NLOTH Album Reviews - Professional / Web / Mag Reviews ONLY

[doctorwho]

I don't really have a problem with Bono singing about that particular topic as long as it is done well. I love the lyrics in Hold Me, Kiss Me, Thrill Me, Kill Me, but now it's more wink, wink, nudge, nudge - a throwaway line here and there that have nothing to do with the rest of the song, and it IS kind of annoying.

What you wrote makes it seem backwards.

I would think the average person could NOT relate to "Hold Me..." because it really is all about fame.

In contrast, token lines here and there, which, despite some of your claims, can blend in with the song (I will admit the line in "Kite" doesn't flow, but others do), aren't hammering a person over the head with the idea. As such, an average person can relate to most of the lyrics.

Plus, a like like "Josephine beware of little men with big ideas" has SO many interpretations! There's the obvious Napoleon reference and some Bono self-mocking, but there's also the notion of inferiority complexes, a need to prove one's self, the notion that some people talk big, the notion that some people talk above themselves, the notion that despite success there will always be dissenters, etc.

Even the like "last of the rock stars, hip-hop drove the big cars" isn't quite as straight-forward as it seems. Of course the obvious interpretation is there, but clearly Bono (or U2) are not the "last of the rock stars". So what else can it mean? Perhaps a change - a change in how music is presented and perceived? A change in what is now hip or cool? A change in image? A change in style? A change in sound? A change in what the public demands in music?

Bono rarely writes directly, which is why he's such an outstanding lyricist. Trouble is, many people only look for the obvious interpretation.

 

[stray dog]

What you wrote makes it seem backwards.

I would think the average person could NOT relate to "Hold Me..." because it really is all about fame.

In contrast, token lines here and there, which, despite some of your claims, can blend in with the song (I will admit the line in "Kite" doesn't flow, but others do), aren't hammering a person over the head with the idea. As such, an average person can relate to most of the lyrics.

Plus, a like like "Josephine beware of little men with big ideas" has SO many interpretations! There's the obvious Napoleon reference and some Bono self-mocking, but there's also the notion of inferiority complexes, a need to prove one's self, the notion that some people talk big, the notion that some people talk above themselves, the notion that despite success there will always be dissenters, etc.

Even the like "last of the rock stars, hip-hop drove the big cars" isn't quite as straight-forward as it seems. Of course the obvious interpretation is there, but clearly Bono (or U2) are not the "last of the rock stars". So what else can it mean? Perhaps a change - a change in how music is presented and perceived? A change in what is now hip or cool? A change in image? A change in style? A change in sound? A change in what the public demands in music?

Bono rarely writes directly, which is why he's such an outstanding lyricist. Trouble is, many people only look for the obvious interpretation.

 

[Irvine511]

yeah, the Bono-lyric hate is something that's perplexing me a bit. i suppose the reason why so many critics are being tough on the lyrics is because he's such a bigmouth, so they're all, "yeah, well if we should listen to you, then you better back it up."

Bono isn't Dylan. honestly, he's not even Michael Stipe.

but he's as good now as he was in 1987, probably better. look at all the "fire/dust/rain" lines on Joshua Tree. there are as many howlers on Achtung as there are piercing lyrics. i think he's saying a whole lot more about life and the world in "White As Snow" than he was in, say, "Van Dieman's Land." he's striving to get at ideas, and he can be clumsy, but these are rock songs, and the focus was never the lyrics, the focus was on using the lyrics to serve the songs.

it just seems to me that a lot of minor critics are using Bono as a way to criticize the album because they don't want this guy to have yet another notch on his accomplishment-heavy belt. look at the South Park where they made fun of him. they actually were more fair to him than other celebrities they've filleted because they made a point about how he really is in a colossally successful band and world leaders take his phone calls and he has done a lot in Africa. but it's like -- enough already! we get it, you're awesome.

i think it's kind of unquestionable that NLOTH is easily one of their best works. the resistance to it strikes me as resentment towards Bono, towards not wanting to give that man -- who's probably among the most successful human beings on the planet -- yet another pat on the back.

 

[corianderstem]

Irvine is smaht.

 

[AtomicBono]

i think it's kind of unquestionable that NLOTH is easily one of their best works. the resistance to it strikes me as resentment towards Bono, towards not wanting to give that man -- who's probably among the most successful human beings on the planet -- yet another pat on the back.

 

[purpleoscar]

Success can invite envy. When U2 goes on tour things should settle down because millions will want to see it.

 

[Dragonfave]

No Line on the Horizon | Music Review | Entertainment Weekly

9/10?

