It’s been five years since U2, one of the world’s biggest rock bands, released their last album, How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. In that time, you’ve probably heard lead singer Bono plead tirelessly for aid to Africa and AIDS research more than once. An admirable cause, to be sure, but a preachy one as well, and so it is with all the more welcome that the band returned to rock with its new album, No Line On The Horizon. Heralded as an enormous experiment we haven’t heard before, the album may not be quite the departure the band claims it to be, but it’s still pretty fantastic.
Incorporating sweeping orchestral arrangements, surprising synthesizers and a not-often heard falsetto courtesy of Bono, the album seems to resemble a box of chocolates, keeping the listener guessing as to what you might get next. The mystery is present from the beginning, as the title track kicks off the album with a slight atmospheric feeling and different vocal styling from Bono, with interludes of hard rock instrumentals.
The music here is made for arenas; one cannot help but imagine Bono running around the stage, indulging himself in whatever he chooses while singing. The heavy percussion throughout the album is made for gigantic stereos blasting out to 30,000 people, most obviously during the album highlight, “Magnificent”. The song features poppy clapping and a slightly sappy refrain, but it still retains a decidedly U2 sound.
U2 worked with producers Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois and Steve Lillywhite on Horizon, and it is hard not to imagine there may have been a struggle behind the scenes as the band tried to fit its out-of-the-box ideas into the context of the album. For this, the producers deserve a standing ovation, because despite the odd ideas, the album is a more or less cohesive piece of work. There are a few duff tracks peppered throughout, such as the bizarrely titled, “FEZ-Being Born”, which barely contains 50 words and lasts more than five minutes.
The biggest surprise from the album, especially considering the band’s ultra serious lead singer, is the clever sense of humor that permeates throughout a number of tracks. During “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight,” Bono sings, “The right to appear ridiculous is something I hold dear.” Oh really, Bono? So are we to believe the joke is actually on us? Doubtful, but one has to admire that Bono, heading into his fourth decade in the music business, can still throw a knowing wink our way. The first single, “Get on Your Boots” — which works much better in the context of the album — and “Stand Up Comedy” also display a subtle sense of humor, with the latter track being a great — but not overdone — exercise in bluesy, funk rock.
The album’s emotional high point comes in the form of “White As Snow”, a ballad that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Western-styled saloon. As with many U2 ballads, there are some spiritual elements to the number, but it’s never the focus. Instead, the spotlight shines solely on Bono’s pure, unaffected vocals.
Unfortunately, the album crashes with its closing track, a boring editorial about world affairs called “Cedars of Lebanon”. Luckily, it’s not horrible enough to detract from the previous greatness. And it is great. Instead of reaching back to the band’s landmark album, Joshua Tree, U2 has created a rock album that chooses to be whatever it feels like. The result is a wild roller coaster you’ll want to listen to again and again.
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