In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 1, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Shout Factory
• ASIN: B0013PVGL8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #103,648 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 features brand-new covers of classic U2 songs by Grammy Award-winning and up-and-coming African artists including Angelique Kidjo, Les Nubians, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, Vieux Farka Touré, Vusi Mahlasela and the Soweto Gospel Choir. The album was inspired by Bono's direct philanthropic impact via the launch of the ONE campaign and (RED), and his poignant outspoken public commentary on the immediate financial needs facing Africa. In The Name Of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 is a revolutionary tribute to one of the world's best-loved bands. Deluxe packaging includes detailed info on the home countries of the artists, and info on nonprofit organizations that are making a difference.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth checking out if you love U2, April 1, 2008

By 

Bill Day "BillDay.com" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In The Name Of Love Africa Celebrates U2 (MP3 Download)

If you are a fan of U2, these different approaches to some of their classic songs are worth a listen. I didn't like all of them, but I did love Angelique Kidjo's "Mysterious Ways", Vusi Mahlasela's "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own", and the Soweto Gospel Choir's "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" enough to buy the MP3 singles of those songs. I'd give each of those songs 5-stars, and the album 4-stars overall only because I didn't enjoy some of the other songs quite as much.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Afro-Celt Sound System, June 9, 2008

By 

Amaranth "music fan" (Northern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 (Audio CD)

"In the name of love" is an amazing fusion of African artists celebrating the music of the Irish alt. rock band U2. It's all electrifying; there isn't any filler. "In the name of love" takes U2's radio-friendly hits to a new level. It's a covers album that breathes new life into the Irish band's compositions.

Benin's Angelique Kidjo and Mali's Vieux Farka Toure transform "Mysterious Ways" and "Bullet the Blue Sky" into hypnotic,mystical masterpieces. Guinea's Ba Cissoko turns "Sunday Bloody Sunday" into a primal,earthy chant. U2's song about the Times of the Troubles in Northern Ireland is equally relevant to the inter-tribal warfare in Africa. South Africa's Vusi Mahlasela, Nigeria's Tony Allen, Senegal's Cheikh Lo, and the Soweto Gospel Choir turn "Sometimes you can't make it on your own","I still haven't found what I'm looking for" and "Where the streets have no name" as well as "Pride (in the name of love)" into urban hymns. They hearken back to U2's origins as a born-again Christian band. Les Nubians turn "With or without you" into Afro girl-pop. The Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars and the Boston-based African Underground All-Stars show the gritty,urban roots of "Seconds" and "Desire." The album closes with Angola's Waldemar Bastos deftly transforming "Love is blindness" into a lament.

"In the name of love" is flavorful music for pop and Afropop fans alike. It's powerful, beautiful music for a great cause. A portion of the profits goes to the Global Fund,battling HIV/AIDS and malaria in Africa. Music is healing.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't stop listening to this CD!!!, May 27, 2008

By 

J. Apanites (Cincinnati, Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2 (Audio CD)

This CD is really amazing. I'm not much on CD's where other artists cover songs made popular by another band. However, the versions here are often so different that they give the song a different texture and point of view. Granted, one or two of the tunes don't vary that much from the originals (ex. Mysterious Ways), but most use the original song only as a jumping off point to add the artists own interpretation and sound to the song. If you are a U2 fan I think this CD is essential. If nothing else it will just remind you of a few of the great songs they have written and how their great songs can be translated across cultures and still have a powerful artistic and emotional punch.