U2 - No Line On The Horizon
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Free Music Notes for No Line On The Horizon
Free Music Review: What I've Been Waiting For!
Hit: 5 Stars
I loved both ATYCLB and HTDAAB. In fact, I listened to ATYCLB so much that I pretty much memorized all the lyrics. But both those albums were vintage U2. Don't get me wrong, vintage U2 is some of the best music ever produced, but I was still waiting for the big experiment; the next best thing. I was waiting for the next Achtung Baby; the next Pop. This is it; it's finally here!!! NLOTH is U2 at their finest. This is the sound of the band that vowed to never repeat itself. This is the band that threw out past history and decided to create something wholly unique (Zooropa anyone?). Pop is a great album, but only for the most devoted fans. As great as ATYCLB and HTDAAB are, I feel their sole purpose was to keep the band relevant enough to create another artistic masterpiece. That masterpiece is No Line On The Horizen. Great musicians have been doing this for years. They put out albums that they know will appeal to both casual fans and devoted fans alike in order to gain the leverage required to produce a true work of art. The casual U2 fan might be disappointed with the new album; it is not nearly as accessible as HTDAAB. But for people who are true fans of U2, NLOTH is something special. This is the band's fourth masterpiece; the other three being War, Joshua Tree, and Achtung Baby. What I really love about NLOTH is that it is truly a roots album. It surprises me that no one has picked up on the Bowie influence. Any true U2 fan knows that David Bowie is one of the band's biggest inspirations. This is no surprise considering that Brian Eno collaberated with Bowie on three albums in the late nineteen seventies. Songs like FEZ; Being Born, Uknown Caller, and Magnificent hearken back to classic Bowie albums like Low and Lodger. The title track No Line on the Horizen is reminiscent of more recent Bowie releases like Earthling or Heathen. Sure, there are a few tracks with the familiar chiming guitar sound (a la The Edge), but for the most part, NLOTH sounds like nothing the band has ever done before. Of the three albums that U2 has released in the new millenium, NLOTH is definitely the best, and that is really saying something. I hope that this album is successful enough for the band to continue their extraordinary journey. Whether the band creates something that is typical U2, or something completely oringinal, it's all worth it. :)Free Music Review: Can these guys even make a bad album?
Hit: 5 Stars
Best album of the last three! I'll give my quick 2 cents and maybe out of the 240 reviews someone will like this one...
No Line on the Horizon - what an opener, hits you like a wave, and what a song, hard rock, like a wave! Great way to start after waiting so long for new U2, very unlike most of the songs they've done.
Magnificent - Not my fav on the album, but for a U2 song, this means you will listen to it over and over again and love it.
Moment of Surrender - a 7 minute ballad, this ranks with Sometimes you Cant make it on your own, Running to Stand Still, Stay, great song. If you are in a down mood it will bring you to tears, if you are in an up mood it will remind you why this is the greatest band in the world.
Unknown Caller - minus the Eno chorus, a lyrical masterpiece.
I'll Go Crazy - BEST SONG in a long time, my favorite on the album, it brings hope and excitement in a time where a lot of things in the world are not quite as good as we'd like them to be.
Get On Your Boots - a rocking song, think Vertigo, Zoo Station, although i must say the live performances are already building on the album.
Stand Up Comedy - this is going to go in the set list with love and peace, sunday blood sunday, and bullet the blue sky. Another political masterpiece about what's going on, and what we can do, or should do.
Fez-Being born - who says an old dog can't learn new tricks, this song shows why this band stays on top, it is like nothing out there being played now, slightly like zooropa, but with an African beat celebration. An instrumental masterpiece, simple lyrics, but so much meaning and feeling to this song.
White As Snow: A reconnection to Ireland, and a nice slow piece, which is good, you'll need to cool down for the next one.
Breathe: This is a song about fighting for life, fighting to maintain your place in the world, you'll listen to this on hard days, and remember one day, you will be able to breathe.
Cedars Of Lebanon: A good piece to end it on, though the final lines leave us begging for more U2.
All in all a great album, a must have for U2 fans, and a must have for those who want to start to get into this band. Sorry Amazon doesn't allow more than 5 stars.
Free Music Review: Amazing
Hit: 5 Stars
I'd have to say that this album combines the best of U2--their songwriting of the 2000's with their use of technology in the 90's and the Eno atmosphere of the 80's. This is a brilliant, 5 star album. After a year, NLOTH is still an amazing experience.