The warning has been sounded. ''Danger! Danger! U2 are experimenting again!'' This is not exactly welcome news for those who remember the band's attempts at reformulating their cathedral-rock sound with of-the-moment trendiness (Zooropa, Pop) as something to be endured, not embraced, and who had been thrilled by their return to ''old-school U2'' on 2000's All That You Can't Leave Behind. Only once, with Achtung Baby, have Bono and Co. ever stretched far and found glory.

But with their 12th studio album, U2 have Achtung it again. No Line on the Horizon is an eclectic and electrifying winner, one that speaks to the zeitgeist the way only U2 can and dare to do. ''Let me in the sound!'' Bono yelps several times on the record, most notably on the dense-and- danceable first single, ''Get On Your Boots.'' To be clear, No Line isn't some radical evolution of rock & roll. It's not even a radical reinvention of U2. Dirty guitar, heavy bass, cheesy keyboards, beeps and loops — those sounds were all there during the Zooropa/Pop digression. The difference this time is that U2 don't sound lost in them. ''Know the line on the horizon/Know the line,'' Bono sings on the title track, a raw and moody ode to the muse, where The Edge's rough riffing is soothed by ethereal synth. This is an adventurous experience created by responsible people, for responsible people — a record about searching for meaning, but always knowing the way home.

The album's risk/reward pays off early with a pair of six-minute-plus epics, both of which have Bono seeking and receiving something like divine revelation in the rattle and hum of the everyday world. ''Moment of Surrender'' — wherein a profound encounter with ''a vision of invisibility'' goes down at an ATM — is an organ-fueled hymn that takes its own soulful time coming to an end. It is immediately followed by ''Unknown Caller,'' a rousing if kinda goofy spiritual wake-up call aimed at a culture of blurry-eyed BlackBerry addicts. Computer jargon is turned into spiritual maxims issued by a voice-of-God shout-chant chorus: ''Shush now/Oh, oh/Force quit and move to trash.'' Now you know what didactic spam sounds like.

But what's eye-rolling and oblique at first becomes can't-stop-thinking-about-it infectious upon repeat listens: No Line is, for certain, a grows-on-you proposition. ''Get On Your Boots,'' which has invited some ''Do I like this or not?'' head-scratching among fans and critics, blazes to life as part of a trio of great, galloping rockers that form No Line's fun-and-fiery middle section. Yet the record's instant classic is its penultimate track, ''Breathe,'' a stomping, snarling rumination about engaging the world with open arms despite so much external gloom and internal angst. Ever the optimist, Bono evokes the threats of a global pandemic, an economic crisis, and hostile neighbors, then insists: ''These days are better than that.'' Preachy? Hell, yes. And bring it on. No Line on the Horizon offers idealism spliced with new attitude and the same old grace, and is all the better for it. Memo to U2: Don't leave this behind. A–

 

[purpleblackeye]

that idiot can't even get the lyrics straight to the freakin' title track...

 

[U2girl]

''Know the line on the horizon/Know the line,'' Bono sings on the title track,

hehe.

 

[catlhere]

I can understand the misheard lyric I guess. They must be listening to the album really quietly or something

 

[buzzkill27]

I've got the new Q and they have a fantastic review (as you know five stars).

They talk a bit about how Pop ("perhaps their most underrated album, nevertheless it amounted to less than the sum of it's parts") has had the most influence on this record. I really like this summary:



All That You Can't Leave Behind and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb recovered any lost commercial ground but they're meat and potatoes records - solid, reliable, a couple of rallying tracks apiece, otherwise unremarkable and unloved. No Line On The Horizon is a reaction against them in the same way as they were a reaction against Pop."

That's exactly they way I feel.... I think those quotes describes the past 11 to 12 years of history to a tee.

POP came out and wasn't as well recieved in some circles as it should have been....ATYCLB and HTDAAB were rections to POP and now NLOTH is a reaction to those two albums.

 

[oceane]

All the mags in the UK are out today, sorry that I don't really care about buying magazines so can't be of much help with scanning etc. Hopefully someone will get them?

But I went over it at the shop:

Q: 5 stars, their best album since AB and 'possibly their best ever', something about time will tell etc.

Mojo: 4 stars (out of 5, but I don't think they give many of these). Review is basically 'yeah, U2 annoys many people, including us, and we would love to hate them, but you have to admit they can still take risks and make some pretty damn good music'

Uncut: 4 stars (out of 5). I think the review has already been posted here, but they also had some song ratings, and I think Magnificient, WAS and another one.... NLOTH? got 5 stars, and a couple others 4 stars, pretty good

 

[U2girl]

"All That You Can't Leave Behind and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb recovered any lost commercial ground but they're meat and potatoes records - solid, reliable, a couple of rallying tracks apiece, otherwise unremarkable and unloved. No Line On The Horizon is a reaction against them in the same way as they were a reaction against Pop."

