U2 - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
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Free Music Notes for How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
Free Music Review: Take A Little Time
Hit: 5 Stars
I want to start out by saying that this album took some serious time and listening to grow on me. Some people dislike the idea of repeated listens to something you have a negative first reaction to, but this album kept drawing me back. I will go through track by track to give my impressions, because each song has its own unique life that contributes to the continuity of the album as a whole.
1. Vertigo-Didn't like this song at first. It sounded too much like Elevation, but I had to give it a fair chance. What got me was when I first really heard Bono sing "Hola!" after Hello Hello. This struck me as some sort of esoteric, off-the-wall humor, and I was sold. Great rhythm section, displaying Larry's "elegant" drumming, as Springsteen put it.
2. Miracle Drug-Loved this song immediately, and I still do. Bono still has the voice and the range, and he can bring this song from universal to completely personal in one line: "There is no failure here, sweetheart, just when you quit." His phrasing on the word sweetheart is unique and vulnerable, and adds an entire new element to the song. For you to decide what it's really about.
3. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own-The soul of this song is wrapped up in the note Bono hits in the bridge when he soars "Can you hear me when I sing." He explains that his father loved the opera, and he provides a bridge between the listener and the subject by including such an aural tribute. He's no Bocelli, but he isn't trying to be. He's simply trying to be Bob Hewson's son.
4. Love and Peace-I recoiled when I first heard this song. It bothered me, and I couldn't put my finger on what it was. After really listening to the inner workings of the music, it reminds me of Achtung Baby, and that can't be anything but good. Experimental, devastating guitar riffs from the Edge provide the backdrop to Bono's rise-and-fall, all-out pleading.
5. City of Blinding Lights-This is the best song U2 has done since "One," in my opinion. Like Miracle Drug, Bono's lyrics and delivery sound general but become specific. His great gift as a lyricist is his ability to write and sing lyrics that are so personal and specific to himself, yet that so many can directly relate to. He explained that the song is about "innocence and naivete," and Bono masterfully portrays innocence, especially in lines such as "Time won't take the boy out of this man."
6. All Because of You-Another one that didn't treat me well upon first listen. I think part of my distaste for this album originally stemmed from my disbelief that they would be able to top "All That You Can't Leave Behind." But I soon realized that it wasn't about trying to top anything, but more about trying to convey some kind of truth that they felt, whether musical or lyrical. This tune has some great lines such as "Some people get squashed under the tracks, some people got highrises on their backs, I'm not broke but you can see the cracks." Not the best on the album, but definitely not bad at all.
7. A Man and A Woman-This is a different approach for The Edge, displaying acoustic guitar more prominently than electric, and it is a breath of fresh air. It may be lighter than anything else on the album, but that is the point: the music mirrors the lyrics effectively. "Only true love can make beauty innocent." Adam plays a great bass line in the beginning of the song as well, which intertwines itself with the guitar, reminiscent of "Grace" from ATYCLB.
8. Crumbs From Your Table: Gritty lyrics here in the verses from Bono, but they work for what he's trying to say. I always think of this song as sepia-toned; something about the tone of the guitar and the octave seperation on Bono's voice gives me that mental picture. The drumming here is great.
9. One Step Closer: Past reviews have ripped this song for "never really taking off." Well, maybe that's the point. The theme of the song is being so close to something that you can almost touch it, but it's perpetually out of reach. Thus, the music is so close to "taking off," but it never really does. This would, of course, mirror the lyrical theme. I think it's intentional, and brilliant.
10. Original of The Species-This is somewhat of an epic, with several sections that are totally different from one another. The lyrics, written about Bono's daughter, are heartfelt and delivered with vulnerability, something that Bono does regularly with mastery. I personally think this is a great, classic U2 song, and one that will continue to be thought of as part of their important canon.
11. Yahweh-This band is more effective than any other at raising spiritual questions in a secular setting, and I think it is because of the fact that they are raising questions, not shoving answers. People tired of Bono's supposed "big-headedness" should realize that most of it is tongue-in-cheek (think about the Pop and Zoorapa albums) and listen to the humility in his lyrics. His voice particularly shines in it's upper register on this song, for instance on the singing of the second "Yahweh" in the chorus.
This album is quite an achievement for a band that has been in the spotlight for 25 years. They continue to be relevant, raising important questions about God, themselves, and those around them. For a great insight into who Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. really are, read the speech given by Bruce Springsteen at the R&R Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (March, 05).
