U2, Achtung Baby

Following less than endearing reviews of "Rattle And Hum" by music critics, the expectation was that Dublin's favourite sons would need to up their game with their next album.

In the days that East Berlin was reaching the end of its brief existence, U2 were working with Daniel Lanois and the legendary Brian Eno on their first album of the 1990's. Initial splits (with Bono and Edge on one side, and Adam and Larry on the other) over what the nature of the album should be threatened to kill the album before it achieved life.

Edge was going through a divorce at the time, and, although this also cast a cloud over the quartet, it helped spawn one of their best known hits, "One," as well as perhaps some of the more tense and dark material ("So Cruel" and "Acrobat" being two examples). Also, the opening track "Zoo Station," which opens with a beat mimicking a train, is an obvious reference to the famous train station.

Despite this, tracks such as "Even Better Than The Real Thing" first saw life here, and has become an anthem, featuring in many advertising campaigns worldwide.

However, this album is one of my treasured ones. This album marks the start of a reinvented and reinvigorated U2, with a fresh new sound which, although trying to keep in step with their exceptional earlier work, shows a new direction for their sound. And, it has become one of the greatest albums in rock history, as well as U2's discography.

I must admit that I am not a U2 fan. In fact, I don't really like U2 all that much at all, but this album is fab, and it contains, in my opinion, their best work.

My favourite tracks on the Achtung baby album are 'Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses' and 'One', which make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end; not many songs have that effect!

A true classic, with amazing moving songs! Everyone should listen to this album, even if it is only once.

If U2 had continued on this note I would be a huge fan. Unfortunately, their other work I am not keen on - shame!

I was horrified to see that the U2 Achtung Baby album had no previous reviews. How could such a fine album be overlooked? Well, I am here to rectify this, and to hopefully sell this album to a whole new generation. This album will be full of songs you're already familiar with, and some you have yet to discover. In truth, I am an avid U2 fan, and I struggle between this and the Joshua Tree when trying to pick my favourite album.

I urge anyone with a spare tenner to purchase this CD, and discover hidden gems such a "Acrobat" or "Love is Blindness".