Rolling Stone has this to say about U2's new album No Line on the Horizon "their best since 1991's Achtung Baby."
Time Magazine, conversely, calls it an "unsatisfied and unsatisfying, new album. Their worst since 1997's Pop."
In my own, very much amateur, opinion it falls somewhere in between the two.
The eleventh studio album for the Irish super group was released on February 27th 2009 and despite much hype and pre-release buzz the album has not done nearly as well as expected. That isn't slowing the band down any though, their world tour is in full swing and the band is also, reportedly, working on yet another new album.
For over thirty years now U2 have been together recording political and popular music. The first big success for the band came when, in 1983, they had their first number one album in the UK, War. World wide recognition came soon after.
No Line on the Horizon is a collection of eleven songs, plus a bonus version of the title track, No Line on the Horizon. Which is probably one of the best songs on the entire album. When I first heard it I actually didn't think that it was U2, it sounds nothing like any song I have heard by them before, in all the best ways. There was nothing stereotypical or cliche. And from the opening notes the song hooks you, and you get sucked into the music, and before you know it, it's over.
The second song on the album "Magnificent" is another one of my favorites. The opening music has a very dark and mysterious sound to it, and with lyrics like "only love can leave such a mark/only love can leave such a scar" how can you not like this song.
Not all the songs on this album are that good however, the only way I can describe the song Breath is just blah. Nothing original. Nothing that stands out. Nothing that makes me want to listen to this song again.
So whether you thing that Rolling Stone got it right, or Time Magazine called it this time, U2's newest album No Line on the Horizon is worth checking out, if only so you can decide for yourself how good it is.
Time Magazine, conversely, calls it an "unsatisfied and unsatisfying, new album. Their worst since 1997's Pop."
In my own, very much amateur, opinion it falls somewhere in between the two.
The eleventh studio album for the Irish super group was released on February 27th 2009 and despite much hype and pre-release buzz the album has not done nearly as well as expected. That isn't slowing the band down any though, their world tour is in full swing and the band is also, reportedly, working on yet another new album.
For over thirty years now U2 have been together recording political and popular music. The first big success for the band came when, in 1983, they had their first number one album in the UK, War. World wide recognition came soon after.
No Line on the Horizon is a collection of eleven songs, plus a bonus version of the title track, No Line on the Horizon. Which is probably one of the best songs on the entire album. When I first heard it I actually didn't think that it was U2, it sounds nothing like any song I have heard by them before, in all the best ways. There was nothing stereotypical or cliche. And from the opening notes the song hooks you, and you get sucked into the music, and before you know it, it's over.
The second song on the album "Magnificent" is another one of my favorites. The opening music has a very dark and mysterious sound to it, and with lyrics like "only love can leave such a mark/only love can leave such a scar" how can you not like this song.
Not all the songs on this album are that good however, the only way I can describe the song Breath is just blah. Nothing original. Nothing that stands out. Nothing that makes me want to listen to this song again.
So whether you thing that Rolling Stone got it right, or Time Magazine called it this time, U2's newest album No Line on the Horizon is worth checking out, if only so you can decide for yourself how good it is.
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