So it has been approximately 5 years since 'How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb' and every time U2 release a record it's an event and therefore you cannot rush reviewing their new work. It is so easy to be influenced by what music critics say so it was best that I took my time and got familiar with the new songs and watched some of their promo tour to see how the songs sounded live. I think this time around the hype was particularly obvious or bad, depending on how you look at it because they delayed the release of the album from late 2008 to Feb/March 2009. Over the last 3 or so months I felt the build-up for this album but it became really intense about February (especially if you know where to look) and this, I think puts pressure not only on the band, but makes Bono & Co. seem above criticism which they most definitely are not. The hype and circus, from where I stand is a lot about the music industry looking to U2 as the saviours of the industry itself. This is a huge weight to put on the band and no one can live up to this expectation as there will always be people who hate or love the record/band. I love U2 and am not afraid to admit that they are in my Top 5 favourite bands however, I am afraid that all the stuff that surrounds U2 will overtake the reason U2 exists in the first place, to make good music as a band; which is where they began and where they will ultimately end. I think Larry talked about this in an interview where he said that at one point senior people from Microsoft would drop into the recording studio which was a distraction from making music. It is often forgotten that U2 is not just Bono but there are 3 other band members who have just as much to say or more.
Anyways, on to the record itself...
This album marks a return to a more experimental sound rather than just a straight up rock album. I wholeheartedly embrace U2’s experimental side as I'm a fan of ‘Pop’ which I think is their most underrated album and not truly understood. Everyone should go back and listen to the small nuances of this record. In my opinion all U2 records have something special but ‘Achtung Baby’ will always be my favourite, which Bono has said in the past is the sound of U2 chopping down the Joshua Tree. This is such an apt description...love it!
So imagine hearing this is what the band were returning to for their 12th studio album. I was super excited as I admittedly was waiting for the band to change up their sound and slightly disappointed in their previous two albums, ‘All That You Can’t Leave Behind’ and ‘...Atomic Bomb’ in terms of risk taking. I am a fan of the U2 that keeps the public, fans and critics guessing. I had heard early reports that it was a bit ‘Achtung Baby and some ‘Zooropa’ and ‘Pop’ in there as well; but I was really surprised when I heard it in full as I immediately compared it to ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ with some similarities to those records above with a lot of new stuff in there too. I am thoroughly impressed that after three full listens it keeps getting better. On the first listen, I was taken back as I didn’t expect it but it is full of great song writing. This is the U2 I know and love and I think inviting Brian Eno and Danny Lanois into the song writing process with the band turned out to be quite a good idea. The Eno/Lanois touch is definitely noticeable on the album.
I understand ‘No Line on the Horizon’ to be introspective and reflective as it does not bombard you like ‘Achtung Baby’ does but gets you in a much more subtle way. This is Adam and Larry’s album because it shows off the intricacies of the U2 rhythm section and how good those two are. It seems that the more U2 experiment the better the drum parts and bass lines get. Good for you lads! There are problems with this record and I think it does stem from the way the tracks are organised and certain songs just not being my cup of tea. The song writing is in parts epic and in others flat but I think this has a lot to do with lyrics...sorry Bono. All the songs in terms of the music are good but some of the lyrics just ruin it but there are moments of genius e.g. Moment of Surrender where Bono truly shines as a lyricist.
A track-by-track look at each song:
1. No Line on the Horizon – One of my fave tracks! The promo tour didn’t allow for us to hear this live but I think it will be awesome as it has a certain quality to it. I love the line “No. No line on the horizon”...the way he sings it is beautiful. As lyrics go, there are a lot of ooohhhsss... The melody is what sets this song apart from others and it almost could have gone on ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ or ‘The Joshua Tree’.
2. Magnificent – This is very much U2. It’s an epic anthem that will work well in stadiums when they go on tour later this year. I can imagine it will be a crowd pleaser as it builds much like ‘Where the Streets Have No Name’ and has an amazing drum part, once again proving that this is the rhythm section’s album. The chorus is typical U2 and the whole song is a testament to Bono’s lyric writing but the best part is when B croons “I was born, I was born to sing for you...I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up...” On David Letterman this worked well and Bono’s falsetto was in full glory for all to see and showed that it has a transcendent quality like ‘One’ and ‘WTSHNN’.
