U2 - No Line on the Horizon (Limited Box Set including CD, Film, Hardcover Book, Poster)
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Free Music Notes for No Line on the Horizon (Limited Box Set including CD, Film, Hardcover Book, Poster)
Free Music Review: Love It!
Hit: 5 Stars
I love this album and the box set is great. I am a huge U2 fan, and was very pleased.Free Music Review: The definitive version of the album with some very good songs.
Hit: 4 Stars
The packaging is a real treat and quite worth it to me, given that it comes with not only the deluxe version CD, but also a DVD, and hardcover book. The DVD comprises footage (rarely ever including the band) to accompany 10 of the 11 songs on the album (excluding "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight") and an early version of "Winter," that, it was decided after the film was made, was not right for the album. Perhaps costliest of all for U2 was the book, which doesn't simply include very nice photos, but interviews with the band members. In this sense, this is the version of the album into which U2 put its greatest effort. Fans who buy the basic, plastic jewel case version of the album are getting short-changed by U2. Not only are many of the pictures found on the deluxe version missing, but there isn't the same attention to aesthetics found on previous albums' gorgeous sets of pictures and layout; even the printing and paper quality are cheap.
Regarding the music, "No Line on the Horizon" isn't nearly as great as "Achtung Baby" or "The Joshua Tree", but it is better than the two albums from earlier this decade; albeit, I must confess to having always loved "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" and "In a Little While" from the 2000 album "All That You Can't Leave Behind," and I enjoy the music (if not quite the lyrics) of "Miracle Drug" and "Original of the Species" from 2004's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb." What really hurts things on this release is the sense that the band could have pushed further. The first four and the eighth songs show some real attempts at innovation, which makes them more admirable than most of U2's work this decade, but no song on the album is as good as any on "Achtung Baby."
As a result, the title track's main guitar riff is a bit similar to that of "The Fly", but is thankfully saved by burying that bit of regurgitation under some nice keyboard effects and wonderful percussion and by accompanying it with some of Bono's best lyrics in years. "Magnificent" is one of the album's best songs, but still doesn't contain enough lyrical or melodic variation, especially in the main guitar line. Yet it has a nicely subdued singing style and bridge, both of which could easily have been overdone. The album's four most experimental tracks are mixed affairs because they show a band eager to change gears but not eager enough or successful in the right way. "Moment of Surrender" is said to barely have been changed at all from this one version performed in Fez, Morrocco by the band, Eno, and Lanois. Its first few minutes are great with the music subtly building layer upon layer and Bono giving a stunningly strong vocal delivery. Yet it fails to develop and change enough afterward, making its over 7-minute running time a bit of a slog. "Unknown Caller" is much less monotonous and has some nice texture, but is upset by The Edge using the very mainstream guitar amplifier settings that exemplify his work on the last 2 albums. He even employs a hook that closely resembles 2000's "Walk On", which was also cannibalized for the riff of "Crumbs From Your Table" in 2004. One assumes most of the texture and loud and soft comes from Lanois' guitar work, but, throughout the album, The Edge continues his efforts this decade to challenge himself the least of all the band members. "Fez-Being Born" features some keyboard work by Eno that reminds me of "The X-Files" theme music too much. Despite some texture, the essential melodies here aren't sufficiently interesting or sound too simple - however much layering is done - as is especially the case with a piano line running through the song. Both "Unknown Caller" and "Fez" break free of tradition in having band members and Lanois and Eno chant the chorus or various verses along with Bono, but it's not as beautiful or spiritual as intended and sometimes sounds a bit awkward.
