Over a year later and my initial reaction still stands. U2 songs either gel with me initially or never at all. To recap my initial impressions - I still consider it to be their worst album to date. I feel this way for many reasons. Before this one, I would have counted "Pop" as their worst, but at least Pop has a few hidden gems - "If God Would Send His Angels, "Gone", "The Playboy Mansion" and a few others. October was weak too (imo) but the direction was there and a few songs either nail it or are nearly there. NLOTH has only perhaps one song that has a sense of 100% polish or direction. There are a few ways to, theoretically, fix this album.
Here is what it needs:
First, the album needs one large dose of Zoloft to keep it a little more (pardon the pun) linear. I believe it was Time magazine that called the album "Unsatisfied" and "Mostly Restless, tentaive and confused". Time magazine, unlike this album, was dead-on.
A Song by song fix, in my opinion, would look like this:
"No Line On The Horizon" - Swap the album version with version 2 and 2/3 of the problem is fixed. The sound would be straight-forward but would have vital signs left for a chorus. Bono's loud vocal attack on either version is great, but the chorus just nosedives and leaves the listener wanting more of anything...even if Bono were to cough, it would spruce up the "Chorus". It has no hook. Even though there are no rules (especially in U2's music), a hook coupled with the raw sound of version 2 would have solidified this song. I also think that coupled with the working elements of "Unknown Caller", this song could have had a reverse-"Zooropa" like effect - a tempo change that drops you through a sonic trap door. More on this when I address track #4.
"Magnificent" - Nearly there. The lyrics are slightly odd and the Disco sound makes it sound distant. I'd say it is 90% ready for prime time. A few adjustments such as some new lyrical ideas and a slightly, slightly, slightly, less predictable slide-infused guitar solo would add at least 8% to this song. I also think this song would have fared better as say, a 4th or 5th track slotting to have added the final 2% solution for a refined, solid concept.
"Moment of Surrender" - Missed by a hair. The album version of this song simply does not need the lengthy intro and certainly does not need to sustain itself for roughly 7 minutes. The Vocals are astounding and the chorus has to be one of the most explosive they have written in a while. Bono says more with the words in the chorus than most songs do in their entirety. It would also fare better as an album closer, much like it closes their shows on the 360 Tour. Relocate the track and simply trim the fat on this one and you are one step closer to spinning gold.
"Unknown Caller" - Interesting song with good concepts, but the best elements of this song such as the birds singing and the monk-like chanting could have better served the opening track. If NLOTH (the song) would have slowed after the bridge and wandered into a groove with Edge's guitar playing the strident notes that dominate the second part of the intro to "Unknown Caller", a few vital parts of the chanting could have been added along with a shortened version of Edge's guitar solo to bring about a unique closing concept that extracts the best elements of these 2 songs. Otherwise, this song, while having some great elements (arguably), isn't strong enough to stand on it's own. Friends who are not as familiar with this song mistake the opening notes that coincide with the main introductory drum pattern for the beginning of "Walk On".
"I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" - Nearly Flawless, if a bit poppy. Belongs either as track slot #3 or #4.
"Get On Your Boots" - Not a real fan of this song, but for it's intended purpose, would have served better as the 2nd track on this album. It would have resulted in a strong 1-2 punch that would keep the listener in an upbeat mood while bridging it to "IGCIIDGCT" before perhaps dropping slightly to the refined excellence of an ammended "Magnificent" (which I would have relocated to say, number 4).
"Stand Up Comedy" - A confused song, but pretty good. It helps sustain a positive mood on the album. It could be left alone or left off the album altogether, but it's a small rose amongst a bed of thorns.
"Fez - Being Born" - Okay. There is so much wrong with this one, I don't know where to begin. I would just say that...the tempo changes, the sounds of a marketplace and the repeat of "Let me in the sound..." are just what Time magazine meant when they called this album "confused". I understand the concept of artistic expression, but this is just not worthy of a U2 album. That initial dose of Zoloft would help keep this song in the trash can where it belongs. I know it sounds harsh, but this (I'll dignify it and call it a "song")...this song would make "Street Mission" look like 2010's song of the year.
"White As Snow" - Yeah, this and "Fez-Being Born" are brothers. Not brothers in the same sense as the Wright brothers sought to fly but in the way the Menendez brothers conspired to kill their parents. This song and the previous track conspire to kill what is an already weak album. The Zoloft hit should kill this one too. U2's written dark songs before, but even thir darkest songs shined. This is just a wrist-slitter and it has no place on a U2 album. It could, however, work as a song if it were donated to a cold, depressing movie. Incidently, "Winter", which was obviously left off this album and donated to the movie (theres that word again) "Brothers", is dark but manages to keep a great chorus while allowing Bono's great voice to reach for raw emotion that oozes an optimistic energy. The 2 songs should have been traded.
"Breathe" - Redemption almost incarnate. This song starts out purposely confused and finds it's place as a stark yet somehow, layered masterpiece that is content to be buried within the album. By the time Edge's initial guitar solo ends, Bono leads a triumphant charge of raw power that leaves you no choice but to be captivated. Watch live performances of this song and see how the band is feeling the energy...you will too! "Sing you heart out"...God is in the room on this one!!!
"Cedars Of Lebanon" - A brutal letdown. I prefer Bono's singing to his speaking when it comes to songs. The theme of war should have been ignored on this one. U2 covered the war theme in 1983 better than any news channel could have. We know there's horrible things going on. Aside from the weak and corny "Return the call to home..." chorus, the rest of the song is practically acapella. On top of that it's flat, dark, lifeless, moot and a cliche war statement that warns America to be careful who we mess with. Let's hope there's enough left of that Zoloft to drown this thing in Serotonin. Needless to say, this should have been Left off this album.
Now - last year, a few misguided people on here tried to label me a U2 basher and a hit and run poster. I remember their posts getting little support, and those who supported them seemed to blindly accept anything an artist puts out as a masterpiece. I'm sure some will crawl out of the woodwork to say how they are right and I am wrong. Bare in mind that this is my OPINION. If I learned something about my relationship with U2's music, it is that I am susceptible to love at first sound and that they rarely disappoint. Fortunately, I find most of the community members here are well-informed, friendly and unbiased. Bono promised to release the tentaively-titled "Songs Of Ascent" only if the quality surpassed that of NLOTH. It is with GREAT anticipation that I wait for their next release.
