Track Listings (14) - Disc #1| All Artists: Passengers Title: Passengers Members Wishing: 0 Total Copies: 0 Label: Mercury Phonogram Jp Release Date: 11/8/2006 Album Type: Soundtrack, Import Genres: Dance & Electronic, Alternative Rock, Pop, Soundtracks Styles: Ambient, Electronica Number of Discs: 1 SwapaCD Credits: 1 |
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Search - Passengers :: Passengers
 | Passengers Passengers Genres: Dance & Electronic, Alternative Rock, Pop, Soundtracks
U2 should be celebrated for doing what so few major rock bands have managed: They broke the chains of their own stardom. For a while it looked like they'd carry the "monsters of rock" banner into institutionalized and calc... more » |
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Amazon.com U2 should be celebrated for doing what so few major rock bands have managed: They broke the chains of their own stardom. For a while it looked like they'd carry the "monsters of rock" banner into institutionalized and calcified dotage like the Who and Pink Floyd before them. But with 1991's Achtung Baby--and even more so on '93's Zooropa--U2 made clear they'd not become so alienated from artistic motivation that they believed more in their own importance than in their continued ability to create. Thus they stopped waving flags and learned to laugh at their fame. The change, in effect, released U2 from its own image and allowed the band more creative elbowroom than ever before. Only in this context could U2 now allow their producer Brian Eno to assume virtual membership in the band, adopt the pseudonym Passengers, and immerse themselves in the anonymity of film music. With Original Soundtracks 1, a collection of 14 compositions for imagined movies (and one performance piece), U2 accentuate the visual sense. Eno, who's done this sort of thing for decades, plays a defining role. Tracks like "United Colours" and "One Minute Warning," with their electronic pulsations and organic atmospherics, clearly fall onto his ambient/techno terrain. Even tracks more recognizably the band's are enriched by collaboration: The hilarious "Elvis Ate America" is even more absurd with Howie B's scratching and vocal calls, and the touching "Miss Sarajevo" is made infinitely more profound by Luciano Pavarotti's tenor. Passengers is more likely an inspired tangent than an indication of U2's direction, but it adds to the band's impressive--and constantly progressive--body of work. --Roni Sarig Similar CDs
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CD ReviewsGreat ARTISTS take an experimental DIVERSION . . . Rich Latta | Albuquerque, NM - Land of Entitlement | 04/04/2005 (5 out of 5 stars) "Presumably feeling no pressure to make the next great monumental rock album at the time, U2 join Brian Eno and more fully digress into his atmospheric territory than ever before or since. This is a compelling collection of (faux?) movie soundtracks, many with strong undercurrents of electronica. Anyone paying attention is aware of the vast influence these artists have had, especially on a group like Radiohead who I imagine listened to this album intently. Like a lot of film scores, the majority of this album makes for excellent background music, but there's also some great songs, particularly "Your Blue Room" featuring beautiful organ from The Edge and a sensuous vocal from Bono. Another majestic one is "Miss Sarejevo" featuring opera singer Luciano Pavarotti. You have to admit, Bono has (guts) singing on a song with that guy's incredible voice. The only track I don't like is the repetitive "Elvis Ate America" with Bono sing/reciting less than flattering observations on the King. It also interrupts the flow of the album. Pretty much everything else here is well worth while if you can appreciate the emphasis of atmosphere over songs. Also of note is the beautiful voice of Holi on the dreamy "Ito Okashi." Her voice, receiving a distorted treatment, also colors the rythmically playful "One Minute Warning." I was motivated to throw in my 2 cents after reading Blender magazine's overview of U2's discography, the lamest set of reviews they've done yet. They gave this album 1 star, virtually indicating it was all synths and opera which really only applies to one track! They have this incredibly lame need to fit everyone's discography into each of 5 catagories ranging from "Blender Approved" to "For Fans Only" (each catagory apparently MUST be filled). Half of their comments have nothing to do with the actual music! They are so lame (but admittedly, kinda fun to read anyway). I was torn between rating this album 4 or 5 stars but went with 5 because, while not on the level of a masterpiece like ACHTUNG BABY or THE JOSHUA TREE, it's excellent for what it's trying to do and for what it is." Great music. 4.5 stars strangeitude | 07/27/2007 (5 out of 5 stars) "I do not see this work as a U2 record, I see it as what it is: A collaboration between Brian Eno, U2, and 'extra passengers' (Pavarotti, Howie B, Holi). Lets all remember that Mr. Brian Eno was already rock and rollin' in Roxy Music when Bono and The Edge where pubert kids. So I do not agree with the reviewers that althought they love or dislike this work, they tend to see it as a U2 Album.
U2 has taken the influence of Eno since The Unforgettable Fire and melt it with their unique style. With Passengers, Eno is the creator of 'strategies, sequences, synthesizer, treatments, mixing...and vocals'. U2 are almost Eno's sidemen, it is Eno who is in charge here of the final result of the record. So when people compare this with other U2 records, they should compare it first with the numerous Eno's catalogue, starting in 1971 - Passengers could be very similar with Eno's 'Another Green World ' and 'My Life in the Bush of Ghosts'. Songs like Ito Okashi, One Minute Warning, Plot 180 are pure Eno, Theme From the Swan comes straight from 'Music For Films'. The only real U2 songs Miss Sarajevo, a beatiful ballad that ends with a masterful Pavarotti solo, as stroke of geniuses; the other one Your Blue Room. It is true that you can listen U2 in Bono's voice and The Edge's trippy guitar (an Eno influence since Unforgettable Fire) and their pulsating playing, but the concept here is all Eno, you can't blame U2 for some of the slow ambient and edgy music that's in here, completely alien to rock/pop format: U2 by themeselves would have never made an album like this. Now I will have to admit that I love this album until the song One Minute Warning, until there 5 stars, after that it comes a little meandering but good anyway. I'd recommend Passengers for rock fans who also like electronica and experimental music, pure and only rock fans might want to stay away." |
