How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

U2 | Format: MP3 Music

Product Details

• Original Release Date: November 23, 2004
• Release Date: November 23, 2004
• Label: Interscope
• Copyright: (C) 2004 Universal-Island Records Ltd.
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file metadata contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 49:07
• Genres:
  • Rock
• ASIN: B001O2N0P0
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1,553 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,609 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Adam B. December 15, 2004

By Adam Block

Format:Audio CD

The album is excellent, I give the album itself 5 stars as it really is a wonderful work for the band reflecting their ability to stay ahead of trends.

The reason why I give this collectors edition only 3 stars is that I feel the packaging is dissapointing. The CD is housed in a little cardboard pocket, that will make it very easy to get scratched or damaged over time. The book, while a nice little collectors piece, really seems to be a one time read, devoid of interesting reading or stories. The Addition of Fast Cars, again seems to be an ode to collectors in the US, as I don't believe the song adds value to the CD as it feels out of place.

Finally, my biggest pet peeve comes with the fact that the two cheaper versions include full lyrics in the insert, while this edition, despite a hardcover book includes no lyrics.

The CD is excellent, the DVD is interesting and worthwile, the Collector's Edition packaging and content leaves much to be desired. I would have preferred saving money and getting the Deluxe Edition CD/DVD combo. I recommend that others do the same.

81 of 93 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Entirely too conservative artistically; still great music November 23, 2004

By Mike London TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Audio CD

U2, known primarily for grandiose convictions, an intense desire to be the biggest band in the world, and a huge, guitar-driven sound with soaring vocals, have become rather conservative in their evolution. Retreating from their 1980s work, U2 primarily focused on broadening their artistic pallette, bringing in electronica, techno, and other weird fusions. This created a problem with U2's fan base as the decade drew to a close, because the farther U2 strayed into the eclectic musical territory they were pursuing, the more difficult it was for the fans to follow their evolution. When U2 experimented successfully, they made some of the most successful music of their career (ACHTUNG BABY). Yet they grounded their experimentation with a sense of purpose, and they always kept their ambition within the elasticity of the fans' and critics' admiration. At least, they tempered their music with a good dose of rock in the early 90s. ACHTUNG BABY, one of their most experimental, evolutionary records, has been universally hailed by both fans and critics alike as some of their most significant music. ACHTUNG BABY set the course for much of the decade, with U2 going more and more into post-modernism.

Then the 1997 nadir POP happened. Not that POP was necessarily a BAD album. Instead of sounding a natural progression of the band's ambition, the experimentation never really gelled, much like R.E.M.'s UP. POP comes across as torn between two different directions - the anthem-driven, spiritually aware U2 lamenting a loss world, and a strange, dance-driven beat that is supposed to celebrate living with almost primitive desire, instead of commenting on the moral and social decline of earth.... Both a critical and commercial flop, U2 seriously re-evaluated their status as artists after POP, and streamlined their sign, making a very conscious return to their earlier sound.

In 2000, U2 delivered the followup to POP, ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND. The title is more than aptly representative of that album. Abandoning wholly the more progressive elements of their music, LEAVE BEHIND sounds like U2 trying to write a classicist record, returning to the styles of their 1980s output. While it was fun to hear them return to that era, ALL THAT YOU, out of necessity, didn't have a lot of artistic evolution. That wasn't the point.

So it's little surprise that U2, has streamlined their music even more on HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB. While their early records were both revolutionary and a thrill to listen too, and the early 1990s work pure genius, HTDAATB is a much more calculated record, made to sound like classic U2 instead of just being U2. U2's experimentation had gotten them in trouble, and this is the result. U2, instead of playing the music they want to play, are now playing to win back the audience that much of their 1990s work alienated. In many ways, like Essau yielding to Jacob, U2 has traded their birthright for porridge, selling their artistic evolution out for trying to be the biggest band in the world.

Although POP did have some unmitigated disasters, at least it was the old U2, wedded to pushing the envelop with cutting edge music. That's the real irony of HTDAATB; the new U2 is returning back to the old styles to win back the fans, while the old U2 was much more interested in creating worthwhile music, combining their ambition with their musical sensibilities, growing artistically and commercially. This is a record that the old U2, after making the records they did in the 1990s, would never make. The old U2 would keep pressing on, pursing their musical evolution. But POP happened and U2 has been reeling ever since.

While this may seem to be a primarily negative review of U2's latest effort, there are some postive notes. While artistically a puzzling, entirely too conservative affair calculated to win back fans, there's some great music here. The lead off-single, "Vertigo," is jagged guitar rock. "Crumbs From Your Table" plays like we're back in the 1980s. "Love or Peace" is an interesting comment on war. "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own," written in 2001 when Bono's father died, shows us Bono at his most vulnerable. "Yahweh" (or to be strictly orthodox, YHWH), gives us U2 at their most spiritually thirsty. It has great music and a great sound, but that doesn't make HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB the instant classic ACHTUNG BABY and THE JOSHUA TREE are.

