Here's some No Line On The Horizon miscellany:
CNN's Denise Quan interviewed the band ahead of tomorrow's album release. Turns out they were legitimately trying not to sound like typical U2.
As for Austin360.com, Joe Gross has suggested in his review that you reprogram the album's tracks into a different order (while dropping a few) for maximum enjoyment. I tried it, and he's on to something -- the album could use a bit of a rearrangement..
[His order: 4-3-2-1-7-8-9-11]
Showing posts with label U2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U2. Show all posts
3.02.2009
2.25.2009
U2's No Line On The Horizon - Review
U2 has always been able to walk the thin line between reinvention and repetition in their long history. It's been said again and again, but a band capable of staying relevant for 30 years has something good, some sort of secret X-factor that allows them to do that. If you look back at their history, rarely can you say that two of their albums have sounded the same. All that You Can't Leave Behind is NOT Pop is NOT Achtung Baby is NOT Joshua Tree is... well, you get what I mean.
This time around, U2 yet has modified their tone again to create a cohesive, listenable-from-front-to-back album, all while managing to keep their core sound intact. It becomes obvious why this album was given a March release date and not a bombastic June blowout -- U2 comes off as much more reflective this time around then even their last record, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. Like the album cover, there's a certain sense of zen and calm on these eleven tracks that is unlike anything I've heard from the group before. In fact, it's probably good to note that the lead single, "Get On Your Boots" is not a good representative of the content of the rest of the album -- that song's a standalone, as if the band was lobbying to be the theme song of the next Bond movie.
The album starts off strong. "No Line on the Horizon" has two heads - Bono lets lose on the verses, but the chorus is reeled in a sort of good-cop-bad-cop routine that is surprisingly effective. It gives way to "Magnificent", a slow-building synthfest that gives way to some classic Edge work and a Bono preoccupation with the title word. It remotely feels like "Original of the Species, Part Two". "The Moment of Surrender" is one of the high points of the album -- Bono might have finally Found What He Was Looking For.
Other points of note on the album include the three-song sequence of "Stand Up Comedy", the confusingly-named "FEZ - Being Born" and "White As Snow". The three tracks almost run as a three-moment piece, because the transitions between these varied tracks are virtually seamless. "White As Snow" is bound to become a fan favorite, but "FEZ" stands highest among the three - it calls back to "The Unforgettable Fire" or "Acrobat" in its arena grandeur. A final high point worth noting is the second-to-last track, the 5-minute long "Breathe", where Edge and Bono seemed to show a little Bob Dylan influence.
Now, that X-factor I mentioned? It becomes quite apparent on this album that their secret weapon has been and still is long-time producer Brian Eno. Some cracks are apparent in the facade of this U2 installment ("Unknown Caller" relies heavily on the band's chanting segments of the lyrics, which sounds less like a motif than a lack of inspiration for a tune) but Eno has done a great job of giving this batch of tracks integrity, and even a subtle unity. It makes sense that the one sore thumb ("Get On Your Boots") is a Steve Lillywhite production and not Eno's. Otherwise, the album is a masterpiece of production. Clicks, whirs, synth and vague echoes to previous tracks all seem to fit together like a dream that slips away when you wake up.
The album stumbles a bit at the end -- Bono starts to ramble on "Cedars of Lebanon", as if Sting and Randy Newman had a lovechild whose future career narrating documentaries. But whether or not one finds it to be an overwhelming problem relies on their philosophy about music listening. For those in the 21st century who do not listen to albums from beginning to end anymore (read: virtually everyone) there is lots here to pick and choose from. For those who do listen through albums in their entirety, it does not really detract from the overall package.
No Line on the Horizon mostly imparts a feeling of reflection. The members of U2 are getting older -- they have been from the day they released "Boy". Their trip through life has produced everything from "Sunday Bloody Sunday" to "With Or Without You" to "The Fly" to "Vertigo". One can get the feeling from No Line that these guys are taking a breather to reflect on everything that has come before. We got hints of this on How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb ("Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own"), but it's full-force on this album. Introspection is fine, as long as it doesn't overtake you.
This is not a bad album. In fact it is a nice addition to U2's body of work, expanding into some aural territories they have not touched much on before. It's understated, and maybe it's understated to a fault. With that established, this thought lingers: the next album needs to be fierce.
Scarecrow's Score: 6/10
This time around, U2 yet has modified their tone again to create a cohesive, listenable-from-front-to-back album, all while managing to keep their core sound intact. It becomes obvious why this album was given a March release date and not a bombastic June blowout -- U2 comes off as much more reflective this time around then even their last record, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. Like the album cover, there's a certain sense of zen and calm on these eleven tracks that is unlike anything I've heard from the group before. In fact, it's probably good to note that the lead single, "Get On Your Boots" is not a good representative of the content of the rest of the album -- that song's a standalone, as if the band was lobbying to be the theme song of the next Bond movie.