Free Music Review: A Classic
Hit: 5 Stars
This album sounds like U2 went back in time and wrote an album just after The Joshua Tree instead of releasing the hodge-podge that was Rattle & Hum. Although I like Rattle & Hum, this album really reflects what would have been a natural progression for U2's style during that time period. Yet in a way, it plays like a guided tour of the best sounds U2 has offered up over the years.
The real gem on the album is 'A Man and A Woman'. The throbbing bass line and the simple acoustic guitar part - it's just all exactly what U2 have always been. It's like a song from the eternal U2. I see this as the 'One' or the 'With or Without You' of this album. Whereas 'Vertigo' is the 'Mysterious Ways'.
Another great thing about this album is the understated approach to politics. Despite the overt title to the track 'Love and Peace or Else', there is a double-meaning extending to all relationships in the lyrics. Bono, in his wiser years, has learned that with all of the things he actually does for his causes, he doesn't need to preach about it in his songs. When I saw the title of this song, I thought - 'oh boy - another message from Bono', but was very happy with this - it's a kick ass song from U2.
For those who keep writing that they wish Daniel Lanois had been involved, you may wish to check the liner notes. He and Brian Eno produced 'Love and Peace or Else'. Lanois also co-produces 'One Step Closer' with Chris Thomas. He's also playing Mandolin on 'Yahweh'. As such, I believe this album is a kind of a U2 'best of' production effort.
Frankly, the only song that sounds overdone is 'Original of the Species'. But production is not the real problem of the song. There aren't enough connecting pieces to hold the verses, bridges and chorus together. Thematically, it sounds like a collage U2 piece. It's the only song on the album that I would describe as 'U2 by numbers'. It just seems like Bono didn't have enough time to really glue together the lyrics into something cohesive. There are good ideas and good lines, but they seem to be taken from different song ideas.
Having said that, this album also has touches that echo the influences of 'Achtung Baby' as well as 'Zooropa'. All in all, this album is a more successful effort of what they seemed to be trying to do with 'Pop'.
For those who don't like U2, don't bother with this album. It won't change your mind. For those who want to hear U2 for the first time, this would be a great starting point. For those who like a song by song approach, here are my impressions of each song:
Vertigo - This is the obvious first song. Sounds like it would've been a good track from 'Achtung Baby'. Very catchy. I thought I wouldn't like it when I heard the iPod commercial. But the chorus changes character completely when coupled with the driving verse.
Miracle Drug - The long distance 'good' cousin of Nine Inch Nail's 'Perfect Drug'. A song straight from 'The Joshua Tree'. Beautiful chorus. Vintage U2.
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own - Made me examine my own relationship with my father. Transcends pop and finds itself planted into 21st Century culture. Just a great honest song that's rarely heard these days.
Love and Peace Or Else - Kick's ass. This is the offspring of the marriage of the gospel soul of 'Rattle and Hum' and the electro-pop of 'Zooropa' with the latent genes of Led Zeppelin.
City of Blinding Lights - A simple, driving pop song. Quirky bridge. Fits right into 'Unforgettable Fire' era fare.
All Because of You - Starts with one piercing guitar shot. Then, there's this complex guitar pattern that erupts into straight-up rock. Basically, this is a perfect rock song - not just a U2 song. This is 21st Century music. The Beatles and The Who put in a blender.
A Man and a Woman - 'Where do we go from here?' Bono sings on 'Endless Deep' from the B-sides part of their Best of 1980-1990 album. This song provides the answer. Vocal melody also nods to 'Love Comes Tumbling'. Beautiful and soulful.
Crumbs From Your Table - A song straight from the 'All That You Can't Leave Behind' play book, both musically and thematically (lyrics). A nice companion piece to 'When I Look at the World' from that album.
One Step Closer - Atmospheric. A good linking track that pulls together the driving force behind the first eight songs and the final lap. An album track that acts as glue for the rest of the album. Less quirky than 'Passengers' material, but easily could've fit in on that album.
Original of the Species - Touching song that sort of tries too hard to be a 60's rock song. It's mellow one moment and then hits the U2-stratosphere button the next. Then back down. It's a musical roller-coaster. Lyrically, it's as if three different song ideas were pieced together. If ever there was a filler U2 song, this is it. U2's first undeniable dud.
