and they are all here on 'War.'

The bonus disc, however, is not as good as 'October' and 'Boy,' but it is really good. One of my personal favorite U2 songs is a rarity, and it is 'Treasure.' That song is a great punk song, and is clearly influenced by The Clash and The Jam. It's a fast song, and I classify it as a "speed punk" tune.

'Endless Deep' is a great instrumental. If you own the bonus disc of 'The Best of 1980-1990,' which is 'B-Sides 1980-1990,' than you already own this song. But it's great. It's dominated by The Edge's piano playing.

'Angels Too Tied To The Ground' is a previously unreleased tune. It's a great one, no doubt. Why this was never released before 2008 and has always been stored away in a vault is beyond me. If you are a die-hard U2 fan like I am, than you must hear this song.

The live tracks were recorded at the festival Rock Werchter. Werchter is a village in Belgium, and every year, they have a rock festival, and U2 were an act at the festival in 1982. 'Fire' and 'I Threw A Brick Through A Window/A Day Without Me' were recorded in Werchter, and are probably the best live versions of the songs I've heard yet (Trust me, as a collector of U2 bootlegs for years, I've heard tons of versions.) These are far superior to the studio versions.

The remixes are intended for the U2 collectors and die-hards. The remixes of 'New Year's Day' and 'Two Hearts Beat As One' are great. I own several of the remixes because I bought the singles and EPs. But these are great because they are remastered.

Overall, buy the 2008 remaster of 'War.' I don't care if you bought it when it first came out to CD or when it was remastered in the nineties, buy this edition. If you haven't bought 'War' yet, buy this edition.

Highly recommended for any U2 fan. If you haven't bought this, you need to. A must-have.

ENJOY!!! July 29, 2008

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