The album starts off strong. "No Line on the Horizon" has two heads - Bono lets lose on the verses, but the chorus is reeled in a sort of good-cop-bad-cop routine that is surprisingly effective. It gives way to "Magnificent", a slow-building synthfest that gives way to some classic Edge work and a Bono preoccupation with the title word. It remotely feels like "Original of the Species, Part Two". "The Moment of Surrender" is one of the high points of the album -- Bono might have finally Found What He Was Looking For.
Other points of note on the album include the three-song sequence of "Stand Up Comedy", the confusingly-named "FEZ - Being Born" and "White As Snow". The three tracks almost run as a three-moment piece, because the transitions between these varied tracks are virtually seamless. "White As Snow" is bound to become a fan favorite, but "FEZ" stands highest among the three - it calls back to "The Unforgettable Fire" or "Acrobat" in its arena grandeur. A final high point worth noting is the second-to-last track, the 5-minute long "Breathe", where Edge and Bono seemed to show a little Bob Dylan influence.
Now, that X-factor I mentioned? It becomes quite apparent on this album that their secret weapon has been and still is long-time producer Brian Eno. Some cracks are apparent in the facade of this U2 installment ("Unknown Caller" relies heavily on the band's chanting segments of the lyrics, which sounds less like a motif than a lack of inspiration for a tune) but Eno has done a great job of giving this batch of tracks integrity, and even a subtle unity. It makes sense that the one sore thumb ("Get On Your Boots") is a Steve Lillywhite production and not Eno's. Otherwise, the album is a masterpiece of production. Clicks, whirs, synth and vague echoes to previous tracks all seem to fit together like a dream that slips away when you wake up.
The album stumbles a bit at the end -- Bono starts to ramble on "Cedars of Lebanon", as if Sting and Randy Newman had a lovechild whose future career narrating documentaries. But whether or not one finds it to be an overwhelming problem relies on their philosophy about music listening. For those in the 21st century who do not listen to albums from beginning to end anymore (read: virtually everyone) there is lots here to pick and choose from. For those who do listen through albums in their entirety, it does not really detract from the overall package.
No Line on the Horizon mostly imparts a feeling of reflection. The members of U2 are getting older -- they have been from the day they released "Boy". Their trip through life has produced everything from "Sunday Bloody Sunday" to "With Or Without You" to "The Fly" to "Vertigo". One can get the feeling from No Line that these guys are taking a breather to reflect on everything that has come before. We got hints of this on How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb ("Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own"), but it's full-force on this album. Introspection is fine, as long as it doesn't overtake you.
This is not a bad album. In fact it is a nice addition to U2's body of work, expanding into some aural territories they have not touched much on before. It's understated, and maybe it's understated to a fault. With that established, this thought lingers: the next album needs to be fierce.
Scarecrow's Score: 6/10
2.23.2009
LIVEBLOGGING U2's "NO LINE ON THE HORIZON"
Let's try this out... Just got U2's album in today here @ WSOU, and I'm going to liveblog my listening of U2's new album, "No Line on the Horizon" right now. An in-depth review to follow, but here's first impressions:
Track 1 - No Line on the Horizon - Great intro. It feels very ballsy for U2 in a counterintuitive kind of way. It's kind of retro. Bono's yelping in the verses, and I like it. "I know a girl..." starts out the verses in a very retroish way. Digging it.
Track 2 - Magnificent - Grungy start, Bass drum heavy. Some synth(?) syncopation. Very "late night on a big city street after the rain" feel. Like a danceable Taxi Driver. Once the intro gives way to the lyrics, it's not booming, but it's catchy. Does feel... old. These guys are aging, this album hasn't hidden that yet. But they're aging gracefully so far on this album.
Track 3 - Moment of Surrender - I liked this song a lot that I didn't even type much. I just kind of listened. The title lyrics pop out at you. It's engrossing.
Track 4 - Unknown Caller - Starts out like a rainstorm. Then, Bono's falsetto is iffy. The Edge backs it up with a beautiful riff or three that sounds like he made it up as he went (in a good way). Lyrics don't hit till about 1:50 in, which doesn't feel like it because you get lost in Edge's guitar. This sounds like something that could have been on All You Can't Leave Behind. The chorus is kind of flat. It's chanted, not sung. The title makes me think of "The Fly" (which is a call from a resident of Hell, according to the band), but this isn't Achtung Baby at all. It's more "Walk On" than anything. Not my favorite track so far, but I think it might be a third or fourth-single. Take close note at the Edge's guitar solo... this might have been what they meant when talking about this being "different" or "experimental". The Edge's solos are usually tight and short. Wow, I had lots to say in these 6 minutes... next track.
