i agree with you on North and South of the River and Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me.If only I liked Bruce and Pearl Jam, I'd have the trifecta necessary to enjoy this forum on certain days.
Also, while U2 does have a lot of strong non-album/b-side tracks, not many of them fit on the album they'd have been hypothetically "cut" from. North and South of the River? A fine song...but on POP? Glad it was cut. Hold Me Thrill Me - One of their best songs, but it started its genesis during Zooropa sessions, I believe; doesn't work on that album. Crystal Ballroom? Maybe on the lost Danger Mouse version of SOI. Most of their choices to leave certain songs as b-sides/bonus tracks/one-offs have been the right call, I'd say. Do I want them to make more material like Hold me, Thrill me? Hell yes! but make a whole album in a similar vein (an unreasonable guitar album, if you will) instead of shoe-horning it in where it doesn't fit.
i could not disagree more on Crystal Ballroom. It fits not just musically, but thematically - as it's technically speaking Bono's origin story.