15. U2 - The Joshua Tree (1987)One of the most iconic albums of the 1980’s and U2’s magnum opus, The Joshua Tree is a breathtaking adventure into the wilderness of the American desert and the depths of the human soul. There is a sort of raw emotionality in U2’s sound and particularly on this album. However, the emotions are filtered, restrained and bubbling to the surface rather than exploding in white-hot fury. An example of this is on one of my all-time favorite U2 songs, “Bullet the Blue Sky” which features a certain seediness and dark undercurrent as it explores political hypocrisy, militarism, and the horrors of war all laced with biblical metaphors. Bono’s vocal delivery here is mesmerizing and his songwriting ability, generally a criminally underrated thing, shines brilliantly. From that song to “Running to Stand Still,” the perspective shifts from the political to the personal. This song, written with Dylan-esque simplicity and highly evocative visuals, talks about misery, loss but offers the possibility of redemption at the same time. If there is one thing I really admire about U2’s 1980’s period, it is Bono’s spiritual and comforting lyrics not to mention the the excellent quality of the songs themselves. As on every album, the Edge’s trademark delays are used to create a textural landscape that really tantalizes the imagination. This album also sees the band moving away somewhat from their post-punk roots and experimenting with other genres, particularly American and Irish folk. This gives the album a strong sense of well-roundedness and complements the folksy, visual lyrics to great effect. This is an album that has and will continue to stand the test of time both for me personally and for rock fans everywhere. It is a monolith in the rock genre and is U2’s finest moment.
Recommended tracks: Bullet the Blue Sky, Where the Street Have No Name, Running to Stand Still
Btw, sorry for the slow updating. Been busy lately. I'll try to pick up the pace