NO LINE ON THE HORIZON, the epic new U2 album opus

How does Eno has time for this? He is also currently working with Coldplay, on an album that is supposed to be released in November already.

listened to this with the missus (who's a much bigger U2 fan than me) the other day, and there was a general "hmmm, this is kind of nothing, is it over yet?" feeling among both of us.

How does Eno has time for this?

http://www.canpages.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/dr-manhattan.jpg

No, that's how Right Said Fred have made so many terrible records...

I don't find it that bad: a couple of songs are surprisingly good.

I bought it today, on double-LP vinyl !!

"I don't find it that bad: a couple of songs are surprisingly good"

Obviously this is just another way to say I'm getting old.

Actually you are kind of right. But then, complaining about current music being mastered to sound like shit is like saying you're getting old too, so it seems, in today's age, you have to be getting old to understand some simple things about the quality of music anyway.

Thank you, Elvis Costello.

Now there's another brilliant musician who still makes music that is way better than the stuff modern kids listen to.

eno has time for this and coldplay because they are the same album

The joshua tree is the best lbum of all time. it was made in 1987 an it stills sound like it was made last week. And sargent pepers album from the beatles sound like its time (old).Compare the contemporary artist that are inspire by U2 and compare to the contemporary artitst that are influence by the beatles. Not to say but today U2 is more relevant and infuencil than the beatles. And yes go ahead and say than the beatles this and the beatles that. But U2 will end their carrer as the artist with moust grammies and more sould out shows than any other artist in music history. I got nothing against the beatles, i love the beatles music, but in a coupe of years u2 is going to be the moust sucsesfull band in history. To say that ho is better u2 or the beatles comes down to personal taste. But numbers are numbers, in a couple of years U will be the mous sucsesfull band of all time.

omar I never knew you felt that way

sorry we peer pressured you into besmirching yr heroes

Did anyone ever arrive at a different, eg a more positive view of this record?

I have just listened to every U2 studio LP in order and wound up back at this one. Whether that helps it, I'm not sure. (Actually a highlight was side 2 of Zooropa.)

I pretty much agree with omar(?) above, sort of, um, not quite, in a way, that U2 are "more successful" / "more influential" than The Beatles at this point. The Beatles made music for 7 years. U2 have been making music for 30+. I hear far more echoes of The Joshua Tree in everyday life than I do of Revolver. This makes me sad.

I think that the difference is that the influence of Revolver is disseminated through the generations of bands that have come since, so it's not easy to hear even though it's there. Joshua Tree on the other hand is heard in today's music a lot more directly: just stick some delay on a guitar, find a singer who's a bit up himself, and there you are...

I don't hear any echoes of The Joshua Tree in everyday life, except when I play it or think about it.

But what about the new LP?

The problems with this record are manifold. Either that or its attributes are largely invisible. U2's had more than its share of "major" records - "War," "Fire," "Joshua Tree," "Achtung Baby" - where you can hear the band challenging itself and moving forward. But more importantly, those later three radical (for the band and for music at large - witness how quickly their ideas were adopted and assimilated across the board) albums in particular feel like albums. They feel complete. They tell stories, and at the very least stand as artifacts of transformation and reinvention. This new one, however, I don't know what the band is trying to say with it. There are moments I like, just like there's lots of "Pop" that I like, but I really can't see how after all that time in three different studios, with Eno and Lanois on board as full collaborators, the group listened back to this final product and deemed it both completed and satisfying. The band should have stripped things back (like the perennially underrated Zooropa) or built things up (like Achtung Baby). Instead, they chose to hover in purgatory. Is it any wonder that Bono wasted no time talking up a proposed sister album? Assuming it ever comes out, who wants to bet the "afterthought" disc will turn out to be better?

I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight sounds like a Bon Jovi parody. or homage.

That's a good strong post from Josh in Chicago!

I look forward to the sister record if it happens.

I think '... Crazy Tonight' is probably the best thing on the LP.

and 'Breathe', I'm afraid, is one of the worst.

i wonder how xhuxk feels about the lyric where bono sings about the "atm machine"?

i was listening to this again this morning and it doesn't sound necessarily of a piece, but i still think it's a lot stronger than the last one (and slightly more than 'atyclb'.) i guess for me it comes down to the fact that the fundamental sound of the band is strong and allows them to coast through some weak tracks and almost fool you into thinking they're great epics. this is a strength for those tunes and a weakness for some others that could use less coasting, but i still think it's a good album (the first three songs are pretty A+). i mean i think it's pretty funny (and disappointing as a fan) that U2 was genuinely great and fantastic during the period that they themselves might consider to be not who they really are. i can always listen to the other records but still, i dunno...

