Published on Dec 27, 2004
Unlike Mr. Christopher Thelen, I will be a Lions fan until I
die, while he roots for the Bears. We both hope our football teams
will see the playoffs again someday.
Also, unlike Chris, I’m a big U2 fan, the sort who has every CD
except the first two and drooled when they played the Superbowl in
2002. I even have a poster and the
Rattle And Hum video.
Therefore, I wanted to give everyone a U2 fan’s perspective on
the band’s 11th studio album, instead of the
unbiased review written by my esteemed
colleague. This album will mean something different to a casual
or hardcore U2 fan, and that’s different than what it means to the
average listener. So, if you are a U2 fan, or want to be, read
on.
This CD is not a return to anything, like its predecessor
All That You Can’t Leave Behind was. This is U2 Mark 3
continued, simply because the band is done experimenting and
pushing boundaries. They are simply happy to lay back and try to
change the world slowly (which is a stretch for any other band
except these guys, for whom being the world’s biggest band still
living is everyday life.)
That said, there are no flourishes here. No drum machines, no
sweeping anthems, nothing to set this apart or make it stand out
among listeners. It is simply an affirmation of everything U2 has
done right so far and shows the band can age gracefully while still
making music that matters. If you liked any U2 album in the past,
you will enjoy this one. If you never liked or tried a U2 album,
this is not the best place to start, because it’s one that has to
be appreciated, not listened to and then discarded like
All That You Can’t Leave Behind.
The funny thing is that U2 doesn’t have to try to make good
music – it comes naturally. “Vertigo” is unlike anything the band
has done sonically, but it’s a lot of fun, their answer to the
Hives/White Stripes of the world. “Miracle Drug” and “Sometimes You
Can’t Make It On Your Own” harken back to REM’s middle period and
The Joshua Tree, while “Love and Peace or Else” sums up the
Zooropa album in a laid-back manner.
Bono is a better singer than ever, although his lyrics are a
little less world-saving and more personal, as they have been since
Achtung Baby. This comes into play on the achingly beautiful
“A Man and a Woman,” with a cool bassline and poignant lyrics. “All
Because of You” is a great car song with spiritual or romantic
lyrics, depending on how you interpret it, while “Yahweh” is one of
the most moving and intense songs the band has written.
The album veers off track near the end, which is not surprising
— the band can’t write a brilliant album from beginning to end,
only ones with enough jaw-dropping individual moments to make the
listener forgive the weaker tracks — but the first half and
“Yahweh” make this worth buying. U2 is no longer trying to change
the world; they are trying to understand it, which may be
better.