Some personal thoughts on No Line On The Horizon, 6 months after release

[digitize]

Which illustrates the entire point of the song, but I guess that doesn't matter if it sounds terrible regardless.

I know it is, and it's okay to listen to keeping that in mind, but it doesn't have the timelessness of earlier U2 ironic critiques of society (see: Zooropa; even though has strong early-90s Euro cultural influences, the central theme it critiques - technology, and man's relation to it - it timeless).

I'll take Crazy over Some Days and Playboy Mansion any day!

I'm generally a 90s-U2 fan, but I fully agree with this.

 

[LemonMelon]

I know it is, and it's okay to listen to keeping that in mind, but it doesn't have the timelessness of earlier U2 ironic critiques of society (see: Zooropa; even though has strong early-90s Euro cultural influences, the central theme it critiques - technology, and man's relation to it - it timeless).

Critiques of society are dated by their specificity, and Zooropa is fairly broad, so that's a good example. In contrast, Playboy Mansion is incredibly specific, detailing numerous fads/scandals of the mid 90s, but it contrasts these with more heavenly/eternal concerns to illustrate the ephemeral quality of the aforementioned. In that way, it's almost equally effective, but perhaps the end does not quite justify the means; it is awfully clunky by most standards, and the two halves (ephemeral/eternal) do not quite cohere as well as is perhaps necessary.

It helps that the music reflects the narrative extremely well; porno soundtrack knockoff into warped ethereal hymn.

 

[zwervers2]

I have asked this to about 4 other people and never got an answer, what about this line makes it the worse line ever? I think it's honestly one of Bono's best.

I'm just curious why the vocal minority hate this line so much...

the way he sings it. and yes I meet irony in life and irony meets me but that doenst change he fact the he sounds so whinny in this line. I really start to appreciate the song although I detest the chorus. I love the verses nowadays and that is saying something since I completely disliked the song originaly. I admit to have been wrong on this song and that it HAS grown on me esp since the liveversions.

Again, the way he sings that line makes me wanna kick his butt and say, pull yourself together man...Or something

 

[zwervers2]

I'll take Crazy over Some Days and Playboy Mansion any day!

WTF ???

goodmorning BVS

 

[cobl04]

i don't even know anymore

no line on the horizon - 8, great song and momentum, have to agree with pitchfork though, it is let down by it's "deflating fart" of a chorus
magnificent - 5, mediocre at best, intro the best part, does nothing for me at all. to me it's what lemel describes as an "average" song
moment of surrender - 10, brilliant. bono is in as good form as ever. murky bass is great too.
unknown caller - 8, grown on me a lot, still not a big fan of the theme thing, but pretty good.
crazy tonight - 7, chorus is fantastic
get on your boots - 7, liked it from day one and still do
stand up comedy - 6, a bit over the shop, but a good riff, good chorus.
fez/being born - 10, and i'm willing to say best u2 song of the decade, minimalism is good
white as snow - 7.5, again a very good song but destined to be forgotten
breathe - 7.5, suffers from being two or three songs in one, chorus is great
cedars of lebanon - 9, adore it from start to finish, the atmosphere, the lyrics, the delivery.

 

[Zoots]

no line on the horizon - 8, great song and momentum, have to agree with pitchfork though, it is let down by it's "deflating fart" of a chorus
magnificent - 5, mediocre at best, intro the best part, does nothing for me at all. to me it's what lemel describes as an "average" song
moment of surrender - 10, brilliant. bono is in as good form as ever. murky bass is great too.
unknown caller - 8, grown on me a lot, still not a big fan of the theme thing, but pretty good.
crazy tonight - 7, chorus is fantastic
get on your boots - 7, liked it from day one and still do
stand up comedy - 6, a bit over the shop, but a good riff, good chorus.
fez/being born - 10, and i'm willing to say best u2 song of the decade, minimalism is good
white as snow - 7.5, again a very good song but destined to be forgotten
breathe - 7.5, suffers from being two or three songs in one, chorus is great
cedars of lebanon - 9, adore it from start to finish, the atmosphere, the lyrics, the delivery.

I agree with your ratings for the most part, but regarding Magnificent... listen to it on a good home theatre system with a nice sub woofer and get back to me. I think the song is close to a 10 along with MOS and Fez. The minimalist lyrics, the hugely uplifting music and the impeccable production are all so unmistakably and quintessentially U2 and give me goosebumps!

 

[BVS]

Again, the way he sings that line makes me wanna kick his butt and say, pull yourself together man...Or something

So it's not the lyric itself, it's just the delivery? Ok, I can kinda see that, although singing it as a junkie I think the delivery makes sense.

