Monday, January 19, 2009

Worth Wading For?

I still consider myself a major U2 fan, and they've remained a great live act, but the only album they've made of truly lasting impact since 1991's Achtung Baby has been 2001's All That You Can't Leave Behind, and even that isn't quite on par with The Joshua Tree, War or Achtung. I found 2005's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb extrememly disappointing, and quite frankly, never listen to it. While the song City of Blinding Lights is thrilling for its connection to the Obama campaign, it isn't a great song in its own right. So perhaps without reason, I've been looking forward to their next album with hopes for their artistic redemption. Titled No Line on the Horizon, it is slated for release on March 3. I'll withhold full judgment until I hear it all, and often, but the first single has just been released. Titled Get On Your Boots, it can be heard through YouTube (though no video is out yet). I've listened to it about 5 times now, and perhaps it will grow on me, but forget Pride (In the Name of Love), Sunday Bloody Sunday, Where the Streets Have No Name or even One, it doesn't even seem as good as Vertigo.



(If you're a Springsteen fan like me, you can check out his new album Workin' on a Dream on a pre-release stream on NPR.com )

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