I FOUND IT!!

So, this morning, I rediscovered the value of the album, The Joshua Tree. Specifically, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. Usually, I snub my nose at this album when I'm ready to choose my listening material, because this is the album that "non-fans" listen to. I am more sophisticated, a more practiced U2 listener, and therefore know the true value of the entire body of work. I am not tied down to the most popular, or the most conventional sounding songs. While my album of choice is usually Unforgettable Fire (with Atomic Bomb as a close second), I have my own little mix of favorites on my ipod that makes me happy--hardly any of them are from Joshua Tree.

However, as I was driving along in my minivan during the only 5 minutes I have alone, and can therefore listen to NON kid music, I switched stations over and over, trying to escape the usually interesting late 80s drivel that just seemed trivial and obnoxious today. And there it was. The mature, deep beat of Adam's bass; the strained, emotion-soaked, gospel-style vocals of Bono; the understated and unmistakable sound of Edge's guitar; and the un-canned, hypnotic beat of Larry's drums. What a change! What a difference to the synthesized, tuneless junk that came out from other bands during the same era!

It made me realize in an instant what a complete difference in style this was to the music of the time. Music has been so impacted by U2's style since, that it's hard to remember that there was really nothing else like it. And it's the most popular for a reason. It is fantastic music. I need to drop my snobish, I-know-more-than-thou attitude and try to appreciate the music for its value, and not its obscurity. What a breath of fresh air it came to me as this morning. I'm proud of my boys for lifting my spirits today. I certainly found what I was looking for.