No Line on the Horizon doesn't sound like U2

musicismylife78

One thing is for certain, anytime a u2 album comes out you are expecting catchy choruses, anthems, the sort of "we are all one" type feeling.

No Line on the Horizon feels unlike any recent U2 album I can think of. There are no loud Elevation or Beautiful Day type songs. The bombast is not there.

With U2 you expect them to go big. Thats U2's forte. They are a rock band, in all its many meanings. They are the type of band that you expect to be flying on private jets and to have huge mansions and 15 cars and all that. Thats just a given. They are excessive and I dont think they would deny this.

Anyone else get the feeling from No Line as well?

Its a very subdued, almost zen like album, maybe hense the title and cover.

soulsinging

radiohead33 wrote:

They are the type of band that you expect to be flying on private jets and to have huge mansions and 15 cars and all that.

When has this ever been what U2 is about? All things considered, they are remarkably humble, and no musician has done more humanitarian work than Bono, ever.

musicismylife78

soulsinging, you remember me from the old board right?

No one respects the band for their political actions more than me. Its quite clear that they as a band are very aware of social ills and wish to use their fame to spread awareness and try and solve problems. Thats admireable and its inspired many folks.

That said, even I, a fan of the band, and whose politics has been influenced by the band, can say they are also very egotistical and a rock band in the sense of a led zeppelin rather than a pearl jam or Nirvana.

The main criticism of the band, not by me neccesarily, but by the larger population, isnt that the music is bad. its that bono is obsessed with himself an attention seeking. Even bono admits this is the case.

As I said, your crazy if you dont think bono and the other members of u2 have private jets and are drinking martini's on them and have huge opulent houses and live the rock star life to the fullest.

That really isnt up for debate. They are a larger than life band. This encompasses their music. But also encompasses their personalities and lifestyles.

It is what it is.

And like I said, I am a fan of the band. I never could really rally behind the whole "america is one" and "we are in mourning" feeling post 9/11 that most bands and people espoused. however All that you cant leave behind and the rising are two of the most powerful statements of a post 9/11 world despite the fact that All that you cant, was released a year before.

The band wants to be the biggest band in the world. Is that a humble aspiration.

I think you can admire the band and also look at the truth. Is saying Led Zeppelin were excessive and lived the rock star life to the fullest a hurtful thing? No, cause you had the best of both worlds. They lived it up, but were 4 of the most talented musicians ever.

musicismylife78

no doubt there are bands who image is a regular band, normal folks. people who dont buy into the "fame and wealth" categories.

Pearl Jam is one of them. Beck is another. bright eyes. The Shins.

But to include U2? I dont think so

catefrances

i for one would be glad if they have private jets. imagine being stuck next to bono for a 22hour flight to europe(from australia, obviously). id end up stabbing him with my plastic fork. :P

bonnaroobaby

I listened to the new album… like you I was looking for that plastic single most U2 albums have ready to plaster across any marketing medium available for the time with no luck
In that sense this is a real full album in a time when singles and radio hits are the norm
It takes a few listens but all in all an enjoyable album that doesn’t make you wanna puke as much as the last two efforts from this band

AllNiteThing

bonnaroobaby wrote:

I listened to the new album… like you I was looking for that plastic single most U2 albums have ready to plaster across any marketing medium available for the time with no luck
In that sense this is a real full album in a time when singles and radio hits are the norm
It takes a few listens but all in all an enjoyable album that doesn’t make you wanna puke as much as the last two efforts from this band

Yeah, it didn't catch me right away like it usually does, so I had to give it a few chances. Now...wow! It gets better and better each time I listen to it, and it's probably one of the most complete albums. Front to back I love it. Really incredible album.

LineOneMightyFine

Whatever it sounds like, it sounds pretty damn good to me. I'm about 10 times through now. One of the best front to back albums I've heard in quite awhile.

dharma69

radiohead33 wrote:

One thing is for certain, anytime a u2 album comes out you are expecting catchy choruses, anthems, the sort of "we are all one" type feeling.

No Line on the Horizon feels unlike any recent U2 album I can think of. There are no loud Elevation or Beautiful Day type songs. The bombast is not there.

With U2 you expect them to go big. Thats U2's forte. They are a rock band, in all its many meanings. They are the type of band that you expect to be flying on private jets and to have huge mansions and 15 cars and all that. Thats just a given. They are excessive and I dont think they would deny this.

Anyone else get the feeling from No Line as well?

Its a very subdued, almost zen like album, maybe hense the title and cover.

My response in the other U2/NLOTH thread:

I've been listening to this album for a while now and can honestly say:

-Bono's best lyrics are behind him.

-Bono's best vocals are behind him. He hits some notes on this album that made go "WTF? Did he mean to do that?" He needs to take a cue from Vedder, Morrissey...other singers whose registers and vocal range have "changed" over the years and work within the realm of his abilities.

-"Magnificent" may be the best track only because Larry and Adam rock it hard. This is a good album for those two.

-NLOTH is pretty much stadium adult contemporary and nowhere near the "rock" album that the Edge and Bono swear was on the horizon.

-Way too many slow paced songs. The listening is like dredging through muck.

-Don't know who's idea it was to let Eno run wild with the keyboards and synths but they pretty much all but bury The Edge. It's almost like he didn't show up for the recording sessions.

