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

[mikal]

Unknown Caller is my favorite song on the album.

 

[Dalton]

I have not listened to the album since June.

 

[LemonMelon]

I do feel (strongly) about POP that it's a bunch of EPs thrown together

I personally feel it features the strongest sequencing of the band's career, particularly Playboy Mansion through Wake Up Dead Man. Sets the perfect mood.

 

[Cactus Annie]

Those of us who like coherant songs think that Boots and Crazy are two great songs, but others disagree.

I've gopne of rock music. I hardly ever listen to rock music. I like The Beatles (rock pop) which is just so tuneful and melodic. Prog rock, like NLOTH, is cool because at least it's boundaries are pushed. Other than that I find rock hit and miss, ok in bits. U2 started by beind fairly tuneless (and no, I don't consider 3 notes to be melodic). Melodies can be simple but prett (example: EasEnders theme tune). Next time I hope that if they're recording prog rock than it should be jazz or classical music enthused. Rock music can be just noize. Robert Plant's new album was load of crap.

 

[BoMac]

Those of us who like coherant songs

There are those of us who also like coherent posts, thoughts, and discussions, but sometimes that's just way too much to ask for.

 

[mikal]

 

[AEKU2]

I was at the pub last night and someone put SUC and Breathe on the Jukebox. As much as im not a huge fan of either i realised that both songs are made for the pub atmosphere and sounded awesome. SUC should be played live.

 

[Rachel D.]

I like NLOTH.

End of post.

 

[sue4u2]

Those of us who like coherant songs think that Boots and Crazy are two great songs, but others disagree.

I've gopne of rock music. but prett (example: EasEnders theme tune). album was load of crap.

Please explain" gopne and prett.. even then I'm not quite sure I'm on the same plane(t) but you know.. rock on..

 

[sue4u2]

I like NLOTH.

End of post.

oops fogot to add: I still love NLOTH.

end of quoting post.

 

[shart1780]

I just can't believe it's been six months.

Man... the older I get the faster time goes by. It's depressing.

Anyways I like the album a lot. Definitely better than I thought it would be. Sure, I don't love every song, but I enjoy listening to all of them. That's WAY more than I can say for Atomic Bomb.

 

[MikeyJB]

Rock music can be just noize. Robert Plant's new album was load of crap.

You mean the one with Alison Krauss? The one that won the Album of the Year grammy?

 

[Nate Dogg]

My Rankings

1.Magnificent
2.Fez-Being Born(This moved way up the list since March)
3.Moment Of Surrender
4.No Line On The Horizon
5.Crazy Tonight
6.Breathe
7.Winter
8.Unknown Caller
9.Cedars Of Lebanon
10.Stand Up Comendy
11.White As Snow
12.Get On Your Boots

 

[doctorwho]

I took a break - or sort of - as well. I have enjoyed listening to the various remixes (some of them are suprisingly very good!) from NLOTH. But having listened to a few tracks just the other day, I was reminded how much I like this album. IMO, it easily beats out ATYCLB and HTDAAB. I'm happy those albums did well (in terms of sales and awards), but NLOTH is really the best album of the three. I can see me returning to NLOTH the way I return to TUF as time passes. In contrast, I haven't listened to ATYCLB and HTDAAB in years.

 

[financeguy]

Especially the title track sounds so damn slow compared to the wild live version. And I'm still pissed they haven't performed Stand Up Comedy live.

Why are you criticising U2?

 

[Zoots]

Why are you criticising U2?

 

[angel_28]

6 Months?! holy crap doesn't feel that long ..lol
Anyways I still love the album it is in my top 3 U2 albums for sure!
The only song I really can't get into is White as Snow sorry I took it off the Ipod for lack of play ..I just don't like it too slow..doesn't speak to me..yada yada yada...
The rest I love

 

[AndrewCowley]

I like the album a lot. Definately a +ve compared to HTDAAB in that the bombast is toned down. And definately a +ve compared to ATYCLB in that it has some urgency.

It is over produced however. Magnificent, for example, doesn't need all the keyboard stuff that bobs about at the start. It sounds too much like Bon Jovi.

Bono's voice is pretty incredible. But his singing style on the whole is a bit over the top. He sounds almost too 'pumped', like he is really trying to be very forcceful with getting each word out. For me this might make the album date badly, the same as the the HTDAAB bombast made it date badly.

On the whole, it's a great effort though. Not JT, UF or AB. But close to the top of my '2nd tier' of U2 albums.

Pity about the choice of singles in that most of the world seemingly doesn't give a toss.

 

[Shane Madden]

Its in my top 3 of U2 albums and the only fault i can see 6 months on is the boyband SUC...Something it could have done without..im even hooked by GOYB which i love live because its rockier!!!

Going by that song kingdom that they walk onto stage with SOA is gonna be a great follow up!!! U2 ARE BACK!!!

 

[mgokelly]

It's in my top 3 as well, (I can't uderstand the critism it has got, maybe people don't get FBB, COL, MOS, No Line (The song) which I think are great songs, I still think 'Boots' gave the album a bad first impression.)

I put HTDAAB on the other day and had to turn it off, No line is a far superior album.

 

[bigjohn2441]

there is a new U2 album?!

 

[trinx]

I was walking down the street and caught myself singing Breathe. I can't get half of the album out of my head, even 6 months later. De gustibus non est disputandum, but you must love it.

 

[Zoots]

Listened to the album again today while driving back from work and it sounds as fresh as ever! This is really the mark of a quality U2 record! Songs that stay with you forever and don't become stale easily. The cream of the crop especially.. which I consider to be the title track, Magnificent, MOS, Fez, WAS, Breathe and Cedars are in my opinion up there with their best songs ever; classics like NYD, Pride, Bad, all of JT, Achtung etc.

The more I think about it though, the more I would have loved something like this:

Album: No Line On The Horizon

1. title track
2. Magnificent
3. MOS
4. Fez-Being Born
5. White As Snow
6. Breathe
7. Cedars
8., 9., 10., 11. (more songs with Moroccan influence, one instrumental, one completely atmospheric track etc.)

(not stressing on this order here. re-arrange as you please)

Side EP:

1. Unknown Caller
2. Crazy Tonight (with a hopefully better title)
3. Stand Up Comedy (most of the lyrics re-worked)
4. Boots
5. (another track in the vein of the Bomb era)

(again re-arrange as you please)

Yes. I have bunched UC with the middle 3. Reason being it just seems to fit better with those songs. Both UC and CT have the extremely chimey Bomb-era guitar. And all 4 songs have either awkward or questionable or cheesy lyrics in parts. Whereas the aforementioned 7 songs seem pretty solid. One could argue that Breathe may also fit on this EP but I'm tempted to keep it on the album. Whatever. Just thought it would be fun to try and improve it. Me being an industrial engineer, that comes naturally.

 

[BVS]

I think I would definately switch Breathe and UC in that type of grouping...

 

[Zoots]

I think I would definately switch Breathe and UC in that type of grouping...

You mean you would put Breathe on the EP and leave UC on the album?

 

[BVS]

Yep... Breathe is much more straight forward. UC has a great experimental future gospel type sound to it.

 

[Zoots]

But UC reminds me more of Bomb and 00's era U2 in general than Breathe. Also I prefer Breathe.

 

[nielsgov]

I think UC is the best song on the album and one of their best ever.

 

[BVS]

But UC reminds me more of Bomb and 00's era U2 in general than Breathe.

To each their own, but I think you'd probably be in the minority with that opinion.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

"I know a girl whose 17 i watch her aging everyday for me oh yeah", haha sorry a little creepy but i cant help but sing that sometimes.