Category: Music

I’m listening to U2’s latest album, “No Line on the Horizon” via Myspace today.

@MNFnews asked, why U2 was lending their name to drive up Myspace traffic. Perhaps its because they feared Facebook would claim ownership of the music if they posted it there, or perhaps it was a way to fightback against the folks who decided to leak the album early on P2P networks. Either way, I’m glad its out there and I don’t have to “feel bad” about listening it to it a week early :-).

Kevin Hendricks also did an initial review of the album. I’m sure its good but I’m going to avoid reading his before I do mine and try and write my initial thoughts as I hear each song.

No Line on the Horizon
The guitar and drums remind me A LOT of Achtung Baby, which is one of my all time favorite U2 albums (and the first one I actually purchased when I became a U2 fanboy). Specifically I hear a lot of “The Fly” and “Mysterious Ways” in the song.
She said insanity is a great place to start/Time is irrelevant… The songs in your head are now in my mind…

Magnificent
The opening guitar and drums sounds very White Stripe-ish. Then the guitar and keys bring back echos of “Discotech” and the huge electronic influence on Zooropa and Pop. The rest of the song has a nice Moroccan beat to it, probably getting some heavy influence from the Fez recording sessions. The chorus is catching and interesting lyrically ::
Only love/ Only love can leave such a mark/ Only love/ Only love can leave such a scar.
Seems like an interesting (and true) paradox.
The song’s already the number two most listened to track on the album, behind “Get On Your Boots.”
UPDATE: @kevinhendricks says he thinks the line is actually, Only love can leave such a mark/ Only love/ Only love can heal such a scar I actually like it either way. Guess we’ll have to wait for “the official word” to be sure.

Moment of Surrender
Love the strings in the opening sequence of the track. This could be the “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” Gospel track of the album. The backing vocals on the chorus are interesting. May be nothing more than Bono and Edge with a choral effect but I can see it being performed live with a big Gospel choir behind Bono (Or maybe a kids school in New York performing it.)
Love the organ and everything about this track. Not a rock anthem by any means but I think its a great Gospel song.
I was speeding on the subway/ Through the stations of the cross/ Every eye was looking every other way/ counting down till the pain would stop/ At the moment of surrender/ I folded to my knees/ I did not notice the passersby/ And they did not notice me
This may also be the longest track on the album, which would probably keep it becoming the “ISHFWILF” radio hit but I can’t wait to hear it live in the stadiums.

Unknown Caller
Almost a two minute instrumental opening – another lengthy track coming in at 6:02. Sounds very layered – very Brian Eno. The song seems to tell the story of getting a phone call form an unknown caller in the middle of the night. The caller is calling the person into action (maybe even Matrix-esque). The chorus seems to be another call to action like “Get On Your Boots”. The chorus chants the words ::
Go!/ Shout it out!/ Rise up!/ Escape yourself and gravity…
Restart/ And reboot yourself/ You’re free to go/ Shout for joy if you get the chance…
Wow! The horns are really unexpected after the bridge. Then a classic Edge guitar solo. Nice!

I’ll Go Crazy if I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight
Sounds like classic U2 with a little different production.
She’s a rainbow and she loves the peaceful life/ Knows I’ll go crazy if I don’t go crazy tonight/ There’s a part of me in the chaos that’s quiet/ And there’s a part of you that wants me to riot…
How can you stand next to the truth and not see it?/ A change of heart comes slow
Every generation gets a chance to change the world/ Pity the nation that won’t listen to you, boys and girls/ The sweetest melody is the one we haven’t heard/ Is it true that perfect love drives out out our fear?/ The right to be ridiculous is something I hold dear/ A change of heart comes slow
OK. I’m having to start this one over. Lyrically there’s so much to this song.
Baby baby baby? Are they flashing back to “Ultraviolet (Light My Way)”? Awesome.

