Illinois Entertainer November 2019 | Page 45

RecordStoreDay.com Continued from page 28 bass, woozy guitar, and reverb-drenched jazz drum fills. I’m unaware of the original purpose of this music - if there was one. It may pro- vide multiple “aha” moments to realize that each musical movement is tethered to a visual element or scene within an art film I’ll likely never see. If not, someone could produce a pretty compelling narrative with no shortage of twists by writing with this album in mind. Among the scant information on the back of the LP's cover is a note with an email address to send song title suggestions. Try it. Who knows, someone may respond with a note saying, “Yes, that’s exactly what we were think- ing.” You’ll be left to wonder whether or not to believe it. Virgo on Virgo is available in a limited edition LP on yellow vinyl, with hand-screened turntable slipmat. (thequietlife.com) -Jeff Elbel 8 U2 The Unforgettable Fire How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb Colored vinyl reissues (Interscope/UMe) The U2 catalog boasts two avowed rock and roll masterpieces in 1987’s The Joshua Tree and the surprising reinvention of 1990s Achtung Baby. For many fans aboard during the Irish quartet’s early develop- ment, however, the real breakthrough was the first entry in the string of LPs helmed by producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois – 1984’s The Unforgettable Fire. After War fare like “New Year’s Day” and “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” Singer Bono’s heart-on- sleeve lyrics coalesced with “Pride (In the Name of Love),” fusing protest and ideal- ism in memory of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. The sprawling and emotive “Bad” and its lamentation over a friend’s heroin addiction was deployed as one of the most riveting performances at Live Aid in 1985. Other key tracks include “A Sort of Homecoming” with Larry Mullen, Jr.’s urgent tom-tom pattern, and sheets of the Edge’s shimmering guitar. The twinkling and hypnotic title track embraces the ambient textures promoted by Eno and Lanois while spinning a haunting confessional from a disconnected and numbed spirit. The song draws fur- ther inspiration from an art exhibition at Chicago’s former Peace Museum by vic- tims of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Edge plays slashing and fervent guitar against a taut Mullen- Clayton groove during the thrilling but lesser-heard album cut “Wire.” Attractions added in celebration of the album’s 35th anniversary include a heavyweight, wine- colored vinyl platter to match the cover artwork. A 16-page booklet includes lyrics, striking photos by Anton Corbijn, and liner notes from Eno and Lanois. The remastered vinyl was sourced from the 25th-anniversary release and the reissue campaign surrounding the U2360 tour. Compared to the original 1984 vinyl, the fresh take exhibits enhanced clarity across the spectrum. Particularly improved is the sound of inner groove tracks. During “The Unforgettable Fire,” top-end frequencies have more sparkle, and Adam Clayton’s bass is more present and resonant among the wafting clouds of synthesized cellos. Bono’s voice is more intimate and present during the hymnal “MLK,” without the saturation and distortion creeping into the original mass-market pressing. Also offered is a similarly refreshed take on the hard-hitting, Grammy-sweep- ing How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb pressed onto striking red vinyl. Clayton’s bass rumbles while the Edge’s guitar rages through the cathartic “Vertigo.” “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own” remains among Bono’s most vulner- able, unflinching, and confessional exami- nations, reflecting upon the turbulent but elemental relationship with his father in the wake of his father’s passing. “City of Blinding Lights” finds U2 at its most star- ry-eyed, shimmering, and optimistic, even while Bono tempers his romantic procla- mations by singing about lost innocence. “Love and Peace or Else” emerged as a bracing performance piece for drummer Mullen during the Atomic Bomb tour that also allowed the Edge to play raucous, paint-peeling riffs. The package includes a 16-page booklet with lyrics and photos. – Jeff Elbel 8 The Unforgettable Fire 7 How to Dismatle an Atomic Bomb Friday, November 29th ############# 10% Off New Vinyl! 20% Off Vintage Vinyl! e Exclusiv s ! e s a le e R en Doors Op m at 9:00a T-SHIRTS Bu y One Get One FREE! FR Coffee & EE Donuts! Moondog Music • 806 Wacker Drive, Suite 120, Dubuque, IA (563) 583-7041 [email protected] d n o c e S 25% Off CD Sale! Hand Sale azz LP s.... $1.99 J n co tinue y to Great wa r LP u o y d il bu n! o ti c e ll co ic Sale Fall Mus oks o B 1 l y n i V ts 1 1 T-shir Follow Us on Twitter icates Gift Ce le rt a if lw ays! @ie_entertainer availab tock on es LPs in s Blind Pig! lu B ic s s la C nd llins, , Albert Co Alligator a Delmark, , J.B. Hutto, Hound Dog Magic Sam. ls Junior Wel Otis Rush, kins, Pinetop Per Bob Koester's Blues & Jazz Mart 3419 W. Irving Park Rd Chicago, IL 60618 773-539-5002 bluesandjazzmart.com november 2 019 illinoisentertainer.com 45