U2's 1990s "Best Of" album is a rather strange collection. The band recorded only four studio albums during that time, all of which ardent U2 fans most likely already own. So this disc is for casual fans who want only the highlights, right? Well, not exactly. 1991's "Ach-tung Baby" gets the most conventional treatment--the four selections from it ("Even Better than the Real Thing," "Mysterious Ways," "One" and "Until the End of the World") are all the original versions. Likewise, the band's most recent studio album, "All That You Can't Leave Behind" is grossly underepresnted with only two selections ("Beautiful Day" and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of") that are also original versions.

It is the rest of the material where things really get strange. The three songs from the album "Pop" are all remixes, probably in acknowledgement that it was U2's least successful album. Likewise, the "Zooropa" cut "Numb" gets a similar realtering, but one that serves it very well. Otherwise that album is also underrepresented. Of the non-studio album tracks, "The Hands That Built America" from the "Gangs of New York" soundtrack is a ho-hum ballad (like the movie), while the two other new songs included add little to the band's legacy. The CD booklet, however, is quite cool--lots of photographs of the band looking pretty slick for a bunch of forty-somethings.

Overall, "The Best of...1990-2000" contains a lot of outstanding music, but is nevertheless a terribly confused anthology.

If you were expecting the qualitative equivalanet to U2's first compilation of singles, 'Best of 1980-1990', you will find this one a bit of a disappointment, even if you liked the music of U2 from 1990 to 2000. Here's a song-by-song review:

1. "Even Better Than the Real Thing". As the fourth single from their most successful record of the decade, 'Achtung Baby' (1991), this pop dity, appropriately the opening track, has excellent guitar work and a lyrical irony that would characterize the "reinvention" of U2 in its second decade.

2. "Mysterious Ways". As one of their most popular singles and live songs from 'Achtung Baby', the underwater guitar sound, the funky bass-line, and a distinct lyrical shift into the secular (or is it?) would yield success of U2's debut as a pop band. (NOTE: For U2 fans, a line is changed from the original at 1:43.)

3. "Beautiful Day". If you don't know this one, a dose of optimism and heavy guitars hearlding the first single from the "return-to-their-roots" record, 'All That You Can't Leave Behind' (2000), you have probably been living under a rock.

4. "Electric Storm" [William Orbit Mix]. As the first of two new songs on this release, it is curious that the band included a remix on the original compilation. While the first 50 seconds are appropriate for the accompanying lyrics, this remix lacks the venom of the original version of the song (included only on the Limited Edition bonus disc), the quality of which lies somewhere between just-good and classic.

5. "One". If any song of U2 in the 1990s will be remembered, it is "One", a bittersweet ballad with multiple interpretations, which has been covered by a number of artists (e.g., Johnny Cash, R.E.M.) and would have been just as big of a hit as the other contender for U2's best ballad ("With or Without You") if it had a catchier chorus.

6. "Miss Sarajevo". This sleepy tune is the one single and sole entry included from the U2/Brian Eno collaboration, 'Passengers: Original Soundtracks' (1995). Unfortunately, because of the deletion more than one minute, what was a stunning guest performance by Pavorati on the original version seems awkward immediately following Bono's subdued verse on the edited version here.

7. "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)". This relatively traditional and mellow single from U2's exploration into art rock, 'Zooropa' (1993), moves along nicely, with its value as a U2 classic derived from the lyrical imagry and fine vocal performance by Bono.

8. "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of". Although the lyrics are a bit hokey for Bono, this single was originally an ode to the deceased INXS singer who killed himself in 1997 that took on new meaning in the nationwide grief post-9/11. Nonetheless, it seems a bit out of place among the tracks from the 1990s. (NOTE: This single was not actaully released until 2001, which is when the Grammy-winning "Walk On" and Elevation" were also released, leading me to wonder why these stronger tracks were not also included.)

9. "Gone" [New Mix]. As one of the three tracks from the much-maligned 'Pop' (1997) record, this one was not a single, but it is hard to argue against its inclusion on this compilation, as this plodding rocker is a lyrical highpoint of the U2 canon and has remained a live staple. On this "new mix", certain vocals and guitar parts have been re-recorded and the middle section has been re-arranged to mirror the live version - unfortunately, the result is flat and uninspiring when compared to the original.

10. "Until the End of the World". This is another strong non-single rocker, this time from 'Achtung Baby', which lyrically a conversation between Jesus and Judas. It has rightfully remained within the U2 live set for a decade.

11. "The Hands That Built America". This is the other new song on this compilation and the theme to the upcoming film 'Gangs of New York'. Initially, it comes across as a over-orchestrated and uninteresting ballad; when Bono's filtered, operatic vocal break shows up in the middle, you may find yourself cringing; and with the thrown-in lyrical reference to 9/11 at the end (without any real contextual connection to the rest of the song), one has to wonder what were they thinking?!

12. "Discotheque" [New Mix]. As one of the most controversial singles and introduction to the poorly-received 'Pop' record, this version is the most different from the remixes here. Unfortunately, where the original version was pumped up with many sonic colors and heavy beats, wonderfully closing the seemingly wide gap between club music and metal, this version is, quite simply, unfulfilling by comparison.

