U2 - Zooropa (CD 1993)

U2 planned to record a new EP before launching the European leg of their ambitious Zoo TV tour in 1993, but the EP quickly turned into this full-length album.

Picking up where "Achtung Baby" left off, "Zooropa" delves heavily into U2's newfound affection for experimental music and dance clubs. Most of the record is far more daring than its predecessor. While that occasionally means it's unfocused and meandering, it also results in a number of wonderful moments, like the quiet menace of "Daddy's Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car," and the space-age German disco of "Lemon," the Edge's droning mantra "Numb," and the gentle, heartbroken "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)," one of U2's very best love songs. As the album winds to a close, it drifts off track, yet the best moments of "Zooropa" rank among U2's most inspired and rewarding music.

U2 has on several occations over the years said that they was about to change and become a new band, different from how they have been in the past. This record 'Zooropa' is an example. it is a lot different from records like 'War' and 'The joshua tree' and also from 'Achtung Baby'. With 'Zooropa' they went political and this particular soundtrack is really about what happens to the outsider and the individual (symbolized with the portrait of the cosmonaut on the CDcover that was not able to come back to earth during the disintegration of the Soviet Union) in a world (and inside the EU) that changes too fast. Other tracks are actually very religious like 'Daddy's gonna pay for your crashed car' and we can easilly recognize other subjects that Bono is dedicated to. He is credited most of the lyrics.
Regarding the music this record is very ambitious. It can easyly be compared with 'My life in the bush of Ghosts' Eno/Byrne and Bowies records from late 70ties. It is excentric in the way that it is not like their earlier records, but still tracks like 'Lemon' and 'Baybyface' are traditional poprock that we're used to from U2.

The record is maybe also experimental in the sense that they maybe want to find out how the public reacts to this kind of change. It is obvious that this is Bono's project and idea even though The Edge is joining with his own work('Numb'), which is a rather monotonious tirade of words.

I don't think this record is particularly successful mostly because Bono is not enough talented in this kind of experimentlly ambitious 'art rock'. It seems like he wants to make a record that falls into the same category as 'My life in the Bush of Ghosts', but at the same time tries to satisfiy most U2fans. When Jonny Cash is ending the project in the last track called 'The wanderer', I feel that something is missing, and that this is not a record that is as important as it tries to pretend to be.

ZOOROPA is a CD I had been meaning to add to my collection for ages, so I saw the opportunity to purchase it inexpensively on eBay.

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.

CD was packaged well,and delivered promptly ..

This album crept out of the debris of Achtung Baby and never seemed to get the credit it deserved. It has many high spots such as Lemon and Faraway so close with a few noodly bits such as Numb.

The best bit for me is the magnificent Wanderer, a classic finish if ever there was one, to the album. The Wanderer is more poignant than ever now that Johnny Cash has wandered of this mortal coil. Putting his vocals on the last track merely highlights the often underrated song writing ability of U2.

Well what can you say the originators of great music.

I have followed U2 for years and i know that i will always get good value everytime you play there music you can appreciate it more with always.

A great cd which I had to have and the fact that it was cheaper than in my country I bought it. It was fast dilivery so and the cd was in perfect condition so it was a good buy.