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A Review of No Line on the Horizon, U2’s Newest Album

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On March 3, 2009, U2 released their 12th studio album, No Line on the Horizon.

It’s been a while since their last release, 2004’s How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, but it was worth the wait.The album, with 11 tracks, contains classic U2 music.

The Irish rockers get back to basics with their strongest offering in years. It was recorded in Dublin, New York, London and Fès, Morocco. And the good news is that Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and Steve Lillywhite all helped to produce the album. But I don’t think this is the best U2 album since Eno and Lanois first worked with the band on 1984’s The Unforgettable Fire.

Magnificent, with its drum crescendos, trademark guitar riffs, and a soaring Bono vocals, is easily the best song on the album and is the second single to be released. The first song released, Get On Your Boots, is actually a good track; this is the song the band performed at the Grammys on February 8. The song is classic foot tapping music. However, Boots only hit No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Breathe is a great song, and it suggests that the band’s classic approach can still sound contemporary. Cedars Of Lebanon, a song about war and violence, ends the album on a sad, thoughtful note. U2 obviously has that classic Irish wit with lyrics such as “the right to appear ridiculous is something I hold dear” in the song, I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight.

Unfortunately, sales have not been as high as expected since the release of the album.The album only sold 484,000 copies in its first week of sales. Not too many bands would consider 484,000 albums sold a disappointing number.However, U2 is not just any band. The Irish band’s last album, 2004’s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, sold 840,000 copies in the first week.

But in my opinion, apart from a couple of the tracks being a bit too long and the cover art being a bit boring, the album – over 54 minutes – is a worthy addition to U2’s collection.

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