NLOTH Album Reviews Pt 3

[TheEnd]

this, however, gets closer to the problem that the album faces. Bono is extremely polarizing, and you get the feeling his humanitarian work has jumped the shark.

It is so irritating when reviewers spend more time writing about Bono's activities outside the band than the album itself. Pathetic.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Hi Earnie. Is this album the improvement on ATYCLB/Bomb you were hoping for?

Fuck yes, massive improvement. Infinitely better than Atomic Bomb (goes without saying) and far, far, far stronger from start to finish than ATYCLB. Better than that, it welcomes back so much of what has been missing from U2 since Pop. Something about the soul is back in there. And little things in the delicacy and the detail. Overall, I absolutely love it. It's not another pretender, this one is the real deal. It’s definitely not a massive departure or a huge, significant leap forward for them overall, but it is absolutely leaps and bounds ahead of Bomb. There’s no-one on earth who would even pretend to disagree with that. Overwhelmingly happy, really. Definitely. Some parts of it are just amazing. If I saw U2 in the street tomorrow, I’d give them all a big hug - “welcome back, it’s been way too long.”

But yes, there’s definitely a “what if”. I can tell this is where it’s probably going to nag at me in the future. Bono has in a way totally given it away himself by saying this supposed next album they have is a pilgrimage story, and, well, by my count 6 tracks on NLOTH are explicitly that as well, so……

This isn’t a negative post, I’m absolutely pleased as punch with this album, I just have the feeling that maybe the 00s U2 mindset has struck again by reigning in a truly great album to create a more immediate, very, very, very good album. And I’m not sure why they do that in a way, why they don’t trust themselves a bit more. We know MoS came from a bolt of lightning. We can tell that Unknown Caller came early in Morocco and has likely barely changed at all from it’s initial spark. Then we also know that Crazy Tonight has taken 16 months of hard work and re-work to nail down. Boots was probably fairly quickly built off the riff, but Stand Up Comedy sounds like a lot of hard work too. Everything on Bomb sounds like there’s years of blood, sweat and tears behind it and those songs were around getting re-worked forever. Just let go – trust the instincts and those lightning bolts. God walking into the room and all that. They’re the highlights of this album, and generally every one before it.

Maybe I’ll be proven wrong. Maybe a few of those late-dumped tracks just weren’t up to it. Maybe they were all too a little like White as Snow, Cedars etc and would have just created too much of a drag in the second half. But I’ve just got a gut feeling that if they aren’t talking complete shit this time, and do release an already ‘in the can’ quick follow up in the next 12 months from the same sessions, that we’ll quickly be re-arranging the two of them into new tracklists and creating a hundred “Woah! Imagine if….” threads in here.

Having said that, those three songs in the middle are in their own way a vast improvement. Crazy Tonight is fine easy, breezy pop. It’s good, it’s catchy, I like it (excusing a couple of truly all-time cringe worthy moments there from Bono). I really like Boots as well, but I will say that as a single it sounded fresh and new, but on this album it suddenly sounds very Bomb-grounded. The rest of the album - Crazy included - also has a very organic feel to it (again, a revelation coming after the last one) and Boots really does not. In those two ways, it does stand out like a honeymooners dick, but I do really like the song. Stand Up Comedy I’m just not feeling at all. Slick, well written, catchy, clever, again a big improvement, but somehow just seems…. below their pay grade or something? It’s doing nothing for me at the moment. If this were Bomb II, massive thumbs up for big improvements on all three, but it’s not and while it works, they fit, it’s only *just* so.

Also, anyone else notice just how many echoes there are on this thing? The rhythm of the Fly on NLOTH. The shimmering synth of Lemon on Magnificent. The o-o-oooohh-oh-oh-oh’s in MoS are identical to Stay. I know its standard Edge, but the opening notes of UC are Walk On. Then there’s baby, baby, baby. “The songs are in our eyes”. Not a gripe by any means, and a lot of those links are a stretch, but it’s sort of interesting one way or another.

Edit: Reading that back, it comes across as a negative post or feeling. Just want to add one more time - I love this album overall. Having been so disappointed for a while, and having set my expectations so low, this thing is an absolute revelation.

