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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (March 7, 1997)
Pop: Album fails to top past releases ■ Continued from Page 5 In other words, the album sounds good. But, although there is not one bad song on this album, the tracks lack the energy and emotion of U2’s past releases. Like The Joshua Tree, which was released ten years ago, it consists of low key, mellow songs that change pace only to get slower. Unlike The Joshua Tree, Pop lacks the raw emotion that made the 1987 album worth listening to. Pop begins with the well known track “Discotheque,” of which several versions were re leased before the album. This song is the most mainstream and least unique track on the album; however, it is also the most ener getic and dynamic. Fade-in dis tortions lead to a driving bass and f a fairly danceable beat, and inter esting sound effects supplement the catchy tune. The album declines from there. With each succeeding track the album becomes less dynamic un til the songs begin to blend to gether into one long jumble of dis torted monotony. “Gone,” the beginning of which has a Smash ing Pumpkins feel, “Miami” and “The Playboy Mansion” are prime examples of this. One song that stands out is “If God Will Send His Angels,” an easy ballad with soulful lyrics. This song comes closer than any other on Pop to the raw emotion found in “One” and “With Or Without You,” but it still doesn’t quite have the intensity that made these songs great. Toward the end of the album, U2 actually begins to take on a dark, despairing sound. “Wake Up Dead Man,” the last track on Pop, weds this dark sound with desperate, soul-searching lyrics. “Jesus, Jesus help me/I’m alone in this world/And a fucked up world it is too,” Bono sings, end ing the album on a depressing note. Because of the band’s well publicized world tour, Pop will probably sell far more copies than Zooropa’s seven million. All the same, the uninspiring album falls short of the incredible music of which U2 has been capable in the past. Fans of the Irish rock band should go ahead and pick up Pop anyway; it is good, even if it isn’t great, and it’s definitely worth having. But it isn’t much of an im provement over past releases. COURTESY PHOTO U2 has consisted of the same for members since its inception in 1978. the o. d . e . on t he world wide web: http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~ode $23 UO STUDENTS W/UO ID • $28 CENERAL PUBLIC UO Cultural Forum presents 8pm Friday April 4 Hult Center Silva Hall Tickets On Sale Friday. March 7 • 9am @ EMU Tickets 541.346.4363 s Hull Center Box Office 541.687.5000 < Hey Students! Have we got something for you! debates/ Director Multimedia Studio Bundle 2 rrom w Macromedia Dakata far Hi raftar C $ Mail-in Rebate for Director 5 with Electronic Documentation wmr Look for specially marked boxes at your campus bookstore! Product must be purchased by 4-30-97. Rebate must be mailed in by 5-31-97. MACROMEDIA http://www.macromedia.com Oregon's BEST College Students Deserve Oregon's Best Sandwiches _r§> KlEKsJ k The Ultimate ^Sandwlehl' HOMEMADE BREAD jjtns, • Soup • Salads • Baked Goodies ppuiAe firesA AMy! 75* OFF ANY 12"SUB Limit one per coupon. Expires 4/3/97 NOT GOOD WITH ANY OTHER OFFER I >ou c. loin • (across rrom uoiu BOOKSiorej 50* OFF ANY 8"SUB Limit one per coupon. Expires 4/3/97 MOT GOOD WITH ANY OTHER OFFER 380 E. 13th • 344-1949 (Across From U of O Bookstore) □ 7 Award Winning Micro-Brews I-k tl_W_lx_ } !_j mrw nenu imiu □ Fresh Pizza □ Spirits □ Satellite TV □ Relaxing Atmosphere □ Home Made Rootbeer Steelhead Brewing Company 199 East 5th Avenue Eugene, OR Phone 686-2719 Eugene, OR, - Burlingame, CA - fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, (A, - Irvine, (A Check out Rhythm 8l Reviews in the Emerald every Friday for the latest in local entertainment!