3. Moment of Surrender – This is possibly the best song on the album. It shows the band in all their grandeur as it’s a 7 minute or so masterpiece. What a fricking beautiful song was my initial reaction to it. It is a slow-ballad type song so I am giving you all fair warning but it has an amazing quality to it. Also, as a part-time drummer I found out that Larry recorded this on an electronic drum kit...how cool is that. This also has great lyrics like “At the moment of surrender of vision over visibility, I did not notice the passers by and they did not notice me...”
4. Unknown Caller - Easily my least favourite song. I found the music fine but the lyrics and structure are kind of all over the place. I'm not sure how to even go about breaking this down in all honesty. It doesn’t have something that pulls you in like all U2 songs do.
5. I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight – This is going to be a great song live as it has shown on the promo tour. I originally thought it wasn’t that great but once I heard them perform this live I was convinced it is a great pop song. It just has a natural beauty about it particularly the bridge and a bit of country when The Edge’s guitar solo kicks in. Is that just me? My favourite lyric is “...Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot...”
6. Get On Your Boots – My review for this is in a separate post and I thought it was good but now that I have heard the whole album and the more I think about it doesn’t belong on this album. I will say now it should not have been the first single as it doesn’t really represent the album at all.
7. Stand Up Comedy – This is certainly interesting as an unconventional love song. The best line is “...be careful, of small men with big ideas." I wonder who they are talking about here...I'm picturing Bono right now talking about poverty! The production of this is amazing too.
8. FEZ – Being Born – Obviously this began in Fez, Morocco and it does have an African feel. This is interesting because it starts off as one thing and becomes another. I think people might find it confusing but I see it as showing off their ability to push the boundaries and make songs that are almost like films. I hear the cinematic nature of the music and it is uncomplicated like that with very few lyrics. This is about the music.
9. White As Snow – What a beautiful song I feel like crying just thinking about it. This is very melodic and it definitely tells you a story. I am in love with the line: “Now this dry ground, it bears no fruit at all. Only poppies laugh under the crescent moon...” It sounds like a hymn.
10. Breathe – I know Bono has said that this is fast becoming his favourite song on the album. I am not sure I can agree with it being my fave on the album. It is a great song by most standards but along the U2 standard it falls a bit short. It will probably be a single at some point.
11. Cedars of Lebanon – This is an interesting song in terms of what is about. Bono said it was written from the perspective of a war correspondent and going by this it makes sense with lyrics like “...Spent the night trying to make a deadline, squeezing complicated lives into a simple headline..” Bono is almost speaking the lyrics at certain points in the song which serve to highlight the words and what it is actually about. It is not as beautiful as ‘White As Snow’ but it is a strong tune that leaves an impression. An excellent closer for a record.
That ended up being fairly epic. WOW!
Anyways, on to the record itself...
This album marks a return to a more experimental sound rather than just a straight up rock album. I wholeheartedly embrace U2’s experimental side as I'm a fan of ‘Pop’ which I think is their most underrated album and not truly understood. Everyone should go back and listen to the small nuances of this record. In my opinion all U2 records have something special but ‘Achtung Baby’ will always be my favourite, which Bono has said in the past is the sound of U2 chopping down the Joshua Tree. This is such an apt description...love it!
So imagine hearing this is what the band were returning to for their 12th studio album. I was super excited as I admittedly was waiting for the band to change up their sound and slightly disappointed in their previous two albums, ‘All That You Can’t Leave Behind’ and ‘...Atomic Bomb’ in terms of risk taking. I am a fan of the U2 that keeps the public, fans and critics guessing. I had heard early reports that it was a bit ‘Achtung Baby and some ‘Zooropa’ and ‘Pop’ in there as well; but I was really surprised when I heard it in full as I immediately compared it to ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ with some similarities to those records above with a lot of new stuff in there too. I am thoroughly impressed that after three full listens it keeps getting better. On the first listen, I was taken back as I didn’t expect it but it is full of great song writing. This is the U2 I know and love and I think inviting Brian Eno and Danny Lanois into the song writing process with the band turned out to be quite a good idea. The Eno/Lanois touch is definitely noticeable on the album.
