Beautiful Day is a brilliant poppy song that hides its deep overtones of meaning and lack of value in material things. Personally it inspires me as I consider, as the person does in the song, what it would be like to lose everything and still be able to realize that the day is wonderful, that there is still life, the earth and creation(in green and blue!) is valuable in and of itself. The biblical overtones of Noah and the ark are quirky and effective.

The Edge is still a shining star in songs like When I Look at The World. His screaming guitar solo, reminiscent of Unforgettable Fire days gives me goosebumps. You can hear Eno's influence in this song. Lanois' skill at giving a great beat to the music is as inspiring as ever.

Bono can still write, there is no doubt about that. From the spiritual beauty of Kite to the frolicking romp of New York he weaves stories and thoughts that are as captivating as ever.

Some claim that this album is a return to their roots. Its hard to say. I think they are still trying new things but just are not in the mood for the dance loops, and electronic sounds of their previous 3 albums - which, by the way, gave them great success. This is about how they want to continue to be a band with feeling and emotion.

I regret that Bono's voice just is not what it used to be in the album. The strain is detectable - and yet this strain somehow brings out a differnt kind of yearning and emotion to his voice that still makes me stand transfixed as I listen to the best rock band around.

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I'm talking about William Blake, the 18th-century poet who authored the "Songs of Innocence and Experience." Don't click away--even if you know nothing about poetry, if you know something about U2, you'll appreciate this...

The theme of the "Songs" is this: We enter the world with a pure, unaffected point of view. As such, we perceive it with unadulterated clarity, but we lack the understanding to appreciate what we see.

With experience comes this understanding, but at what price? We lose the clarity of perception we were born with.

As understanding increases, though, we realize this. And then we become whole. Only through innocence can we become experienced. Only through experience can we appreciate innocence.

Now, who's that sound like? An Irish rock group, maybe, who started out waving a white flag, proclaiming, "I Will Follow"? Who saw the world in black and white and knew exactly which side they were on?

The same group saved themselves by diving headfirst into the black, as it were. With the Zoo TV experience, they immersed themselves in the sensual and the secular. In fact, they did that so thoroughly that to this day, older, more simpleminded fans resent them for it.

The simpletons can rejoice, and so can us Achtung Babies who understand what U2 did and why they had to do it, and love them for it. It started on "Pop," and it's happened on "All That You Can't Leave Behind": U2 have come full circle, become whole. They are innocent again. They understand the world around them, and now they know why this is black, why that's white, and why there's so much gray.

The band who created "All..." aren't afraid to wear their collective heart on their collective sleeve again. They aren't afraid to ask for "Peace on Earth." They can write the sweetest, most lovingest love song they've ever written now--"Wild Honey"--because they know now that beyond the darkness love is certainly waiting.

They've made their phone calls from Hell, and they are more aware than ever that, while the dark places won't go away, the world is still a true, beautiful place. They're seeing with cherubs' eyes now--the eyes of wise children.

They said they wanted to make an album about joy, and that it wouldn't be easy. They've more than risen to the challenge.

Buy this album. Buy it now. Click now. It will make your problems go away, at least for a little while. It will make your soul soar. It will make you sing.

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This limited edition also contains a bonus cd with one track, titled "Summer Rain". I was really surprised with the song, another solid U2 effort. And because the limited edition is the same price as the regular edition, I figure more U2 is better. I think most U2 fans will be very satisfied with this new album; and if you aren't at first, give it a couple of more listens. This cd will definitely grow on you, it grew on me.

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