In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2
Shout! Factory (4/1/08)
World (African)
While Bono's been accused of being full of himself and implying that he's a Christ-like figure, one thing that's undeniable is the sheer volume of his philanthropic work, most notably his activism vis-à-vis the culturally rich yet impoverished continent of Africa. Bono and his fellow U2 band mates have been active in founding several charitable organizations with a focus on issues like disease control (particularly AIDS), forgiveness of debts in poor nations and supplying food and medicine for the poor citizens of various African nations. That said, it was only a matter of time until Africa decided to show its appreciation via the musical medium, with a tribute to U2. In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 features a mix of up-and-coming musicians and well-established crossover acts covering several of the band's most well-known hits.
Grammy-winning singer Angélique Kidjo is likely the most recognizable name on the entire album, and starts the festivities with "Mysterious Ways", which trades in its original funk feel for a decidedly more indigenous and festive tone (complete with a strong drum beat and backing choir), and also gets translated into Kidjo's native French. Malian singer/guitarist Vieux Farka Touré's version of "Bullet the Blue Sky", sung in Bamanakan, is a cool, stripped-down track that integrates a dominant element of blues. It's not as powerful as the original, but it's still really enjoyable for what it is.
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