For those who know me it come as no surprise that I purchased U2's new CD the first day it was available. As a new blogger LeithWeb puts it U2's and Coldplay's music is currently the best even if their politics are the worst. I am not that harsh, Jubilee 2000 was a good idea and so is fighting AIDS in Africa, but some of Bono's religion does not fit together too tightly.
Anyways, as my good friend (and best man) puts it, I don't consume these things, I suck the marrow! In that spirit I have listened to the new CD at least a dozen times through and here are my impressions:
Vertigo: The best pure rock song they have written. What else needs to be said.
Miracle Drug: classic U2. An early favourite of mine. The song soars at the 2:45 mark with the by now familar Edge solo. I can't wait to see this performed live. I wonder if this is Bono's first public stance on embryonic stem cell research?
Of science and the human heart
There is no limit
There is no failure here sweetheart
Just when you quit...
But I sometimes read too much into these things.
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own: This one is growing on me. The first half of the song is pretty boring but it builds nicely. The falsetto bit is pretty cool. I am sure it will be a hit on soft rock and adult contemporary stations.
Love and Peace or Else: This one could prove to be like Bullet the Blue Sky for me. I did not get that song in its Joshua Tree format but by the time the Zoo TV tour came around they have sufficiently reconfigured it to make it great. Same could happen with this, or I just don't it, take your pick. At times the bass line feels like 20th Century Boy by Chalk Circle (how is that for an obscure CanCon reference) but they were just a U2 rip off band anyway, sort of like Toad the Wet Sprocket (even more obscurity)
City of Blinding Lights: Pretty solid tune but it does not feel completely new. The bass line could be anyone that Adam has come up with. A friend of mine refers to Amnesiac by Radiohead as Kid B. Sometimes Atomic Bomb feels like "All they left behind".
All Because of You: nothing special here.
A Man and a Woman: Is it just me or is this U2 doing its best Fleetwood Mac impression? The drums and guitar are right out of the Mick Fleetwood and Lindsey Buckingham play book.
Crumbs From Your Table: Might be the best song on the CD. The intro has a bit of a Tonic feel to it but don't hold that against the song. Also at times it feels like it is Walk On Part II, especially the solo. With all that said I still think it is a great song.
One Step Closer: Filler, just like Grace on the last CD.
Original of the Species: Awful, what is with the keyboard riff at 0:33? A typical Edge guitar piece ends the song and almost saves the song, but it just started too badly to be saved.
Yahweh: Only U2 could attempt a song entitled Yahweh and get away with it (o.k. Madonna could now). It is an ok song. I like the chorus much better than the verses (musically anyways).
All in all I like the CD, but it is not as fresh as some of their other stuff. I am sure I will burn a hole in the disc by playing it too much though.
