No Line On The Horizon

U2

Interscope, 2009

http://www.u2.com

REVIEW BY: Melanie Love

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 03/04/2009

U2’s twelfth studio album, the follow-up to 2004’s energetic but somewhat patchy How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, ends up falling somewhere between Rolling Stone’s fawning 5-star review and Pitchfork’s largely cynical assessment of the legendary Dublin rockers. Overall, though, No Line On The Horizon is a return to form, embodying the experimental spirit of Pop and Zooropa (though with a lot less techno and gigantic lemons this time around) and the soaring anthems of beloved Joshua Tree-era U2.

Whether it’s The Edge’s chiming, stadium-ready guitar sound, Larry Mullen Jr.’s driving backbeats or Bono taking a step back from being a larger-than-life rockstar punchline with reflective, encompassing lyrics throughout and rich vocals, this disc just reiterates exactly why U2 have been so treasured since the ‘80s. Their songs are catchy yet complicated and cathartic, reveling in creating soundscapes (aided greatly by longtime collaborators Brian Eno, Steve Lillywhite, and Daniel Lanois) that challenge the listener and the band themselves. The instrumentation here in particular is refreshingly elaborate and still anchored in what makes U2 so familiar and resonant.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

Just check out the rising, moody intro to “Magnificent,” which finally erupts into an enveloping chorus of guitars and sweeping synths, or critically divisive first single “Get On Your Boots,” its its cheeky electronic burbles and chunky riffs backing lines like “I don’t wanna talk about wars between nations / Not right now!”

Meanwhile, tracks like the slow-burning, almost stilted “Fez – Being Born” or the strangely lovely chilliness of closer “Cedars Of Lebanon” are miles apart from what seemed to be a by-the-books reading of rock n’ roll on Bomb, simply a retread of what spiraled U2 to the top.  Penultimate cut “Breathe” is an instant standout, most in line with whatever you’d pin to be classic U2. It launches out with a shivering violin sound before The Edge’s ringing guitars kick in and Bono’s crystal-clear vocals hit the rafters, drawing you in irrevocably as he wails, “Sing your heart out / Sing my heart out / I’ve found grace inside a sound.” 

All the hallmarks come together on this album: the sonic exploration, the irrepressible energy, the songs that stick in your head and heart. Even Bono’s ponderings on often trite themes (love, God, music itself) sound fresher here than they have in awhile -- finally, no musings on how freedom has a scent like the top of a newborn baby’s head! “I Know I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight” belies the potentially cheesy nature of its title with that classic Edge guitar sound and Bono’s sheer earnestness, and “Unknown Caller” veers the line between mechanized and organic, weaving in textured guitars and lofty synths with garbage phrases that embody our age of technology strangely well (“Restart and re-boot yourself,” “Password, you, enter here, right now”).

A new U2 release is nothing short of a worldwide event; ultimately No Line On The Horizon seems to bypass both the massive hype and the other side’s harsh, immediate critiques, emerges as a largely excellent in its own right. It’s enveloping from start to finish, and establishes that beneath all the superstardom and potential for cliché, the band’s human heart is still pumping strong, and hopefully will be for a long while.

Rating: A-

User Rating: B+


Comments

NOT THEIR BEST BUT WORTH IT FOR MAGNIFICENT AND CEDARS OF LEBANON
 








© 2009 Melanie Love and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Interscope, and is used for informational purposes only.