WTF ???

goodmorning BVS

Somedays buzz solo is cool, but the lyrics are some of Bono's worse.

Playboy Mansion is fine but hasn't dated well at all, and then when I heard the song for which they sampled I was pretty disappointed in U2 that they would use a sample in such an obvious way.

Crazy is a great 60's style pop song.

 

[Niceman]

I'll take Crazy over Some Days and Playboy Mansion any day!

I agree 100%!!!

 

[zwervers2]

So it's not the lyric itself, it's just the delivery? Ok, I can kinda see that, although singing it as a junkie I think the delivery makes sense.



Somedays buzz solo is cool, but the lyrics are some of Bono's worse.

Playboy Mansion is fine but hasn't dated well at all, and then when I heard the song for which they sampled I was pretty disappointed in U2 that they would use a sample in such an obvious way.

Crazy is a great 60's style pop song.

Musically I just love "somedays". The lyrics you are right about although the "your skin is white, but you think you're a brother "still makes me laugh. I just love the ending for some reason and the overall sound of the song.

playboy mansion indeed hasnt aged well lyricaly because of some people that are mentioned. I must say however that "the colours come crashing and the lights go on, then will there be no time for sorrow etc etc are one of Bono's finest moments as a songwriter. I can see why people hate that song I love it.

Crazy is a good song but I just prefer the other two because they are less "obvious" or so I think

 

[lazarus]

the way he sings it. and yes I meet irony in life and irony meets me but that doenst change he fact the he sounds so whinny in this line. I really start to appreciate the song although I detest the chorus. I love the verses nowadays and that is saying something since I completely disliked the song originaly. I admit to have been wrong on this song and that it HAS grown on me esp since the liveversions.

Again, the way he sings that line makes me wanna kick his butt and say, pull yourself together man...Or something

There is no vocal in the history of the band that is as poorly delivered as Boner's kicked-in-the-nuts, strained reading of "haven't hearrrrrd" and the first verse's "crazy tonight". Nothing.

 

[Niceman]

There is no vocal in the history of the band that is as poorly delivered as Boner's kicked-in-the-nuts, strained reading of "haven't hearrrrrd" and the first verse's "crazy tonight". Nothing.

You just don't get it! It isn't poorly delivered - it's exactly as he meant it to be!

 

[zwervers2]

There is no vocal in the history of the band that is as poorly delivered as Boner's kicked-in-the-nuts, strained reading of "haven't hearrrrrd" and the first verse's "crazy tonight". Nothing.

oh and that one too indeed

 

[U2girl]

I guess if I had to pick I wish Bono had re-done the vocals for If you wear that velvet dress (wants to be sexy but comes off as a creepy old man chasing underage girls. Imagine Zoo TV Bono making this song alive) and maybe Miracle Drug (wants to be epic but phails).

That said there is no more annoying moment in his vocals on U2 albums than the raspy attempt at the falsetto in Crazy tonight. Is it supposed to be fun ? Let Edge do it next time and save yourself the embarassement.

 

[corianderstem]

I guess if I had to pick I wish Bono had re-done the vocals for If you wear that velvet dress (wants to be sexy but comes off as a creepy old man chasing underage girls.

Wow, I completely disagree.

And him singing it an octave higher on the Popmart tour killed the song for me. I hated the live version.

 

[digitize]

I guess if I had to pick I wish Bono had re-done the vocals for If you wear that velvet dress (wants to be sexy but comes off as a creepy old man chasing underage girls. Imagine Zoo TV Bono making this song alive) and maybe Miracle Drug (wants to be epic but phails).

That said there is no more annoying moment in his vocals on U2 albums than the raspy attempt at the falsetto in Crazy tonight. Is it supposed to be fun ? Let Edge do it next time and save yourself the embarassement.

It's not supposed to sound good.

 

[zwervers2]

It's not supposed to sound good.

Give Bono my love next time you have him on the phone

Can you imagine the following scene?
Producer: okay Bono, take 1..

Bono: "haven't heared......" (completely fucked up falsetto)

Producer "okay Bono, take 2

Bono: "haven't heared ......"(completely fuckep up falsetto)

Producer "okay Bono, you can do it. take 3

Bono "haven't heared...fuck!!!

Producer "Take 5 B!

Bono : " You mean take 4?
Producer: "No take 5
Bono "you know what, if someone askes, I tell them it was intentional because this clearly will never work".

 

[65980]

There is no vocal in the history of the band that is as poorly delivered as Boner's kicked-in-the-nuts, strained reading of "haven't hearrrrrd" and the first verse's "crazy tonight". Nothing.

I have to completely agree. That is brutal. That's Bono's Mariah Carey moment of over-singing. Cringeworthy. And the rest of the song is almost as bad.

