U2 Deluxe Edition Box Set [Amazon.com Exclusive]

Manufacturer: Island List Price: $79.98 Our Price: $63.99

Sweet success, but what about Unforgettable fire? I got reaquainted with U2 two years ago with the album "The Joshua Tree",which is the last album I listend to in 1987, after that the music dwindelled away for me and I had no interest in the band at the time. When I once again heard "Red hill mining town", I realized what I had missed, and wehn J.T. was remastered in 2007 , I jumped at that immediatly, however I was not really interested in the others until I saw this sweet looking set on Amazon, so I decided to take a chance. The price was decent, (cheaper than buying individualy) and these tracks are well mastered and is worth the money , for U2 fans past , present , and future. I wonder if the 1984 release "The Unforgetable Fire" will have the same , and when, as well as what extra the releases will contain? Hidden Track There is a hidden track, well maybe not hidden, but there is a 12th track on Boy. I only noticed it because I ripped it into my library and M$ didn't know what to call it. It sounds like a bootleg or demo and I don't think there are any words. I know, not much help, but it is very exciting nonetheless. Double dipping or amazing release? One might wonder what is the motivation behind this box set, is it pure greed on the part of U2 and their record company or is it the chance to give fans some hidden gems. I have been grappling with this concept and thought about if I should purchase this box set or not. I already own "Boy", "October" and "War" and many of these B-Sides I already own on the "U2: Best of 1980-1990" bonus disc that came out about ten years ago. Therefore, why on earth would I want to spend some $60.00 odd dollars on this set? Before I answer this question, I should begin with the fact that I am a pretty big U2 fan (if one might not have figured that out yet). I really got into the band when "Achtung Baby" came out and believe it or not enjoy U2's more outlandish selections of music on "Zooropa" and "Pop" (I include the Passenger's side project as well). Over the years the band as earned the ability to do just about anything they want musically, which is a good thing. The last official album from U2 was 2004's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb". Which gave listeners a taste of rock n' roll with drops of alternative/electric grooves. From my understanding and research U2 has a new album planned for November 2008. Therefore, I see this current box set as a way to satisfy fans until this new album is released. As for U2's first three albums, they have very strong elements. From the post-punk rock vibe of "Boy", to the piano/rock vibes of "October" to the rebellion that is guffaw on "War". These three albums foreshadow the comings of a wonderful and strong band. Therefore I can understand why these three albums are being re-mastered and re-released. I digress to my former question, why on earth would I want to spend some $60.00 odd dollars on this set? Well my answer is this, because I made the choice to do so. I can totally see why some people are upset with this release, stating that U2 is totally "double dipping" by selling this box set, because many of the tracks are already available. There are only about a dozen or so new or unreleased tunes on this box set. So if someone doesn't want to shell out the money for this because they feel it is an injustice to fans, then my response is don't. This doesn't make you any less of a U2 fan. For instance I am a huge Star Wars fan, but I have yet purchased the six films on DVD because I know that there is going to be some huge box set coming out (one of these days or years) so I will wait. I am also a huge Depeche Mode fan, love them as much as U2, and they have re-released all of their albums in "special editions". However these DM "special editions" featured B-Sides that I already owned on CD singles and/or EPs, so I didn't buy them, didn't see the reason. This doesn't make me any less a Depeche Mode fan. It was my choice to purchase or not purchase it. People don't have to be slaves to industry. I honestly do see why people are upset when CDs or DVDs are released several times in order to promote sales (can anyone say "The Evil Dead"). I sort of felt this way about U2's "18 Singles" collection that came out a couple of years ago. The only new tracks, "The Saints are Coming" and "Windows in the Skies". I wasn't going to buy the single disc edition; I bought the edition that came with the DVD. I felt for my money I got a good deal. I also feel in some ways that record and movie studio companies use exploitation towards fans when they release products. I will be honest it is possible that this might be the case with this box set. However, I don't think it is the total "brain child" of U2 to rip their fans off. It was the chance to give fans a real treat. Yet is this always the case? "Batman Begins" was first released on DVD as a 2 disc special edition. Now that "The Dark Knight" (sequel, not a bad flick) is out, there is an all new "super deluxe edition" of "Batman Begins" does this really merit another DVD release? This happens all the time with DVDs and CDs, the consumer just has to pick and choose their...battles, so to speak. As for this "Boy/October/War" box set you get all three albums re-mastered with bonus tracks. I found this to be very enjoyable. I love the song "New Year's Day", so multiple versions of the song don't bother me. It is cool to hear some of this unreleased material, too bad it has been the vault for so long. I would have to say my personal favorite from these first three albums is "October". I don't know something about the mood of this record. The vibe being precarious, loud, haunting and angelic is the foundation of some timeless melodies. As for the poster included, it is cool. The jury is still out if I will hang it up or not. The photo booklets for each album are awesome, they look like little hard cover books. There are lots of photos, lyrics and information about the band and what not. However, I am upset by the fact that the CDs themselves are held in cheap cardboard casing. I don't understand why so many newer CD releases suffer from this. The "normal" plastic jewel case provides better protection for the CDs. I feel like I am reliving the I same disappointment with the lousy cardboard CD holders provided for "The Joshua Tree" deluxe special edition that was released last year. I spent close to $50.00 for that set and my two CDs and DVD were put in the same type of crappy and cheap little cardboard sleeves, which makes the discs vulnerable to scratches. I wish with both of these releases, someone would decided to invest a little more money, time and respect towards the music. Why? Because the re-mastered songs sound amazing and U2 is a band the deserves better than CARDBOARD!!! In conclusion, I wish this set was a bit less in money, but I made the choice to buy it and I have no regrets. What U2 fan wouldn't? Who knows, I could be a fool and these "extra tracks" will be available on Amazon or iTunes in MP3 form one day. It is also possible that people might sell their copies in used format and I could get the extra songs much cheaper. I do know that I would much rather spend my money on a U2 box set the costs around $60.00 then spend the same amount of money on a tank of gas. (In relation to most of the rest of the world, we in the U.S.A. spend less on gas, but my paycheck doesn't know that.) Listening to U2 makes me happy so I made a choice and bought this box set. If you have some extra money to throw around pick it up, if not, don't worry about. Lets Make a Deal! You may be want this box set because you crave better sound quality and are intrigued by the plethora of "unreleased" tracks. Maybe you are a U2 collector enamored by the nice packaging. But more likely, you want to avoid the hefty price tags of the seperate remasters. If placed a check mark next to any of the above, just do yourself a favor and buy it now. The sound quality of each album is definitely better. While the first two albums are mostly mixed louder, War boasts more definition, probably due to the improvement of their recording, mixing, and master tape. Each album is supplemented very nicely by liner notes that provide interesting prefaces, rare pictures and footnotes for each song, including those found on the bonus discs. The rare and unreleased material is enlightening for casual fans, but may be redundant for collectors of rare singles, mixes (New Years Dub), and bootlegs (think Another Time, Another Place). The packaging for this box set is as-smooth-as-silk (really, no plastic) and justifies the purchase by itself. Though printed on quality paper, the included poster is the least impressive part of the package. Bottom line: for the price, this box set is even better than the real thing. Buy it.