U2
No Line On The Horizon

THE REVIEW

This is my second review of a U2 album, after All That You Can't Leave Behind. This time I'll try to be more concise without any frills.

It's an album that sold nearly 5 million copies, which is few for a U2 album due to the choice of singles that didn't prove to be true hits. But beware, this is a good thing, because unlike the previous three studio albums, there are no "A-list tracks" and "B-list tracks." If an album doesn't sell much, it doesn't mean it was a bad piece of work. Often critics and the public have different opinions on movies, CDs, and books. Back to the album, No Line On The Horizon presents itself as a fluid record...with a homogenous sound, where the songs appear to be connected to each other. A concept album? No, in their intentions. No, in the final product. Perhaps in interpretation. There’s The Edge, fresh from the documentary "It Might Get Loud" with Jimmy Page and Jack White. In fact, their spirit seems to be present in tracks like "Moment Of Surrender," "Unknown Caller," "Stand Up Comedy," and "Breathe." Personally, I prefer the version of the title track in the single "Get On Your Boots" (called No Line On The Horizon 2) compared to the one on the CD, because it is rawer, less polished, and more authentic. Then I would have liked to find "Mercy," which was left out of How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb and still hasn't found a place on an album (it can be heard on YouTube or during the 2010-2011 concerts). It would have deserved much more than to be a lost gem. And what about "Every Breaking Wave," which could have been included in this record and in its embryonic form was played during the 2010 concerts? The same goes for "Flowering Rose Of Glastonbury," which later devolved into "Volcano" in Songs Of Innocence. It's an album with oriental rhythms and melodies, as part of it was recorded in Fez, Morocco (like the song "Fez-Being Born," which partly echoes the experimental period of "Lemon" and "Mofo"). It is the first U2 album where Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, besides being producers, are credited as co-authors of the songs and lyrics. It's a pity that "Get On Your Boots" was mixed with all those overdubs, but justice was done during the "U2 360°" tour. Then there's "White As Snow," which shows Bono's best vocal performance since 2000. It's my favorite song on the album, even though it was never played during the tour. It's a track that roots itself in the Catholic Christmas carol "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." Just like "October," it's an album misunderstood by those who follow U2 only commercially, but not by true fans. Rating "7."