Customer Reviews

No Line On The Horizon

5 star:		(253)
4 star:		(124)
3 star:		(87)
2 star:		(84)
1 star:		(74)

 

 

This review is for the deluxe box set. Since the cd is the same the question is whether you want to pay anywhere from 65 to 95 dollars for the extras. You get 2 posters - 1 a large reproduction of the album cover that to me has gotten boring pretty quickly. The other side of that poster and the other smaller poster show the band standing around looking serious and important as they are prone to do. There is a large sharp-looking high-quality white hardcover book with some nice pictures and an interview with the band. I've read it through once and enjoyed it, and will probably read it once or twice again before my death hopefully many years from now. I guess I bought this set primarily for the dvd by Anton Corbijn, a film that is played over the new U2 songs. Mostly it shows a man riding his motorcycle and walking. The only U2 content is the band playing Magnificent on a staticky cafe television, really too distracting to watch. I want to say that watching this dvd was as exciting as watching paint dry but I think that would be insulting to paint. I don't think I will ever watch it again, even if I live a long long time. All of these things are packed in a big mother of a box (12" x 9" x 2"). I absolutely love the NLOTH cd, but with this box set and with U2 bigger is not always better. Like with their new stadium tour called U2 360 - the band will play from a stage "in the round" so more fans can see the band (and their backsides) than would normally fit in a 60,000 person stadium. As far as the De-luxe edition it currently takes up a large space on my bookshelf, always reminding me that I could have bought the regular cd for $10. UPDATE ONE YEAR LATER 3/20/10: Another thing that bugs me about these "De-Luxe, Limited Edition, Collectors Items" is that they never are. One year later you could pick up a new copy here on amazon for $25, a third of the original price. Any collectors item or high priced deluxe edition mass produced for a major artist will NEVER go up in value.

If you want to nit-pick that this album isn't Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby, and is thus by default a steaming pile of cow manure, go right on ahead and live in your own pool of negativity. No this isn't those albums. Those are masterpieces, pure and simple.

OK, for this album just sit back, put on the head phones and soak it in. Like any U2 album, it plants a seed, sprouts, grows and matures if you listen to it more than a simple fast forward on your ipod like many shortened attention span detractors probably did. I believe it lives in the top 5 of the band's compilations. Sonically, the Edge continues to expand his boundaries. The man has given us a lifetime of musical gifts. How many other musicians can continue to create interesting music after 30 years! Bono continues to spew his classic Bono-isms. The words, poetry, and one-liners that stick in your head and make you think. I find his lyric effort the best since 1991. As usual, Clayton and Mullen Jr keep things tight and round out the experience.

My favorites?
1) Magnificent - might place in their top 10 songs. Made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Like Streets have No Name did when I first heard it.
2) Being Born - Interesting direction in sound that I hope they explore more in the upcoming sister album.
3) Unknown Caller - Vintage U2 take on things. your personal interpretation necessary
4) I'll Go Crazy - Yeah, its got to be the first song played at the live show
5) Moment of Surrender - Might live long as one of their best. Like "One" did after AB.

I've loved this band since the War days. I can't believe they are still pumping out great music! Thank you U2!

Except for Magnificent, most of this album will not be an instant hit. But it will grow! The more I listen, the more I'm tappin my feet to the beats of these songs. Moment of Surrender is probably one of the most touching songs U2 have come up with. I've been an avid U2 fan for almost 15 years and it's amazing to see albums of this caliber still coming out.

Can't wait for their other album to come out this year!

While it's far too early to be making definitive judgements of U2's No Line On The Horizon, a few conclusions about what this album is and is not can be drawn after only limited listening. I'll have to qualify myself as a 'casual' fan, however; through the years I've found myself connecting mainly with songs in the same vein as the first three tracks of The Joshua Tree, and other than "One", from Achtung Baby, U2 fell off my radar until the last two albums gave me "Stuck In A Moment...", "Walk On" and "Sometimes You Can't Make It...". There are, of course, other styles and songs much to my liking, but when a new U2 record comes out, the midtempo, beautifully melodic, more in the mainstream-type gems are what I listen for. So, if you have similar tastes, my thoughts on NLOTH are geared toward you.