 

[Fly2000]

I would agree with that. And judging by the fact that the middle three tracks take up 50% of the vote on the ‘Worst Track’ poll, it appears the fans might send the right message.

I’ve got a bit of a nagging sense of what might have been. That we know they’ve shifted the album a bit, that they’ve got another one perhaps up their sleeve and that some of those songs could have been on this, does nag a little. I think the ‘pop-rock break’ in the middle is great, and it totally works, but I also have a feeling at the end of Unknown Caller – I just want to leap off the abyss right there. I’m right there about to leap, and I get pulled back. It’s fine, pulling back works, but I do hope that they didn’t have a leap there and that a little bit of 00s caution or last minute stage fright changed that around. There’s just a feeling there to me, that the first four songs so successfully pull you in, that they could grab your hand at that moment and take you anywhere, and everyone would follow, that they didn’t need to take that step back from the edge right there and then if they had the choice. Maybe they weren’t leaping off anyway, and I really hope that’s the case, because if they did, and did it well, it’s probably the difference between this album sitting below and/or matching their absolute highest heights.

For me the only song that I have a problem with is Crazy Tonight, not that I think it's a bad song, it isn't, it just comes at the wrong time. I do think another better fitting song could've helped but at the moment I'm thinking that maybe if they'd stuck Breathe as track 5 followed by Boots and Stand Up I might have had an easier time swallowing the middle section.

 

[lazarus]

Also, anyone else notice just how many echoes there are on this thing? The rhythm of the Fly on NLOTH. The shimmering synth of Lemon on Magnificent. The o-o-oooohh-oh-oh-oh’s in MoS are identical to Stay. I know its standard Edge, but the opening notes of UC are Walk On. Then there’s baby, baby, baby. “The songs are in our eyes”. Not a gripe by any means, and a lot of those links are a stretch, but it’s sort of interesting one way or another.

I don't think those connections are stretch at all, as I already noticed all of them aside from the Lemon one.

Smells like a lack of imagination more than a callback.

 

[sue4u2]

For me the only song that I have a problem with is Crazy Tonight, not that I think it's a bad song, it isn't, it just comes at the wrong time. I do think another better fitting song could've helped but at the moment I'm thinking that maybe if they'd stuck Breathe as track 5 followed by Boots and Stand Up I might have had an easier time swallowing the middle section.

I burned a cd today and I did put Breath at track 5. Don't know why, but it seems to fit there.

 

[Irvine511]

i am still a bomb supporter. that album gives me pleasure, and it's great to workout to. i think COBL is dynamite live, and i think "sometimes" and OOTS are genuine and beautiful and moving.

that said, what this album did to me is make much of the last two albums look like the highly professional work of highly skilled song-and-dance men.

i still think Pop is a setback. it's interesting, but i don't think it's nearly as interesting as many others do, and it strikes me now as their most egregious example of trend-mongering.

but, to me, this album makes them artists again. it's only a few days in, but the only album i can think of comparing it to is OK Computer.

i can't stop listening to it. and what's amazing is that i adore each of the sections. i love the hypnotic spell of the first 4 songs (though i'm still confused by UC, and i don't know if it actually works). i think the middle-three pop songs are astonishingly well performed, cunning even. SUC actually blows me away in that it makes ABOY sound like it's stuck in the La Brea tar pits. it's not so much that i think it's a new deathless classic, it's that it's a tour de force of sheer musical will. is it good? i dunno. but the craft, to me, is amazing.

U2 have given us a reason to buy another U2 album. that's something Bono mentioned in some interview a few days ago -- why would anyone need another U2 album? don't we get it at this point? they've just given us a reason to keep on listening.

 

[HansaTonImbiss]

that said, what this album did to me is make much of the last two albums look like the highly professional work of highly skilled song-and-dance men.
but, to me, this album makes them artists again. it's only a few days in, but the only album i can think of comparing it to is OK Computer.

Absolutely perfectly said. I was trying to put my finger on what I like about this album, and that nailed it. This album is NOT immediately accessible, friendly, and tame. It is also not revolutionary, abstract, or a marked departure. But a part of me loves that it's so damn polarizing. The last two got 4-5 full plays, then the CD book. Occasional plays since, but not much. I was hanging on the beach clips....this is crafted to harness multiple plays and much attention. It's about time they got back to that, and frankly I haven't done that with a U2 record since "Zooropa".

