Album Swap With Mrs. Stenson
For my very first album swap, I traded my copy of Kacey Musgrave’s album “Golden Hour” for Mrs. Stenson’s copy of U2’s album “The Joshua Tree.”
Here’s what I thought of “The Joshua Tree”
Going into this swap, the only songs on this album I had listened to before were “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” and “With or Without You.” These songs sound slightly similar, both contain a lot of instrumental and have long periods without lyrics – which I enjoyed. “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”, while upbeat, is a very calm song and perfect to listen to on a cold snowy morning. On the other hand, “With or Without You” is much more fast-paced, but still a great listen. In fact, “With or Without You” is my favorite song on the album. The lyrics are not only relatable but tell a story, with my favorite lyrics being “Through the storm we reach the shore/You give it all but I want more”
The first track I listened to was “Where The Streets Have No Name.” There were no lyrics until the 1:50 mark, so by the time the singing began I found myself to be pretty bored. This feeling didn’t disappear, I found that this song didn’t stand out in any particular way.
Next, I listened to “Bullet The Blue Sky.” Unlike “Where the Streets Have No Name”, this song grabbed my attention right away. The instrumental track began with a steady drum beat and then was complimented by multiple guitar riffs and what I’m pretty sure was an xylophone. At times, the lyrics were sang so slowly it sounded more like the lyrics were being spoken than sung. This song was unlike anything I have heard before, and I surprisingly enjoyed it.
The fifth track on the album “Running to Stand Still” was a slow ballad accompanied with acoustic guitar, piano and a harmonica. Like “With or Without You,” I was very impressed with the lyrics in this song. In particular “You got to cry without weeping/Talk without speaking/Scream without raising your voice.” I can confidently say this is my second favorite song from this album.
Out of all the songs in “The Joshua Tree,” “Red Hill Mining Town” most clearly tells a story. Written about the 1984 National Union of Mineworkers strike, the lyrics emphasize the hardship mineworkers faced at this time. The pain can be felt through Bono’s vocals which, in my opinion, are more powerful here than any other song on the album.
Within mere seconds of turning on “In God’s Country,” I could tell it was different from the other songs I have listened to so far. This fast-paced, upbeat song contrasts with the slower ballads prevalent in this album, but is equal in quality. I enjoyed the harmonizing between the band members – a feature I had not yet witnessed on this album. Although “In God’s Country” is by far the shortest song on the album, it definitely holds a spot as one of my favorites.
As I listened to “Trip Through Your Wires,” I felt transported into an old western movie. The multiple harmonica solos gave this song a country feel, something unique to the album. The repetitive lyrics along with the guitar accompaniment and soft drumming makes this the perfect song to sing around a campfire.
This may come as a surprise to many, but “One Tree Hill” is in fact not written about the television show “One Tree Hill.” Another more upbeat song of the album, “One Tree Hill” has a bouncy rhythm that weirdly compliments with the poetic lyrics of the song. Bono’s vocals are especially powerful in this song, only second to “Red Hill Mining Town.”
The beginning of “Exit” was so soft I checked my headphones twice to make sure they were working. Bono’s vocals were light and breathy, but quickly transitioned into the sharper, harsher vocals I recognized. Once the electric guitar solo began at the two minute mark, it was hard to believe the beginning of this song was so quiet I could barely hear it. Another song that was mostly instrumental, “Exit” surprised me with the many shifts in melody as one second it was calm and quiet, and the next sounds like a classic rock song. I’m not really sure how I feel about this song, it’s probably the strangest of the album. Overall I did like it, my only complaint is that with the absence of lyrics for most of the song, I felt as if there is a lack of storytelling.
The last song on the album “Mothers of the Disappeared,” is yet another emotional ballad. Only the second song to feature harmonizing between band members, this song effectively conveyed the overwhelming emotions behind this song. Inspired by lead singer Bono’s experiences in Nicaragua and El Salvador, “Mothers of the Disappeared” is the perfect song to close out this album.
Overall, I liked this album much more than I expected to. Even though, “The Joshua Tree” was released in 1987, its sound is very modern and doesn’t align with typical 80’s music. My only complaint is that many of the songs sounded similar to each other, but I can also say that I enjoyed every single song – although for different reasons. Considering this is my very first swap, I am pleasantly surprised I got an album this good, especially considering it’s an older one, but I’m very thankful Mrs. Stenson introduced me to it.