Yahweh - Yahweh is a Jewish word for 'God' for those who aren't sure about that. I thought, with the title, we would be hearing a sermon from Bono, but the spirituality here is earthy, it's about rebirth, a great theme for this band. The verse lyrics here are sung by Bono & The Edge. 'Always pain before the child is born' in the chorus is a hopeful message that I think we could all use right now.
Free Music Review: One of U2's best ever
Hit: 5 Stars
U2 has gained a lot of fans over the years, and most of these fans suffer from nostalgia based reviewing of a new album rather then reviewing the album based on its merits as a stand alone record.
They are reviewing new U2 albums such as How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb and All That You Cant Leave Behind based upon how they remember Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby making them feel 14 and 18 years ago respectively. I don't really see this as being a fair way to review an album.
I am going to try and review this album based on the context of the work on the album itself and nothing else.
The album starts off with the guitar driven Vertigo which at first glace just seems like a fun rock track to rock out too, but as with most U2 tracks there is a deeper meaning in the lyrics, they are most certainly very religious and spiritual and at the same time have the biography of U2 within the lyrics with lines such as "They know that they cant dance, at least they know" and of course the opening line signifying the album number that Steve Lillywhite produced.
The record then shifts gears to what many hardcore U2 fans consider to be one of the finest tracks on the album in Miracle Drug. This is a track about a paralyzed student from U2s high school that was completely paralyzed till the age of 14 until they found a drug that would help him to be able to type and they soon discovered that he had been creating poetry in his head for years and was now able to write it down for everybody to see. The track has classic Edge ringing guitar and for a "mid-tempo" track certainly has a lot of power in the instrumentation.
The album then shifts gears again to a more personal track for Bono himself Sometimes You Cant Make It On Your Own. This track was finished after Bono's father died a few years ago, and really explains the difficult relationship they had with each other (as I think most parents and children do at one point or another). This track is bound to be a U2 classic ballad in the same way as One and With Or Without You are.
The next track Love and Peace Or Else is a very highly charged political track that asks some very valid questions about the reasons human civilization goes to war. It is quite experimental in the instrumentation with driving guitars and distortion; this track is one that most would agree would fit right on to Achtung Baby if anything on this record does. It would make a great opener for the live show coming up soon.
City of Blinding Lights is a song about New York City which has the nickname "City Of Blinding Lights". Bono has stated that it is a song about naivety and innocence. This should be another hit among the U2 fan base because it has the ringing guitar styles that were first introduced on Unforgettable Fire and expanded upon on Joshua Tree with tracks such as Where The Streets Have No Name.
All Because Of You which is the second North American single on the album is U2's love song to The Who and bands of the generation they grew up in that made U2 want to be in a band in the first place. This is probably the most classic rock track on the album and should be an excellent live tune to turn up the tempo of the concerts.
A Man and A Woman is a track about Bono and Ali his wife growing up in Dublin getting married and then having the life altering experience of Bono becoming a rock star having to deal with being in love over long distances while U2 is on the road and being faithful to the ideals of marriage.
Next comes another track that has political and religious undertones Crumbs From Your Table. This track mostly asks questions of religion and the church in general asking people to give of themselves but wondering if the church does enough in return for the people. One of the harder tracks guitar wise on the album.
One Step Closer is another track about Bono's father going through life and approaching death, as would be seen in a dying persons eyes. This is the quietest most ambient track on the album, it tries to take you to a place rather then communicate just an idea. This is the one track that probably won't get played live as a full song on tour but is one of the most beautiful on the record.
Next comes Original Of The Species which is another very strong ballad with a string section and piano included. Many people would think of The Beatles when listening to this track closely. Should be a single and is most certainly one of Bono's best vocal performances on the entire record.
Last but not least comes the religious track with the name of Yahweh. This is a Jewish word for a higher power or "God". The track speaks of morals and life lessons along with concepts of being good to your fellow human and being good to yourself. This is an excellent closing track and would make an excellent show closer.
Overall this album is quite conventional but so was The Joshua Tree, and does anybody ever complain about that album? In my opinion this album is certainly in the top 5 U2 albums and for me is more like the top 3. It takes more then one listen to truly understand the greatness of it but that is the way most great records are.
