So I will start a new feature: writing a review of albums I consider my favorites track by track. The first one is U2’s 1993 album Zooropa.

Zooropa
The lead title track imeditiately shows that this album is an elboration of the previous album Achtung Baby. Zooropa introduces us to the sonic mood of the whole album, which is a sort of sci-fi expirmental sounding. Edge’s quacking guitar and keyboards and Bono’s lyrics about mid 90’s sale slogans adds to that furtistic sound. It’s one of U2’s more epic sounding 90s songs. It is also another album in the european sounding era of the band.

Babyface
I will admit, this is probably my least favorite on this album. This song starts with a luliby keyboard sound and picks up with the futurististic sound in the chorus with the flanged guitar effect. I suppose this song could be categorized as sci-fi R&B.

Numb
Edge gets lead vocals in this song. This is probably the most un-U2-like song on the whole album with Edge on lead “rapping” vocals and the mechanical sounding percussion. The song has a feeling of be bombarded with information and the character in the song is “numb” to the overload of television. This really fits in with the theme of the ZooTV tour of the time. I suppose with that anaylsis, this is a monotone rap version of Achtung Baby’s The Fly.

Lemon
The sound of footsteps and then bam…what is that? Shimmering keyboard/guitar? Adam and Larry’s disco grooves keep the song going with Bono’s super high vocals. Then to contrast Bono’s vocals, Edge and Brian Eno provide a droning backing vocal. The place where the song starts to loose me and drag is the violin solo. So is this future sci-fi disco?

Stay (Far Away, So Close!)
In the midst of the sci-fi sounds comes Stay. Easily one of U2’s very best songs. Bono’s lyric writing is at his best on this song. I can’t help get the feeling of being on a European street at night.

Daddy’s Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car
I have to say, that intro to this song is the coolest thing. Starts off with that Russian sounding anthem and then crashes into that heavy drum and distored bass. The album version of this song is done so subtle and so sublime, its really hard that it could ever been done live. While it has been done live at the end of the ZooTV tour, it was a slightly different arrangement. This song has very much a CS Lewis Screwtape Letters type theme to it. Sci-fi hip-hop?

Some Days Are Better Than Others
Adam Clayton’s bass drives this song. The lyrics come off as a Eccelastical take on life that literally “some days are better than others”. Sci-fi lounge music?

The First Time
Just like Stay, this song stands out that it is so different than the ones around it. The First Time has another Bibical take on the lyrics. I am not exactly sure, but it is about trying to run away from God, but finding that there is no replacement and God will keep us in his grace no matter how far we run from him. The acoustic guitar and slight use of effects in the background let me call this sci-fi folk.

Dirty Day
Another very cool bass and drum track. Edge’s subtle guitar follows the bass line and takes life in the chorus and ending. Bono has another impresive vocal track with hitting such high notes at the right time. Could this be sci-fi alternative rock?

The Wanderer
The last track on the album doesnt even have Bono as lead singer once again. Johnny Cash sings this one on top of a kitchy Las Vegas casino sounding music track. Edge’s backing vocals and twangy guitar add to making it slightly western sounding. The use of Bibical lyrics give the label of sci-fi gosple country.