Mind you, I also think the moment he opens his mouth in "Moment of Surrender" is poor too.

 

[Niceman]

I have to completely agree. That is brutal. That's Bono's Mariah Carey moment of over-singing. Cringeworthy. And the rest of the song is almost as bad.

Mind you, I also think the moment he opens his mouth in "Moment of Surrender" is poor too.

Please don't take this as disrespect - but I don't think I agree with anything you EVER say! lol! (Just a matter of taste....mostly...)

 

[ozeeko]

His vocals in MOS are his finest this decade. He sounds like he's the character in the song. He sounds strung out. He sounds scared. Possessed. Terrified.

On the other hand, his vocals on CT are his absolute worst. I don't care if its intentional or not, anyone who would go out of their way to sound that fucking horrible needs to have his head checked. Seriously, do Edge and Adam and Larry give Bono any feedback or do they just record their parts and fuck off? I don't know how the "haven't heard" and the "crazy tonight" falsettos made it to the record. Is this all another example of Bono's post-post-modern theory on what "cool" is? It's not like "i can't sing, but i'm cool because i do it anyway." It's actually, "I really CAN sing, but I'm going to go out of my way to sound like a total douchebag, because THAT is what makes one cool, the willingness to humiliate oneself."

I know these are all opinions, I'm just glad my opinions in life have led me to enjoy great songs like Some Days and Playboy Mansion and MOS. I feel like if i preferred to listen to CT what a bunch of fucking time i'd be wasting.

 

[digitize]

His vocals in MOS are his finest this decade. He sounds like he's the character in the song. He sounds strung out. He sounds scared. Possessed. Terrified.

On the other hand, his vocals on CT are his absolute worst. I don't care if its intentional or not, anyone who would go out of their way to sound that fucking horrible needs to have his head checked. Seriously, do Edge and Adam and Larry give Bono any feedback or do they just record their parts and fuck off? I don't know how the "haven't heard" and the "crazy tonight" falsettos made it to the record. Is this all another example of Bono's post-post-modern theory on what "cool" is? It's not like "i can't sing, but i'm cool because i do it anyway." It's actually, "I really CAN sing, but I'm going to go out of my way to sound like a total douchebag, because THAT is what makes one cool, the willingness to humiliate oneself."

It's not what's cool, it's what fits the song and therefore the album. Crazy Tonight is supposed to have some teeny-bopper-ness and screechiness to it, not because those are good things, necessarily, but because it's by design for the spot after Unknown Caller. It's the same thing with Unknown Caller... all of the tech references aren't just random or for the sake of being 'cool'. There's more to a good album than that.

 

[Niceman]

His vocals in MOS are his finest this decade. He sounds like he's the character in the song. He sounds strung out. He sounds scared. Possessed. Terrified.

On the other hand, his vocals on CT are his absolute worst. I don't care if its intentional or not, anyone who would go out of their way to sound that fucking horrible needs to have his head checked. Seriously, do Edge and Adam and Larry give Bono any feedback or do they just record their parts and fuck off? I don't know how the "haven't heard" and the "crazy tonight" falsettos made it to the record. Is this all another example of Bono's post-post-modern theory on what "cool" is? It's not like "i can't sing, but i'm cool because i do it anyway." It's actually, "I really CAN sing, but I'm going to go out of my way to sound like a total douchebag, because THAT is what makes one cool, the willingness to humiliate oneself."

I know these are all opinions, I'm just glad my opinions in life have led me to enjoy great songs like Some Days and Playboy Mansion and MOS. I feel like if i preferred to listen to CT what a bunch of fucking time i'd be wasting.

"You don't get it do you?"
Seriously, with respect, you don't. Remember that South Park episode when Kanye didn't understand why everyone was calling him a gay fish? You, and the others who don't understand what Bono was doing in that song are "gay fish."

It isn't a bad vocal, it's a joke. It's him exercising the right to be ridiculous. It's supposed to sound EXACTLY how it does, and IMHO it is EXTREMELY enjoyable as is... Which is probably why the song is doing better with the public than Magnificent did.... A couple of other people out there get that he was making a joke!

He doesn't sound like a 'douchebag,' he sounds like he's playing! He's being silly! That's the point!!!!!!!

 

[digitize]

"You don't get it do you?"
Seriously, with respect, you don't. Remember that South Park episode when Kanye didn't understand why everyone was calling him a gay fish? You, and the others who don't understand what Bono was doing in that song are "gay fish."

It isn't a bad vocal, it's a joke. It's him exercising the right to be ridiculous. It's supposed to sound EXACTLY how it does, and IMHO it is EXTREMELY enjoyable as is... Which is probably why the song is doing better with the public than Magnificent did.... A couple of other people out there get that he was making a joke!

