No Line On the Horizon by U2
Released 3/3/09


It’s been a while since U2 released a studio album, but is “No Line On the Horizon” worth all that wait?

The album as a whole doesn’t contain anything really original in sound, but when you’ve been together as long as U2 has, it’s probably a little difficult to reinvent yourself. This actually gets U2 into a little bit of trouble this time. By sticking to what has worked for so long, Bono keeps trying to hit the same notes he could 25 years ago. The title track has some very obnoxious vocals, and he is easily stretching and straining more than usual. “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight” feels odd as he abruptly rockets to falsetto on a whim.

“Moment of Surrender” is another example of this strained singing, and at first it’s almost annoying to a point. His screeching and labored reaching for notes takes away from the rather moving lyrics. That is not to say this is always bad because a funny thing happens with this song. As it draws on (and it does, clocking in 7:24, the longest on the album), you get used to the lyrical strain and the pain it evokes, to the extent that it seems like anything more polished than this would not fit. Everything eventually comes together with the chorus’ harmony and lends a powerful gospel feel to this entire song, making it intoxicating and difficult to leave.

This criticism of Bono’s voice, though, doesn’t cover the whole album. Far from it. “White As Snow” is starkly compelling and makes you stop. His voice sends chills up your spine, and having that beautiful tenor voice reaching for the sky is just one of the many familiar feelings this album brings.

Several of the songs feel like they could just as easily be found on other U2 projects, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. “Stand Up Comedy” has a familiar feel, what with its intense guitar riff that is very reminiscent of “The Fly.” Everything on this album works together pretty well, seen in “Magnificent” and “Moment of Surrender.” Both contain rather inconsequential guitar solos from The Edge, but they both work. You have to give U2 credit: they know when to turn it on and when to hold back. Their maturity as a group is vividly apparent.

But mature or not, this album is missing the poignancy we’ve come to know from U2. The only song that really floors the listener is “Cedars of Lebanon,” a ballad that is simultaneously calming and haunting. The powerful lyrics are absolute poetry that will strike at the core, and even though this is easily the most stripped down song on the album, it’s also the most riveting. Sadly, this track stands by itself in that department when compared to the rest of the songs.

The only forgettable songs are “Unknown Caller” and “Get On Your Boots.” The former has a chorus that just comes off as stupid instead of creating a compelling message. The latter marks the second straight album from U2 where the song played by all the radio stations is easily the weakest one on the album.

But if only 2 out of 11 songs are weak, that sounds like a pretty solid album, and for a band that’s been around as long as U2, expecting anything less is out of the question.



Nelson Shake is a staff writer for TC Magazine.