No Line On The Horizon

So here I am, Friday night in Brussels, just having drunk a bottle of the greatest beer in the world, listening to U2s latest album "No Line On The Horizon". I purchased the aforementioned shiny disk of joy on the back of a 5 star review in Q Magazine. I used to have a policy of buying 5 star titles from this estimable tome as a matter of policy. Over the years this has led to some great purchases of releases from the likes of David Byrne, Razorlight, Jet, The Killers and Muse. In this case the 5 stars were augmented by a claim from the magazine that their latest release is their best album to date. Given this claim, and a liking for previous stuff from Dublin's finest this latest purchase was a gimme.

And so on to Brussels a glass of Westvleiteren and Bono the Edge (on the edge of time) and co. giving it some via my MacBook Pro and a set of Logitech speakers. The verdict... fecking excellent. Unlike previous U2 albums, this one is a slow burn, taking time to wiggle it's way into your back brain and stay there. Riffing off synth riffs that Hawkwind would have been proud of, the dynamic trio take you on a sonic voyage of discovery that smacks of masterwork. There are tracks on there that remind me of Jean Michel Jarre, Johnny Cash and the Beach Boys. Originally recorded with Rick Rubin and produced by such notables as Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois and Steve Lillywhite it certainly takes the band into new teritory. Now that may piss off a few die hard old school fans, but screw them. Time to move on, time to let go, time for something new.

Bravo U2,bravo. Now back to that glass of Westvleiteren and the remainder of the album. Glass down, queue air guitar solo, let the good times roll....

Comments

Löst Jimmy said…
a very good review George, music is truly the great saviour oh and that of fine beer!
March 14, 2009 at 8:03 AM
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