Various interviews have led me to believe that U2 approached its initial experimental rehearsals with long-time producers and now co-writers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno with the right attitude. However, where the band failed itself and long-time fans hoping for a return to the melodic and lyrical complexity of the '80s and '90s is in the further writing and mixing. Have a listen on [...] to early versions of "Achtung Baby" material from stolen bootlegs. One of U2's best songs, "Acrobat," sounds very uninteresting in its initial form - like a cousin of "In God's Country" with its all-too-familiar Americana guitar sound. Yet, in continually working on the song, U2 came up with something relatively unrecognizable -- a giant leap in how it crafted songs. Nowadays, one has a sense that the band is unable to let go of both its fear of another supposed commercial failure like 1997's "Pop" and of the success that "dumbing down" its consequent albums in the new millennium brought it. While old U2 aimed to change the mainstream on its terms -- by being unique and constantly evolving, even when that meant less popularity -- new U2 has deceived itself that it has continued with this mission, when it has actually surrendered artistic integrity to mass appeal, and at a time when the mainstream tends more than ever towards immediacy and superficiality. U2 has become addicted to its fame and the misguided belief that being big (by being heard on the radio) and ensuring a legacy in mass pop culture is more important than the art itself. The irony is that it also seems to have forgotten that its greatest hits -- when the band truly won over the mainstream -- were achieved by not self-consciously trying to win it over, but by trying to be true to its artistic instincts. Upon "Achtung Baby"'s release, Bono said, in response to concerns that the band might lose its mass appeal, "Screw the pop kids." Now, it feverishly chases after them and points to chart numbers and superficial awards as affirmation of quality.
The middle set of songs ("I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight", "Get On Your Boots", "Stand Up Comedy") are the most disheartening because they are such craven attempts at winning over the mainstream commercial bell-weather fans that the band has earned over the last two albums. Nevertheless, "I'll Go Crazy" is actually quite enjoyable. It has a lightness and a nice enough melody, but this is nowhere near the greatness that characterized U2's singles from the mid-'80s through the early '90s. What really hurts this song is both the lack of loud and soft (which is also a deficiency permeating the entire album) and particularly the stupid lyrics comprising far too many of Bono's sound bytes to the media over the last few years. "Get On Your Boots" sounds like a slightly better than "Vertigo" (which I've always hated), so it's a bore -- except for the short section toward the end in which Bono sings "Let Me In the Sound" and during which The Edge does some far more interesting and subtle guitar work than in the rest of the song. "Stand Up Comedy" has an interesting title, but that's about it; the melody is trying too hard to be fun when it's anything but, and the lyrics are upsetting because, again, Bono is simply regurgitating his media-tested sound-bytes, which weren't very interesting phrases the first time around.
The soft songs, "White As Snow" and "Cedars of Lebanon," are the most disappointing in terms of content because they were described in the media before the album's release as quite political. Yet, instead of speaking truth to power, Bono chooses to avoid any controversy in America, from which he requires political and financial support for his quest to end poverty and AIDS in Africa. Rather than ever writing from the perspective of the Muslim world - which is in need of humanizing - Bono is content to write from the Western perspective. In "White As Snow", he sings as a US soldier dying slowly after being killed by an insurgent in Afghanistan; the soldier is perfectly innocent, as he reminisces about cliché all-American memories of hunting with his brother; there's no mention of his guilt for the killing he has done as an occupying troop in a foreign land, especially of many innocent civilians. In "Cedars of Lebanon", Bono expresses the views of a journalist who just wants to get back to his loved one. The song ends with some trite sound byte about "choosing your enemies wisely because they will define you." It's a statement that is far too curt and vague to clearly comprehend, and feels emotionally disconnected from the subject matter at hand.
Next to "Magnificent," the album's other best track is "Breathe", which has some nice lyrics and melodies. Still, like even the best, experimental songs on the album (the first 4 tracks and "Fez-Being Born"), it just doesn't have the same dynamism that made U2's best work in the '80s and early '90s so wonderful. The bass isn't nearly loud enough, a piano melody used in the song is a bit too simple, and the guitars lack sufficient texture. It's very good, but, where old U2 would have found a way to make this more complex and intriguing, this feels mainstreamed by the increasingly commercial production of Steve Lillywhite - as do the middling tracks and much of the previous album.
So, "No Line on the Horizon" marks progress for U2, but it is timidly executed and inconsistently pursued - unlike the boldness that characterized its best work.
3.5 stars
Free Music Review: Requires many listenings to finally 'get it.'
Hit: 4 Stars
Even in their anger, U2 have always struck an upbeat chord in their musicianship and delivery
Few bands have given as many anthems as U2. For year's I had Walk On stuck in my head. I must
report that U2 have decided to strike a very different pose for NLOTH. It would not be fair to
say that this new path is bad. Honestly, I think the effort is uneven and speaks to a signficant
change in the creative process with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois given an even larger role in the
creative process.
