Summary:On the 20th anniversary of the original release, the seventh studio album reissue includes remixes, B-sides, and outtakes. The larger box set editions add the eighth album, Zooropa and four DVDs of videos, documentaries, and a live concert from Sydney.
Achtung Baby sounds a like a typical U2 record--a terrific U2 record, arguably the best record U2 has ever made, but not exactly the decisive break from the band's past it is remembered as. What Achtung Baby instead represents is U2's last great creative gasp.
The bonus material on discs five and six of the box set (which also includes Achtung Baby's severely underrated 1993 follow-up Zooropa and two pointless discs of remixes that likely won't be of much use even to die-hards) only serve to illuminate how much had to go right for the album to be as good as it was.
Surely only those who have deeper knowledge knows the importance of this monumental album. Beginning with such classics as One and MysteriousSurely only those who have deeper knowledge knows the importance of this monumental album. Beginning with such classics as One and Mysterious Ways, and other gems like Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses and Love Is Blindness, the disc wraps up as one of the greatest 90s. Surely without this album U2 would never be the great band it is today, and would have stopped his career with one last great album, which was Joshua Tree.…Collapse
If you know the importance of this album to the alternative rock music scene, you know what it is capable of. If you don't, you have a lot toIf you know the importance of this album to the alternative rock music scene, you know what it is capable of. If you don't, you have a lot to learn. Start by playing the whole album and reading its importance (Wikipedia if you will). Give it a time, then play it again while reading its lyrics. You're done! I don't need to say no more about it because, if you do what I advised you to do, you'll already know everything I have to say.…Expand
Simply put, here they achieved perfection. Their best album. The next one, Zooropa is also good, and the ones that followed, well... you know.Simply put, here they achieved perfection. Their best album. The next one, Zooropa is also good, and the ones that followed, well... you know. But this album is iconic, really beautiful.…Expand
An amazing album that can also be a marking post in the evolution of rock. Released the same year as Nirvana "Nevermind", Achutun Baby marksAn amazing album that can also be a marking post in the evolution of rock. Released the same year as Nirvana "Nevermind", Achutun Baby marks the end of emotional, uplifting pop rock, giving way to angst riddled, heroine music. Both were brilliant albums of 1991, but Achtung Baby gets extra credit for being their 7th album, and still sounded fresh as air.…Expand
Zoo Station: 0.75
Even Better Than The Real Thing: 1 :)
One: 1 :)
Until The End Of The World: 1 :)
Who’sAchtung Baby by U2: 8.56
Zoo Station: 0.75
Even Better Than The Real Thing: 1 :)
One: 1 :)
Until The End Of The World: 1 :)
Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses: 1 :)
So Cruel: 1 :)
The Fly: 1 :)
Mysterious Ways: 1 :)
Tryin’ To Throw Your Arms Around The World: 0.75
Ultra Violet (Light My Way): 1 :)
Acrobat: 1 :)
Love Is Blindness: 0.5
Lady With The Spinning Head: 1 :)
Blow Your House Down: 1 :)
Salomé: 0.75
Satellite Of Love: 0.75
Paint It Black: 1 :)
Fortunate Son: 1 :)
Alex Descends Into H**l For A Bottle Of Milk / Korova 1: 1
Where Did It All Go Wrong?: 1 :)
18.5/20 = .925 -> 8.56
Achtung Baby is officially the second best reviewed U2 album, after Joshua Tree. Although, I am not super surprised as I grew up loving this album. There are so many songs here that I love that I cannot name them all without taking up a lot of the space for the actual review. Ultra Violet, Until The End Of The World, and Mysterious Ways, along with countless others, are some of my absolute favorites of all time, and I could go on and on about everything I love about Achtung Baby. I would add 70% of all the songs here to my favorites playlist, which is an extremely high percentage for an album. The only song I couldn’t get completely down with was Love Is Blindness. I really liked its lyrics, but the actual music was just so-so. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think that song is too bass-heavy, though I did like the idea of slowing down a little after such a hype album. Besides that, I loved everything about Achtung Baby and would happily recommend it to all lovers of great music. Highlights: Even Better Than The Real Thing, One, Until The End Of The World, Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, So Cruel, The Fly, Mysterious Ways, Ultra Violet (Light My Way), Acrobat, Lady With The Spinning Head, Blow Your House Down, Paint It Black, Fortunate Son, Alex Descends Into H**l For A Bottle Of Milk / Korova, and Where Did It All Go Wrong?.…Expand
Some of the reviews on here are slightly ridiculous. This was a great album, possibly their best. I remember the controversy when The Fly wasSome of the reviews on here are slightly ridiculous. This was a great album, possibly their best. I remember the controversy when The Fly was released and was one of the weakest selling singles to get to number one. "One" is for me the best song of the 90s. The album has a few mediocre tracks so how can you give it a 10? However, the Zoo tv tour for me is the greatest of all time and can't wait to see who can top that.…Expand
What a bore. I can't think of anything, besides the shoegaze influence that The Edge brought in here, that can justify the claim that U2 madeWhat a bore. I can't think of anything, besides the shoegaze influence that The Edge brought in here, that can justify the claim that U2 made a huge comeback in quality with this. Even with the one strength this LP had, there was already a way better shoegaze album released in the same year, from the same country My Bloody Valentine's "Loveless".
I imagine that Rattle and Hum wasn't gold, but this can't possibly be that much better. Half the tracks on here are just a bore to me. There's little to no variation within the album, and only a few tracks I really enjoyed. It's all painfully slow, with The Edge and Adam Clayton spinning up a few cool concoctions only to have Bono bring them down with his surprisingly poor singing voice (he sounded awesome on The Joshua Tree!).
The tracks that I did like unfortunately did not contribute to my enjoyment of the album, the reason being that they sound so helplessly out of place. "One" doesn't have the guitar work or the compositions of the other tracks. I would enjoy some variation within this album especially considering how bland it is, but when this is pretty much the ONLY track that stands out, it seems like it belongs on a different record.
I'm sorry, I can't like this at all. I feel a strong 4 to a light 5 on this. Even their later efforts, like All That You Can't Leave Behind and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, did a better job at making good music than this dead-as-a-rock excuse for a comeback album.
STANDOUT TRACKS: ONE, WHO'S GONNA RIDE YOUR WILD HORSES, FLY…Expand
![Achtung Baby [Super Deluxe] Image](https://static.metacritic.com/images/products/music/7/7485e385fd30ddd1d7a0bee4d82303f5-98.jpg)