Free Music Review: The Other Side of the Story
Hit: 5 Stars
This is not a music review, and I acknowledge this is a bit off-topic. However, there have been so many negative comments directed at 'Corporate Bono', that I think it would be helpful to examine Bono's character a bit further. First, I want to say that I do not idolize Bono. He is not a superhero or messiah(gimme a break). I have been inspired by his words and actions from time to time, though. Of all the evidence given by other reviewers to his greed and power lust, I think the most damning is the very unfriendly U2.com site. But does that alone mean that Bono is evil? Let's look at it closer:
- U2 asked for $0 from Apple for the 'Vertigo' commercial. Personally,I find it hilarious that some people see Apple as a big corporate bully. For the past TWENTY YEARS, Apple has been the 'alternative' and the 'champion of the people' in the personal computer market. Heck, U2 could even be applauded for helping out the little man (the 'big man' is Microsoft in case you don't know). I have a favorable view of Microsoft myself, but there are plenty of Mac-activists out there who make them out to be the devil incarnate.
- U2 were offered over $20 million dollars for the rights to use 'Streets' in a car commercial. Guess what? They didn't sell out (literally). They kept the song for themselves and their fans. Would a captilist pig do that?
- People who do good deeds to boost their ego usually brag about their accomplishments to anyone and everyone. I don't know Bono personally, so I can't say that he's not a braggart behind closed doors, but publicly, I can't recall ever reading a quote where he boasted of his good works. On the contrary, he frequently gives credit to others instead of himself. See the articles at www.worldvision.org/worldvision/comms.nsf/
stable/heart_america_map where Bono describes Agnes as the real hero of the tour.
- One reviewer said "U2 just promote selfishness and greedyness". Well, I've read the whole book that accompanies the Deluxe edition www.prisoner65.de/pics/index.html and I haven't found that part yet. Again, ON THE CONTRARY, there are many handwritten (by Bono) anecdotes, short narratives, and prayers that present the EXACT OPPOSITE view. Fair trade is promoted (check out EDIN), there's a self-depracating drawing of Bono as a rat on the 'Mighty' page, he opens up on some of the harder moments in his life (death of his mother and father). He writes that the day after his mother died, "I lost nearly all my confidence...I've been trying to get it back ever since." (Aside: Listen to 'Tomorrow'(Mom's death) and 'Sometimes'(Father's death) back to back, and then tell me that Bono is not an honest songwriter). He tells of his lifelong friend Guggi "sharing with me anything he had...he really taught me to share". I don't have a list of all the people that Bono has given money to (such a list would only prove that he does want attention for his philanthropy), but I believe he is a giving person because of his character. Just read his interviews/lyrics, watch concert videos, check out Bill Flanagan's "U2 at the End of the World", and you will see a much different picture than the one painted by the reviewer's who said Bono is "politically driven, too rich & famous, almost untouchable with a VIP status". Bono is the total opposite of 'untouchable'. Even though it may be "hard to get in the door"(he does attract a crowd), he seems to always value people as individuals (those are real people in the 'Peace on Earth' lyrics). One reviewer said that U2 gives 'fake interviews'. Well, I saw a very honest interview on MTV Europe recently, where the subject of death came up. When the journalist raised her sleeve to reveal a tatoo that she had gotten in memory of her mother, Bono got out of his seat, came over, and kissed the tatoo. If that sounds corny to you, it doesn't matter. The journalist was very moved by it, and that's the person with whom Bono was trying to communicate. He has a true gift when it comes to compassion and being able to express emotion (he has actually shouted "I love you, Adam Clayton!" while onstage).
- Bono has had meetings with and hung out with so many different people that it is foolish to try to say things like "He's in with George Bush" or "He's Oprah's buddy". Bono has had connections with people ranging from Bill Clinton and George Soros (one of the biggest Bush/conservative haters out there), to Dr. Dre and Sister Ann Carr (a nun, not a rapper), to Salman Rushdie and Bill Gates (the anti-Steve Jobs). Another important 'connection' in Bono's life has been his childhood sweetheart whom he's been married to for 21 years. And isn't it hard to believe that someone who smokes, drinks, and curses is admired and respected by evangelical Christians? How is that even possible? I suggest that people make INFORMED statements when it comes to personal matters. It appears that many reviewers have absolutely no idea of who Bono really is. I understand that Bono has faults, but this site really needed someone to describe his good points also. I'm glad I could oblige.