He doesn't sound like a 'douchebag,' he sounds like he's playing! He's being silly! That's the point!!!!!!!

Once again, I find myself in agreement, Niceman...

 

[65980]

Please don't take this as disrespect - but I don't think I agree with anything you EVER say! lol! (Just a matter of taste....mostly...)

I fail to understand why I should want you to agree with me...? I don't use this forum as a support group.

 

[BoyOnTheHorizon]

I agree with your ratings for the most part, but regarding Magnificent... listen to it on a good home theatre system with a nice sub woofer and get back to me. I think the song is close to a 10 along with MOS and Fez. The minimalist lyrics, the hugely uplifting music and the impeccable production are all so unmistakably and quintessentially U2 and give me goosebumps!

"impeccable production" Spot on dude!!! This point has grabbed my attention since i first heard the song. It's sounds sooooo good, so balanced.

 

[BoyOnTheHorizon]

I don't hate this song as much as I did at first, but I still think it's cheese on a stick. I don't know how you can compare to anthems like "Beautiful Day" or "Still Haven't Found", which both have really powerful lyrics... the lyrics to this tune are like something John McCain would have put on his campaign bumper sticker. They make "Vertigo" seem like Shelley. (I do recognize, however, that as you're in Brazil, you may not be an English-speaker nor be arsed about the finer points of the lyrics... and fair enough.)

Actually you are right. Although i almost fully understand english, it's not my mother language so when i listen most of the time the lyrics(or the bad ones) don't bother me.
But in fact when it comes to U2 song i always pay more attention to the lyrics and of course the words they sang on JT or AB sounded much better than their newer songs. I have many examples of lyrics from the Post-AB era that make cringe...

The "Every sweet-tooth needs just a little hit" is a very good example of baaaad words. But since the melody and the vocal delivery are so good i can listen to the song no problem.

 

[digitize]

I prefer Crazy to both SHF and Beautiful Day (although BD is a true classic, and it can speak very powerfully to me at times).

 

[BoyOnTheHorizon]

His vocals in MOS are his finest this decade. He sounds like he's the character in the song. He sounds strung out. He sounds scared. Possessed. Terrified.

On the other hand, his vocals on CT are his absolute worst. I don't care if its intentional or not, anyone who would go out of their way to sound that fucking horrible needs to have his head checked. Seriously, do Edge and Adam and Larry give Bono any feedback or do they just record their parts and fuck off? I don't know how the "haven't heard" and the "crazy tonight" falsettos made it to the record. Is this all another example of Bono's post-post-modern theory on what "cool" is? It's not like "i can't sing, but i'm cool because i do it anyway." It's actually, "I really CAN sing, but I'm going to go out of my way to sound like a total douchebag, because THAT is what makes one cool, the willingness to humiliate oneself."

I know these are all opinions, I'm just glad my opinions in life have led me to enjoy great songs like Some Days and Playboy Mansion and MOS. I feel like if i preferred to listen to CT what a bunch of fucking time i'd be wasting.

I'm one of the biggest criticist of the Pos-AB Bono singing(as some people may remember) but I strongly believe that Crazy Tonight, along with Moment of Surrender and A Man And A Woman are the best Bono's vocals since Zooropa's Stay. In Crazy Tonight he is singing his heart out with strengh and passion. He hits very high notes constantly and above all, it's a fresh delivery, if you know what i mean. It almost could pass as some kind of Rattle and Hum demo.
Ok maybe not.

 

[Niceman]

I fail to understand why I should want you to agree with me...? I don't use this forum as a support group.

It would be very strange if you did!

My point is, basically every time I see your photo, I can already guess that I won't agree with what you have to say. I haven't noticed you saying much that I agree with! Different tastes abound and it is amusing how I NEVER seem to agree with anything you post!

That's all that I'm saying!

Not meant to be a personal attack, I am just commenting on how against the odds it is that two people who post on the same board and presumably have the same favorite band can fail to agree on a single solitary thing!

 

[Niceman]

Once again, I find myself in agreement, Niceman...

Then you are very wise, digitize!

 

[BoyOnTheHorizon]

I prefer Crazy to both SHF and Beautiful Day (although BD is a true classic, and it can speak very powerfully to me at times).

Funny, i often find myself comparing the two( BD and Crazy). I try to figure it out why i prefer Beautiful Day; since Crazy Tonight is rationally the more complete song: Better drums, better guitar work with a beautiful solo and much nicer vocals. And that "baby, baby, baby" moment .
Maybe is that subjective thing, the melody, the intro, the uplifting and universal message. I don't know really...