We’ve already heard Jack White, Damien Rice, and Garbage cover U2 (here, here, and here) for Q magazine’s new Achtung Baby tribute album. Now we have three more from the album, which hit newsstands today. It’s the Killers, Nine Inch Nails, and Depeche Mode, all covering favorite tracks from the 1991 classic.
The Killers, a band who have been compared to/accused of ripping off U2 once or twice, tackle “Ultraviolet (Light My Way).” It’s got the sky-high guitars and heavily-emoting vocals you expect, not deviating too far from the original template. Nine Inch Nails, a band we thought we’d heard the last off, slow down opener “Zoo Station,” adding glitchy electronics without sacrificing the angelic falsetto. Depeche Mode, of all groups, actually take things out the furthest. Their “So Cruel” adds a tricky little drum machine pattern and well-placed synth interludes. Stream all three below.
The Killers – Ultraviolet (Light My Way) (U2 cover)
Nine Inch Nails – Zoo Station (U2 cover)
Depeche Mode – So Cruel (U2 Cover)
‘AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered’ Tracklist:
01. Nine Inch Nails – Zoo Station
02. U2 (Jacques Lu Cont Mix) – Even Better Than The Real Thing
03. Damien Rice – One
04. Patti Smith – Until The End Of The World
05. Garbage – Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
06. Depeche Mode – So Cruel
07. Snow Patrol – Mysterious Ways
08. The Fray – Trying To Throw Your Arms Around The World
09. Gavin Friday – The Fly
10. The Killers – Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
11. Glasvegas – Acrobat
12. Jack White – Love Is Blindness
Really digging the Depeche Mode cover, Dave Gahan did a great job capturing the “Bono feel” and there is really good synth work throughout song. Even though I’m really burnt out of the Killers, I did enjoy their cover as well. This album looks promising, I’m stoked for it.