U2's end result is rather a half-breed. HTDAATB is much too conservative and calculated to be truly revolutionary and an undeniable classic, but also just too good to write off completely (mostly because U2's trying to recreate an era of their career where they were writing and performing fantastic music. Hence my four star rating, though artistically it's three). For the causal fan, this may be a subtle point; it has a warm, big sound, and has excellent music. For those who loved U2 for being fearless pioneers will be rather disappointed.

In ways, I belong to both camps. There's some wonderful songs here. But I miss U2's sense of adventure.

[There are three songs left off the album that I am aware of. One, "Fast Cars," has surfaced on the UK and Japanese pressings as a bonus track. The band did covered Kraftwerk ("Neon Lights"). There's a non LP track on the second "Vertigo" single, "Are You Gonna Wait Forever?"] Read more ›

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Actually, A Review of the Collector's Edition November 23, 2004

By Hoppy Doppelrocket

Format:Audio CD

I dig U2 and I like collector's editions (I have lots of cars). These "special" editions always cost more and most folks want to know is it worth it. Well, in this case (as in most) it depends.

This limited collector's edition contains three items--the cd "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" (Hoppy looooves bombs), a studiomentary DVD, and a book. Obviously the price is higher than just the single cd or that other limited edition thing that includes the cd and dvd only (these potato farmers are marketing geniuses).

And that's for several reasons: The cd contains a bonus track not included on either the regular edition or the cd/dvd combo. It's not listed in the amazon listing above this review (who knows why?) and is a pretty upbeat, punkish number titled "Fast Cars". It's pretty good, but a little out of place in spite of the clever lyrics. The cd itself is probably worth 4.7 stars and the Edge really rocks. It's a very spirtual cd with some cool words and a lot of nifty base (especially on "Love and Peace or Else"). So overall the cd is very good--on par with the last release (the one with the song I quote to my fat lazy spouse Bessie just about every other day--"Walk On") and very reminiscent of the band's earlier style ('October' early). Again, the guitar is prominent and there's some modern techno keyboardy strange sound stuff on here too. Very good overall, but the point is there is a bonus track on this set (I believe it's on the Japanese version as well). As for the DVD...

The accompanying DVD is about 20 minutes long and in spite of what you'll read elsewere, doesn't really contain any complete videos or performances although the primary focus is on "Vertigo" and the moving "Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own".... The commentary (which continually interupts the performances) is interesting and there is conversation about drinking, but nothing about girls in the tour bus or anything scandalous. Overall, it's a too-short snippet of the band. And then there's the book...

I like to read, but this isn't really a book I'd look to read. It's a lot of scribble, some pretty cool sketches and paintings, some Article of Human Rights, lyrics, thoughts on paper and totals about 20 pages. Depends what you like I suppose. Personally, I pulled some of the pictures out and taped them to my cubicle at work (just for fun). You can guess which ones.

Where this set loses value (aside from the brevity of the dvd) is the package itself. The book is nicely presented, but the cd and dvd (both) are in slip cases (i.e., prone to getting scratched and annoying to get in and out) and the cd in a pretty flimsy slip case at that. A besotted listener could easily create some damage. So be careful. In summary: Great cd (with a good bonus track), short but interesting dvd, decent book, and lousy package. I sure hope this was helpful. Read more ›

39 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Idle Thought...Or Two... November 30, 2004

By Hank Kimble, County Extension Agent and Critic

Format:Audio CD

I only heard a short clip of Vertigo prior to buying this. When I came here to make the buy, thought I would see what some of the other citizens thought of it. As I read the reviews, a few idle thoughts came to mind, not listed in any order of importance:

Several people expressed dismay that the sound of U2 has changed. There was disappointment that the Edge may not still have that "edge" that separated him from so many other second fiddles that stood directly behind many group's headliners. There was an abundance of lamenting concerning Bono not possessing that "Bono Vox" he has given the world for the almost thirty plus years.

After reading the reviews and listening to this, I found that it is a work that is exactly where it should be. It sounds like U2 should sound today. It is reflective of an incredible musical career that is beginning to span two generations. And it is the sound and contains the energy and drive that makes U2 what it was....what it is today, and what it will be remembered as.

I did not buy this hoping it would sound like "The Unforgettable Fire". I already own "The Unforgettable Fire" and am very content and satisfied with the way it sounds. I bought this with a reasonable expectation that I would hear a musical group in the autumn of their career still putting out some of the best, most original and undoubtedly most creative musical work on the planet. And I was not disappointed....I don't think you will be either.