U2 - War (Deluxe Edition) (Universal Music Canada)

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The third and final reissue in the recent trilogy of U2 re-releases is perhaps the finest of their first three records. Although their debut Boy and to a lesser extent their sophomore record October have their merits, War is where the group's songwriting really started coming together and demonstrated they were becoming a force to be reckoned with.

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Opening with the group's classic song Sunday Bloody Sunday, listeners will immediately notice the remarkable growth the band underwent in the two years between October and War. And as the band winds through other key tracks such as New Year's Day, the fiery Like A Song"¦ and Surrender, you can tell their confidence level hadn't been as high as it was on War.

With War being such a strong record in its own right, it's easy to forgive the bonus material included on this deluxe version as being a little sub-par. Case in point: there are four different mixes of New Year's Day alone; combine that with three different mixes of Two Hearts Beat As One and you've accounted for seven of the 12 songs on the second disc. Clearly, the vaults were emptied this time around. The bonus disc isn't a complete lost cause though, offering the B-side Endless Deep (featuring bassist Adam Clayton on the little bit of vocals contained in the song) as well as the surprisingly jazz-influenced Angels Too Tied To The Ground.

The care given to this series of remasters is rather fantastic. The packaging on each of the three reissues (as well as the improved sound quality) will be welcome additions to the collections of hardcore U2 fans. The series is well worth checking out for those devoted fans that simply can't get enough of the Irish quartet.

- By Ken Kelley