Track 5 - I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight - What an unfortunate title. Starts strong, Bono's falsetto bugs me a bit (it doesn't fit). Lyrics are substantial, sounds like Atomic Bomb, but not. What amazes me again and again about U2 is their ability to change their sound album after album - except for their first few albums, you can't say that one sounds like the next (Achtung Baby is NOT Joshua Tree is NOT Pop is NOT Atomic Bomb is NOT this.) At about 2:30, I hear some ugly synth I think. U2 rarely does well when they go outside of their standard instrumentation. Or wait, might those be real cellos?
Track 6 - Get On Your Boots - I think I'm listening to the Strokes after that intro. Wait. This is the single. The video underscores what I said from the first time I heard it: It's U2's attempt at making a theme song for a Bond film. Does anyone realize how little Bono actually sings in this song after the first 50 seconds? The rest is mostly chorus and breakdown... I think the best way to describe this is "Love it, Hate it". I happen to kind of like it. It's growing on me.
Track 7 - Stand Up Comedy - U2-tries-funk. A few seconds in I think he made a Twin Towers reference. If I'm right... Oh Bono. Anyways, It's got a groove to it. The falsetto here's not bad. One thing I am noticing... The songs don't necessarily sound the same, but they aren't incredibly varied. I think that's true of a lot of their albums. No album sounds the same as another, but what's on there is produced in such a way that the album is unified in a certain tone. (This is Eno coming through).
Track 8 - Fez (Being Born) - Echoes of "Get on Your Boots" are layered over a very smooth, slightly creepy intro. 1 minute in it gets crazy, then the song picks up in a way that I haven't seen since the long intro of "The Unforgettable Fire". Started out odd, but it's slowly becoming one of my favorite songs in this listen-through so far.
Track 9 - White As Snow - More of this electronic-techni-production that sounds like it could be a Radiohead B-side, but again, it gives way about a minute in to something different. A ballad. "All I Have Is You" or "One Step Closer" come to mind. It'll take a few more listens from the world, but this might become a U2 classic. Not like the rest of the album in arrangement. A little bluesy-folksy.
Track 10 - Breathe - Another bubbling, searing, seething intro. Sounds positively angry. It's almost like a hi-fi Black Keys intro. Now it's getting into a bluesy guitar jam. Bono ran out of notes, so he just reads the lyrics. Waiting for "Bad to the Bone" to come on... well it was just a joke, but anyways, that part gave way to a chorus. Beautiful actually. The Edge shines here. And the chords and arrangements are not what you'd expect.
Track 11 - Cedars of Lebanon - the big finish... or is it? Bono's sitting in a bar or coffee house somewhere, and he's missing something. It is rambling but kind of relaxing. Not sure how I feel. Wait for the final review.
----
That's it for now. You can stream it from their myspace if you want to play along. Comment with thoughts when you listen to it, or just comment on my own ramblings.
Track 1 - No Line on the Horizon - Great intro. It feels very ballsy for U2 in a counterintuitive kind of way. It's kind of retro. Bono's yelping in the verses, and I like it. "I know a girl..." starts out the verses in a very retroish way. Digging it.
Track 2 - Magnificent - Grungy start, Bass drum heavy. Some synth(?) syncopation. Very "late night on a big city street after the rain" feel. Like a danceable Taxi Driver. Once the intro gives way to the lyrics, it's not booming, but it's catchy. Does feel... old. These guys are aging, this album hasn't hidden that yet. But they're aging gracefully so far on this album.
Track 3 - Moment of Surrender - I liked this song a lot that I didn't even type much. I just kind of listened. The title lyrics pop out at you. It's engrossing.
Track 4 - Unknown Caller - Starts out like a rainstorm. Then, Bono's falsetto is iffy. The Edge backs it up with a beautiful riff or three that sounds like he made it up as he went (in a good way). Lyrics don't hit till about 1:50 in, which doesn't feel like it because you get lost in Edge's guitar. This sounds like something that could have been on All You Can't Leave Behind. The chorus is kind of flat. It's chanted, not sung. The title makes me think of "The Fly" (which is a call from a resident of Hell, according to the band), but this isn't Achtung Baby at all. It's more "Walk On" than anything. Not my favorite track so far, but I think it might be a third or fourth-single. Take close note at the Edge's guitar solo... this might have been what they meant when talking about this being "different" or "experimental". The Edge's solos are usually tight and short. Wow, I had lots to say in these 6 minutes... next track.
