The Joshua Tree

This CD is truly a musical masterpiece. The audio quality is wonderful. It captures the brilliance of one of rock and roll’s all-time greatest bands. It is certainly one of my best CDs ever.

To say that this was probably a red-letter day in the history of music ... is an understatement.When this first album came out, I missed it completely. I just wasn't listening to anything this mainstream at the time and was caught up in the beginning of absorbing myself with classical music. I was young once and couldn't possibly be that hip to catch everything on the early adoption tip. I view this album probably as important as Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, as that may be what they were going for, or Vivaldi's Stabat Mater. These albums are all equally important and affected both music ever after and the listeners as well.To date, April 2008, The Joshua Tree has several different releases now.The Original Studio Release - c. 1989The Superbit `Gold CD' Release - c. 1990The Remastered Release - c. 2007Amazon also has a combined 460 reviews on this product now and while most of the populous enjoy this, a contingent of listeners don't feel that this measures up to be one of the great rock albums of all time.While I do feel that this is one of the best albums of the last 100 years, easily, it is not a Rock album, per se. I know that may sound deviant to you, but it's very simply explained.The bulk of the songs on this album are ballads. You may not want to hear that, but it's the truth. Some may just be realizing this for the first time, and it's okay, too. While I have no problem with ballads, being big fan of Beethoven and Chopin, masters of just such a thing, I wouldn't dare call Moonlight Sonata (Sonata Quasi una Fantasia) Rock Music at any time. Ballads are just that, they're ballads. They're beautiful and they typically speak on the subject of love, loss, frustration or isolation. That's not a rigid rule, but just a personal observation.1. 'Where the Streets have no name' - Ballad. A song about feelings of isolation and love.2. 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' - Ballad. Another song about the feelings concerning isolation, loss and love.3. 'With or Without You' - Ballad. Another song about the feelings concerning isolation, loss and love.4. 'Bullet The Blue Sky' - Rock Song Primo. A song about political discord, military might, poverty, etc.5. 'Running To Stand Still' - Ballad. A song about isolation6. 'Red Hill Mining Town' - Ballad. A song FULL of double entendres about sex, love and frustration.7. 'In God's Country' - A Bluesy Ballad. A song about a girl ...8. 'Trip Through Your Wires' - Rock Song.9. 'One Tree Hill' - A bluesy ballad. A song a bout a girl, and emotions of love.10. 'Exit' - A unclassifiable song about frustration, danger and isolation11. 'Mothers Of The Disappeared' - Your guess is as good as mine on this one.So ... what's the score here? The ballads heavily outweigh the Rock anthems. While this isn't necessarily an indictment on this album it's just an opinion placed casting light on seeing this album in the proper context. U2 has been branded passion rock since this album came out, and it's probably fitting to say the least, but they are one of the best RnR bands on the planet. People should just see this release for what it is. If one day, the bulk of us decided to start referring to Sting's Ten Summoner's Tales as Rock or even Hard Rock and not Easy Listening, then more of his listeners would be displeased by that as well.The Joshua Tree is a groundbreaking album where a lot of U2 fans split off after this, unhappily. But over the years they gained even more fans with the releases after Joshua Tree, myself included. But it is a masterpiece in every sense of the word.

Let me add my voice to the hundreds that believe this is a classic album.Without one iota of hyperbole, this is one of the greatest albums of the last thirty years.There hasn't been an album as breathtakingly cinematic since "Born To Run."It is an album where skipping a song truly lessens the experience.In their catalog, "The Joshua Tree" is where the U2 sound crystallizes. The first album was filled with ambition and experimentation. The second plagued with doubt and so meanders. The third was gloriously proud and defiant. The fourth, "The Unforgettable Fire", was where it began to come together.Here...it's perfect. Each song is exquisitely crafted, yet clearly belonging to a whole greater than the sum of its' parts."Where The Streets Have No Name" begins with that orchestra-pit crescendo, and opens into a sweeping anthem. It soars; it acts as the introduction to an epic."I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" continues in that vein, beginning low, ending in a joyous soulful high."With or Without You" is introspection on a grand scale. It has a restraint that literally breaks free as it ends...you can hear Bono's voice elevate to a higher plane.Very few albums open with three time-tested classics...and the key to the three is Adam Clayton's subtle yet powerful bass lines. They're the frames the songs are draped across."Bullet The Blue Sky" used to bother me...until I saw it live. Then, I got it. It's not a pleasurable tune...in the same way "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" is not a pleasurable film. But you're better off after experiencing them. It's bold, angular."Running To Stand Still" echoes their previous tune, "Bad". It's a beautiful slow tempo song."Red Hill Mining Town" again shows U2 trying to paint an incredibly vivid picture with their music...again, "cinematic"."In God's Country" is a galloping freight train of a song, with incredible momentum. You find yourself unconsciously holding your breath before that captured-lightning guitar solo by Edge comes crashing in."One Tree Hill" is a song written in response to an unexpected passing of a close friend. You hear and feel anguish and release at the same time. It's one of the great unrecognized jewels of U2's career."Exit" is the one song I usually skip. It used to be pretty cool in concert, but it's the most unfocused song on the disc. But now I return to it for the rousing dynamics and Larry Mullen Jr.'s spectacular drumming."Mothers of the Disappeared", most people forget, wasn't on the original album. It was one of the first "CD bonus" tracks. It now seems indispensible. Pair this song with Sting's "They Dance Alone" (released not too long after...) and you'll get some sort of sense of the horror going on in South America.This album has not aged a day.I've tried to limit my enthusiasm to a line (or two) per song, but really, one could go on and on. This remains a most impressive album nearly twenty years later.The only thing more impressive is that they've made many more albums nearly as good...

The media could not be loaded. Increíble disco.Esta vez todo llegó perfecto: el vinilo impecable, el librito en excelente estado, se nota el cuidado.Como siempre, el envío tardó unos 15 días, pero vale totalmente la pena.Muy contento con la compra, un álbum que no puede faltar y que emociona cada vez que lo escuchas. Total confianza en el vendedor