Search - U2 :: Mysterious Ways (5 Mixes)

It's more than alright

ajz8 | New York, NY United States | 07/12/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm usually not one for remixes, particularly decade old ones which can be laughably out-dated (like the Even Better than the Real Thing ones), but these are truly great minimalist remixes that even make listening to the same song 5 times in a row entertaining.The Solar Plexus Club mixes are the ground work for the live version of the song and a definite improvement over the original!The A440 Magic Hour Remix is basically just Bono with really soft subtle background keyboards that follow the chords of the song. It's great to hear the raw vocal of the track without any of the instruments.The Tabla Mowtown Remix follows in the style and uses some of the same instrumentation as the Magic Hour Remix, but ads more percussion to create a great ambient alternative to the album version.This is a great single.Word to the wise: It's almost 10 years after this and other singles were released off of Achtung Baby and they will certainly not be around forever. If you want more music from this period in U2's history, this is one of the releases that is worth getting."

It's alright, it's alright, it's all right

Andrew McCaffrey | Satellite of Love, Maryland | 05/28/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The single heralding U2's "Mysterious Ways" contained the original song, plus four remixes. Here are some comments on each of the individual tracks:"Mysterious Ways" -- The standard version straight and unadulterated from the ACHTUNG BABY album. A wonderful song with a danceable bass line, a powerful performance from Larry Mullen on drums, very strong guitar work, and Bono at the height of his lyrical powers. This has to be one of U2's most well known songs, and still receives a lot of airplay over ten years after its initial release. I cannot believe there is anyone reading this who doesn't already know what the song sounds like. If you don't, buy ACHTUNG BABY immediately."Mysterious Ways (Solar Plexus Extended Club Mix)" - Start with the original song, then take away some of the guitars, and add some more synthesizer and keyboard effects. The bass line remains the same, although the drumming is slightly different (and closer to the way Larry Mullen plays when the song is performed live). The vocals have been slightly changed around, and there are some samples of Bono's shrieking that sound enhanced and/or digitally altered. This is a much more atmospheric version, much more dream-like. An interesting remix; I recommend it. (Remix done by Howard Gray, Trevor Gray, and Steve Lillywhite.)"Mysterious Ways (Apollo 440 Magic Hour Remix)" - Even more atmospheric than the previous mix. It's practically nothing but Bono's vocals and synthesizers. For some reason, what appear to be birdcalls are also present. The drumming is still on the track, though extremely subdued. The guitar and bass are missing in action. A relaxing interpretation, I sort of like it, but rarely feel the need to listen to it."Mysterious Ways (Tabla Motown Remix)" -- This is another remix courtesy of the folks at Apollo 440, and in many ways sounds this very similar to their previous Magic Hour Remix. However, the drumming is more distinct and the bass guitar makes a return appearance. For much of the track, it's Bono's vocals, Adam Clayton's bass-line, Mullen's drum work, and the additional keyboards. It's nice. Not thrilling, but nice."Mysterious Ways (Solar Plexus Club Mix)" - Although one would think that this would be more like the Solar Plexus Extended Club Mix, this is very similar to the original song. The drumming comes from that earlier remix, and really does fit the rest of the music well. There's a few more guitars and piano work, too, possibly taken from the studio sessions. Overall, I'd credit this as my favorite of the bunch; it contains a lot that makes the original song so great, but also adds some great musical extras. In many ways, it sounds like the live version of this song. The aforementioned drumming is notable for this, but the keyboards also sound suspiciously like the piano chords that Edge plays during the intro, albeit a bit more simple. (Remix done by Howard Gray, Trevor Gray, and Steve Lillywhite.)I doubt if anyone other than dedicated fans will be interested in picking up this release. For most people, just having ACHTUNG BABY on CD will suffice, but us U2 fans will enjoy listening to these remixes. The fifth track is particularly notable for its similarity to the superior, extended version of "Mysterious Ways" that U2 performs in concert."

Likin' the Deep Cuts

James C Bodajlo | South Orange, NJ United States | 11/12/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A single with 14(?!) cuts. My goodness, what have I stumbled upon? Is this a pot o' gold all U2 fans are looking for? "Mysterious Ways" is NOT the best song since "Pride" (I'm lookin' at you Mr. Medford, Oregon) - in fact, it's not even close to being the best song on Achtung Baby, but nonetheless, it's a sweet tune. ON YOUR KNEES BOY!"