U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind

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Free Music Notes for All That You Can't Leave Behind

Free Music Review: much of what u2 won't leave behind
Hit: 5 Stars

Many of you have probably heard the first single, "Beautiful Day," with it's use of the Edge's signature time-delayed guitar, what sounds like an E-bow, and an explosive chorus. It's a great song in and of its own right and reflects a brighter, more optimistic attitude about life than has been heard on their previous albums. "Walk On" also reflects this attitude, and "Wild Honey" is simply fun, but "Peace on Earth" delves back into the cynicism and frustration heard on songs such as "Wake Up Dead Man" (which I would argue is a good thing when it isn't overriding; a cynic is just a frustrated optimist and Bono is certainly an optimist, but what appears to be the high road is not the road that is always taken in life, for whatever reason). "Jesus can you take the time to throw a drowning man a line - peace on earth...Jesus this song you wrote - the words are sticking in my throat. Peace one earth..." "When I Look at the World" seems to find Bono expectantly awaiting redemption for all - "I can't wait any longer, I can't wait 'til I'm stronger...When I look at the world." You can almost hear a messianic-type of expectation in his voice during this song. "New York" is a fantastic, moody, thick song that couldn't be any better. It's my favorite album track by far. The song wanders and Bono rambles a bit, but this is for the best. "...religious nuts, political fanatics lost in the stew, happily not like me and you. that's where i lost you - New York..." The album ends with "Grace," which could be the anthem for Bono's recent work with the Jubilee 2000 campaign and his mission to eliminate third world debt. "Grace - it's a name for a girl. It's also a thought that changed the world." It's a mellow and almost hymn-like song. It's a great way to end the album, and I fully expect it to be on their forthcoming "Best of U2: 1990 - 2000" album. It sums up much of U2's "mission."

Musically, the album is a bit more sparse than previous efforts of Pop and Zooropa, but this is welcome. Sometimes, less is more. There is a greater variety to the guitar effects used by the Edge on this album - tremolos and vibratos in addition to time-delayed effects and distortions. It's a welcome musical breath of fresh air. The drums and bass are tight; the tambourines and shakers add a nice variety. It would have been nice, however, if Adam's bass had been brought out more. While it adds a beautiful, solid, and somtimes dark backdrop for the song "New York" he seems to be turned down a bit too much overall, especially considering how out front he was in past albums ("Mofo" for Pop, "The Wanderer" for Zooropa, and "Until the End of the World" for Atchung Baby). The bass is tight, but it isn't out front enough. Bono sounds a bit tired to me on this album and the vocals don't seem as strong to me as they have been on previous albums.

The b-side on the extra disc, entitled "Summer Rain," is actually my favorite song from this CD set. In it one can hear Bono simply high on life, even as he spouts out proverbial lines (and subsequently, stanzas) of wisdom in A/B C/B format (when you stop taking chances, you stay where you sit / you won't live any longer, but it will feel like it). If they had included it, it would have added the fun, light-hearted dimension that the members of U2, in a recent Rolling Stone interview, said that they had felt was lacking in large part on this album. This song would have rounded out the album in a way that was/is needed.

Overall, it's a welcome departure from what they've been doing. It nicely combines what U2 became in the 1980s with what they became with Pop in the 90s. They look to take new and higher ground in the future, and this album is a perfect place to start off at for that future. "It's a beautiful day..."

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