New U2 - No Line In The Horizon - March 2nd - Page 2

Where did you hear it, Tati? I haven't heard it on the radio yet.

'Get on Your Boots' is becoming a channel flipper for me. I'm really not liking it.

Legal places, too. Unfortunately, the link is still blocked for me at work. What does it sound like?

Damn it. Same site is blocked at my work too.

Ha! I pegged it.

http://chud.com/forum/showpost.php?p...2&postcount=31

That's pretty accurate - Very cool and unique, but with a surprising swagger.

I didn't mind Get On Your Boots, but it was missing that extra something. This song has that.

Hipster credibility be damned, I'm genuinely curious about this album now.

This is the remix on the b-side. But I like it.

'Q' magazine summarised the album - apparently some of the songs are very evocative of The Joshua tree's epic soundscapes. Which is good.

Yeah. Halfway through it.. if it's possible for me to like the sound without thinking much of the songs themselves, that's my impression so far.

I love their 90's trilogy and HATE the last two shitty albums they have snored out.
I have almost given up, don't give me hope.

Listened to it twice now. It's a keeper. Some thoughts:

- I actually like the B-side version of "No Line..." better than the album cut.

- It's definitely a front loaded album; "Magnificent", while not breaking any new ground, is fucking great, and has a timeless U2 sound. I already feel like I've been listening to it for years, and I say that as a compliment.

- "Unknown Caller" really works for me, yet I can see people finding it annoying. It totally feels like an Eno brainchild, as does "Fez"

- While "Boots" isn't the greatest single, it is a fun song, and I think is perfectly placed in the middle of the album.

- "Crazy Tonight" shoulda been left out. Such a throwaway.

- The album has a strong, albeit melancholy finish. Springsteen fans should appreciate tracks like "White As Snow" & "Cedars of Lebanon".

...I'm loving it overall, which is no surprise. The Pop & Zooropa references are fair. The hardest thing about it for me is envisioning most of these tracks live. Really interested in how they play out.

It's more Arcade Fire than Franz Ferdinand. Which to me is a good thing.

After a cursory listen, I think U2 have pulled off an impressive balancing act. On the surface, some of the songs seem to be amalgams of their earlier material -- 'Moment of Surrender,' for example, appears to mix the rhythm of 'So Cruel' and the vocals of 'In a Little While,' whereas 'Magnificent' and 'Unknown Caller' sound like they was cobbled together from leftover sessions from the Unforgettable Fire era. And just when you think you've got a song pegged, it takes an unexpected turn -- a vocal flourish, or an unexpected bassline -- that makes it seem fresh. It sounds familiar and brand new at the same time, and it really makes the album difficult to pin down with respect to as which "era" they're mining.

There's some great songs on there, as well as some ho-hum stuff. Ironically enough, it's when U2 try the traditional rock ('Get on your boots', 'Stand-up Comedian') that they sound the weakest. But there's nothing absolutely atrocious at the level of 'Miami' or 'New York' here. I didn't bother with the last album, but I'm going to buy this when it officially comes out.

If I were to compare it to their earlier material, I guess I would say this is the album that Pop SHOULD have been.

EDIT: And for what it's worth, "Moment of Surrender" >> "Magnificent"

Again - as someone who thinks U2 did their best work between ZOO STATION and THE GROUND BENEATH HER FEET, I can't wait to hear it.

Although I can't imagine ever really liking Get on Your Boots.
I keep waiting for that song to interest me, and it never happens.
Like Vertigo or Elevation or some of those other rock throwaway tracks they insist on writing.

Where'd you guys find the album?

So the 'Joshua Tree' comparisons are wrong? Moment of surrender sounds like it could be from that era.

There's definitely 'Joshua Tree' elements in there. But you've never heard bass and drums like this during their '80s era.

Sadly, Moment of Surrender (and some of the other slower, straight-forward gospel-tinged moments) have more in common with something like "Stuck in a Moment That You Can't Get Out Of" rather than having genuine texture and character like The Joshua Tree.

Still, Magnificent is really, really great.
If that was the only song on the record I'd still buy it.

Yes, it's true.

He's not mumbling as much, or going to annoying/flat/wrongheaded notes as much on this record. His voice will never be what it was from 87 - 92 again, but at least he seems as though he's trying harder to live up to his own standards.

Plus there are no vocal melodies as downright clunky as New York or Walk On here. The songs have more of the effortless quality that comes from great Rock/Pop songwriting.

I'm really pleased.
Too bad every song isn't Magnificent or Fez.

