U2, No Line on the Horizon - Music Review

Posted on 18. Apr, 2009 by Administrator in Music

Well, maybe you’re not surprised by this, but it’s awful. Bono is back with his weird bag of weak metaphors: “I move down the road like electricity”, “I have a head like a lit cigarette”, and attempts to be modern with lines like “Restart yourself and reboot”. While they’ve tapped Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, the producing brains behind Achtung Baby, to help them find former glory, there’s nothing on this album that promises any return to greatness. The lyrics are cringe worthy, while the music at times can attain the glow of what might have been a decent B-side for Achtung Baby. In the past, the chaps have done some newfangled experimentation, as with Rattle and Hum and Zooropa, but here they are merely sad old men desperately attempting to remain relevant; aged giants lost in a land that they helped build but that cares for them no more. The only song that strikes any sort of memorable chord is the last, in which Bono finally takes time to peer into his soul rather than try to think up catchy word twists about love and sunshine, speaking solemnly over mellow rumblings, “Choose your enemies carefully, because they will define you. Make them interesting because in some ways they will mind you. They’re not there in the beginning, but when your story ends, gonna last with you longer than your friends.” 

mus u2 album cover 150x150 U2, No Line on the Horizon   Music ReviewGood For: Hair plugs, Preparation H commercials, setting a fire to this CD and forgetting it ever existed. 

Bad For: Bono’s ego, being seen on your CD shelf, knife fights.

 

by Devoe Yates

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19 Responses to “U2, No Line on the Horizon - Music Review”

  1. duduc

    18. Apr, 2009

    It’s so “IN” to hate U2 today…
    You’ll probably get tap on your back from your friends…

    There are some really great lyrics on this album but like any U2 hater I wouldn’t expect you would mention them..

    And if this was and album by some unknown band it would be completely differently perceived…

    Reply to this comment
  2. Jack

    18. Apr, 2009

    When you critque an album perhaps you should find the time to actually listen to it…you didn’t.

    “I move down the road like electricity” ??

    Get the quote right.. it’s “But I’m running down the road like loose electricity while the band in my head plays a striptease” ….you f—— idiot

    Nothing more amusing than reading a overtly biased trashing of a band who seem to spark jealousy from all their detractors…you among them…you don’t even try to hide it.

    First rule in writing a review of anything,asshole

    1.) Be objective…otherwise it’s not a review….ITS YOUR SLANTED BIASED OPINION

    It’s so obvious you were going to give the CD a negative review before you heard the music …..just because you hate U2….so do us all a favor and leave an actual review to someone who can show some sort of objectivity.

    U2 must still be relevant,because bands or artists who aren’t relevant recieve nary a response from the general public….never have I seen an artist who garners as much positive and negative attention as U2…so the “sad old men desperately tryting to remain relevant” line doesn’t wash.

    The stuff of a rank amateur,Devoe…you fail

    Reply to this comment
  3. smackintosh

    18. Apr, 2009

    This review is rubbish. For starters most of the quotes are completely wrong, secondly the album is amazing!

    Reply to this comment
  4. Peter Lyons

    19. Apr, 2009

    Hello,

    I’d like to comment on Devoe Yates’s review of U2’s; No Line on the Horizon posted 18th April 2009. Firstly I felt it was poorly written. There is a misquote on the second line, it should read “But I’m running down the road like loose electricity”. Secondly this is not a metaphor as suggested by the author, it is a Smile. Also Rattle and Hum was not “newfangled experimentation”. That album is famous for U2 going back to its roots, hence the collaborations with such people as BB King and Bob Dylan. Personal comments by the author such as “sad old men “add nothing to a review and say more about the person who wrote them than the band. Devoe Yates write U2 are “lost in a land that they helped build but that cares for them no more”, I’d like to remind the author that U2′s forthcoming tour is world record breaking and their album has been number one on Europe’s Billboard chart since it’s release 6 weeks ago. Finally while I appreciate a person’s opinion, this album has received 5 star reviews from Rolling Stone Magazine and Q magazine, two of the most respected music publications in America and Europe. I’ve been reading music reviews for a long long time, and while U2 are not my most favourite band, this is the most poorly written review I’ve ever read.

    Reply to this comment
  5. Kevin

    19. Apr, 2009

    If U2 are so irrelevant,why do you write about them?

    Is this really a review or is it really more a blog about your dislike for the band U2?

    I think you are the typical indie snob,you think you are so cool and hip and that your sh*t doesn’t stink,but it does.

    Reply to this comment
  6. Elizabeth M.

    19. Apr, 2009

    This album is so bad, that they have sold out all the tour dates in record flat time, and the venerable Rolling Stone Magazine gave it 5 out of 5 stars. Other reviews have come in very favorable as well.

    What are your music credentials? Or are you one of those types that love to jump on the band wagon of not giving props to U2 because it is a popular thing to do???