> This is NOT a 'commercial' record. That's not to say this album won't sell, but that the producers' attempts at churning out a few radio hits didn't work, IMO. There are plenty of 'catchy' parts of songs, especially in the first five tracks, but in general these songs just aren't set up to become mega-hits.

> The Edge is in top form on this record. The guitar work here is nothing short of brilliant.

> Most of the big 'music critics' and fans of some of U2's more experimental efforts should find lots to like, especially when comparing this to the band's previous two albums. This is quite the artistic endeavor...U2 did not 'play it safe' here. This is a record that combines a bit of 'classic' U2 sound with a heavy dose of fresh, exploratory music.

> On the flip side, if those last two albums (or even The Joshua Tree) are your favorites, you may be disappointed. I think you'll find the first half of the record to have some redeeming qualities. For example, the chorus of "Moment Of Surrender" is outstanding, with beautiful harmonies and melody. It's perhaps the strongest song of all, but its length of over 7 minutes would call for major editing to get it into radio-shape...likewise with "Unknown Caller", my favorite from a musical standpoint. The guitar/bass combination is spine-tingling, but while there's good melody in the 'verse', the vocal chanting in the same note wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear, and it's 6 minutes long (radio edits required). "Magnificent" is fairly decent all around and could be a radio hit, but it still doesn't stack up well when compared to the songs I mentioned in my introduction.

> Many of the songs have moody, pulsating and/or atmospheric instrumental intros, most of which are very sonically interesting.

> For the more casual U2 listener who favors 'mainstream' sound, the middle and bottom half of this record doesn't have a lot to offer. I thought the choice of putting out "Get On Your Boots" as a first single to be quite strange...it's mainly groove-based and not melodic at all. "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" is one of those 'in-between' type songs...you want to like it, you kind of like it, yet it sounds a little 'forced' and not genuine to me. Bono goes a little crazy when he throws in a couple of odd-sounding falsetto notes about 30 seconds in...that certainly doesn't help matters. On many of the songs toward the end Bono does more talking than he does singing, and while they are somewhat interesting sonically, the beautiful melodies are missing. "White As Snow" is a laid-back hymn with sparse instrumentation reminiscent of songs from a Western...it's kind of nice but I'm not sold yet.

> At least the album starts strong. The opening title track is a high-energy rocker with an aggressive vocal and a memorable chorus. Throughout the record Bono's vocals are loose, ragged and edgy as opposed to controlled and pure.

With a band as diverse as U2, you won't always find what you're looking for (pardon the pun). For some, NLOTH will eventually be considered a masterpiece. But for more casual fans like me hoping to hear fresh takes (not remakes) of the classic, midtempo, melodic, memorable mainstream stunners that U2 has delivered before...well, we're kind of left in the dust with this release and will have to wait for the next one with fingers crossed.

No Line on the Horizon is an inspired and moving work. The record is imbued with the sense of urgency, passion and clarity most reminiscent of U2's 1983 release `War'. When U2 wrote `War', it had been a particularly difficult and violent time in Ireland's history, and U2's response was to tell stories about the personal journey of those caught up in the crossfire created by forces bigger than themselves. This record captures and updates that theme on a global scale, as the first decade of the 21st century has been marked by war, poverty, religious and ethnic division, economic collapse, ominous climate change, lost opportunities and an emerging hope that people can ultimately seize their own destinies, write their own future, and break away from the destructive patterns of the past. No Line on the Horizon is the right record at the right time for U2 and its audience.

