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rable than U2 ’ s more recent albums . I ’ ll argue for the daring thematic content of Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience , but those aren ’ t as much sheer fun as Re- Assemble ’ s first side .
The edition size of 20,000 is large enough that copies of the album may still be available to find by U2 fans who can ’ t shell out for the Super Deluxe anniversary box . The standalone How to Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb arrives on red and black vinyl in similarly colored packaging to match the Dismantle design style . The gatefold sleeve also houses a large foldout poster . One unusual feature is a cover photo offering the otherwise rarely-seen image of guitarist The Edge ’ s clean-shaven head sans beanie .
As an armchair producer , would I have replaced anything on Dismantle with anything from Re-Assemble ? No . Not on Dismantle ’ s note-perfect first side , at least . However , I might well have arm-wrestled with the label brass for a double album of 16 tracks . If Re-Assemble serves to spark a reassessment of the strength of Dismantle , that ’ s a worthwhile purpose by itself . U2 has plenty of detractors who say the band hasn ’ t produced a great album since Achtung Baby . That ’ s simply not true . Re- Assemble proves that the band had strong ideas to spare .
– Jeff Elbel
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STORACE Crossfire ( Frontiers Music s . r . l .)
The magnetic voice of Swiss rockers Krokus , Marc Storace , soars on his own with his second full-length solo album Crossfire ( released on Nov . 22 , 2024 , via Frontiers Music s . r . l .). The Maltese-born singer joined Krokus in 1979 and recorded 18 full-length albums ( including the last album , 2017 ’ s Big Rocks ) while endlessly touring the world . However , in 2021 , Storace embarked on a solo career by releasing his debut album Live And Let Live . His second effort , Crossfire , contains 12 hard rocking anthems decorated with the 73-year-old ’ s gritty and distinctive trademark vocals . Opening track “ Screaming Demon ” greets the listener with roaring engines of Formula 1 race cars before launching into some early-era Krokus-type vamping to start the track off in raucous style ( think “ Long Stick Goes Boom ” from 1982 ’ s One Vice At A Time ). From there , Storace ’ s distinguishable vocals , distortion-laden riffs , and catchy chorus give off an old-school hard rock vibe while eschewing modern-day production values . Since the band ’ s formation , critics have always compared Krokus to an AC / DC lite or a wanna-be Rose Tattoo . Tracks such as the aforementioned “ Screaming Demon ,” “ Rock This City ,” and most notably , “ Love Thing Stealer ” further these comparisons , with the latter track consisting of familiar chants almost ripped straight from “ Thunderstruck .” Tracks “ We All Need the Money ,” “ Millionaire Blues ,” and “ Sirens ” contain some of the most infectious choruses on the album , while the Beatles-esque ballad “ Only Love Can Hurt Like This ” closes Crossfire nicely and naturally . The few downsides of the album are the same slowto-mid-paced tempos on almost every track with some relatively homogenized lyrics . Almost every track fades out the same way without ending organically . Although Krokus hasn ’ t officially called it quits yet , Crossfire is a fun little stopgap in the longrunning vocalist ’ s career .
- Kelley Simms
VIOLENT FEMMES Hallowed Ground 40th anniversary LP ( Craft )
Craft returns Violent Femmes ’ 1984 sophomore album Hallowed Ground to vinyl with a reissue cut from the original stereo tapes . While the stripped-down format of Gordon Gano ’ s acoustic guitar , Victor De Lorenzo ’ s brushed snare and Brian Ritchie ’ s acoustic bass remains a part of the palette , the trio flouted expectations and pushed away from the relatively focused acoustic punk-pop sound of debut album cuts , including “ Add It Up ” and “ Blister in the
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14 illinoisentertainer . com february 2025