U2 Album: “Vertigo [CD #2]”

This CD is of interest mainly because of the Kratwerk cover, Neon Lights. It's a nice atmoshperic song, consisting of a single verse repeated a few times. A good B-side, though, and it's not available on The Complete U2 box set. The first track, Vertigo, is the same as the album version. The Jacknife Lee 10" Version is a good track, but it's only a shortened version of the 12" version, which IS available on The Complete U2 box set from iTunes. Compare the running times. The 10" version runs over 4 minutes while the 12" version clocks in at 5:36. If you must have every song that U2 has ever done, then buy this. If you are searching for good U2 B-sides, buy this. Otherwise, it may not be worth all the money.

As usual, U2 brings out the passion in people, for better or worse. I think that, like "The Fly" and like "Beautiful Day," this is a great declaration of intent. It's not the best song off HTDAAB (wait 'til "Love and Peace or Else" and "Miracle Drug" for that), but it's loud and ferocious. Bono's in great voice here, and the whole sound is very dynamic and uncompromising. You can nitpick the little touches, but just remember that the Beatles had some odd little squiggles and touches on their songs, too.

I like the remix of "Vertigo," for the record. I'm sure I'll be hearing it in my local gym non-stop all winter.

When the Jack Lee Knife mix of this song was charting Billboard's dance chart, I was so excited to obtain it, because a mix of New Order's "Waiting for the Siren's Call" brilliantly captured New Order's classic sound while bringing it up to modern electro house standards. Can't say the same for this mix of U2's best song in years. What you need to do is get the CD single for "Sometimes You Can't Make it On your Own," which has the Redanka remix of "vertigo" as a b-side, a powerhouse 7 minute anthem mix of the song.

If you're like me, you buy these cd-single releases for the b-side. Are You Going to Wait Forever is a noisy song with a punk edge, a good b-side for Vertigo. Lyrically, it's quite impressive, espcially the plaintive "are you going to wait forever" line. Someone spoke about U2 re-virginizing themselves. They succeed with this song. Neon Lights, a cover of a Krafwerk song, is a decent experiment, and adequate as a b-side. Jacknife Lee's remix is impressive. This release of Vertigo is a better deal than the other, which only features Neon Lights and different remix of Vertigo.

First of all, in actuality, Vertigo #2 (at least the one I received) does not have the b-side "Are You Gonna Wait Forever?" (which is, by the way, a pretty good song), so make sure that you are getting what . . . uh . . . you are looking for.

That said, if you have not heard "Vertigo", then you are living under a rock. (Can you say, "Elevation-Part Dos"?) The Jacknife Lee remix of "Vertigo" is OK, as far as remixes go, but is nothing earth-shattering. Finally, the cover version of the Kraftwerk tune, "Neon Lights", is atmospheric, but a bit droll.