Musically, U2 has drawn from its own past to create a new sound. Though not as striking a departure as Achtung Baby was from its predecessors, U2 has eclectically lifted from its own past to create a more varied and less predictable sound. U2 has incorporated more of the ambient/electronica experimentation they did on Pop, Passengers, Zooropa, Achtung Baby and the Million Dollar Hotel, through the keyboards, samples and effects of Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois and The Edge. The role of Eno as primary keyboard player has added a new dimension, complexity and power to the songs. Many of the band's jam sessions are not relegated to the cutting room floor but are incorporated into the tracks, making them longer, less predictable, and an interesting ride. Edge has retained his traditional alternative guitar rock stylings (drones, suspended chords with added 7ths and 9ths, simple note melodies, choppy staccato and echo for effect), and has also including the guitar/keyboard melodies that were a feature of Atomic Bomb (e.g., City of Blinding Lights). However, Edge has also drawn on classic rock power chords and blues based riffs to incorporate a more classic rock guitar sound into the U2 palate.

Bono has never been better as a singer or communicator, and this is perhaps his best performance from start to finish. Where Edge probably carried the last few records, on this one, he is happy to step back a little and let the band (with Eno/Lanois as effectively new band members) assert itself, and to let Bono steer the ship. However, make no mistake, the sound is unmistakably U2, and the result is a soulful modern rock opera, along the lines of Pink Floyd's The Wall, The Who's Tommy, Queen or Coldplay's Viva La Vida. Only time will tell as to where this record ranks among U2's best, but No Line on the Horizon deserves to be included in that conversation.

Now for the Songs:

1. No Line On The Horizon - A heavy rock/electronica hybrid track that is the closest that U2 has ever come to sounding like Radiohead. Adam Clayton drives this track by playing 16th notes on the bass, while Larry Mullen finds a connection with North African rhythms and his own march drumming patterns to create the mood of the track. Edge's guitar is heavily distorted playing power chords with some addition of minor key note melodies. The chorus provides the melodic break, and the middle section follows chord progressions similar to U2's arena rock sound of the last decade (e.g., Walk On, Electrical Storm). Bono screams his way through the verses like an old blues singer in hot, muggy weather. The song ends with a pretty melodic duet between Edge on guitar and Eno on keyboards. U2 have never done a track like this, and this opener is a real tone and theme setter.

2. Magnificent - An aptly named track. A song that starts out like an 80's alternative experimental track builds and explodes into a grandly majestic arena pop rock song, with a hints of a Bee Gees disco era beat, a funky/disco Clayton bass line, keyboard backing tracks reminiscent of `Lemon', Simple Minds, or U2's great 90's dance remixes (e.g., their cover of `Night and Day'), anchored by Edge's signature jangly rhythm guitar melodies (the guitar is in the mid-pickup lightly distorted tone that defined U2 in the Unforgettable Fire-Joshua Tree era). Bono sings with the confidence of a man driving a sports car that can pretty much drive itself. There is a lot of depth to this song and interesting melodic hooks. This is an instant U2 classic and probably one of their best pop songs.

3. Moment of Surrender - This track is an electronica ballad with a medium tempo dance beat in the spirit of `So Cruel' from Achtung Baby. The arrangement is sparse as Adam Clayton's bass is the track's centerpiece. His bass playing is reminiscent of the tasty licks he came up with on Zooropa and Pop. The chorus is gospel meets electronica. The line `I did not notice the passers-by and they did not notice me' stands out. Another memorable U2 anthem.

4. Unknown Caller - Edge's guitar sound is classic 1980's U2, full of jangly, echoed melodies, drones with added 7ths and really carries this song. Larry Mullen maintains his focus on the toms and keeps the track in ballad form. The verse is a hybrid of the chords of Staring at the Sun and the vocals of The Ground Beneath Her Feet. However, it's in the joyful, theatrical, imploring `take this smack in the face and wake the hell up' tone of the chorus over Edge's melodies and the pulsating rhythm section that lend a power that could make this track this generation's `Bad'. Unknown Caller is a very personal and life affirming song that feels like the emotional center of this record. Brian Eno's keyboards and the string arrangement allow Edge to handle the melodies and a great guitar solo at the end to close one of U2's most satisfying achievements.

5. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight - a radio friendly rock ballad with a mid-tempo, danceable beat that is reminiscent of `Walk On' or tracks from Atomic Bomb (e.g., Original of the Species), but with some interesting twists. The track was mixed by Will I Am and there is a middle section which sounds like a 70's rock opera. The thundering chorus will blow the roof off of most arenas when played live.

6. Get On Your Boots - a fast paced, subversive glam-rock single with a driving, catchy guitar riff that transforms itself into a hybrid of electronica and classic rock. It is the anti-Vertigo in that instead of using a guitar riff to write a conventional rock song, U2 hooks you with the riff and then takes you places you don't expect to go...from a flamenco influenced Spanish rock/Pulp Fiction bridge, Beatles like harmonies, to a fist pumping electronica wall of sound (`Let me in the Sound') there is nothing on the radio that sounds like this track.

7. Stand Up Comedy - U2 goes classic rock. They've never done a track like this, as the main riff and verse could be from an early Led Zeppelin or Aerosmith record. The song itself probably echoes something that Oasis might do. Comparisons aside, after a few listens, the quality of the track begins to ring through. Adam Clayton's funk bass is strong and the transitions to the bridge and chorus are somewhat unexpected and compelling. The line "Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady" is worth the price of the CD itself.

8. FEZ-Being Born - U2 veers into Peter Gabriel territory on this track, as a lengthy electronica intro with hints of North African melodies and rhythms gives way to an emphatic and grand rock song with Edge playing muffled 16th beat notes on the roots of power chords to create the sense of urgency on a long journey in tracks like `Red Rain' or `Growing Up'.

9. White As Snow - A traditional hymn reworked as a guitar based ballad with selectively lush arrangements finds singing wistfully about a soldier in Afghanistan reflecting on the far away land from which he came and the barren land in which he is. The mood is somber and it appears from the lyrics that the soldier is wounded and perhaps dying.

10. Breathe - U2 channels REM's `New Adventures in Hi Fi' as Bono talks and sings like a beat poet, and the band provide a raw, inspired rock song that has quickly became a fan favorite and a real cracker live. Breathe is one of the best rock tracks U2 has in its arsenal.

11. Cedars of Lebanon - The record closes with a quiet ballad led by Larry Mullen's rhythmic drums, Edge's clean, mid-tone rhythm guitar and Bono singing in a low tone from the perspective of a rugged, worn and weary war correspondent. The track was produced by Daniel Lanois and has the trademark soft, minor key guitar sound that he helped build in the 1980's. This is one of U2's better sounding ballads. One thinks that if Eno/Lanois had only produced `Wake Up Dead Man' from Pop, that that track would've sounded as good as this one does.

U2 has produced an incredible piece of work. I was shocked (in the best possible way!) when I heard this album! It's sonically interesting, and definitely new ground for U2. For that reason, it may take some getting used to by old and new fans alike.

The album starts out with new sounds (at least for U2) and interesting themes and characters in the first four songs. Of those, "Magnificent" and "Moment of Surrender" are instant standouts. But, with each new listen, new songs surprise me. In this case, "Unknown Caller" has proven to be a song that with a few listens begins to amaze. The middle of the album is probably more familiar territory sonically. "Crazy Tonight", "Boots", and "Stand Up Comedy" feel like the U2 of this decade and stand somewhat apart from the rest of the songs on this album. "Crazy Tonight" was probably my original favorite. "Boots" has taken some criticism, but it's a great song and I really don't see what the fuss is about (especially for those that liked "Vertigo", as "Boots" has a very similar feel to it). "Stand Up Comedy" breaks down into a groove that is very "Beatlesque"--quality! But the more I listened to the album, the more I realized that for me, the real stars are the final four tracks. The four together have a perfect flow, and harken back sonically to the first four songs on the album (and lyrically to the middle three). "White as Snow" and "Cedars" are hauntingly beautiful and "Cedars" provides a brilliant finish to the album. "Fez" is another song that I almost overlooked the first couple of listens. Then suddenly I realized how brilliant it is. It's the song I want to drive home to in the evening after a long day at work. Indeed, it's a travel song, so very fitting. And "Breathe" is a song that I can't get enough of. It's soulful and bluesy. And it has that same uplifiting and insprirational spirit that U2 has become known for. But, it's not indulgent.

