Brian Eno is MORE DARK THAN SHARK

INTERVIEWS, REVIEWS & RELATED ARTICLES

Melody Maker SEPTEMBER 15, 1984 - by Adam Sweeting

U2: PRIDE (IN THE NAME OF LOVE)

Somehow, we've missed this one so far. Suits me, cos now I can review it. Pride is U2's best single ever, I think, benefitting greatly from Eno/Daniel Lanois' hard hitting but beautifully shimmering production U2/Eno was a pairing which sounded faintly absurd of paper - after all, Bono's mob aren't renowned for their art school pranksterishness ot their conceptual buffoonery. Also, anybody calling a record Pride and adorning the sleeve with a portrait of Martin Luther King and some of his visionary verbalising is looking for trouble in the normal way of things, but they've made it happen here. Pride is a tribute to the great King, and isn't swept away in the comparison - praise indeed. Bono keeps a firm grip on that boyish vibrato, letting rip on the stirring chorus, while the magnificent Edge lays down a cleanly-struck box-barrage of characteristically gorgeous hanging chords and metronomic echo. Beneath, Larry and Señor Clayton provide firm, purposeful rhythmic undercarriage.

The most encouraging thing about this fine record is that it finds U2 kissing off their occasionally embarrassing outbursts of quasi-metallic preachifying in favour of a genuinely architectural nobility. Leadership by example. Interesting B side too - the instrumental Boomerang 1 bustles edgily through equatorial lands like a strange brew of Enoid Talking Heads and Simple Minds circa Sons And Fascination. Boomerang II similarly, but with vocals marked misterioso. Pass me the new album, Jeeves - sounds like a renaissance coming on.