Ok, look, I know, I missed last week. I was out of town celebrating my wedding anniversary with my wonderful Bride, so there was no way I was logging on and writing a post. Sure, I could’ve written something ahead of time and scheduled it to post, but that’s not my style. Anywho, I’m back and I’ve got an oldie but a goldie for you. The 1991 release, Achtung Baby, by none other, than Ireland’s own U2.

If we were discussing the U2 catalog, you may not have heard much about Achtung Baby! (AB). AB was the albums first foray into a more industrialized sound. Large, booming sounds, synth, more reverb than you can handle, and odd sound-effects. Personally, it’s my favorite U2 record. It’s so different, but it still sounds good. If you really tune your ears up, and push through the industrial rigidity, the classic U2 sound is there.

The album starts off with the track Zoo Station that wastes no time bringing you into the new, more industrial sound of the band. Guitars barge in with a cold, mechanized, robotic sound. The band then jumps in, and you can clearly hear the sound of hammers hitting metal–it’s a great opener that shoves you down and makes you listen.

Now that you’re warmed up, the next track, Even Better Than the Real Thing takes you on a plane-ride 50,000 feet in the air. The track has a huge sound that’s loud and airy, but it has some driving undertones thanks to Adam Clayton’s subtle, yet appropriate bass-lines. You’re basically on this giant ship flying high at a million miles per hour with the stereo on full blast!

But if you thought that was all this record was going to bring you, you’re wrong. One of the things that makes U2 such a great band is their ability to keep you on your toes. One minute they’re cold, intense & loud, another minute and they’re soft, quiet, and restrained. Enter what could be considered the biggest single of the record, One. Here we have U2 performing a little more than a ballad; it’s soulful, and has almost an air of pleading to it. The song has a melodic meandering to it that crescendos and gives resolve.

After One, the album slows down a little, draws the listener in, then shoves you down again with The Fly, before turning the pressure down a little for a few more tracks, and then dials up slightly for a solid finish. Every time I listen to this album I’m taken back to High School. It’s a great musical journey worth your time, especially if you’re unfamiliar with it!

Enjoy!