The box set is beautifully done--even the box itself is impressive. The book is very well put together. The interview spans around 8 pages, with the remainder of the content being very artistic photography of the band, studio sessions, etc. "Linear" is interesting and will take watching again to form a full opinion. It's a "moving pictures' film (no dialogue, but a movie set to the music of the album). An extremely interesting concept for the album that perhaps falls short of it's full potential. But, I love this idea. The digipack version of the album included in the box set is fantastic! Overall, I have to say that this has been put together extremely well. I have a few issues (typos in the lyrics, for example), but given the immense quality of the album, along with a well put together art box, I can't give this anything but the highest rating.

In the interest of full disclosure, I'm still debating from an objective point of view if the box set is worth $65. I don't know. I do know that I'm happier for having it on my shelf and am therefore glad to have spent the money. If you have the money, definitely consider buying this set, as it's a fine addition to your music collection.

No Line on the Horizon is:
--a solid album.
--a songwriter comfortable in his own skin.
--an album wherein you'll find one of your new favorites songs.
--a band aging well.

No Line on the Horizon is not:
--a five star album. It's a solid four. How many fives are really out there? Maybe one in a long career.
--a frenetic, guitar-driven album like Vertigo.
--The Joshua Tree redivivus (five-star album--there it is...)
--a commercial vehicle for a megalomaniacal frontman or his henchmen.

And finally:
--Aren't we fortunate to have a band with this much talent, soul, and dedication around to redeem our hearts, minds, and airwaves?

Thanks, U2, for decades and decades of great tunes.

I'm glad to hear there's no line on the horizon. It sure doesn't sound that way as I sit hear listening.

After two solid, stripped rock n' roll albums, U2 return to the kind of spacey experimentation which define their work in the 1990s, especially the masterpiece "Achtung Baby," the bizarre techno hybrid "Zooropa" and the mad folly "Pop." "No Line On The Horizon" has an attitude appropriate for its title, the band here really finds no stop signs and jumps from mood to mood, from electronic atmospherics to basic rock chords, from sheer joy to moody reflection. Fans who discovered the band through the last two efforts, 2000's joyous "All That You Can't Leave Behind" and 2004's edgy "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb," might find themselves somewhat perplexed here, with the band clearly seeking new sounds. But as a record this is a great achievement, with haunting moments and exhilarating material.

The album opens with a title track full of fuzz and rings, with Bono delivering a raw vocal accompanied by a sci-fi chorus announcing the album's experimental mood. The Edge lets it rip with some burning guitar chords. The second track, "Magnificent," is already on its way to becoming a fan favorite. Here we get that classic U2 sound, an anthemic rocker with glowing guitar, soaring vocals, snapping drums and powerful vocals that stretch and glide. It is the strongest song in the album and one which calls for repeated listens.

The rest of the album is a diverse landscape. "No Line On The Horizon" reunites U2 with longtime producing team Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, who have crafted some of the band's biggest hits including "The Joshua Tree" and "Achtung Baby." Eno and Lanois much more engaged in the actual songwriting process this time around, which explains the album's diverse collage of material. Right after "Magnificent" we get the moody, spiritual "Moment Of Surrender" which features a rich mix of Eno organs, strings and a poppish yet soulful Bono vocal. "Unknown Caller" sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, with even birds chirping in the background near the opening. "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" is classic U2 rock/pop in the spirit of "The Sweetest Thing" while "Get On Your Boots" shows how U2 is capable of producing cheesy dance numbers with admirable production values.

