U2 "The Joshua Tree" - 20th Anniversary Edition

Re: U2 "The Joshua Tree" - 20th Anniversary Edition

I'd love to pick this up....I'm thinking about the deluxe version with concert DVD but the price is a little steep. Doesn't matter though since I haven't seen anything in the local shops yet.


Actually, I'd be much more interested in U2 remastering all their earlier releases.....they desperately need it!

Re: U2 "The Joshua Tree" - 20th Anniversary Edition

I've got to grab this, Nirvana Unplugged, and Help. Finally, stuff I can get excited about!

Re: U2 "The Joshua Tree" - 20th Anniversary Edition

I picked this up yesterday at Best Buy for 40 bucks. I haven't had a chance to compare the sound quality of the album to the original or the MFSL disc yet...

The b-sides disc is well-done. As far as I can tell, this disc not missing anything (the Best Of 1980-1990 had most, but left a couple off). Personally, I feel a couple of these cuts are far superior to some of the album tracks. The previously-unreleased songs are a mixed bag. Like the Allmusic review said, they are mostly mood pieces. One thing that really sticks out is the late 80s U2 sound juxtaposed with Bono's current vocal ability on "Wave of Sorrow". Most fans realize that Bono's voice is just a shadow of its previous self, and it's really odd hearing a new vocal on an old track.

The bonus DVD is a nice treat. The '87 Paris show has the band and Bono in really fine form, and finally seeing a live version of "The Unforgettable Fire" on DVD is very special. The Outside It's America doc is rather odd. It's a mix of tour rehearsals, the "Streets" video shoot (including plenty of footage of the cops shutting it down), and the band milling around the Southwest playing pool and shopping for western wear. Like I said, it's an odd doc, and only partly interesting.

Overall, the package is a good buy for U2 enthusiasts, as it includes pretty much everything from the Joshua Tree period. The absolute only thing I could think of that it's missing is the Classic Albums TV episode, but the band probably couldn't get the rights to that.

Re: U2 "The Joshua Tree" - 20th Anniversary Edition

I'm not sure about this one. It sounds awesome at first, but I do have most of the bonus tracks I care about on that limited Best Of. If the sound on the main album is improved, and with the concert and Red Hills video, I lean more towards getting this.

Re: U2 "The Joshua Tree" - 20th Anniversary Edition

nice

Re: U2 "The Joshua Tree" - 20th Anniversary Edition

Ron, VH1 runs that episode all the time. I really appreciate the offer, but that's more of a curiosity for me, and not something I really feel I need to add to my collection. BTW, I bought the MFSL disc back when they were readily available new. If you really want to get jealous, I found the MoFi version of "The Unforgettable Fire" a few years back at a used CD store for $8.99

Now some audio comparisons from an admittedly non-reviewer's ear:
This remaster is definitely fuller-sounding (read bassier) than the original release, and is almost on par with the MFSL disc. The bass on the MoFi version is just a tad tighter, though, than the remaster. Both are definitely an upgrade over the regular CD release, which sounds rather veiled and thin by comparison. The remaster seems to lose a bit of midrange presence compared to both the original and MFSL releases. It's very subtle, but it's definitely different. One very nice thing about the remaster is that it's not bumped way up in loudness. Arnie Acosta, the mastering engineer, seemed very conscious about dynamics and avoided a lot of the brickwalling he's done in the past (including the absolutely atrocious Atomic Bomb album). Overall, it's a nice upgrade over the existing CD release and if not for the slightly blooming bass, would be comparable to the MoFi version.

BTW, comparisons were done on a Pioneer 563 run analog into an HK Signature 2.0 preamp, amplified with a Parasound 855a, and sent to a pair of Norh 4.0s and an SVS 20-39PCi.

Re: U2 "The Joshua Tree" - 20th Anniversary Edition

We gotta wait 'til Dec. 4th up here.

Re: U2 "The Joshua Tree" - 20th Anniversary Edition

i would have liked a hi rez edition.

Re: U2 "The Joshua Tree" - 20th Anniversary Edition

I'd love a hi-rez version myself, although with the Eno/Lanois murky production job on it, we might not notice much difference...lol

I'm rather mystified why we haven't gotten a Best of 1980-1990 DVD. There are plenty of videos from this time period that would justify a release (including the beautiful Unforgettable fire vid) and we might also get slightly higher-rez audio like the Best of 1990-2000 disc.