Desert Island Discs: Achtung Baby

Well, I figure it’s about time I post another Desert Island pick. I was thinking that when I was on the island I wouldn’t just want the mid-tempo potentially depressing stuff that I generally chose as my alltime favorites. Sometimes you want something else. Maybe a classic. Well, Achtung Baby is the best of both worlds for me. It has the tunefulness and artistry that I consistently like and the rocker sense that U2 always maintains.

My dad, who is crazy, has a fondness for Atomic Bomb, but I prefer Achtung. I pretty much love every song on the album, and I especially can’t get enough of the haunting tone of “Love is Blindness.” I like the wry, complex tone of all U2’s writing (and performance) in the ‘90s. I even like Pop, which is everybody’s least favorite U2 album.

I was sort of late coming to the U2 fanbase. While Achtung Baby was released when I was eight years old, I really got into it in college, over 10 years later. In fact, everybody at my college was into U2. It was more popular than a Calvin sweatshirt or floor dating. “Beautiful Day” was the song of choice to blast out of your dormroom window. And while I am sometimes loathe to follow the crowd, there are some things that everybody likes because they are undeniably good.

Previous Picks:
Ohio

Other Players:
Dad
Jim
Matt

Desert Island Discs - Ohio

My dad challenged his readers to join him in a series of “desert island” reviews – the most essential, can’t-live-without-‘em, albums in your collection. This is a personal list, not a best-of list. If I’m stuck on this island with other people who I would share music with, I might change my answers a bit. So, I don’t know how many of these posts I’ll do, but I’ll start today.

Over the Rhine has been my favorite band since I was about 18. I’ve seen then live probably 6 or 7 times. All their music has gotten so much play in my life the last 6 years that I really couldn’t live without at least one. But which to choose? Good Dog Bad Dog was my very first OTR album, and has a special place in my heart, but I decided instead to go with Ohio. Ohio has some of the delicate, intimate style of GDBD, but also has a few full-band rockers in there too. And, bonus, it’s a double album; I get two for the price of one (of course, we’re not limited to a top 5 or whatever here, but still). Anyway, what’s so great about Ohio?

I remember waiting anxiously for my pre-ordered copy of this cd to arrive in the mail. When it finally came I was immediately in love – every song was stunning in its own way. It covers a range of content – from love songs (Lifelong Fling) to political statements (Remind Us) to songs that defy categorization (most of the rest of them). I have always loved Karin and Linford’s lyrics, and their music for that matter. And this album really showcases everything that I love about them.