Your Line on "No Line on the Horizon"
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 03:57 PM
U2 is streaming 'No Line on the Horizon' in its entirety on its MySpace page before it gets a release next week. We want Soundcheck listeners to tell us what they think of the album before our Soundcheck Smackdown on Tuesday, March 3.
Go to U2's MySpace for a sneak preview of the album. Then post your comment below. We might read your comment on Tuesday's show.
P.S. If you only see 'Get On Your Boots' in the MySpace Player, click on the drop-down menu that says 'Featured Playlist' and select 'No Line on the Horizon.' Or simply select the 'Horizon' album cover from the scrollable menu.
Comments [6]
This guy is tripping- My favorite band was X etc. too in early 80's but seeing U2 at Brown University in 1983 was not only "intimate" but a mindblowing spiritual experience. Their passion unique sound and lyrical content the first 3 albums was/is iconic and in this decade they stumble in derivative and lack freshness on all levels.
I agree with Michael, it's difficult to review this after just one listen. U2 was the first band I embraced, and I have been a fan since Boy. Back then, liking U2 marked you as a rogue, and it's difficult now with all their popularity to recall that U2's roots are rebel, protest rock. I remember how mad I immaturely felt when so many people woke up and embraced U2 when The Joshua Tree came out. Suddenly wearing my War concert t-shirt put me in the "in crowd," somewhere I hadn't been before. But I've come to terms with U2's popularity now, and the fact that they're still making relevant, new music 30 years on is great. This album is very good. I love White as Snow, but do not see why Get On Your Boots has a spot right in the middle of the tracks. It interrupts the flow for me, and doesn't seem connected to the rest of the songs. And I kept waiting for the Big Moment U2 alone can deliver, that place where you are lifted up, skin tingling, by the strength of the music. It just wasn't there, and I wanted to feel it, especially on Magnificent. This is better than so much of the music put out now, but still I think U2 could have done more. But that might be the fan in me, the boy with the War t-shirt hearing Bono at Red Rocks call out "This is not a rebel song. This is Sunday, Bloody Sunday," and feeling the excitement of that U2, talking. I just want them to unleash themselves, to play with abandon, and this album lacked that for me on my first listen.
It's a bit difficult to give a meaningful review of a record after only one listen but here goes:
On first blush I'd have to say I'm a little underwhelmed with 'No Line'.
Many of the tracks seem heavy and listless - without urgency or power. Even though the production quality is quite good (as you'd expect since it was produced by Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois and Steve Lillywhite) you just don't feel like the boys in U2 are firing on all cylinders here. It just feels a bit formulaic.... almost like 'How to Dismantle the Atomic Bomb - Part2".
There are some stand outs though:
1.) The gritty, sexy "Get On Your Boots"
2.) The funky-rockin' "Stand Up Comedy"
3.) The soft, lost and pensive "White As Snow"
But the last track on the release - "Cedars of Lebanon" starts off with a synth passage that's a DIRECT LIFT from an Eno/Budd album called 'The Pearl'... Wassup with THAT guys? I find it hard to believe you don't have the time to come up with something yourselves?
Anyway - all in all - I guess this is what you'd expect from a U2 release. I suppose I was just hoping that in these difficult times I'd be surprised, distracted or uplifted as I have so many times in the past by the Boys from Ireland.
The choice of cover art has renewed my respect for the band.
There is such an OBVIOUS comfort zone to the sounds of the instruments and the arrangements. It's not that the songs are Bad, it's just that we've heard it all before many times. U2 can still write some decent tunes and i'm not really a fan. However, I have admired their Longevity. It would not be without reasonably good songwriting craft.
However, after listening to this while working i am left thinking i do not need to hear it again because i have already heard it before..
How about working with some new people outside of the same group you have worked with so many times already U2?
I bet if you placed 10 New bands in studios with that team of producers and engineers they would produce music that most people would find to be enjoyable and accessible too.
But it's not a challenge anymore with U2, it's as if it is by rote. These songs could be leftovers from other records.
OK, Soundcheck listeners! Tell us what you think of "No Line on the Horizon!" Do you like it? Dislike it? What did you expect before you hit "play"?
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