No Line on the Horizon- Amazing song, very catchy. Edge's fuzz guitar and Bono's vocals are perfect and set the tone for the album. I personally feel that this song should have been the album's first single. 5/5
Magnificent- Great groove by Adam, chiming guitar, great uplifting song. 4.5/5
Moment of Surrender- Fantastic. The emotion in Bono's vocals is only matched by "one." 5/5
Unknown Caller- Great intro and guitar work by the Edge. The song is interesting and sounds totally different compared to U2's previous work. The back story is awesome--a song about letting go and beginning again. 4.5/5
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight- Very poppy, well crafted song. 4/5
Get On Your Boots- A great rocker. Awesome percussion from Larry. This song didn't work as the 1st single-it actually took quite a few listens and seeing the song live for me to be a huge fan. 4/5
Stand Up Comedy- Parts of the song are awesome, but the funky verses just don't seem to fit with the album. A fun song that would be great live, but it just doesn't seem to be at home one this album. As a song 4/5...on this album 3/5
Fez-Being Born- Starts with a trippy intro before breaking into Being Born...Bono screaming...joy and anxiousness over "being born." This song is just awesome. 5/5
White As Snow- Nice acoustic ballad based on the melody of "Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel." This song could be beautiful as a soundtrack song, but is just boring on the album. As a song 4/5..on this album 2.5/5
Breathe- Fantastic. Bono's melody is like no other U2 song. I veiw this song as a 2000's version of a Beatles song--great melody, great music, and great melodies. 5/5
Cedars of Lebanon- This song is very much influenced by Eno-- has a ton of atmosphere and it is hard not to get into this song! Not their best closer ever, but close! 4.5/5
Get this album!
Free Music Review: Take a moment to surrender to this CD
Hit: 5 Stars
I felt compelled to write a review of this outstanding release, as it is the first CD I have purchased in nearly a year (I own 400+ CDs but have switched to downloading single tracks recently). This work certainly reaffirms in my mind the power of the album format. I give all the credit and thanks in the world to U2 for the work and care that went into NTOLH.
As is the case with many of the reviewers, I am a long-time U2 fan, back to the days Bono climbed the scaffolding at Live Aid and even before. I have every Audio and Video release they have offered. I have felt that there had been some slippage in their recent offerings, perhaps to retain some commercial viability or obtain a wider audience. Not so in this case. This is a focused, moving release that does not have mass market appeal stamped upon it. It reveals itself with repeated listens...previewing the first 30 seconds of each track to get the flavor of the CD will not do it justice.
The song "Magnificent" is just as its name says. Hearing the Edge's guitar ring out after the intro to this track is exhilarating. The title song has raw power and emotion and a melody that will stick with you. The lyrics to "Cedars of Lebanon" are haunting and the spare arrangement adds to the feel of the whole track. However, the song that is the highlight for me is "Moment of Surrender". This song seems to encompass everything U2 has stood for throughout their career. The lyrics and vocals by Bono are brilliant. The bridge and subsequent guitar solo at around the 5 minute mark is incredible - Edge's playing seems more expressive and vulnerable here than on anything I've heard. Not to mention the hypnotic bass line which Adam expands on as the song progresses....outstanding. I've always thought U2 were at their best in the slower and vulnerable, more melodic songs...."With or Without You", "One", "Stay, (Faraway, So Close)", "Kite". "Moment of Surrender" continues that trend.
This release is definitely not to be missed. As a long-time fan, this record inspires me. I encourage the casual fan and even those new to U2 to give this the ear it deserves.
Free Music Review: Fourth Masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
When "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" was released, Bono said in an interview, "I think it's a collection of some of the best songs we've written, but as an album, the whole isn't greater than the sum of the parts, and it really pisses me off."
I could not have agreed with Bono more with the latter part of that statement. The Joshua Tree, Achtung, Baby!, and All That You Can't Leave Behind were all great works because they were anchored in concepts, ideas, themes, story arcs, particular sounds, and purposes.
No Line on the Horizon, in my mind, now joins their number. Regardless of how you feel about this new direction, you have to concede that there IS a direction (sonically, there wasn't much of one on HTDAAB, although lyrically there were some common threads) - and that direction is made manifest from start to finish on this disc. The possible exception is the raunchy single "Get On Your Boots," which I didn't think much of (that's an understatement) on its release, but even it seems to have a place on this album (even so, I would contend that it is the record's weakest track.)
U2 draws on all the best cornerstones of their sonic architecture with this album; there are shades of almost every one of its predecessors on here, but not in a way that makes the sounds seem stale or worn out.
The album is a bit of a departure for Edge. There are a few tracks where he pulls back in unexpected places, a few tracks where he sounds very un-Edge-like (I think I can detect some influence from the documentary he filmed with Jimmy Page and Jack White,) and there are even a few tracks where he uncharacteristically takes some brazen, full-throttle solos.
As for Mr. Mullen and Mr. Clayton, this is probably their best work to date. Larry's drumming on the album is relentless and, in my mind, he is the unsung hero of NLOTH.
Lyrically, NLOTH is a unflinchingly self-conscious work - and I mean that in the best possible way. It is remarkable that four of the most successful and famous middle aged men in the world can still write songs with self-effacing, inward-looking lyrics.