No Line on the Horizon - review

The most famous band in the world just released a new album on Tuesday, and after 4 straight days of saturation, here is my take on it:

"No Line on the Horizon," the title track, begins the album. It automatically sounds interesting, instrumentally. Also, Bono has changed his voice from previous records by backing off the mic, turning up the emo-amp in his throat, and immediately (noticeably) singing from his gut. The sound of the song was favorable to me, but I kept hearing something in it that felt like audio deja vu. Thinking back to my childhood, I realized that the vocals were very Roger Daltrey, of The Who. Still, the song is quality, and a great way to start a new album.

Track two, "Magnificent," is an obvious single-to-be, with vintage The Edge delays on guitar. The song loses its appeal 1:20 in when the verse begins in the same old-same old U2 manner that makes you wonder whether the title is meant to be ironic. From another room, you would not be able to tell it from any other song of theirs. After the album wipes itself, it throws out a definite high point, in the down-beat "Moment of Surrender," a track that uses organ, heavy blatant bass, and Bono screaming again.. but in the same good manner as the opener. The next track, "Unknown Caller," very much does the same in keeping the album at a chilling point. Both tracks are in the "just okay" department. The next track is excrement, so let's move onto their first single, "Get On Your Boots."

Innately designed to be a leading single, this track has :45 of quality. Then, much to my chagrin, it uses a similar line that was used in a single from their last album ("City of Blinding Lights"). The song, itself, is also a little too INXS for me to take it seriously. For a band with such seasoning, this song (1/2 way through the album) leaves a bland taste. It's water.

And, the river keeps flowing. The next two tracks ("Stand Up Comedy" and "FEZ- Being Born") are forgettable. The following track, "White as Snow," has the lyrical ingenuity of a contemporary christian festival hands-raised lemming ballad. Finally, the last two tracks aren't worth naming. The album is a cliff dive from a great title track of climactic potential, to an uninspired quarry of background noise and b-side forget-ability. Though it pains my heart to say it after years of being a big fan, the horizon actually seems to be approaching- with many lines. The first one says "stop crapping out music."

Rating: buy Achtung Baby, and cut your losses.
-the Majr