New U2 album---No Line on the Horizon

For months, I have been anxiously awaiting this new album from U2. So far, I have listened to the album 7-8 times. I am going to review it song by song, much like Tim did on his blog. Yet, without the depth of analysis and intelligence that my friend Tim has. I will rate each song on a scale of 1-5, and tell a little more about what I am thinking about it. My opinions may change over time.

Before I do that, I want to say a couple of things about the album. First, I am still trying to discover the "liturgical flow" of the album. Almost all U2 albums have this flow, but I have yet to feel it on this one.

Also, for those who have not listened to the album yet, you might want to know that the song length is rather long for many of the songs on the album, with several over 5 minutes. This makes me wonder if the album is designed with radio play in mind. Don't be surprised if you do not hear many of these songs climb the chart, or if many of them are not even released for radio play. In my mind, this is not what they wanted with this release.

Finally, this album strikes me as more contemplative than many of U2s projects. Much of the spirituality of U2s previous albums have had a more activist bent to them. This one has a little of that flavor, but lyrically this album seems to be more centered on struggles of the heart than struggles in the world.

The songlist with ratings and comments:

No Line on the Horizon--rating 3

This is a decent song. Musically to me it sounds too generic U2 stuff. Lyrically this is a brilliant beginning to the album. The struggle of working to make the world a better place, and finding that pursuing peace and justice is like chasing the horizon. Never able to catch up. There are always more battles to fight. Always more projects to take on to make the world a better place. After a while it wears on a person. Lyrically this is a sister song to I Still Haven't Found What I Am Looking For.

Magnificent--rating 5

I like the feel of this song. And I like it lyrically. I think it is Bono's hat tip to the Magnifcat, which is the song of Mary upon her encounter with the angel announcing the conception of Jesus. About something being born within him. Only with Bono, it is the presence of love.

Moment of Surrender--rating 5

Again, this song returns to a centeredness in the soul. As the title might indicate, this is about a moment where one submits to somethng bigger than oneself. He talks about this being a private, unseen act in a public place. A "moment of surrender" to "vision over visibility". Again good stuff

Unknown Caller--rating 3
I like this song less than the others, though I love the Joshua Tree feel with Edge's intro. I think I detect a nod to TS Eliot, "Here me cease to speak, that I may speak". Again, there is a sense that he needs to "reboot" himself. He needs to step back and find more depth in order to be the person he needs to be. Now I could be reading way to much into this, but toward the end of the song there is a hook/sample I hear from an old hymn...although the melody ascends more...from "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms".

I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight--rating 5
Am I wrong or is there a nod to Dosteovesky in this song? "Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot"? This in many ways, on its most surface level, is about a struggle with the slowness of change, and the difficulty of making a difference. Who can't identify with that?

Get On Your Boots--rating 4
This is growing on me. Favorite lyric "Satan loves a bomb scare". I have not quite figured out what this is saying to me here, but as with all of this stuff, you need to listen close. It is deeper than it might appear upon first listen. Both this song and the next one are challenging people to have courage, as well as Bono challenging himself to be courageous.

Stand Up Comedy--rating 5
This is my favorite song on the album. So much to say. So many good lines. Musically I love it. "Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady," is my favorite line. A brilliant statement I think. Standing for whats right may seem comical to some looking from the outside, and not knowing the love that drives that passion. Again, there seems to be an Christian existentialist influence in this one. I hear Kierkegaard but I could be wrong.

FEZ--Being Born--rating 4
Another song about spiritual awakening, using the sky as a metaphor. Favorite line "I'm being born, a bleeding start." Double meaning here. Life usually enters the world with some sort of bleeding. Being born anew requires a certain pain, cutting, bleeding.

White As Snow--rating 4
This is a brilliant lament with many layers.

Breathe--rating 3
"Every day I die again, and every day I am reborn" This kind of summarizes not only the song, but the whole album. Start with a change of heart, then move to change the world.

Cedars of Lebanon--rating 5
A brilliant end to the album. With the haunting "return the call to home". A brilliant challenge to "choose your enemies because they will define you". I need to listen and think more about this song too.