I'm a bit puzzled by all this discussion for this song.
First, there are many of you who feel this new song is too "adult contemporary". Yet, in the same breath, many also state it sounds too much like Nickelback and/or Coldplay. These two groups are up and coming rock groups that now dominate the Modern Rock scene. Therefore, I feel it is contradictory to say that "Electrical Storm" (E-Storm) sounds like Coldplay/Nickelback yet it's also adult contemporary (AC). Either this means that you also feel these new upcoming young rock groups sound too AC or you simply have lost touch of what "modern rock" is in 2002. Styles and sounds change and perhaps the problem isn't U2 - it's you. Some of you may have this atiquated notion of what new, hip, modern rock is and you are just out of vogue.
Second, some of you claim that E-Storm is better than anything on ATYCLB or that Bono sounds better on this song than he has on ATYCLB. I disagree with both. Bono's vocals on ATYCLB are better than anything U2's released since R&H. Although AB is a brilliant album, it's not because of Bono's vocals. Gone were the soaring operatic notes that were featured on U2's 80's work - and I believe this was done intentionally. Instead of an "operatic" Bono, we heard a scratchy Bono ("One"), a whispering Bono ("The Fly"), a distorted Bono ("Zoo Station") and a Bono that would even speak - instead of singing - his lyrics ("Until the End..."). While these vocal experimentations only enhanced AB, clearly AB was not designed to showcase Bono's vocal abilities (like JT). The same was true with "Zooropa" (where more vocal distortions, soft tones and falsettos dominated). On "Pop" we had some stronger vocals, but we also heard Bono almost struggling with the notes. ATYCLB brought us back to both the "U2 sound" and to Bono's classic wails. E-Storm is just an extension of that.
As for ATYCLB itself, I feel the album is brilliant. Perhaps it needed one more kicker of a song (E-Storm?) to make it truly shine, but I was really able to appreciate the song-writing ability and the mood created by this album - something I have not truly felt from a U2 release since AB (and I adore "Zooropa"). To dismiss ATYCLB as nothing more than a bunch of AC tunes suggests that you have close-mindedly placed U2 in a box and unless U2 delivers what you expect, they should be dismissed. The "problem" here, once again, is not U2 - but you.
Lastly, I feel many are vastly over-interpreting this song. I do not feel this song is reflective of the new album or necessarily of the past. I believe this song was initially created during the ATYCLB sessions, but clearly U2 did not feel it belonged on this album. In other words, it's a tiny bit of a "throw-away" song - not in the sense that it's not good, but that it really did not have a home on any U2 album. As such, U2 decided to release it as a single between albums. That's it and that's all.
Bono has stated in the past that he enjoys releasing singles between albums - yet oddly enough, U2 haven't really done this that often. But here, E-Storm is that single. It's meant to have a 90's feel to it so that it blends with that era of U2's work (and I feel it succeeds), but I feel its true purpose is to advertise the new "Best Of". It's not meant to tell us the future of U2. The song has one purpose - marketing. And for a song with just that goal in mind, I think U2 did a pretty good job of creating something unique. They could have come up with some super-catchy song guaranteed to race up the charts, but instead, they created something that lacks a refrain/chorus and is very emotional. Plus, Bono's soaring vocals (the one thing that actually doesn't blend with U2's 90's work, IMO) make this a difficult track to sing to. Yet, it has the advantage of not sounding like everything else that's out there yet still being a very, VERY solid piece of musicianship.
Therefore, I feel we should just sit back and enjoy the next "Best Of." If the new songs aren't for you - just remember that they were mostly made to market a new "Best Of" (or an upcoming movie). They are not indicative of U2's future. If you aren't happy with U2's latest efforts, then perhaps YOU need to take a break from U2 and see what else is out there. But don't expect U2 to create music for your tastes - it will never happen.