U2 Went Through Their Old Tapes and Found Silver and Gold (Music Monday)

How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb

If you live long enough, you really do see everything. Case in point - U2 just dropped "How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb," a collection of outtakes and alternate versions that in many ways outshines the original album it's built from.

I love when artists dig through their vaults and find treasures like this. Just like The Police's Synchronicity box set I wrote about earlier this year, this gives us a peek behind the curtain at what might have been. And wow, what might have been!

The album opens strong with "Picture of You," which despite The Edge's slightly cheesy backing vocals, delivers a classic U2 chorus at the 1:20 mark that makes it all worthwhile. "Evidence of Life" follows and brings that magical 1983 U2 energy, while "Luckiest Man in the World" sits comfortably in that classic mid-album U2 sweet spot. The funk-infused "Treason" gives the collection a welcome change of pace in the four slot, before sliding into "I Don't Wanna See You Smile" - which feels like it would've been the second single in an alternate universe (and probably the moment everyone would've used for a bathroom break if U2 had toured this material).

"Country Mile," which they released as a teaser a few weeks back, works better as an album track than it would've as a proper single, while "Happiness" is so groovy it probably should've opened the whole thing (and good luck not mentally adding "...is a warm gun" every time Bono sings the title).

“Are You Gonna Wait Forever" has that classic radio-friendly U2 feel that would've dominated airwaves in a different era. Unfortunately, the collection loses steam at the end with the oddly included "Theme from The Batman" and "All Because of You 2," which doesn't quite live up to the original version.

The only thing holding this collection back from being better than the original "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" is the lack of a knockout single like "Vertigo." But what we get instead is U2 being playful, experimental, and most importantly - loose. This isn't the "biggest band in the world" U2 (mostly)- this is four guys trying things out and seeing what sticks.

Take "Evidence of Life" - I was texting with my friend Lou, a massive U2 fan, gushing about the track when he drops this atomic bomb: "You know that's The Edge singing, right?"

Hey - Lou is right! That IS The Edge! (Lou is always right about U2). It sounds like it time-traveled straight from 1983. Add this to "Volcano" and "Red Flag Day" and we've got ourselves a shadow 1983-style playlist brewing.

Sure, there are a few clunkers near the end (that Batman theme isn't exactly "Where The Streets Have No Name"), but that's part of the charm of these vault-diving exercises. You get to hear a legendary band trying things out, taking risks, and sometimes failing - but mostly succeeding in ways their more polished work wouldn't allow.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go make some playlists mixing these tracks with their original counterparts.