The Best of 1990-2000 3CDs

Despite Pop's patchiness, the songs' zeitgeist experimentation and fundamental nonchalant attitude to their own position in the U2 scheme of things are both invigorating and satisfying. Notably though, they've been reworked (i.e., finished) here, "Staring at the Sun" apparently having suffered from "mid-temp syndrome". The new versions are better, and the new songs "Electrical Storm" and "The Hands That Built America" are stronger still. However, nothing comes close to the dark, bruised masterpieces from Achtung Baby, particularly "The Fly". The track order is odd, with some telling omissions ("Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses") and strange inclusions ("The First Time"), which just goes to show how hard the band have considered the songs as they see them today. Let's hope that when their current back-to-basics attitude subsides they'll go all weird again. --Ben Johncock