Oh, and an editorial: the punky reviewers of some of these "blogs" would be gooing themselves if this had been released by any band NOT as commercially established as U2, or as public.

Imagine for a moment what people would be saying if Radiohead, Strokes, Killers, or Coldplay had released this type of material...

 

[Irvine511]

to me, "magnificent" is the sound of U2 assassinating The Killers.

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Yeah, the new one does make the last two albums feel a bit mechanical (esp. 'Atomic Bomb, ATYCLB felt a lot more genuine to me) and has a sense of them picking up where they left off in the late '90s with more natural, less calcuated songs.

 

[purpleoscar]

Imagine for a moment what people would be saying if Radiohead, Strokes, Killers, or Coldplay had released this type of material...

My thoughts exactly.

 

[yenlard]

I would agree with that. And judging by the fact that the middle three tracks take up 50% of the vote on the ‘Worst Track’ poll, it appears the fans might send the right message.

I’ve got a bit of a nagging sense of what might have been. That we know they’ve shifted the album a bit, that they’ve got another one perhaps up their sleeve and that some of those songs could have been on this, does nag a little. I think the ‘pop-rock break’ in the middle is great, and it totally works, but I also have a feeling at the end of Unknown Caller – I just want to leap off the abyss right there. I’m right there about to leap, and I get pulled back. It’s fine, pulling back works, but I do hope that they didn’t have a leap there and that a little bit of 00s caution or last minute stage fright changed that around. There’s just a feeling there to me, that the first four songs so successfully pull you in, that they could grab your hand at that moment and take you anywhere, and everyone would follow, that they didn’t need to take that step back from the edge right there and then if they had the choice. Maybe they weren’t leaping off anyway, and I really hope that’s the case, because if they did, and did it well, it’s probably the difference between this album sitting below and/or matching their absolute highest heights.

great post earnie...........had me rereading it a couple of times.

 

[Matthew_Page2000]

this is a preposterously bad review. all they talk about is how they don't like the lyrics, totally oblivious to the fact that the reviewer is a shitty writer.






this, however, gets closer to the problem that the album faces. Bono is extremely polarizing, and you get the feeling his humanitarian work has jumped the shark. it's too bad, because he's a major reason why the only good thing to come out of the Bush administration is increased aid to Africa, and he's pretty great on the album. his lyrics get clumsy, but when they're good on this album, they're really good.

I love Bono and I love his lyrics but he's always had his less than poetic moments.
How about "Face to Face/In a dry and waterless place" in the Unforgettable Fire.
Dry AND Waterless? Really??
Still one of my favorite U2 songs.

 

[Marko]

I would agree with that. And judging by the fact that the middle three tracks take up 50% of the vote on the ‘Worst Track’ poll, it appears the fans might send the right message.

I’ve got a bit of a nagging sense of what might have been. That we know they’ve shifted the album a bit, that they’ve got another one perhaps up their sleeve and that some of those songs could have been on this, does nag a little. I think the ‘pop-rock break’ in the middle is great, and it totally works, but I also have a feeling at the end of Unknown Caller – I just want to leap off the abyss right there. I’m right there about to leap, and I get pulled back. It’s fine, pulling back works, but I do hope that they didn’t have a leap there and that a little bit of 00s caution or last minute stage fright changed that around. There’s just a feeling there to me, that the first four songs so successfully pull you in, that they could grab your hand at that moment and take you anywhere, and everyone would follow, that they didn’t need to take that step back from the edge right there and then if they had the choice. Maybe they weren’t leaping off anyway, and I really hope that’s the case, because if they did, and did it well, it’s probably the difference between this album sitting below and/or matching their absolute highest heights.

probably the best take on the Album and it's flaws, or better said one major flaw.

I feel exactly the same as you (the difference is that I really don't like these 3 songs), first 4 songs are a big build up and they get you ready for something extraordinary and than you get let down...hard

I think that these three songs are pure throwaway. generic U2 - they would fit on HTDAAB, on ATYCLB or wherever. I guess that these songs will get played on this tour and never again and for certain at least one song will be left out of the setlist before 2nd leg (see miracle drug or all because of you). Who remembers ABOY nowdays? Who expects it to be played ever again live? I think that this is destiny for these 3 songs, and without them the Album would be much much better.