I understand ‘No Line on the Horizon’ to be introspective and reflective as it does not bombard you like ‘Achtung Baby’ does but gets you in a much more subtle way. This is Adam and Larry’s album because it shows off the intricacies of the U2 rhythm section and how good those two are. It seems that the more U2 experiment the better the drum parts and bass lines get. Good for you lads! There are problems with this record and I think it does stem from the way the tracks are organised and certain songs just not being my cup of tea. The song writing is in parts epic and in others flat but I think this has a lot to do with lyrics...sorry Bono. All the songs in terms of the music are good but some of the lyrics just ruin it but there are moments of genius e.g. Moment of Surrender where Bono truly shines as a lyricist.
A track-by-track look at each song:
1. No Line on the Horizon – One of my fave tracks! The promo tour didn’t allow for us to hear this live but I think it will be awesome as it has a certain quality to it. I love the line “No. No line on the horizon”...the way he sings it is beautiful. As lyrics go, there are a lot of ooohhhsss... The melody is what sets this song apart from others and it almost could have gone on ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ or ‘The Joshua Tree’.
2. Magnificent – This is very much U2. It’s an epic anthem that will work well in stadiums when they go on tour later this year. I can imagine it will be a crowd pleaser as it builds much like ‘Where the Streets Have No Name’ and has an amazing drum part, once again proving that this is the rhythm section’s album. The chorus is typical U2 and the whole song is a testament to Bono’s lyric writing but the best part is when B croons “I was born, I was born to sing for you...I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up...” On David Letterman this worked well and Bono’s falsetto was in full glory for all to see and showed that it has a transcendent quality like ‘One’ and ‘WTSHNN’.
3. Moment of Surrender – This is possibly the best song on the album. It shows the band in all their grandeur as it’s a 7 minute or so masterpiece. What a fricking beautiful song was my initial reaction to it. It is a slow-ballad type song so I am giving you all fair warning but it has an amazing quality to it. Also, as a part-time drummer I found out that Larry recorded this on an electronic drum kit...how cool is that. This also has great lyrics like “At the moment of surrender of vision over visibility, I did not notice the passers by and they did not notice me...”
4. Unknown Caller - Easily my least favourite song. I found the music fine but the lyrics and structure are kind of all over the place. I'm not sure how to even go about breaking this down in all honesty. It doesn’t have something that pulls you in like all U2 songs do.
5. I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight – This is going to be a great song live as it has shown on the promo tour. I originally thought it wasn’t that great but once I heard them perform this live I was convinced it is a great pop song. It just has a natural beauty about it particularly the bridge and a bit of country when The Edge’s guitar solo kicks in. Is that just me? My favourite lyric is “...Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot...”
6. Get On Your Boots – My review for this is in a separate post and I thought it was good but now that I have heard the whole album and the more I think about it doesn’t belong on this album. I will say now it should not have been the first single as it doesn’t really represent the album at all.
7. Stand Up Comedy – This is certainly interesting as an unconventional love song. The best line is “...be careful, of small men with big ideas." I wonder who they are talking about here...I'm picturing Bono right now talking about poverty! The production of this is amazing too.
8. FEZ – Being Born – Obviously this began in Fez, Morocco and it does have an African feel. This is interesting because it starts off as one thing and becomes another. I think people might find it confusing but I see it as showing off their ability to push the boundaries and make songs that are almost like films. I hear the cinematic nature of the music and it is uncomplicated like that with very few lyrics. This is about the music.
9. White As Snow – What a beautiful song I feel like crying just thinking about it. This is very melodic and it definitely tells you a story. I am in love with the line: “Now this dry ground, it bears no fruit at all. Only poppies laugh under the crescent moon...” It sounds like a hymn.
10. Breathe – I know Bono has said that this is fast becoming his favourite song on the album. I am not sure I can agree with it being my fave on the album. It is a great song by most standards but along the U2 standard it falls a bit short. It will probably be a single at some point.
11. Cedars of Lebanon – This is an interesting song in terms of what is about. Bono said it was written from the perspective of a war correspondent and going by this it makes sense with lyrics like “...Spent the night trying to make a deadline, squeezing complicated lives into a simple headline..” Bono is almost speaking the lyrics at certain points in the song which serve to highlight the words and what it is actually about. It is not as beautiful as ‘White As Snow’ but it is a strong tune that leaves an impression. An excellent closer for a record.
That ended up being fairly epic. WOW!
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