Track 5 - I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight - What an unfortunate title. Starts strong, Bono's falsetto bugs me a bit (it doesn't fit). Lyrics are substantial, sounds like Atomic Bomb, but not. What amazes me again and again about U2 is their ability to change their sound album after album - except for their first few albums, you can't say that one sounds like the next (Achtung Baby is NOT Joshua Tree is NOT Pop is NOT Atomic Bomb is NOT this.) At about 2:30, I hear some ugly synth I think. U2 rarely does well when they go outside of their standard instrumentation. Or wait, might those be real cellos?
Track 6 - Get On Your Boots - I think I'm listening to the Strokes after that intro. Wait. This is the single. The video underscores what I said from the first time I heard it: It's U2's attempt at making a theme song for a Bond film. Does anyone realize how little Bono actually sings in this song after the first 50 seconds? The rest is mostly chorus and breakdown... I think the best way to describe this is "Love it, Hate it". I happen to kind of like it. It's growing on me.
Track 7 - Stand Up Comedy - U2-tries-funk. A few seconds in I think he made a Twin Towers reference. If I'm right... Oh Bono. Anyways, It's got a groove to it. The falsetto here's not bad. One thing I am noticing... The songs don't necessarily sound the same, but they aren't incredibly varied. I think that's true of a lot of their albums. No album sounds the same as another, but what's on there is produced in such a way that the album is unified in a certain tone. (This is Eno coming through).
Track 8 - Fez (Being Born) - Echoes of "Get on Your Boots" are layered over a very smooth, slightly creepy intro. 1 minute in it gets crazy, then the song picks up in a way that I haven't seen since the long intro of "The Unforgettable Fire". Started out odd, but it's slowly becoming one of my favorite songs in this listen-through so far.
Track 9 - White As Snow - More of this electronic-techni-production that sounds like it could be a Radiohead B-side, but again, it gives way about a minute in to something different. A ballad. "All I Have Is You" or "One Step Closer" come to mind. It'll take a few more listens from the world, but this might become a U2 classic. Not like the rest of the album in arrangement. A little bluesy-folksy.
Track 10 - Breathe - Another bubbling, searing, seething intro. Sounds positively angry. It's almost like a hi-fi Black Keys intro. Now it's getting into a bluesy guitar jam. Bono ran out of notes, so he just reads the lyrics. Waiting for "Bad to the Bone" to come on... well it was just a joke, but anyways, that part gave way to a chorus. Beautiful actually. The Edge shines here. And the chords and arrangements are not what you'd expect.
Track 11 - Cedars of Lebanon - the big finish... or is it? Bono's sitting in a bar or coffee house somewhere, and he's missing something. It is rambling but kind of relaxing. Not sure how I feel. Wait for the final review.
----
That's it for now. You can stream it from their myspace if you want to play along. Comment with thoughts when you listen to it, or just comment on my own ramblings.
1.21.2009
Battlelines on the Horizon?
Normally Coldplay get ripped on for copying U2, but this time around, U2 is copying Coldplay... for apparently copying someone else, a controversy that may or may not line the pockets of a copyright lawyer somewhere in the near future.
U2's new, "zen" album cover for No Line on the Horizon has been called out as being too much like two previous album covers, as well as a work by Hiroshi Sugimoto. CLICKY CLICKY FOR MORE DETAILS
This comes just as U2 dropped their first single off of No Line, which has been crossing the net in the past 24 hours.
Stream "Get Your Boots On" Here
But, let's get back to the cover thing. Just like we played Viva La Vida and the Creaky Boards' "The Songs I Didn't Write" back to back on the Campus Buzz broadcast last year, let's give you a chance to decide for yourself. Comment on what you think... is the U2 cover too close for comfort to the original?
U2's new, "zen" album cover for No Line on the Horizon has been called out as being too much like two previous album covers, as well as a work by Hiroshi Sugimoto. CLICKY CLICKY FOR MORE DETAILS
This comes just as U2 dropped their first single off of No Line, which has been crossing the net in the past 24 hours.
Stream "Get Your Boots On" Here
But, let's get back to the cover thing. Just like we played Viva La Vida and the Creaky Boards' "The Songs I Didn't Write" back to back on the Campus Buzz broadcast last year, let's give you a chance to decide for yourself. Comment on what you think... is the U2 cover too close for comfort to the original?
12.20.2008
Kayne's Epic Fail.
Apparently will.i.am is NOT producing U2's new album. At least according to the band themselves. In fact, they blew up the Friday news cycle yesterday with announcement of their 13th studio album, hitting the streets MARCH 3RD worldwide. It will be called No Line On The Horizon. MORE INFO HERE.
Good news? Well, will.i.am would have been interesting, but go Eno. He's rarely led them astray. Also, the title is easy on the mouth, unlike How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (or its equally unwieldy acronym, HTDAAB)!
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