The Joshua Tree [30th Anniversary Edition] [1CD]

by U2

Overview

Using the textured sonics of The Unforgettable Fire as a basis, U2 expanded those innovations by scaling back the songs to a personal setting and adding a grittier attack for its follow-up, The Joshua Tree. It's a move that returns them to the sweeping, anthemic rock of War, but if War was an exploding political bomb, The Joshua Tree is a journey through its aftermath, trying to find sense and hope in the desperation. That means that even the anthems -- the epic opener "Where the Streets Have No Name," the yearning "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" -- have seeds of doubt within their soaring choruses, and those fears take root throughout the album, whether it's in the mournful sliding acoustic guitars of "Running to Stand Still," the surging "One Tree Hill," or the hypnotic elegy "Mothers of the Disappeared." So it might seem a little ironic that U2 became superstars on the back of such a dark record, but their focus has never been clearer, nor has their music been catchier, than on The Joshua Tree. Unexpectedly, U2 have also tempered their textural post-punk with American influences. Not only are Bono's lyrics obsessed with America, but country and blues influences are heard throughout the record, and instead of using these as roots, they're used as ways to add texture to the music. With the uniformly excellent songs -- only the clumsy, heavy rock and portentous lyrics of "Bullet the Blue Sky" fall flat -- the result is a powerful, uncompromising record that became a hit due to its vision and its melody. Never before have U2's big messages sounded so direct and personal. [A single-CD re-release of The Joshua Tree was among the 30th Anniversary Edition sets issued in 2017.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	06/02/2017
Label:	Island
UPC:	0602557484144
Rank:	5753

Tracks

1. Where the Streets Have No Name
2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
3. With or Without You
4. Bullet the Blue Sky
5. Running to Stand Still
6. Red Hill Mining Town
7. In God's Country
8. Trip Through Your Wires
9. One Tree Hill
10. Exit
11. Mothers of the Disappeared

Album Credits

Performance Credits

U2   Primary Artist,Co-Producer
Jimi Hendrix   Primary Artist
Allen Ginsberg   Primary Artist
Bono   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonica,Lead Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Daniel Lanois   Guest Artist,Guitar (Rhythm),Vocals (Background),Omnichord,Tambourine,Co-Producer
Brian Eno   Guest Artist,DX-7,Keyboards,Co-Producer,Vocals (Background)
Ron Wood   Featured Artist
Dorothy Terrell   Soloist
Dennis Bell   Conductor,Musical Director
Arklow Silver Band   Orchestra
Armin Family   Strings
Red Hill Mining Town Brass   Orchestra
Steve Jordan   Featured Artist
The Edge   Guitar,Vocals (Background)
New Voices of Freedom   Orchestra
George Pendergrass   Soloist
William Blake   Featured Artist
Keith Richards   Featured Artist
Adam Clayton   Guitar (Bass)
Paul Barrett   Conductor
Bob Doidge   Strings
Jacknife Lee   Keyboards
Larry Mullen, Jr.   Drums,Percussion

Technical Credits

Daniel Lanois   Audio Production,Producer,Remixing
Brian Eno   Audio Production,Mixing,Composer,Producer,Programming
Flood   Audio Engineer,Engineer
Phil Gitomer   Assistant
Paul Hewson   Composer
Cheryl Engels   Research,Mastering,Remastering Producer
Declan Gaffney   Engineer
Claudette Washington   Choir Arrangement
Mary Kettle   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Joe O'Herlihy   Crew,Engineer
Bill Flanagan   Liner Notes
Des Broadbery   Crew
Lynette Washington   Choir Arrangement
Scott Sedillo   Digital Editing,Mastering Assistant
Shaughn McGrath   Package Design
Tom Mullally   Crew
Dennis Bell   Choir Arrangement
Steve Matthews   Production Coordination
Thomas May "Beno"   Technical Support
Wayne Lorenz   Setup,Engineer
Arnie Acosta   Mastering,Remastering
Candida Bottaci   Production Coordination
Marion Smyth   Crew
J.B. Matteotti   Assistant
Steve Averill   Design,Artwork,Cover Design,Art Direction
Fritz Lang   Assistant
Christopher Bell   Choir Arrangement
Arklow Silver Band   Performer
Red Hill Mining Town Brass   Performer
Mary Gough   Crew
Rab McAllister   Technical Manager
John Catlin   Engineer
Marc Coleman   Engineer
David Evans   Composer
Jones Roma   Assistant
St Francis Hotel   Remixing
Richie Kennedy   Assistant
Andrea Lepori   Engineer
Marcus Coleman   Crew
Larry Mullen, Jr.   Group Member,Composer
Carl Glanville   Mixing,Engineer
The Edge   Composer
Pat McCarthy   Engineer,Assistant
U2   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Mark Wallace   Mixing,Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Mark Wallis   Mixing
Van Morrison   Composer
Richard Rainey   Mixing
Jimi Hendrix   Producer,Adaptation
Matt Bishop   Editing
Arthur Baker   Producer
Anton Corbijn   Photography
William Blake   Composer
Dave Meegan   Mixing,Engineer
Allen Ginsberg   Composer
Bono   Composer
David Hewitt   Engineer
Little Steven   Producer
Adam Clayton   Composer,Group Member
Patrick McCarthy   Engineer
Paul Barrett   Mixing,Arranger,Engineer,Brass Arrangement,Horn Arrangements
Francis Scott Key   Composer
Steve Lillywhite   Mixing,Producer
Bob Doidge   Engineer,String Engineer
Bob Marley   Composer
Jacknife Lee   Remixing,Programming