Try to imagine the album without them and UC going straight to Fez....man, beautifull. shorter album but there would be no break in the experience. This just pulls me out as you said

 

[last unicorn]

Lame review. Breathe is U2 by the numbers?

That's exactly what I thought and what disqualifies this review for me. I have the impression they didn't even listen to the album, because they are dead wrong on most songs.

If this was an album from a new band they would be lauded as the best new band. Because it's U2, people have a menu of things they want to hear already before the album comes out.

And right again. U2 simply cannot win with reviewers these days.

If NLOTH was a Radiohead album, critics would love it, just as they did with In Rainbows.
It's the name U2 that spoils it.

 

[U2girl]

It's a shift and "Crazy" and "Boots" are the low point of the album, but I look at it like a kind of relief after the trio of Magnificent/MOS/UC. Kind of like In god's country and Trip through your wires after those massive opening songs on JT.

 

[SBU2]

Im not to good at reviews, but as ive got the new album, and heard it about 10 times, here's my review.

NLONTH - Good rocking tune, includes the guitar riff from the fly in the second verse, bono voice sounds good throughout the song, but the chorus just isnt fitting in well with the heavy guitars throughout the verses.

Magnificent - Really good intro, they used the eno techno stuff well there, and the guitar sounds great, typical edge sound, with the echo used, bono doesnt really concentrate to much on what the lyrics meen imo, he just sings them in such a funky sexy way, which fits the tune so well. Half way through the song stops, and builds back up again into an edge solo.

MOS - Intro is a little to long for my liking, its one of them that you wait so long you think, ill go to the next track, but if you wait, its worth it, bono sings in a new style i haven't heard him sing before, the chorus is very different to the other songs, theres a sort of gospal thing going on there, as if its not just the band singing.

Unknown Caller - Love the guitar in this, really fresh happy sound to it, and the chorus is one of the best on the album, love the oohh ohh part, and edges solo is really emotional whilst playing along with the french organ.

Crazy Tonight - One of my favs on the album, great pop song, similar to beautiful day, chorus reminds me a little of that song " why does it always rain on me ". Very fresh song, will go down as a hit with the young generation.

Get on your boots - It doesnt fit in to well with the album, not its quality, but its style, just isnt working, i also feel its been recorded badly, it sounds really messy and crackely, alot better live, but it still hasnt fully grown on me.

Stand up comedy - Starts of with a really catchy guitar riff, Bono singing in an acthung baby style, edge sings alot with bono in this, defianlity remids of something like mystrious ways, something you can dance to. Near the end of the song i can fee a little of the scissor sisters, the way it sounds and the way edge and bono are hitting them high notes.

Fez – Being Born - Very interesting, i keep forgetting what the main sound of the song is, there is that much going on in there, the intro is very instrumental, alot of sonic sounds going in there, and unexpectedly it turns into the edge playing the guitar, Bono singing very acthung style, lot of oahhhhhh sounds from bono in this one, and alot of pianos, sonics ect, very interesting song.

White as Snow - Starts of with a soft piano sound, which turns into the edge playing the aucastic guiatar and Bono slowly singing. Half way through larry comes in with the drums, and you get some trumpets playing, and the song starts to build up, and immedialty goes back to the slow paced style with edge joining in with the signing.

Breathe - Great intro, fastly builds up and creates alot of tension as your just waiting for that heavy guitar to set off. The riff comes along with a piano, which adds a class touch, edge adds a nice touch just before the chorus, until bono screams breatheeeeeee i can breathe. Theres a sort of violen sound going on in there aswell, the song stops with about 2 mins left, builds back up straight away into an edge classic solo, and finished with the breathe chorus and a guitar riff.

Cedars of Lebanon - This is the one ive been skipping mostly in the album, well not taking much notice to, but i was in bed last night and thought ill give it a chance all the way through, starts of very softly, and bono comes in with larrys drums, Bono isnt singing, he is almost talking, which i heard was the whole point, chorus is very sweet, you get more of the edge then bono there. Rest of the song ends with the speaking verses of bono.