-I wasn't expecting Achtung Baby V 2.0...honest. But I was expecting better than this. It bores me to tears and I'm a "real" fan...whatever that means.

God I hope these songs translate better live and that they don't play too many of those slow tempo songs.

Many on the U2.com forum board note the same thing that I do: a lack of that "something" that is soul. Bombastic, over the top, U2esque soul. So much so that I as a "real" fan am downright apathetic towards the album.

restlesssoul

yeah, im struggling with this album a little too so far. lots of melancholy tunes. boots is the most rockin, i like stand up comedy and magnificent. cant think of any others off the top im loving, only heard it twice now...but definately know what you are saying about the typical U2 style not being there. the chorus, the soaring guitars, just all tuned down or not there at all it seems.....the songs are still okay, just not what you have been waiting to hear for 4 years from the boys. doesnt sound like them musically at all at times.

LineOneMightyFine

I'm curious to find out what they do with all of those songs they recorded that didn't make the album.

PissBottleMan

radiohead33 wrote:

no doubt there are bands who image is a regular band, normal folks. people who dont buy into the "fame and wealth" categories.

Pearl Jam is one of them.

Ha Ha!

PBM

JordyWordy

radiohead33 wrote:

Its a very subdued, almost zen like album, maybe hense the title and cover.

The title comes from the view of Dublin Bay from Bono's house. On overcast, misty days (ie most days in dublin) the grey sea and grey sky blend together.....no line on the horizon. one big, blank sheet of grey canvas as you look out to sea.

a blank canvas for the band. (think Bono talked about this in the interview in Q magazine last month)

rrivers

I just heard a few of the songs on the radio (Magnificent, No Line, Go Crazy), but it sounds just ok to me. i think "Get on Your Boots" is awful.

norm

for you youngsters that think u2 started with achtung baby, check out the unforgettable fire and you'll see where this album is coming from

JordyWordy

The Unforgettable Fire...a perfect album imo. that said, walking around dublin, with BOY blasting through the headphones is pretty cool too. no matter how hard i try, i just dont get the 2nd half of the Joshua Tree. after Running To Stand Still i always stop listening. weird

rrivers

JordyWordy wrote:

The Unforgettable Fire...a perfect album imo. that said, walking around dublin, with BOY blasting through the headphones is pretty cool too. no matter how hard i try, i just dont get the 2nd half of the Joshua Tree. after Running To Stand Still i always stop listening. weird

Yeah Unforgettable Fire is a fantastic record.

That's interesting about "The Joshua Tree". I think the whole record is really strong. I think I like some of those last songs better than the early ones just because of the first part being so overplayed.

dharma69

JordyWordy wrote:

The Unforgettable Fire...a perfect album imo. that said, walking around dublin, with BOY blasting through the headphones is pretty cool too. no matter how hard i try, i just dont get the 2nd half of the Joshua Tree. after Running To Stand Still i always stop listening. weird

I'm a hardcore member of

"Promenade" simply owns me.

soulsinging

JordyWordy wrote:

The Unforgettable Fire...a perfect album imo. that said, walking around dublin, with BOY blasting through the headphones is pretty cool too. no matter how hard i try, i just dont get the 2nd half of the Joshua Tree. after Running To Stand Still i always stop listening. weird

Seriously? I like the back half better than the front... Trip Through Your Wires is one of their best songs, period.

When is the Unforgettable Fire getting the remastering treatment the first 3 albums got? I thought it was due up soon... is it shelved until the new album hype is gone?

dharma69

soulsinging wrote:

JordyWordy wrote:

The Unforgettable Fire...a perfect album imo. that said, walking around dublin, with BOY blasting through the headphones is pretty cool too. no matter how hard i try, i just dont get the 2nd half of the Joshua Tree. after Running To Stand Still i always stop listening. weird

Seriously? I like the back half better than the front... Trip Through Your Wires is one of their best songs, period.

When is the Unforgettable Fire getting the remastering treatment the first 3 albums got? I thought it was due up soon... is it shelved until the new album hype is gone?

I believe that they'll get to the other 3 eventually; you know that U2's albums are in musical phases so the next phase should be UF/Joshua Tree/Rattle and Hum.

And I'm with you; Trip Through Your Wires is fantastic. The overlapping vocal harmonies, the harmonica, the bluesy stomp...most excellent.

soulsinging

dharma69 wrote:

soulsinging wrote:

JordyWordy wrote:

The Unforgettable Fire...a perfect album imo. that said, walking around dublin, with BOY blasting through the headphones is pretty cool too. no matter how hard i try, i just dont get the 2nd half of the Joshua Tree. after Running To Stand Still i always stop listening. weird

Seriously? I like the back half better than the front... Trip Through Your Wires is one of their best songs, period.

When is the Unforgettable Fire getting the remastering treatment the first 3 albums got? I thought it was due up soon... is it shelved until the new album hype is gone?

I believe that they'll get to the other 3 eventually; you know that U2's albums are in musical phases so the next phase should be UF/Joshua Tree/Rattle and Hum.

And I'm with you; Trip Through Your Wires is fantastic. The overlapping vocal harmonies, the harmonica, the bluesy stomp...most excellent.

They already did Joshua Tree though... so I guess I just need to be patient waiting for the other 2