It’s hard to describe the type of album that U2 released with 1988′s “Rattle and Hum.” Comprised of one part live recordings, one part cover tracks and one part new songs by the band, “Rattle and Hum” was also released as a film in 1988, meant to document the massive tour the band embarked on in support of 1987′s “The Joshua Tree.”

“The Joshua Tree” raised the band to superstar level, and deservedly so. When “Rattle and Hum” dropped in 1988, many people weren’t sure what to expect. Regardless of what fans may have wanted, U2 released a somewhat jarring collection that, at the time resonated oddly with both critics and fans.

Many critics felt that the band was trying to put themselves on a pedestal, the level of Elvis Presley or The Beatles. The quality of the tracks was never the issue — it was the perceived arrogance that left a bad taste in the mouths of some listeners.

The album opens up with a cover of The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter,” and Bono proclaiming that he’s stealing the song back from Charles Manson, who “stole it” from The Beatles. It’s a pretty standard cover, the band sounds good, Bono gives a decent vocal performance, just nothing too special. “Helter Skelter” is one of my least favorite Beatles tracks, so this cover really doesn’t do anything for me.

“Van Diemen’s Land” is the least listenable track on the disc for me — mainly due to the fact that The Edge is singing lead vocals on the song. All this does is prove why Bono is, and should ALWAYS be the vocalist for U2. I’m sorry Mr. Edge, but your voice does not sound good. This is perhaps my least favorite U2 track of all time — and if there was a way to “unlisten” to it, I’d do just that.

“Rattle and Hum” also features one of the most polarizing U2 covers — “All Along The Watchtower.” More than one person I have talked to has said that Dylan wrote it, Hendrix perfected it, and U2 killed it. I, personally, do not have such a harsh judgement of the song. I find it enjoyable, and while the guitar work pales in comparison with Mr. Hendrix, Bono delivers an emotional vocal performance.

Some of the recordings come across as truly overindulgent, particularly the live version of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” recorded with The New Voices of Freedom. It is a truly odd version of the song that makes me wonder what the band was thinking… regardless, what’s done is done, and I know a number of fans who do enjoy the track. For me, and a number of critics however, the choir singing in the background (and taking over the lead towards the end of the track) really affect the track in a negative way.

“Silver and Gold,” recorded live on this album but originally a b-side for “The Joshua Tree” track “Where The Streets Have No Name” is a decent track led astray by one of Bono’s socio-politcal rants. He is making sense, explaining the origin of the track… it just seems out of place on the live recording. Regardless, the band sounds great on the track and it is one of my favorite live songs on “Rattle and Hum.”

Following up “Silver and Gold” is another stellar live recording, this time for “Pride (In The Name Of Love).” The track sounds great played live — the bass really pops, The Edge’s guitar work sounds deeper, more ethereal and more meaningful than on the studio version while Bono really showcases just how good of a frontman he is. The track is dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr., and it’s a really awe-inspiring song when you have thousands of fans singing along.

“Angel of Harlem” is up next, and was recorded as a tribute to legendary vocalist Billie Holiday. It’s a strange track but has become a fan favorite over the years. It sounds completely different from anything else U2 has ever recorded, something that could be chalked up to the horns accompanying the band, or perhaps the strange rhythm that the song chugs along to. Whatever the reason, the track has remained a live staple for the band and fans seem to really enjoy singing along!

“Love Rescue Me” is one of U2’s more bizarre tracks. Recorded by both U2 and Bob Dylan, it is perhaps the most “country” of all the tracks laid down by the band, for better or worse. I’m not a huge fan of the song, but I appreciate them wanting to pay tribute to such a great songwriter. For future reference, I hope that U2 never gets the urge to recover a country album, a la Bon Jovi’s “Lost Highway”. In fact, I shudder thinking about it.

The second “duet” on the album, “When Love Comes To Town” is one hell of a track. Featuring legendary guitarist B.B. King, Bono and King trade off vocal parts while the band plays a simple, steady backing track. King and Bono both deliver incredibly powerful vocal performances, and the incredible licks coming out of B.B. King’s guitar just make the track that much better. Definitely one of my favorites on the album.

“God Part II” is a sequel of sorts to John Lennon’s “God.” It’s a track driven by the bassline, with Bono giving a somewhat staccato vocal delivery that gives this a different vibe than everything else on the album. Once the guitars kick in this is very reminiscent of stuff from the earlier U2 albums — while at the same time acting as a precursor of the drastic style change U2 would take on their 1991 album, “Achtung Baby.” It’s a fabulous track and is one of my favorite U2 songs.

A short excerpt of Jimi Hendrix’s take on “The Star Spangled Banner” segues into one of U2’s most politically toned tracks — “Bullet The Blue Sky.” Bullet is another one of those fan favorite U2 tracks, and the live version on this disc won’t let down anyone. Bono is highly critical of several political events in this recording; While it worked against “Silver and Gold,” it sounds just fine in this track. It’s hard to explain — but this is definitely worth a listen for anyone who wants a fabulous take on this classic from “The Joshua Tree.”

Overall, “Rattle and Hum” is a decent effort by the band. It doesn’t flow well as a half-live, half-studio album, but the band tried to put out something to express how they were developing musically at the time and did just that. For U2 fans, it is probably at a must listen level, for the rest of the population, it may be worth a listen for some of the more powerful tracks, but the album features too many “duds” and head-scratching moments to really warrant a purchase.

Rating: 7.2/10

Must Listen: “Bullet The Blue Sky,” “Desire,” “Pride (In The Name Of Love)”
Avoid: “Van Diemen’s Land,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”

The Musictionary’s “Classic Reviews” section is meant to take a look at some of the best albums of all time, examining a handful of tracks from each release and determining just what made them “classic” and capable of standing the test of time. Each release reviewed under the “Classic Reviews” moniker is at least 5 years old.