46 illinoisentertainer . com july 2017
Continued from page 44 book I Me Mine with characteristic wry humor . “ I have suffered for this book ; now it ’ s your turn .” Spouse Olivia Harrison explains the irony of the tome ’ s title in her updated introduction , with a reminder that her spiritually-questing husband sought to release the idea of ego and possession in recognition of shared spiritual unity . She also describes the combination of irreverent humor and overflowing goodwill that produced the book , noting that the late Beatle ’ s words and music remain a source of treasured comfort since his passing in 2001 . This updated version of the original 1980 publication has been substantially expanded to cover the full range of Harrison ’ s life and career . 59 additional song lyrics are included for a total of 141 . More than 600 pages are packed with photos and reproductions of hand-written lyrics . Harrison ’ s anecdotes are included for each song . Lengthier passages of conversation with Beatle associate Derek Taylor include thoughts on the Beatles , the phenomena of “ My Sweet Lord ,” gardening , time in India , Monty Python , meeting Ravi Shankar , motor racing , and so on .
Jeff Elbel
8
RIDE Weather Diaries
( Self )
When our rock heroes reform to make new music after decades , fans must remember the odds of success are exceedingly low . There are exceptions to this rule ( The Church , The Soft Boys , Dinosaur Jr ), but Ride is mostly roadkill on the highway of failed creative reunions , and Weather Diaries is stuck on a bloody tire ridin ' on down that road .
Kudos to co-writers / founders Andy Bell and Mark Gardner for aiming higher and not resting on psychedelic cliches of the past . Considered one the best of the shoegaze pioneering bands of the late ' 80s powered by 1990 ' s amazing Nowhere , their newest music could have been made by a band 20 years younger with plenty of post-Brexit political fodder to support the lyrics . Unfortunately this fabled reunion album is a largely melodic underperformer full of rich harmonies that go mostly nowhere . There are exceptions . " Lannoy Point " meshes old Ride psychedelics with a pulsing synth track , regal harmonies and plenty of Theresa May venom . " All I Want " is a driving electro-rocker with sampled vocals and a yearning for Labour Party sensibility .
Bonus points to Ride for risking their necks making new music and not just sucking the life out of a reunion tour , unlike say , The Stone Roses , who ' ve rationed 2 singles to the fans over a 6-year reunion . Longtime fans will likely find enough here to be satisfied , but Weather Diaries won ' t impress your kid . Appearing 7 / 16 at Pitchfork , Chicago
– John Vernon
5
\ U2 The Joshua Tree , 30th Anniversary Edition
( Island )
This year marks the 30th anniversary of U2 ’ s The Joshua Tree . The Irish rockers ’ ongoing tour is its first retrospective trip , featuring performances of the full album . Also timed to celebrate the band ’ s “ desert songs ” are a batch of reissues including a lavish Super Deluxe vinyl boxset .
Many fans who have all but worn out the digital groove on their 30-year-old CDs will be attracted to the Deluxe set for the bonus disc alone . The two-disc package includes a 17-song set drawn from the first of two nights in September 1987 at Madison Square Garden . The recording is clear and full , the band is fighting fit , and the crowd is buzzing . Nine of The Joshua Tree ’ s 11 songs are featured , alongside earlier cuts like “ Pride ( In the Name of Love ),” the most like-minded single from prior album The Unforgettable Fire . Other key tracks include “ Sunday Bloody Sunday ” from War and “ I Will Follow ” from Boy . Taken together , the songs played during this show were the ones that established U2 on the international stage . Fresh fare like “ Where the Streets Have No Name ” and “ I Still Haven ’ t Found What I ’ m Looking For ” presented U2 as a band with big dreams and a message , and with its sights set on changing the world through music . The Super Deluxe vinyl box is an immersive and impressive affair for serious fans , from the monolithic , foilembossed box to the anti-static sleeves for seven 180-gram platters . The Joshua Tree and Live at Madison Square Garden programs are split onto two LPs each . Another LP includes familiar b-sides such as “ Spanish Eyes ,” “ Silver and Gold ” and “ Sweetest Thing .” Presented together , the b-sides form a companion album to The Joshua Tree in a similar way that Zooropa echoed the tone of Achtung Baby . One disc features remixes by band associates , including Steve Lillywhite ’ s 2017 Record Store Day version of “ Red Hill Mining Town ” with stately brass by The Arklow Silver Band . Brian Eno crafts the brief “ One Tree Hill Reprise ” as a hymnal soundscape . Daniel Lanois ’ remix of “ Running to Stand Still ” fits alongside the sonic experiments of his recent album Flesh and Machine album . Bono ’ s voice is familiar , but the trappings are more spectral and lonely than ever . The effect is a fusion of The Joshua Tree and the more ambient brushes of The Unforgettable Fire .