Rolling Stone gave the album 5 stars in their latest issue. Achtung Baby didn't even garner that kinda praise in '91 (4.5 stars). Though U2, like Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan and The Stones, are practically critic-proof when it comes to Rolling Stone's reviews.

The album sounds like the stepping stone between The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. I'm seeing many comparisons to Zooropa, but I'm not hearing them.

After two listens, honestly, I'm not that impressed. The album's front-loaded with the first 3-4 tracks, drifts into murky ambience and misguidance midway, then doesn't pick up its legs until 'White As Snow'. Don't care for the closing track, 'Cedars of Lebanon', either.

Hopefully this is one of U2's growers. But I can't ever imagine putting this in the same league as Achtung Baby, The Joshua Tree, War, The Unforgettable Fire, or Boy.

Lyrically, Achtung Baby obliterates No Line On The Horizon. Musically, too.

I LOVE 'Moment of Surrender'. It's over 7 minutes long, but feels like only 3.

I'm not surprised by Rolling Stone's 5/5, although that's useless nowadays. I also won't be surprised when Spin and Pitchfork poo-poo it. By now, a U2 album review isn't about the music as much as it is about the reviewer's general attitude towards the band.

The album is a grower, but nothing comes close to the heights of the first three tracks. Then again, those three tracks are some of the best music the band has released since the early 90s.

I would say that I am starting to hate this song.
It's 7 minutes long but it feels like 13.

There's 2 endless melodies, no bridge and the song almost goes nowhere.
It shouldn't be that long.

http://spin.com/reviews/u2-no-line-horizon-interscope

Spin gave the album 3 and 1/2 stars. If you get the album on itunes you get an extra song and a video. My fiance bought me the limited edition box set for my birthday.

Really looking forward to this tour and digging the new album

Love.

This is quickly growing on me like a leech.

My two favorite tracks are now 'White As Snow' and 'Breathe'. 'White As Snow' is Achtung Baby-quality--porcelain melody painted with haunting, somber lyrics. 'Breathe' would fit comfortably on The Joshua Tree, the difference being its modern sheen and blue-eyed approach. It's rockin' and combustible without resorting to the calculated arena bombast that's become common since All That You Can't Leave Behind. This is the trademark U2 I conceive in my head when I want a satisfying U2 song, and they deliver on their promise.

Song I can't believe made the album: 'Stand Up Comedy'. It just doesn't fit and sounds so ever slight. It screams B-side.

More thoughts: this is a great U2 album after allowing it to digest. Melodically, it's a masterpiece. Even when the lyrics and song structure falter, the melodies and sonic flourishes manage to keep things afloat.

If you like U2, give it a chance. It'll likely win you over eventually, eventually being sooner than you'd probably expect or imagine.

Yeah, this is much more an album than a random collection of singles. Even the mediocre tracks work within the context of the album as a whole.

Also, this HAS to be listened to on headphones.

Amazon has the entire album available for download for only $3.99.

Great album. Anyone else think the intro and riff in 'Unknown Caller' sounds a LOT like 'I still haven't found' and also 'One tree Hill' ??

Oh, I grabbed it. Even if I don't like it, it's only four bucks down the drain.

I'll probably buy this (along with the new Springsteen) by the end of the week.

Now if you had layed blame on "The Plauboy Mansion" as being a terrible song, I would have agreed. Personally, I think "Miami" is pretty fantastic. I'd say that "Last Night on Earth" and "Staring at the Sun" both suffer from being too similar to other (better) U2 songs, but the album as a whole is really solid. The antithesis of "All That You Can't Leave Behind" which was only a few good singles and alot of "meh" Without a doubt that album suffered from Bono spending too much time writing turgid screenplays and saving the world than writing lyrics and melodies.

Bought it Tuesday and am still listening to it. I'm in love with "Magnificent" right now.

I've decided that I love the start and the end of the record.

I think Crazy/Boots/Stand Up are absolutely HORRIBLE.
Almost worse than the shit on the last record.

The end is good enough to redeem it,
specifically White as Snow.

I've fallen in love with U2 again because of the new album. I have no qualms in calling it a solid album that lives up to their reputation.

'I'll Go Crazy' has grown on me a ton. It's so infectious and gives off this joyful energy. If U2 are gonna go the poppy, sunny-side route, this is how it should be done (not trite, passionless stuff like 'Stuck in a Moment').


'White as Snow' is quickly heading into my top 10 U2 songs of all-time list. If their companion album to this one is supposedly quieter, I hope the material is similar to this tune.

Moment of surrender is the best song. Just perfect.

And I'm glad they're releasing another one soon. 11 songs isn't enough for one album.