    Reply to this comment
  7. looseelectricity

    19. Apr, 2009

    Yeah, and Who are you? “Choose your enemies carefully, because they will define you” is relevant here because you can’t even get the lyrics right. The lyric is “running down the road like loose electricity”.
    You would have known that had you actually listened to the album. You haven’t and you have no right reviewing this album, You don’t like U2 , and you’re still not relevant

    Reply to this comment
  8. Paul Brennan

    19. Apr, 2009

    I hope you don’t make a living writing this drivel. What a twat!

    Reply to this comment
  9. Dino

    19. Apr, 2009

    The only thing that can be said for sure that is ——————-. You obviously have no idea of what great music is

    Reply to this comment
  10. Administrator

    19. Apr, 2009

    I have to say the first time I heard the album I wasn’t that impressed… It does however grow on you .

    Reply to this comment
  11. James

    19. Apr, 2009

    I’m sorry but you give no serious musical criticism, you simply bash the lyrics. Its thoughtless journalism.
    They’re a band for god sake, and you dismiss them as “sad old men.” if you think its acceptable to bash people just because they’re a bit older, you contribute to an ageist culture of stupidity.

    Reply to this comment
  12. Saint Subversive

    19. Apr, 2009

    It never fails to amaze me when a so called “reviewer” takes all of about three paragraphs (at best) to completely dismiss an entire album of music that a group of people have spent years creating. The album is anything but “awful”. Rolling Stone gives it 5 stars, the first time theyve done that for a U2 album since “Achtung Baby”, which if this pathetic excuse for a “review” is any indication, is apparently the only U2 album that youve heard previous to this one. “Sad old men”? Considering that they arent even in their 50′s yet, I have to wonder by that moronic comment exactly what decade YOU were born in, kid … the mid 80s perhaps? Youll pardon most of us for not wanting to take our musical advice about this band from someone who was still dirtying their diapies when we were first discovering the band’s music, k? Thanks, sunshine … Im an “old man” of 45, so Im off to collect my social security payments and soak my dentures now. ;)

    (PS … Kelly Clarkson fan, by chance? Would your life “suck” without her music?)

    Reply to this comment
  13. Patrick

    19. Apr, 2009

    My God,No Line On The Horizon is U2′s best effort in a decade,I think that on most U2 fan boards the majority of U2 fans have said that this album is superior to the last two U2 albums,which may have contained the big hit single(Beautiful Day and Vertigo) but were safe and boring on the whole as far as albums were concerned.

    No Line On The Horizon works as an album,there is no big hit single and nothing on it that is immediately radio friendly and yes the album does grow on you,in 10 years time it will be even more appreciated than it is now.

    Having said that,shame on you, (Administrator) for letting an obviously biased anti-U2 basher write a so-called review on the new album…..this was just a venemous blog by “Devoe” on his hatred for U2.
    If this is what passes for “cool” these days,let me off at the next stop

    Reply to this comment
  14. MJN

    20. Apr, 2009

    This is the worst review I have ever read! I am dumber for having read it. Do you know anything about music? You can’t stay relevant for 30 seconds none the less 30 years. I am running off of your website like loose electricity while the band in your head is probably playing a Backstreet Boys song!

    Reply to this comment
  15. Eric

    20. Apr, 2009

    He’s right. U2 are fast becoming the new Rolling Stones; known for tours and not albums.

    People are so quick to say this is their best effort since Achtung, but that’s not saying much. They phoned in the past two, Pop was a failure, and Zooropa was great but rushed. Why do they deserve the respect they get? They’re legends but no longer relevant in today’s climate, at least not with this album.

    I also believe it got high marks from respected magazines because it was so hyped and its an album with a lot riding on its back; it would essentially be good for music for it to succeed.

    Anyways, this is a confused album with awful lyrics. It has some gems, but nothing near the caliber of Streets or One. Frankly they’re not capable of greatness anymore, the past 8 years of selling out has taken its toll. Pop may have been bad, but it had guts.

    Reply to this comment
  16. nirniva

    22. Apr, 2009

    “BONO USES METAPHORS AND HE’S OLD! BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW”
    /facepalm

    Reply to this comment
  17. OogalaBoogala

    10. Jun, 2009

    We have a name for people like you on the internet. Its called Troll.

    Reply to this comment
  18. Jim

    06. Oct, 2009

    Devoe Yates…for reasons that have already been pointed out, you’re an idiot.

    Reply to this comment
  19. Tom

    02. Feb, 2011

    Devoe, I was going to launch into a huge rant about why you are a twat…however others seem to have done that really well without me. Stick to writing reviews on the Barney the dinosaur live show. It is more your level. I also, was going to talk for a while about how wrong you are about u2 and this album. However I then realised that Bono farting into a bottle would make more meaningful music than you ever could. Devoe you are wind up merchant cunt, and you know it.

    Reply to this comment

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