NLOTH - ethreal in nature. Shimmering guitars and soaring vocals mark a different start to their
latest installment. Contains familiar guitar progressions from Pop and Achtung Baby. Easily could
have been their first single 4/5
Magnificent - Easily could have been a bonus track on OTYCLB. Familiar lyrical pattern with
Edge's imppecable guitar providing a compelling backdrop. There are better antehmatic tracks
such as Bad and Walk On. 4/5
Moment of Surrender - The album's first ballad. The organ and combo of Larry Mullin, Jr. and
Adam Clayton create a rhythmic background for Bono to croon. I found this song to have a rather
nice hypnotic quality. You can never go wrong when Edge unleashes a slide guitar solo 3/5
Unknown Caller - another ballad. Contains very familiar guitar sounds of songs in the past. Lacks
a compelling rhythm to really draw the listener in. NOt a song I could imagine myself
turning to with any frequency 2/5
I'll Go Crazy if I don't go crazy tonight - subdued and ambient at the start. Bono's voice is
right in your face. Very much an Edge song with wonderfully tight melodic guitar lines.
At moments a ballad and at others a soft rocker. 3/5
Get on Your boots - If you liked Pop this is the track for you. Very reminiscent of Discoteque
and Vertigo. 4/5
Stand up Comedy - Funk rock meets U2. I really enjoyed Larry's drumming on this track. Edge
drives the melody along with his insistent playing. 3/5
Fez - Sounds like a leftover from the Honsaton sessions. A plodding track which tries to draw you
in but falls short. 2/5
White as Snow - a wonderful ballad. i felt drawn in listening to the narrative. 4/5
Breathe - the album's only true rocker. In keeping with the albums ambient narratives, the
song does not soar but instead floats. This song wants to permeate your consciousness and
encourage you to go scurry for the lyrics. 3/5
Cedars of Lebanon - A closing thought to the listener. I found this track to be eerie and sad.
I went back and listened to it 3 times. I found myself thinking of Lou Reed. 4/5
I was one of those soul's who plunked down major coinage to own the complete package of the CD,
DVD, Poster, and deluxe book. Even with this review, i have no regrets because this was by
far U2's biggest artistic effort to date.
Free Music Review: Opps, they did it again...and again, and again
Hit: 4 Stars
Is hard to believe that 29 years after there first record U2 keeps not only relevant and succesfull, also creatives and innovatives. Is almost an incredible story. "No Line On The Horizon" is not the best record of U2 but, who in his sane expect the best record of a group after 30 years on the road, and after they did 4 or 5 of the best albums of modern music? I'm a huge fan and i have would be pleased with a record with 4 or 5 good songs (like "How To Dismantle....") But they not, and put a cd with 7 or 8 of the best songs I have heard in these decade from any artist. I have to admit that i have a little problem with the chorus part of "Moment Of Surrender". And "Cedars Of Lebanon" has a great lyric but i don't think i gonna hear it many times. But the rest are what a real U2 fan was expecting. Even now, i like "Get On Your Boots" after listen it in the context and i bet it will be fire on live. "Magnificent", "Unknown Caller", "Breathe", "Stand Up Comedy", "I'll Go Crazy...", "No Line On The Horizon" and "White As Now" are, as i say, some of the best songs of the last 10 years. Some are into the best of U2. And that is say enough. Thanks God for U2!Free Music Review: Album is great, box-set is over-priced...
Hit: 4 Stars
People will not be reviewing this album as well as the prior two outings by U2... rightly so. It is not the same album as ATYCLB or HTDAAB. The songs are not as big. This is a great album. They're not going to hit it out of the park with every album, but this album ran it's way to third base without any difficulty. There are great songs on this album, which may be slightly hidden from the naked eye (ear). The opening title track, Magnificent, Moment of Surrender, I Know I'll Go Crazy and Breathe are all great songs and will be discovered properly on tour. These songs will step up in the same manner as Love & Peace Or Else from the Vertigo Tour.
The box set is a bit of a joke. Heavily over-priced, even at $60-$65. If you can pick the album up for less than $15, the DVD, book, poster and "box" do not ring in at $50... particularly if you compare them to other U2 publications. I was quite disappointed with the box set.
The album itself is a 4-star album... even if that hasn't yet been fully realized.