October (Deluxe Edition) [Remastered]

Though widely acknowledged as suffering a bit from the “sophomore slump,” 1981’s October is hardly a failure, with “Gloria,” “I Fall Down,” “I Threw a Brick Through a Window,” “Rejoice,” and the album’s stunning closer “Is That All?” leading the charge. The Dublin quartet’s quick success made it imperative for them to get a second album together and while some of the tunes suffer from being rushed along (six months could’ve given them breathing room, but could have cost them their momentum), it’s mostly the sound of a band still finding themselves. Steve Lillywhite’s production continues to add atmospherics to the band’s careful chiseled sound and Bono clearly has the sound of arenas ringing in his ears as his singing reaches for mythic heights with its consistent full-throat attack. The additional material on the “Deluxe Edition” shows the band’s growth as a live act. The 1982 Hammersmith Palais performances of “Gloria” and “I Fall Down,” the BBC sessions of “I Threw A Brick Through a Window,” and the live versions from their debut album Boy (“I Will Follow,” “The Ocean”) are welcomed bonuses that sketch out a stronger idea of the band’s abilities during the early years.