Nah.

 

[whatAday]

"All That You Can't Leave Behind and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb recovered any lost commercial ground but they're meat and potatoes records - solid, reliable, a couple of rallying tracks apiece, otherwise unremarkable and unloved. No Line On The Horizon is a reaction against them in the same way as they were a reaction against Pop."

Nah.

U2 never made a 'reliable commercial' album, that's Kylie Minogue for god's sake.

 

[last unicorn]

''Know the line on the horizon/Know the line,'' Bono sings on the title track,

hehe.

OK, maybe someone needs to tell the guy how the album is called.

But EW giving such a good review is They have loved some U2 bashing in the past.

I think I read the most ridiculous and stupid review EVER in a German newspaper today, I left a nice comment to the writer, calling him dumb, because seriously ... the article was full of errors, he got simple facts wrong and he was making it sound as if ALL songs were written from Bono's perspective and there were no other characters. Best thing was: Lebanon is in North Africa, Bono has finally arrived there at the end of the album, hallelujah.

 

[cjboog]

Entertainment Weekly is one of the major US reviews!

5/5 Rolling Stone
A- Entertainment Weekly
3/4 LA Times

 

[LPU2]

Is the line in MOS really "Vision of Invisibility"? I guess that kinda fits with the theme of surrender. But I thought it was "Vision over Visibility," which is actually a repeat of the title to one of Bono's paintings he did in the 90's. Always loved that title.

 

[Super Yo]

U2.com > News > 'Unusual ideas and influences...'

Q, Uncut and Mojo.

 

[oceane]

I just saw that, U2.com with scans of reviews, the day the mags are out! Wow, not only is this new site looking better, but they seem to be really on top of things so far Even faster than Interference

 

[oceane]

U2.com > News > 'Unusual ideas and influences...'

Q, Uncut and Mojo.

Wow Amazing reviews, all 3 of them, and by quite important music magazines. That with the raving RS one, and it seems like NLOTH will mostly be winner with the critics I know some people say reviews are not important, but I personally think they are in setting the 'story' about an album, and it can have a lot of influence on how people perceive it.

The good thing is I really agree with these reviews and they reflect my own feelings about the album. They seem to have taken the time to really listen to it carefully before writing too.

 

[BigAl]

It's quite interesting that all of the seemingly "major" reviews from the bigger magazines etc seem to be highly positive.

Has this been the case with past U2 albums? and is it also generally the case for other bands?

 

[Dragonfave]

AdelaideNOW rated it 3 stars out of ??? stars (with track-by-track review).

AdelaideNow... Hear U2's new album - No Line on the Horizon

Not a thorough review, mind you.

 

[Marko]

I love it how major magazines are raving about the album and they give it mostly 4 or 5 stars, but they all see the best bits of album in different areas.
Some prefer Magnificent and UC, while for UNcut they are the weakest tracks...It seems that U2 really hit the right note and that everyone will find something to love about the album

 

[andyuk]

5* by Q Mag "U2 Greatest Album"

Just picked up the latest Q mag and it has a double page spread review and it has given it a very rare 5* saying this could be U2 greatest ever album!

 

[LyricalDrug]

 

[LyricalDrug]

Cover

 

[zwervers2]

Q magazine
NLOTH:

 

[U2girl]

AdelaideNOW rated it 3 stars out of ??? stars (with track-by-track review).

AdelaideNow... Hear U2's new album - No Line on the Horizon

Not a thorough review, mind you.

No Line on the Horizon 2 : The rockiest moment you will hear brings back the funky groove for the album’s closer.

Isn't Cedars of Lebanon closing ?

 

[oceane]

This is already been discussed in the review thread, and more importantly there is a link to U2.com which has a scan of the review (along with the Uncut and Mojo ones ) Just go to the U2.com news page.

 

[ny_atom]

Here is the Arizona Republic's review, posted for no other reason than completeness.

I have no doubts that by the time all the reviews are in, every song will be called either a classic or a dud.

AZ Central (3 1/2 out of 5)

Key quote:

"No Line on the Horizon" isn't a landmark album like "The Joshua Tree" and "Achtung Baby," but repeated listening reveals it as a satisfying step in U2's ambitious musical journey.