U2
No Line On The Horizon
(Universal)
“Get On Your Boots?” I, for one, would love to, because that number -- the crashing kickoff single from U2’s new album, No Line On The Horizon -- is pure fun.
A lusty hard rocker with the sort of bump and grind we don’t often hear from U2, there’s a silliness to the track which, in spirit, recalls the 1997 techno misstep “Discotheque” (though “Get On Your Boots” is infinitely superior to that embarrassment). With it’s anthemic glam-pop chorus, dark dance grooves and thick, dirty rock rhythms it makes for a fantastic single.
But be aware, the tune doesn’t reflect the album as a whole. Planted firmly -- almost obnoxiously -- in the middle of the disc, it’s as if “Get On Your Boots” was a conscious and much needed break from the album’s truer and more sombre mission. Perhaps it was almost placed there as a quick blast of heat, to temper a rather chilly soundscape.
No Line On The Horizon is certainly the most ambient, artsy disc that U2 has come out with this decade. In some respects, it hearkens back to the electronic sounds that the iconic Dublin band toiled with to both brilliant and bad effect in the ‘90s, and at other moments, a touch of Radiohead’s influence can be heard.
But more than anything else, the album recalls David Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy. The Berlin Trilogy is a trio of cold, bold albums that The Thin White Duke recorded in the 1970s, in collaboration with Brian Eno, who is -- more than coincidentally -- a major force on No Line On The Horizon. Eno co-produces the disc with Daniel Lanois and Steve Lillywhite and he’s got a hand in co-writing more than half of the songs, too.
To be sure, much of the album will take time to grow on people. It’s not immediate stuff. But for the most part, U2’s experiments hold up beautifully.
On the title track, a dark shimmering wall of sound ushers in the proceedings with a shuffling beat and a soaring Bono vocal. “Magnificent” feels at first like an electronic spoof of Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” until the electronic vibes roll out Bono’s romantic lyrical imagery. “Moment of Surrender” and the oddly paranoid “Unknown Caller” are in a similar vein -- icy, atmospheric ballads for the computer age.
But the album?s strongest track is the one which finds U2 recapturing the power and the lush, atmospheric grandeur for which they’re best known. That would be “Breathe,” which rumbles in on a bed of percussion courtesy of drummer Larry Mullen Jr. and another mighty Edge riff with Bono delivering a great, picturesque lyric, his normally smooth vocals bordering on raving.
While it loses steam occasionally, for the most part No Line On The Horizon is a very impressive disc that proves U2 is still adept at pushing boundaries and refusing to be stagnant.
Rating: 4/5
-- Heath McCoy, CNS
M. Ward
Hold Time
(Merge)
Dusty is a word often attached to Portland singer-songwriter Matt Ward. But on his fifth album, Hold Time, the powerful presence puts his rep to bed slightly with a collection of songs that fuses the sparsely recorded, front porch twang of “One Hundred Million Years” to the full-blown pop and doo-da-doo-da harmonies of “To Save Me.”
There’s a sheen in spots, but never does Ward abandon his past. Dustbowl symphonies? It’s been said before, maybe too many times, but the description is apt. And though Hold Time is marked by stylistic shifts, Ward’s gift for melody remains intact.
Rating: 3.5/5
--Mike Devlin, CNS
The Lonely Island
Incredibad
(Universal)
Comedy fans rejoiced when their jokester messiahs, Saturday Night Live’s The Lonely Island, comprised of Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer, released their debut album, Incredibad. Even If you’ve never heard of “Dick in a Box” or “Lazy Sunday,” this disc will probably blow you away as three white kids from Berkeley goof on hip-hop with jokes, random pop culture references, and special guests. The beats are well produced, in large by Taccone, and The Lonely Island’s flow is strong and funny enough to keep them fresh and entertaining. “Boombox” tells the story of youth overpowering old people through music with a hook sung by The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas. Norah Jones adds her voice and rep to “Dreamgirl,” which starts as an ode to an ugly girl but morphs into a commercial for Chex Mix food snack. “Ras Trent” is a hilarious take on Trustafarians that annoy everyone but themselves. No matter what The Lonely Island touch, they strike comedy gold. Incredibad comes with a DVD featuring the trio’s SNL digital shorts and other web videos.
Rating: 3.5/5
--Taz Dhariwal, CNS
Various Artists
War Child Presents Heroes
(Musicor)
The latest War Child release, a fundraiser/consciousness-raiser for world peace might also be the most fun. The 16 featured acts span a variety of genres and are each eclectic in their own right. So, it’s no surprise that all 16 tracks are covers that also span a variety of genres and decades and make for unusual choices. The album starts with Beck’s recasting of Bob Dylan’s “Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat” from blues to a glammy electro-pop that isn’t a huge stretch from Human League or Goldfrapp and ends with TV on the Radio’s more orthodox treatment of David Bowie’s “Heroes.” Highlights are Rufus Wainwright’s Beach Boys medley and Franz Ferdinand’s take on Blondie’s “Call Me.”
Rating: 3.5/5
--Tom Harrison, CNS
Beastie Boys
Paul’s Boutique 20th Anniversary Edition
(Capitol)
Paul’s Boutique couldn’t be made in today’s environment, for a variety of reasons. The bedrock of big-name samples? Way too costly. The year-and-a-half it took to record? A snail’s pace and princely sum by anyone’s standards. And don’t even think about replicating the revolutionary recording process.
The band’s second album -- which tanked with audiences eager for more frat-boy behaviour -- is widely considered one of the landmark releases in hip-hop history, but for years its legacy was clouded by sub-par sound that muddied the 360-degree sound collages of the original vinyl. The anniversary edition restores the widescreen production to its full dynamic range, but adds little else. No historical essay on the album’s impact (which was immense) or added tracks, which is a shame. What you hear is what you get.
Most will notice the improved fidelity during album standouts “Hey Ladies” and “Shake Your Rump.” The latter, ironically enough, has never had much bottom-end, but with much-needed care and attention, the track -- and Paul’s Boutique in general -- now thumps like crazy.
Rating: 4.5/5
--Mike Devlin, CNS
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