u2 - boy, october, war (reissues)
September 04, 2008
Carrying on from my Radiohead review, sometimes there are instances where labels manage to get previously released material right. The Edge, guitarist from U2 worked with their label Island Records in order to remaster and re-release their first three albums, each complete with an additional CD full of previously rare and unreleased recordings and packaged in an extraordinary gatefold book.
And for U2 fans, they've really dished out some treats. The first album 'Boy' has been reissued with several early demoes and singles that were previously vinyl only. To finally have '11 O'Clock Tick Tock', 'Touch', 'Another Day' and their debut U23 single on CD is just wonderful and the additional early demos give a real insight into the early origins of the band. 'October', their 'difficult second album', has mostly live material since the band were mostly on the road at that time although it does also feature the single versions of 'A Celebration' and 'Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl'. Their third album, 'War', comes complete with an assortment of b-sides and dance remixes since the band were combating for a slice of the NY disco scene at that time.
At around $50 per album (and this is JB Hi Fi price), they're not a cheap investment, which could explain why the reissues have failed to set the charts alight. However, for the devoted U2 fan, these are a must have at any cost.
