Reviewed by James Lewis

Passengers is, as most of you probably know, the name for the collective of U2 and Brian Eno, ex-Roxy Music man and long time U2 co-producer. Apparently a pseudonym was used to ensure the project wasn't misconstrued as a U2 album and although some of the tracks are U2 in all but name, over half of them certainly are not, at least not in any familiar U2 terrain. Unsurprisingly, it is the songs that are largely U2/not U2 whilst the instrumentals veer into ambient, chill out and world music territory. All the tracks were either written for or inspired by "arthouse" films and any casual cinema-goer like myself will be totally unfamiliar with those name checked, with the exception of Wim (Paris, Texas) Wenders, who has previously been associated with U2. Lyrics, where there are any, are not especially Christian in content - "Miss Sarajevo" (the recent single) explores celebration of life in the midst of death through the example of the eponymous beauty contest, with Pavarotti almost an abstract instrumental break rather than a duet. The enigmatic "Your Blue Room" sounds like something from a David Lynch movie (remember Julee Cruise's "Falling"), whilst "Elvis Ate America" inspired by the controversial Jeff Koons lost short film of the same name. A mixture of chanting (NOT Gregorian) and rap, it uses word association, "Numb" style, to evoke both the talent and the depravity of the American icon - a sample couplet, "Elvis - white nigger/Elvis - white knickers". Anyone looking for where U2 are at will have to wait for the next album, reportedly due next summer. Like much soundtrack music, most of it is fairly good if you want a soundtrack to whatever else you are doing, but if you intend to really listen to it be prepared to programme out most, if not all, of the instrumental tracks.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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