I heard a track from this and it sounded like Garth Brooks

i haven't yet. "unknown caller" is one i'd add to the A+s. nice to hear edge's enofied glissando on those four. can't believe it but i'm into this a lot more than the byrne album last year. bono's lyrics aren't always terrible either and endearing sometimes when they are -- "go! shout it out!" broaghy bluster etc. i feel all street team but fwiw for real i haven't listened to a u2 album this much since 'auchtung baby'

RE: "Unknown Caller"

"Force quit/and move to trash" are the most inexcusable lyrics in the history of bad Bono lyrics, and that's saying something.

i get a drunk uncle vibe from them

haven't listened to this much but I always thought of "Breathe" as the best track

I heard a track from this and it sounded like Garth Brooks

I wish!

The first three track start this album out SO strongly that the comedown provided by "Unknown Caller" (worst lyrics ever), "GOYB" (naff all around), and "Stand Up Comedy" (top 5 worst U2 songs ever?) cannot help but color the experience of listening to the final four track, which are pretty great. I'm so upset by the time I get to them that I just want to put on something else.

Apparently I am incapable of writing the word "tracks."

and it's like you're judging who's next by "goin' mobile"

and it's 1971 not now

Interesting.

we all want the title track to be great - but is it? I fear it's not that great. The amount of time he spends going 'a-wo-a-woa-a-woa-a-wao' is a bad sign.

'Magnificent' is an example of U2 coasting as described above, or rather - of their loveable sound pulling through something that's not really very good. I do like it when the riff starts up but Bono jumps on it pretty fast.

'moment of surrender' I doubt but Eno did speak so highly of it. I quite like how it starts very differently from how it goes on (as does Fez).

Agree about the awful computer lyrics in 'unknown caller' but I actually like aspects of this, mainly the old-time Edge sound.

'crazy tonight' I think is the best track!

the 45 is not all so bad. and I'm not sure 'stand-up comedy' is all bad either. But 'Breathe' really can be hard to listen to - what is that accent he winds up with? Nastily midAtlantic.

Maybe No Line On The Horizon isnt really that great, but at least when it comes out of the PA here in the store, it sounds like a breath of fresh air. Its enough for me, these days.

The only difference is, "Goin' Mobile" rulez.

"Cedars of Lebanon" is great. The rest I'll withhold judgement on, because Zooropa was the only U2 I loved immediately, after War, and my opinion slowly shifted on that and every other one except Achtung Baby, which I still don't get. So far, I count more great songs on the last couple.

BBC admits promotion of U2 album was 'inappropriate'

The BBC has admitted coverage of the launch of U2 album No Line On The Horizon last February, went too far - giving "undue prominence" to the band.
Critics said the BBC had given U2 "the sort of publicity money can't buy".

The corporation's editorial complaints unit (ECU) acknowledged that radio coverage of the event, including a rooftop concert, breached guidelines.
It added the use of the slogan U2 = BBC "gave an inappropriate impression of endorsement".

ILX admits promotion of U2 album was 'inappropriate'

U2 admits creation of U2 album was 'unnecessary.'

Shared courtesy of Tom Ewing. And the opening line is, really, just the beginning:

http://www.dailyiowan.com/2009/03/03/Arts/10358.html

no no no no no no no no no no no no no oh god no

That's what she...uh, never mind.

"lighter tunes"...Zippo jingles?

One standout, “White As Snow,” has lyrics which include the phrase “Once I knew there was a love divine / Then came a time I thought I knew me not / Who can forgive forgiveness when forgiveness is not / Only the land as white as snow.” Only U2 can pull off using subtle religious references mixed with forgiveness as a lyrical theme and do it with a sultry and classy melody.

waht

was this album just released in Iowa, btw

Nah, check the date of the review. How Tom found out about it probably had to do with the comment section of the Popular entry on "Desire":

http://freakytrigger.co.uk/popular/2010/07/u2-desire/

ah, I only saw that date in the banner, not the date on the review

I was gonna lol hardcore at that but I suppose I'll have to content myself with lolling hardcore at what she actually wrote

U2 lead singer Bono’s pleasing sex voice
U2 lead singer Bono’s pleasing sex voice
U2 lead singer Bono’s pleasing sex voice
U2 lead singer Bono’s pleasing sex voice
U2 lead singer Bono’s pleasing sex voice
U2 lead singer Bono’s pleasing sex voice
U2 lead singer Bono’s pleasing sex voice
U2 lead singer Bono’s pleasing sex voice
U2 lead singer Bono’s pleasing sex voice
U2 lead singer Bono’s pleasing sex voice
U2 lead singer Bono’s pleasing sex voice

One of the remarkable things about U2, which holds true to its newest CD, is its drive to create new styles. The band is known for releasing an album (take War, for instance) with a hard-rock sound, and then turning around releasing its next CD (in this case, The Unforgettable Fire) with lighter tunes.

New styles created by U2, then:

"a hard-rock sound"
"lighter tunes"

All the sex references and I'm thinking this Rachael person really want Bono to bone her.