13. "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me". The non-LP single from the 'Batman Forever' (1995) soundtrack is a welcome inclusion here, an autobiographical rocker which characterizes U2-in-the-1990s - "You don't know what you're doin' - babe, it must be art".

14. "Staring at the Sun" [New Mix]. As the second and perhaps most well-received single from the 'Pop' record, members of the band have often stated that they could never get the tempo right on this one (as an ill-fated attempt at the song in the opening night of the PopMart tour would prove). However, the added drum tracks in this remix here only adds a sense of disjointedness as compared to the original.

15. "Numb" [New Mix]. In the attempts to rewrite parts of U2's second decade by including several remixes, this is the one that was tampere with the least, and as such, may actually be better than the original, which was easily their most experimental and controversial "single" ever. In this version, the vocals have been moved up in the mix (so you can actually here what the Edge is chanting . . . well, kind of), the Bono's falsetto of the chorus ("I feel numb") in the original has been replaced by the deadpan voice of an unnamed singer who actually sounds numb (drummer, Larry Mullen, I presume), and some guitar has been added to make the sound a bit more anthemic.

16. "The First Time". This is the third non-single track included on the compilation, and while lyrically strong, the minimalist musical elements are far to similar to a previous U2 hit ("All I Want Is You") to warrant inclusion here. On this note, one has to wonder, where are the more experimental singles that defined the decade (such as "The Fly" and "Lemon") or even the stronger more traditional-U2 releases (such as "Please" or the single semi-acoustic version of "Wild Horses")? Whatever the answer, this compilation could have been bettter constructed and pales by comparison to its 1980s counterpart, even if you liked U2 in the 1990s.

"Incomplete" is the word that comes to my mind when I look at the tracklisting for "The Best of 1990-2000," U2's retrospective of the band's second decade of music. First off, "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" was not released until 2001, so trade that track for "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses," and the compilation seems better already. The songs representing Achtung Baby are strong ones, though an argument in favor of "The Fly" being included can be made. "Hold Me..." was a great track to put on the CD because it was overshadowed by Seal's big hit from the Batman Forever Soundtrack. The middle two albums of the 90's, Zooropa and Pop, did produce some hits, though "If God Will Send His Angels" is the only song I can recall at my young age. I found a quote that said the Edge did not want the compilation to be weighted toward All That You Can't Leave Behind, so only two songs were included. "Beautiful Day" would have been just fine on its own, and save the other three hits for the Best of 2000-2010. In my opinion, if you want a true taste of U2 in the 90's, I recommend listening to the individual albums.

The best of 1990-2000 is not here. 16 songs in chronological order could have been:

1. Night And Day (1990): U2's only great remake foreshadowed the changes to come.
2. Until The End of the World (1990): Written for movie (of same name) prior to Achtung Baby. U2's most underated song.
3. The Fly (1991): The new U2 sound officially arrives.
4. Mysterious Ways (1991): Their first "pop" record of the 1990's.
5. One (1991)
6. Even Better Than The Real Thing (1991)
7. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses (1991) - Acoustic version.
8. Numb (1993): Another new U2 sound.
9. Stay (1993): Great single from Zooropa.
10. Lemon (1993): A very different U2 song but it certainly takes you places.
11. Miss Sarajevo (1995): A true anthem - but the full version please.
12. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me (1996)
13. Discotheque (1997): First POP single.
14. Staring At The Sun (1997): Another decent POP song.
15. Mofo (1997): The true sound of POP.
16. The Sweetest Thing (1998): The 1984 remake.

All the hits (Beautiful Day, Stuck In A Moment, Walk On and Elevation) from ATYCLB plus the Atomic Bomb hits go on the 2000-2010 Greatest Hits.

This is a dreadful compilation. This is not a 'Best Of'. I don't even need to talk about those shameful 'new mixes'. They just destroyed 3 songs of Pop and 1 song of Zooropa. As a R.E.M fan pointed out about R.E.M's 'In time: Best of': "And how did those new songs merit "great" status, anyway? I bought this CD in order to listen to songs that have already proved their weight, not to listen to anything new".

The truth is both 'Electrical Storm' and 'The Hands That Built America' were another hit and miss stuff of the worst U2 decade ever.

I just want to see out there their long-time rumored 'The Rest Of The Best'. My suggestions:

CD1: 1- Out Of Control, 2- The Electric Co, 3- Gloria, 4- I Threw a Brick Through a Window, 5- A Celebration, 6- Seconds, 7- Two Hearts Beat As One, 8- '40', 9- A Sort Of Homecoming, 10- MLK, 11- Bullet The Blue Sky, 12- Running To Stand Still, 13- In God's Country, 14- One Tree Hill, 15- God Part II, 16- Heartland

CD2: 1- Zoo Station, 2- The Fly, 3- Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, 4- Acrobat, 5- Love Is Blindness, 6- Zooropa, 7- Numb (ORIGINAL), 8- Lemon, 9- Discothèque (ORIGINAL), 10- Staring at the Sun (ORIGINAL), 11- Last Night on Earth (Single), 12- Mofo, 13- Please (Single), 14- Elevation, 15- Kite, 16- Walk On.

It's in your hands U2!.