Original Soundtracks 1

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Passengers is a collaboration between U2 and Brian Eno, so it should come as no surprise that the music on Original Soundtracks 1 is an extension of U2's last album, Zooropa. Under Eno's influence, the group incorporates more ambient electronic soundscapes, which unravel over the course of the album. In fact, Original Soundtracks 1 sounds more like a Brian Eno album than a U2 release, except when the band's knack for anthemic pop songwriting shines through every once and a while. The most affecting example of this is "Miss Sarajevo," a slowly pulsating and melancholy collaboration with Luciano Pavarotti, who makes the middle eight soar. Equally impressive is the sweeping "Your Blue Room," which stands as one of U2's finest ballads. Nevertheless, the heart of the album is in its instrumentals, where the band -- particularly the Edge and Eno -- manages to keep the constantly shifting sonic colors and textures involving and intriguing.