no line on the horizon.
i’m sitting in my kitchen, listening to the new u2 record.
and just digging the shit out of it.
it is so good.
the album is a whole.
an event.
53 minutes and 41 seconds of moment.
to me, U2 spent the 2000s chasing a parade they used to lead.
they made collections of songs, not albums.
and from a band that made ‘war,’ ‘unforgettable fire,’ ‘joshua tree,’
‘achtung-FUCKING-baby!’… even ‘pop,’ i expected more.
i expected journeys…
(not to be confused with journey. who fucking rule, btw.)
not just songs strung loosely around a few singles.
i’m not saying the new record is perfect…. it isn’t.
but what is so kick ass about it is…. THE ALBUM IS THE STAR!
my dad always talks about the boston celtics in their prime.
how in the 70’s and 80’s they worked as a unit…. a true team.
they were all great players, in such a way that no one person stood out.
support vs stars.
that’s what this record is.
and i welcome it… finally!
do i wish there was a ‘with or without you’ on here, or a ‘one?’
of course i do…
but to see the biggest band on the planet come back around
and embrace a concept as out of fashion as a complete album
is fucking exhilarating…
other bands talk about it and maybe tie their songs
together with a loose theme,
but u2 ALWAYS put concept before songs.
and then their songs emerged out of a larger, grander thing…
on the last few albums though, i felt like they had lost that thread…
everyone loves to bitch about how labels destroyed the album.
how the average music listeners lost faith, after being sold
one or two worthwhile songs for $15….
what is so bad ass to me… right here, this morning, in my kitchen
is that u2 actually REGAINED their faith.
they went for a CD that unfolds…. like a movie. or a book.
they dug in and made something that’s worth $15.
that’s worth the effort.
that grows and evolves the more time the listener invests in it.
and how fucking cool is that?!!
November 12th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
u2. <3
November 12th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Sold! Have always loved U2 and have been meaning to buy the album. Now I will and in CD form. Thanks for the push!!
November 12th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
My dad talks about those Celtics, the 70’s Celtics all the time, too…specifically the ’76 Celtics…
And U2. Yes. What you said. An album that in and of itself is not only a progression, or a story, but something that hasn’t been done in so long…or at least not enough.
The way you speak of it working together without anytone standing alone makes me think of the Abbey Road Medley. Well, in my opinion, MedleyS. There’s two, there, I think. Sun Kin through Bathroom Window and then Golden Slumbers through The End. It’s like that. Epic. But not epic as in majesctic or heroic, but epic as in worthy.
Yeah, like that.
November 12th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
I’m glad that there are still people out there like you (and me) that appreciate what an ALBUM really is. It’s so rare to find a record that really digs in and tells a complete story these days. It’s kind of sad, actually. But it makes it extra sweet to find the gems that are truly worth it.
November 12th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Left a comment on your myspace page…thanks Matt.
November 12th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
I was not a fan of Sexy Boots. Fortunately, during a long, late night drive across Montana I stumbled onto a local radio station that was (somehow, I have no idea how they got permission for this) playing the entire album start to finish. I really liked the album A LOT. And I almost missed it because judging only from the single, I wasn’t really going out of my way to find it.
Also, thanks for reminding me of the Celtics. It was during the 80s watching Celtics games with my mom that I learned most of my swear words. We’d be on our feet in our living room screaming at the television. My mom’s trademark phrase she’d yell was, “Go back to the Braille School and learn to ref!” As an awkward, gangly eighth-grader on the girls’ basketball team because it was the year they decided to stop cutting people, these guys were heroes to me. I learned my kick ass gooseneck-style free throw from Larry Bird. Ah. Good times.
November 12th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
The major reason why I revel in the yesteryear of hoops. I refuse to upgrade my NBA Encyclopedia.
That’s the trouble with today, most are out to get theirs. Regardless of talent or even luck, the “me” mentality can only sustain so far whether in business, hoops, and yes music.
November 12th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Yeah. What he said.
Nice blog. Good thoughts. (What do you think “No Line on the Horizon” refers to?)
Have you heard the new Switchfoot album? “Hello Hurricaine” is similar in this way. So is David Cook’s record, but I suspect you already are aware of that.
btw, When is your next one coming out, and what concept will you be building it around? I’m already looking forward to new music from you.
-SC
November 12th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Well said Matt! Though, too bad Bono believes all the hype about himself. It was so nice when he seemed like a person instead of a symbol.
November 12th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
What really impresses me. Matt snuck in a sports reference on us. When has that ever happened?
November 12th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Well hot damn I will have to buy that one. Such an enthusiastic review is bound to be something good. Thanks
November 16th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
so i’m just sitting hosting an event of my own tonight by playing the latest and greatest u2 album unfortunately not in the kitchen although that is my room of choice and i felt inclined to comment on your blog. it is a rare yet magical occasion for me to read something instead of watching tv which is my typical routine after getting off work and that says alot about your recent post. i 100% agree with every word that you used to describe u2, every metaphor if you wish, although you are an artist so i expect nothing less. u2 has been my favorite band since i was a little girl jamming out with my dad and they continue to hold a high number spot in my top 3 but for the past 4 years or so you have coined the title of #1 and i’m sure you get a ton of support mail but it never hurts to hear how much your fans appreciate what you do as an artist. so thank you for also giving the listeners more faith.
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:10 pm
I was recently at the Body Worlds and the Brain exhibit in Philadelphia and stumbled upon this quote that I had to share. It was featured with a display on how the brain processes sound and music.
“When a beautiful piece of music moves us to tears or sends chills down our back, the areas that light up in the brain include those activated when we indulge our greatest pleasures. Our heart rate and respiration change. Blood flows increase in those parts of the brain associated with reward, motivation and arousal. Such strong psychological reactions are usually reserved for human survival. Music in our daily life may play a far more significant part in our mental and physical well-being than we ever imagine.”
As a musician, I am sure the last sentence seems obvious to you. However, for scientists to make such an acknowledgement speaks volumes. I’ve heard you describe the transformative power of U2’s music many times in concert and read about it here on your blog. While I do not have your eloquence, I thought you should know that your music has that same effect on people. For me, it is your music that transcends.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Saw U2 in Vancouver…awesome show - this time I took my boys who love love love U2 (they are 6 and 8). Talk about mind blowing for them. I have loved U2 since I first heard Sunday Bloody Sunday for the first time…Bono Vox and his cool mullet.
My youngest son is named after the Joshua Tree album. Still my favourite. New album is awesome…and, btw, Journey rocks! Steve Perry’s got the pipes, man!
December 17th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
A Boston Celtic reference? You are utterly perfect.
December 30th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
i’m a huge U2 fan going back to the mid-80s. I seem to be in the minority here. I don’t like “no line……”. The instrumental side of things are cool, but I can’t get wrap my head around Bono’s singing and its integration into the music. It seems really disjointed to me for some reason. It’s surprising given the enormously positive critical acclaim this album has received. To add insult to injury, the only song I really like is on the video (the one where the dude is riding the motorcycle) and not on the album.
But it’s all good, cuz Some Mad Hope rocked!