Free Music Review: How can I hurt when I have U2???
Hit: 5 Stars
I have been a fan of U2 since they released their mega-hit record "the Joshua Tree" ...and since the first time I heard it, I have been a fan of them ever since... AND HAVE NEVER, EVER STOPPED BEING A FAN!!!!! So many people have critisized them because of the many paths they've taken, the risks, the changes, the experiments, but each and every single one of those steps has made them who they are right now: the most honest, bold, charismatic, energetic and emotionally commited band of the modern rock scene.
They are not a name, a brand, an empty shell: THEY ARE SOUL!!! And I think that this record cleary serves as an example of what they are able to communicate to millions around the world trascending the barriers of language, culture, religion or economic status... HTDAAB is an album that takes time...it's not easily absorbed just by playing it once...which is perhaps what makes it so endering and deep... it's an album that speaks in the flow of the lyrics, echoed by the rhythms and the unmistakable touch that Bono, the Edge, Adam and Larry use to sign every track...They have not lost the boldness and fierce lyrics of WAR or THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE, but rather, they've chanelled them using different elements for both their sound and their lyrics...
I have heard so many "so called" fans who rip their robes saying how much the band has "evolved" but...THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT MUSIC IS ABOUT..if it is produced for the right reasons...music, TRUE MUSIC, is only created by being born as part of the musician's very core, thus growing and changing with him, not by being manifactured as an easily consumed product like so many bands or pseudo pop stars have diluded themselves into thinking...I'm HAPPY, GLAD, THRILLED U2 has evolved and has had the guts NOT TO REPEAT THEMSELVES...all these "fans" keep on pressing for the band to come up with an ACHTUNG BABY part 2 or THE JOSHUA TREE volume 2 but what they don't realize is that such is not possible because that time has passed, the 4 people who created those records have matured and are the MAGNIFICENT, CONFIDENT, DARING, STILL POLICALLY ACTIVE BAND we can enjoy today, without being a mere caricature of what they were back then...
so I ask all of those who have only critized them for what they are not, HAVE YOU ACTUALLY TAKEN THE TIME TO LISTEN, REALLY LISTEN TO THIS RECORD????!!!!! I really still find it hard to understand why it would be considered as lacking or weak after hearing tracks like "Sometimes you can't make it on your own", "A Man and A Woman" or "Yahweh"...not only do they capture the inner experiences of their members, but also serve as a way to communicate just what the band has gone through and continues to experience as an entity who has lasted longer than many marriages nowadays...28 YEARS TO BE EXACT since their first sessions inside Larry's kitchen back in their home town of Dublin...
To not be affected by this record is to be either, in my opinion, close-minded about the possibilites of what A TRUE ROCK BAND SHOULD BE ABOUT or more importantly, to the creativity of these 4 individuals...This record is not about what the fans think of the band, but what the band thinks of themselves and the world they live in...Not political enough? How about "Love and Peace" or the "Miracle Drug"??? If someone is not capable to be touched by these two anthems calling attention to the state of chaos and indifference we live in nowadays, I really don't think they should even try to call themselves a fan of this band because then they don't REALLY understand what U2 is about.
It's a very well balanced album, with tracks that highlight the magical guitar ability of the Edge like "City of Blinding Lights" or "Crums from your Table" and expose the perfect harmony between Adam's base and Larry's powerful drums... If it weren't for the fact that Bono, and even the Edge, have mastered lyric composition to such a rich point, the sound the band produces would almost be in danger of overpowering the words...but such is not the case, on the contrary, the lines come at the perfect time, each one entwined with other, like it happens with the second verse in "A Man and A Woman": ...But you can't be numb for love, the only pain is to feel nothing at all, how can I hurt when I'm holding you"....or by the end of "Original of the Species": ..."And you'll never be alone...Come on now, show your soul, You've been keeping your love under control"...or in "One Step Closer":..."I'm on an island at a busy intersection, I can't go forward, I can't turn back..."
If you are someone new to their sound, spend time with the CD and REALLY pay attention to the lyrics...view them more as a dialogue between you and them rather than a speech they are trying to deliver...and immerse yourself in the sound completely. If you are a long time fan then I'm sure that whatever I've written somehow echoes your own opinion...and if you still continue to feel like this record is not what U2 "used to be" well...it's your loss...thank goodness is not ours :D