U2

The bright, digital-looking album artwork alone hints at U2's intentions on ZOOROPA--to take the group's electronica-laced approach on ACHTUNG BABY to the next level. While ambient-music pioneer Brian Eno had a strong presence on the former album, here he's practically a fifth member, contributing synthesizers and keyboards to most of the disc's 10 tracks. Fans looking for vestiges of the old, JOSHUA TREE-era U2 are essentially left empty-handed, though the gorgeously spare and melancholy "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" does touch on their earnest earlier sound. ZOOROPA truly gets going with the fascinatingly droning "Numb," which features the Edge on lead vocals and stands as the most adventurous single that the Irish quartet has ever released. From here the album hits a stride, careening through the giddy Euro-disco of "Lemon," the aforementioned "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)," the heavily percussive "Daddy's Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car," and the funky, chiming "Some Days Are Better Than Others." Wrapping up the quirkiest outing in U2's discography is an appropriately strange, yet inspired song--"The Wanderer," where Kraftwerk-like synths and dreamy backing vocals support the unmistakable voice of the legendary Johnny Cash. Although, ZOOROPA is often overlooked, it's an ambitious record that marks a crucial point in U2's evolution.

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