The story goes like this: poised on the brink of disappearing in their own earnestness in the wake of the
Rattle and Hum,
U2 revitalized themselves with
Achtung Baby, embracing irony and modern music in a garish celebration of pop culture that effectively distracted attention from the wounded, broken heart at its center. Basking in the acclaim of
Achtung Baby,
U2 continued to release Euro-experimental music -- equal parts Madchester, Krautrock, and good old-fashioned prog rock, partially courtesy of longtime collaborator
Brian Eno -- until their ambition imploded on
Pop, leading them to a celebrated return to roots,
All That You Can't Leave Behind. Through it all, they turned out singles that equaled their '80s work (and in the case of "One" and "Beautiful Day," surpassed it), providing the basic ingredients for a great hits collection,
The Best of 1990-2000. Anytime
U2 flirted too closely with either dance or electronica has been replaced by mixes that attempt to give these tunes the sound of neo-classicist
U2 à la
All That You Can't Leave Behind. So, all the
Pop material ("Gone," "Discotheque," "Staring at the Sun") is given new mixes, as is "Numb." There are great songs here -- not just "Mysterious Ways" and "Beautiful Day," but relatively rare items like the
Passengers tune "Miss Sarajevo" (sounding more majestic than ever) and the Batman & Robin theme "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" (a glam rock pastiche that was the best thing about the film and remains a highlight), plus the underappreciated "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" (as lovely as anything they've ever cut). ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine