No Line on the Horizon

Greensboro, NC -- It's been over three weeks since U2 released their 12th album, No Line on the Horizon. After listening to the album at least two dozen times through now, I can safely say with an unbigoted view that No Line on the Horizon is a top three U2 album. "The new sound," as Bono has proclaimed this month, is much more wide ranging than the narrow minded "new sound" of Pop, a dozen years ago. No Line on the Horizon incorporates some upbeat melodies, fused with some modern machinery, without going overboard with the power theme. Here's my track-by-track insight of the variably sounding album:

1. No Line on the Horizon -- The album leads off with a classic U2 style to it; The Edge's guitar takes over, supported by a solid bass line, and acute drumming. "No, no line on the horizon, no, no line." How can a simple chorus line sounds so good? Bono and The Edge have mastered their harmonizing over their careers to perfect it. In some songs, you don't know if Bono is singing or The Edge; that's perfection.

2. Magnificent -- I predicted that this song would be the biggest hit off of the album, and it's now officially a single. The keyboards and sharp drumming in the opening line, "I was born, I was born to be with you..." is just beautiful music. It's the shortest 5 minute song you'll ever hear. With a nifty drum beat, synthesizers, and angry guitar chords to open the song, one might believe that the remaining sheet of music is one of anger, but it's quite the contrary. It's one of the many anomalies on the album.

3. Moment of Surrender -- This 7 minute masterpiece has taken me awhile to enjoy. The drum and bass lines skew this tune under the "blues" classification. However, Bono's vocals takes a gospel tone. This compression leads to a long, drawn out story that I've yet to fully understand.

4. Unknown Caller -- Following the 7 minute ensemble, U2 comes back with another marathon in this quirky, but cool song. The opening guitar rift sounds like "Peace on Earth" from All That You Can't Leave Behind. Then, enter the drums, and the listener is taken down a different path, back to The Unforgettable Fire's "A Sort of Homecoming." It's a classic Edge guitar piece, but the lyrics have nothing to do with a U2 homecoming. "Restart and reboot yourself" might be the most technical word in the history of U2 lyric.

5. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight -- This track is slowly becoming my favorite song on the album. The lyrics are simple, the drum beat is catchy, the guitar work is superb, and the shifting bass lines may be the best, subtle part. The song is very neat and compact with short choruses. Bono's improvising of the choruses, "It's not a hill, it's a moouuuuunnnnteeeen" makes it seem longer than it appears.

6. Get On Your Boots -- The first single, IMO, is a "fusion of 'Vertigo' and 'Fast Cars' in one song." I can see listeners getting this pop song confused with "Vertigo" because the DNA of the song is the same. It may be about women taking over the world, but the real intention of the song is for U2 to grab the world's imagination in their upcoming stadium tour.

7. Stand Up Comedy -- I haven't read anything in depth on the meaning of the song, but one line stands out in the bouncy, uptempo track, "I"m little man with big ideas." Was that the purpose of this song -- for that one line? I'm not sure, but for now, I enjoy the melody.

8. Fez - Being Born -- I'm glad that U2 was able to incorporate some of the environment and surroundings where they recorded a majority of the album -- Fez, Morocco. A Middle Eastern twang, coupled with some duplicated lines from "Get On Your Boots" makes this track a must-listen. But, this song is one that must be listened to several times before maximum enjoyment can be obtained.

9. White As Snow -- Sung to the tune of "Come, Come, Emanuel," it's Bono's best vocal performance on the album. Coincidentally, it's also the slowest song, in terms of rhythm, on the album. The story involves a soldier dying in Afghanistan; his last moments on earth. The context can be taken out of proportion and made into a happy story if you don't listen to it carefully.

10. Breathe -- Ever want to hear Bono rap? I feel like Edge's guitar riffs are in a sword fight with Bono's vocals. This track may be the best one on the album in terms of creativity. The melodies intertwine with each other, causing a fireworks style of riffs and beats.

11. Cedars of Lebanon -- I'm not of the Middle Eastern theme, but U2 has a knack to make the last track on an album an interrogative piece -- "Wake Up Dead Man," "Grace," "Yahweh" have all left us hanging and thinking. Same goes for Cedars of Lebanon. In "Wake Up Dead Man," was Bono calling Jesus out before the turn of the millenium? Friends vs. enemies becomes the underlying theme in Cedars. But what's the big idea, and will the question ever be answered?

5 Stars from B's Bistro on this album. If you haven't heard the album yet, be sure to pick up a copy today. It'll be worth your hard-earned cash.