We still get a few real rockers in the album, including "Stand Up Comedy" and "Breathe" which feature raw guitar and frantic Bono vocals. The Edge's signature slide guitar is also present through-out, providing beautiful decoration. But fans should not dismiss the more spacey, experimental material. What makes this album stand out is U2's masterful control of atmosphere and mood. "FEZ-Being Born" is a dramatic mixture of electronics and soundscapes. "White As Snow" is a haunting ballad with memorable images and "Cedars Of Lebanon" is a closing full of thought and grace.

"No Line On The Horizon" doesn't follow the rules, it shows why U2 has remained so fresh and popular over the years instead of just disappearing and turning into a Greatest Hits jukebox. With Eno, Lanois and longtime producer Steve Lillywhite who produces and mixes a few songs, the band has produced an impressive work of sound, soul and craftmanship that shames much of the empty, tasteless rock music hitting the airwaves these days. Any given track from "No Line In The Horizon" outdoes anything by the Jonas Brothers or 30 Seconds To Mars. In terms of melody and craftsmanship, maybe only Coldplay comes close from the ranks of new, young bands. U2 is back, and instead of giving us recycled material, they are delivering something new and bold.

Expectations stem from many conditions, including informative past events and extensive prior knowledge. Most importantly though, expectations are born from first impressions.

My first impression of U2 was The Joshua Tree; an album so perfect, so inventive, that every pop act following it would reference its artistic and musical beauty. The sounds, the consistency, the innovation.. It was all there. It was my first concept of what a real album looks, sounds, and feels like.

Needless to say, as a long-time, avid U2 fan, I have been searching for that second Joshua Tree, that follow-up that would make me remember hearing "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" for the first time. I found great material in older recordings, War and Rattle & Hum, but everything after those was too difficult and different to make me feel satisfied with their releases.

No Line on the Horizon is an invention of a new U2; an energetic, imaginative U2 that we've missed for the past 15 years or so. This is the U2 that broke barriers, had no musical limits, and was considered one of the greatest rock bands around. This U2 is ALIVE.

Let us disregard the newest single, "Get on Your Boots," for the moment- It's a poor representation of the album. Instead, I will begin with what the band truly wants the listener to begin with; track one- "No Line on the Horizon."

"No Line" is a busy, mid-tempo surge of contrasting verses and choruses; the first being muddy and strained, and the second being smooth, clean and cleverly melodic. Bono's vocals are the obvious highlight here- It's as if he's suddenly rediscovered his youthful inspiration to sing with passion again. His legendary vocal range is again utilized to a legendary extent in second track, "Magnificant." The song itself is reminiscent of The Unforgettable Fire era, with its anthemic drums and its powerful lyrics ("Only love / Only love can leave such a mark"). Can't wait to hear this one live.

"Moment of Surrender" is seven-and-a-half minute groove that rests comfortably on an angelic musical aura and a dreamy bass line, which slowly builds to a gripping refrain. "We set ourselves on fire!" cries Bono. It's very contained, while somehow being so wild and emotional. The Edge tests out some new techniques, surprisingly not relying on his signature moves for this track. This arrangement is perfect though; just enough of everything to fill the song structure out while keeping it raw. It's beautiful.

It's phrases like "I was lost between the midnight and the dawning" and "[It was] 3:30 when the numbers fell off the clock face" in fourth track, "Unknown Caller," that make me idolize a lyrical narrator such as Bono. He's not just admirably sincere or modestly convincing or intriguingly straightforward; he's a master of the voice, the sultan of the story, molding the plot and the narration until it becomes a palpable reality. He's confidently complimented by The Edge's always creative guitar sound streaks, as well as Larry Mullen Jr.'s percussion shuffle and Adam Clayton's silky bass drive. Overall, it's another lengthy, but great one.

