The reissued CD of the week reviewed...

U2

The Unforgettable Fire

Mercury ***

Ah, mid-period U2! The point when they were on the cusp of global domination. More crucially from a creative aspect, The Unforgettable Fire(released in remastered format to tie in with its 25th anniversary) was the point at which Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois entered the frame.

This is U2's first real shift from the bespoke ordinariness of Octoberand Warinto the very interesting, yet it's noticeable that such a change (Eno's ambient sensibilities feature throughout) got off to a shaky, if not uncomfortable start. That said, songs such as Pride (In the Name of Love), Badand the title track remain strong statements of intent to change for the better. The next U2 phase would start with The Joshua Tree, from which there was no going back. This remastered outing arrives in various please- buy-me formats: Limited Edition Box Set, Deluxe Edition, basic CD, and 12-inch vinyl. www.U2.com

Download tracks: Bad, Pride (In the Name of Love)