So overall, i love the album, very instrumental and they have added the u2 sound into the sonic stuff, and mixed really well, a masterpeice from the masters.

 

[U2girl]

The one regrettable thing is that Stand up comedy, Boots and Crazy tonight bring down the average on what is otherwise a very good Bono album, lyrically.

 

[last unicorn]

I am not a fan of Crazy Tonight, but I like most of the lyrics. They are lighthearted, funny in parts, ironic, still well thought-through. They don't sound forced. I think that song is right there where it is because it offers some relief.

There is not one song I don't like in terms of lyrics. Sure, there are certain parts that could be different or better, but overall I think Bono is doing very well here.

 

[chrissybaby]

Some real sense being spoken over the past two pages.
The first 4 songs are building in atmosphere and experimentalism, then BANG! I agree that none of the middle 3 will ever become classics.

First 4 and last 4 for me are everything I wanted, and I'm over the moon. I just think that they probably have 3 very different songs that they could drop into the "middle 3 slot" that would've left this album feeling very, very different. Then again, maybe I can't blame them for not going down this road! In the Observer interview Bono mentioned that the concept for the album had been discarded and along with it maybe EBW... Who knows whether this was the turning point? Fact is, to me, I don't think 18 months hard work on Crazy tonight was particularly time well spent...

that said, I'm still hanging out for some of those riffs on the pre-release vids, oh and Dallas.swf...

 

[thefly1979]

Jesus did they really compare Unknown Caller to The Pet Shop Boys.
Cue Chandler from Friends: "Could they have MISSED the mark more?"
Comic book guy "worst. reviewer. ever."

stereogum-> a bunch of so called hipsters without any knowledge about "how to write a music critic"....their writing is crap.

i forgot that they are also overhyped and only known because of their free mp3s. nobody care about record critics there.

 

[last unicorn]

I wrote a review for Amazon and saw that they are giving away one of Edge's music rising guitars as part of the NLOTH campaign.

 

[thefly1979]

If this was an album from a new band they would be lauded as the best new band. Because it's U2, people have a menu of things they want to hear already before the album comes out.

totally agree. if young band out there would made a record like this, they will earn respect etc.

 

[allstyle86]

Fantastic Alblum!!!Congrats U2

I must say that I was holding back from listening to the record before It was released but I had to. All of the positive responses is plain awesome.. I have to admit that I didn't like boots when I first heard but it flows with the rest of the alblum so well, and my mind has changed about the song. This is the best cd that they have released since Achtung. My personal fav is White as Snow. As soon as the first note hit it was classic U2 again (Joshua Tree). I was hitting my steering wheel and kept saying to myself that their back. Its slow paced but so powerful. I ca't wait to see them on tour, and can't wait to buy the cd when it comes out. CONGRATS U2 CONGRATS!!!!! Just plain awesome....

 

[AtomicBono]

I like U2

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I like U2

WE GET TO CARRRRY EACH OTHER!!!!

 

[Maassie]

allstyle86, you hitting the steering wheel is funny: after a few listens at home, I listened to the album driving to work, during MOS I had a strange experience! It gave such a special feeling that I had to watch my driving cause somehow I was in an other place! It felt so nice and good... it was pure joy!

 

[allstyle86]

U2 are Kings

Guys, I'm giddy about U2 again. This music is bringing back so many good memories of enjoying the band like I did in the past. I'm a dude and this cd almost brings me to tears because it's that good. Did I just say that. The band really needs to know how the fans are reacting to this. I wonder if they read this forum because they need to. I know I have Mp3s but I cannot wait to buy this gem when its officially released. Can't imagine how good the official release will sound like.

 

[SpaceBoy]

I like U2

Hey, me too!

 

[allstyle86]

Maasie

This is the cd that I've waiting for them to release. I didn't care for Atomic that much. Don't get me wrong its an excellent cd but theres something about this one. Every single song has elements of the past and if you're a U2 fan you would know what I mean. I'm in a happy place right now. I love you all......

 

[artdirector]

I agree. Its not the best ever yet. But its up there with Achtung and JT. Every song doesn't get annoying or are throw aways.