Not only are Bono's lyrics obsessed with America, but country and blues influences are heard throughout the record, and instead of using these as roots, they're used as ways to add texture to the music. Unexpectedly, U2 have also tempered their textural post-punk with American influences.
That means that even the anthems - the epic opener "Where the Streets Have No Name," the yearning "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - have seeds of doubt within their soaring choruses, and those fears take root throughout the album, whether it's in the mournful sliding acoustic guitars of "Running to Stand Still," the surging "One Tree Hill," or the hypnotic elegy "Mothers of the Disappeared." So it might seem a little ironic that U2 became superstars on the back of such a dark record, but their focus has never been clearer, nor has their music been catchier, than on The Joshua Tree. It's a move that returns them to the sweeping, anthemic rock of War, but if War was an exploding political bomb, The Joshua Tree is a journey through its aftermath, trying to find sense and hope in the desperation. Using the textured sonics of The Unforgettable Fire as a basis, U2 expanded those innovations by scaling back the songs to a personal setting and adding a grittier attack for its follow-up, The Joshua Tree. The only time we'll list a record with a cover in this shape is if it's rare or the record is in great shape.A powerful, uncompromising record that became a hit due to its vision and its melody. All the seams are split, the panels are moldy, major writing all over, etc. We will rarely list a record in this condition.Ĭover - cover is damaged to a point where it is not usable to house a record. Vinyl - will play but will have a lot of issues and have a lot of loud background noise. May have warping but it should not affect play.Ĭover - will have a couple cosmetic issues ring wear, seam splitting, writing on cover, creases, etc and it will be very pronounce. Vinyl - will look VERY played, have lot of marks, scuffs, scratches (possibly deep), play with noticeable maybe even consistent background noise but is still listenable. Could be a couple items (not all) and they should not be major. May have light warping but it should not affect the play.Ĭover - will have noticeable wear such as ring wear, seam splitting, writing on cover, creases, etc. May have light surface noise such as pops, clicks and crackles but it should be occasional and not consistent and not overwhelming. Vinyl - will look played, may have some scuffs and light surface marks / scratches. Vinyl - may have one or two light scuff marks but should play just as well as a NM record.Ĭover - has some very minor cosmetic issue, like a light crease, light ring wear, nothing that is very noticeable. Vinyl - a unsealed record that looks nearly flawless.Ĭover - may have light typical storage wear. Of course since the record is sealed we cannot guarantee there are no pressing flaws or minor warping, and since all the sealed records we sell are out of print, we cannot except returns or exchanges on sealed records that have been opened.
Vinyl - only given to sealed records, or records we personally acquired new, opened them but never played. If this is a concern of yours you can contact us and ask us. NOTE: We do not grade or mention the condition of original printed inner sleeves (if the record has them) though we will often picture them if included. Occasionally we'll use a grade range (ie: VG / VG+) for either vinyl or cover if condition is borderline and hard to stick in one category. We encourage you to view all the pictures and read our comments on the conditions, as we find these to be more beneficial than a standard grade. With a partial play grading when deemed nessary. All our regularly priced used vinyl goes through and 10 minute Ultra Sonic cleaning (the best cleaning) and is then graded visually under bright light,