The next track, "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight," is reminiscent of the sound of the past few records (All That You Can't Leave Behind and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb); however, it still boasts the new U2 energy and feel. The chorus and bridge are the biggest parts of the songs, banking on more key Edge guitar manuevers and solid arrangement. Let's just say, it's definitely a U2 creation. "Get on Your Boots" is next, and as mediocre as it may be as a single, it surprisingly makes much more sense as part of the album. If you haven't heard it, it's basically a revamped "Vertigo" with high-voltage verses, a rollercoaster chorus, and a mad bridge. The lyrics are a bit scattered, and the "sexy boots" line seems a litte out of theme with the album. It is still very inventive and, like I said, works better as a part of the album than as a lonely single.

Track seven, "Stand Up Comedy," is another strong rocker from the group, overflowing with contagious melodies and smart lyricism. The chorus tune vaguely resembles "In a Little While" (from All That You Can't Leave Behind) with its partially wordless structure, but the arrangement and surrounding melodies are something completely different. There's not much else to say about the track; it's just a straight up great song. "Stand Up Comedy" is followed by the über experimental "FEZ-Being Born," a track whose title is more than fitting. Bono moves between wordless cries and obscure lyric fragments while the band pulls off an incredible collage of colorful, passionate soundscapes. It's groundbreaking, captivating, and appealing all at once.

Next is a spell-binding rendition of a traditional tune, but with a U2 twist. "White as Snow" is a deep, chilling track treated much like a poem set to music. In no way is this a negative approach; the production on this track by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois is absolutely flawless, and the band's presentation is inimitably imaginative. Especially noticable are the Edge's unorthodox guitar parts and impressively fine-tuned tones.

After a song like "White as Snow," the listener feels the need for something upbeat, and "Breathe" is the answer. Beginning with a jingling percussion intro, "Breathe" moves quickly through fiery verses into a controlled chorus and back out into a brief, but mesmorizing interlude, only to wrap itself up neatly at the altered end chorus. It's best described by one of its own lines- "Like loose electricity."

"Cedars of Lebanon," the closing track on No Line on the Horizon, is an intellectual, dreamy sensation of storyplot and ominous uncertainty. It's mostly quiet and uninvading, leaving the subtle, haunting lyrics to do most of the talking. It's difficult to describe the track; throwing adjectives and descriptions at the reader is ultimately pointless and falls short of truly representing the musical experience. It's nothing less than a masterpiece, and could easily be one of U2's best compositions.

After admittedly falling into a "doubting Thomas" state of mind after hearing "Get on Your Boots," I am relieved to announce that No Line on the Horizon has renewed my hope in the future of U2, and music in general. The album surpasses all expectations and finally gives the fan a reason to believe in the band again. In essence, No Line is U2's modern Joshua Tree; a bold, brilliant, fulfilling, faultless and edgy (no pun intended) record for this generation. It's accessible at it's core, but is still certainly durable and additionally artistic. Don't hesitate to spend your ten on No Line- You'll have finally found what you're looking for.

I still lean towards Achtung Baby as my favorite U2 album but this one has some songs on it that are taking my breath away. "Magnificent" for one. Personally, I think "Magnificent" is the best song they've come out with since "One". I'm also rather attached to "Breathe" and "Stand Up Comedy". I've only gotten through the album twice now and those are my 3 favorites so far. As with all U2 albums, the more I listen, the more I like but those 3 songs, I liked within the open minute. "Get On Your Boots" has worn on me and I like it more after hearing it several times than the first take. In other words, I'm impressed. I'm not even slightly disappointed. As far as I am concerned, the boys from the north side of Dublin remain relevant and continue to set the bar high for those making intelligent, thought provoking, serious music.