Get On Your Boots
Love this track. Loved it since the first hearing and its probably the strongest radio/pop song so far into the album. I’m somewhat surprised its not the first track on the album but it does make an obvious single. It also doesn’t seem to match the rest of the album musically – but who cares?! It rocks. I’ve said previously that it reminds me of “Zoo Station,” “The Fly”, “Elevation” and “Vertigo” all rolled into one. Can’t wait to hear this one in the stadiums either.
Women are the future of the big revelations/ I’ve got a submarine/ You’ve got gasoline/ I don’t want to talk about the wars between the nations
Watch the video here:
[myspace]http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=51841276[/myspace]

Stand Up Comedy
Oh! Love the opener. Great guitar funk going on here. Lenny Kravitz anyone? 45 seconds in and I’m hoping this is the next single.
I’m gonna fall down/ If I can stand up for your love…
I’m gonna stand up for hope, faith, and love/ While I’m getting over certainty/ Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady
Stand up for your love!
Love this track. Could quickly become a favorite!

FEZ – Being Born
Very layered intro. Flashes back to the bridge of “Get On Your Boots.” Let me in the sound, let me in the sound and then turns into something completely new ala Zooropa’s “Daddy’s Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car.” The lyrics aren’t as clear on this track as the others. Not sure if it’s Bono’s vocals or the echoing bells/keys under the vocals. As of this first listen, it’s my least favorite track on the album. Will need to go back and listen again.

White as Snow
The opening guitar, bass and vocals immediately remind me of Johnny Cash or Willie Nelson (U2’s worked with and written songs for both musicians in the past). Yet the melody reminds me of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” It will be interesting to see if Bono blends the songs in concert.
The horns mid-way through the song give it an American/Rattle and Hum feel. This is the second or third track on the album that seems to play up the horns. I’d assume a lot of that comes from Edge’s work with Music Rising and bringing aid to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
And I’m trying to figure out the meaning behind this first line about forgiveness…
Who can forgive forgiveness when forgiveness is not?/ Oh leave the land as white as snow…
The road refuses strangers/ The land the seeds we sow/ Where might we find the land as white as snow?…
UPDATE: Kevin also thinks the last line should be Where might we find the lamb as white as snow? I really like that wording better. I think it goes with the imagery of the rest of the song. It seems like the singer is searching for a purity as white as snow.

Breathe
Reminds me of “Window in the Skies.” Lots of strings throughout the song. I’d like to follow along and read the lyrics on the verses while listening to this in the future (I think I had to do that with “Window in the Skies” as well.) This could be another future radio single from the album. Classic Edge guitar, mixed with lots of strings. Poppy without being annoying and a chorus that sticks.
I have to find the courage to walk out/ Into the street/ With arms out/ Got a love you can’t defeat / Neither down or out/ There’s nothing you have that I need/ I can breathe…
Walk out/ Into the street/ Sing your heart out/ To the people you meet/ We won’t be drowned out/ There’s nothing you have that I need/ I can breathe/ Breathe now…
I’ve found grace inside the sound/ I’ve found grace its all I’ve found/ I can breathe

Cedar of Lebanon
Bono starts off telling a story ala Lou Read “Walk on the Wild Side.” I read that Bono wrote many of these songs in first-person, as new characters rather than simply telling his own first-person stories. From what I can gather, this sounds like the story of someone living in the Middle East
The worst of us are long drawn out confessions/ The best of us geniuses of compression/ You say you’re not gonna leave the truth alone/ I’m here because I don’t want to go home
Choose your enemies carefully because they’ll define you/ Make then interesting, because in some ways they will mind you/ They’re not there in the beginning, but when your story ends/ Gonna last longer with you than your friends.

Overall, this album sounds very familiar, yet like something entirely new. It’s a different direction for U2 (from All That You Can’t Leave Behind and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb), but not in the way that Zooropa, Pop or The Passengers Soundtrack was. Has a lot of the electronic influence from Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Classic melodic guitar riffs from the Edge. Driving percussion from Larry and Adam. A broad range vocally from Bono.

Like I said with many of the tracks, I find myself thinking back to other points along U2’s career throughout the album – perhaps that’s what makes it sound so familiar. I can’ wait till the album drops March 3rd and the following tour.

If you want to get a head-start on everyone, be sure and pre-order one of the five versions of No Line on the Horizon, that will be released March 3rd (March 2 in the UK).