U2 and Green Day - ‘The Saints Are Coming’ (Mercury) Released 06/11/06

So here it finally is, the much-hyped collaboration between rock giants U2 and Green Day, a cover of Scottish punk band The Skids’ ‘The Saints Are Coming’. Probably the best thing that U2 have released in years, but really this is standard Green Day fodder. It’s quite entertaining but does incorporate U2 trickery with guitar effects that make it sound almost like a live recording, effects that make it sound much grander than it really is, courtesy of producer and legend Rick Rubin. But, Billy Joe’s voice really does sound very good on this record, and it is for charity with profits going to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina, and as charity songs go, it ain’t half bad.