U2 – October (2008 Reissue Remastered on 180g Vinyl)

Released on 12 October 1981, October is the second studio album by U2. The album was lyrically inspired by the memberships of Bono, the Edge, and Larry Mullen Jr. in a Christian group called the Shalom Fellowship, and consequently it contains spiritual and religious themes. Their involvement with Shalom Fellowship led them to question the relationship between the Christian faith and the ‘rock and roll’ lifestyle, and threatened to break up the band.

After completing the third leg of the Boy Tour in February 1981, U2 began to write new material for October, entering the recording studio in July 1981. Just as they did for their 1980 debut Boy the band recorded at Windmill Lane Studios with Steve Lillywhite producing. The recording sessions were complicated by Bono’s loss of a briefcase containing in-progress lyrics for the new songs, forcing a hurried, improvisational approach to completing the album on time.

October was preceded by the lead single Fire in July 1981, while its second single Gloria coincided with its release.

Dave McCullough of Sounds praised the album and said: ‘A kind of zenith pop then, no half measures. It all breathes fire, recovering too from the pair of standouts appearing at the start of each side – Gloria being possibly their finest moment and Tomorrow, low and muted, gently oozing emotion’. McCullough concluded, ‘This October will last forever’.

Track Listing

Side One

1. Gloria
2. I Fall Down
3. I Threw a Brick Through a Window
4. Rejoice
5. Fire

Side Two

1. Tomorrow
2. October
3. With a Shout
4. Stranger in a Strange Land
5. Scarlet
6. Is That All?

Producer: Steve Lillywhite

Format: Vinyl / 12” Album

Label: Virgin EMI Records

Catalogue No: 1761679

Barcode: 0602517616790 

Release Date: 21 Jul 2008