Classic Albums: U2 The Joshua Tree

The world's most important band? That was the impossible-to-live-up-to mantle a number of rock critics hung on the band U2 after The Joshua Tree came out in 1987. In this edition of Classic Albums, viewers get a fascinating look behind the scenes at the making of one of the best rock albums of all time, examining in detail everything from the basic building blocks of songs (by dusting off the original multi-track masters and playing back individual parts), to the entire production process. Inspired by their tours of America, U2 (Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen, Jr.) crafted tracks, including "With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," that have since become FM radio staples. Interestingly, the aim of the band and production team was to make an "uncool" album--that is, a piece of work that was far from reflective of the synth-pop of the day. Ultimately, they created one of the most distinct and influential pieces of recorded music to come out of the "me" decade. Part of the album's ethereal and brooding tone came from the production team of Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno (both of whom also contributed atmospheric instrumental performances). While U2 later reacted against the "important" tag by embracing the exaggerated scale of arena rock and its clichéd trappings (although their latest effort All That You Can't Leave Behind is widely regarded as their best in years), this video offers an essential look at the creation of a timeless album, inspired by an American landscape seen through the eyes of four Irishmen. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Also newly available in the Classic Albums series is The Who: Who's Next. Aud: H, C, P. (C. Block)