U2 - How to dismantle an Atom Bomb

Disclaimer: This review is written by a U2 fan. Pls note that there WILL be bias, so don’t tell me I ain’t neutral. Because I ain’t =) and I got a C6 for GP so bear with my inglish.

This album is the follow-up to U2’s very successful 2000 release “All that you can’t leave behind”. To be frank, I’m expecting lots of good stuff in here. After all, U2 is a multi-Grammy winner, with superb records like Rattle and Hum, Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby! , I was half expecting a classic. Yes, I’m a demanding fan =)

To put it simply [if you’re lazy to read the rest of the review], this album is good. Give it more listens. You will love it!

Naturally it would be hard not to compare this album with their 2000 release, which boasts of U2 at their pop-ish best with lots of radio-friendly hits. To be fair, at the first listen it feels almost similarly tuned to its predecessor, but on subsequent listens, the album does stand out differently. U2 has always strived to be unique in each of their albums, and this formula has not really changed. Edge’s guitar riffs are at his rockish best. I mean it. It’s as if he finally decided to WHACK the distortion level of his Marshalls (just a guess) up to hard rock tones. Bono, oh what can I say about him. He ranks up, up there in my list of favourite singers, for his ability to reach subtle wide ranging notes and the fusion of emotion into his singing which is so much lacking in many of today’s rock acts. I don’t quite know how to put this in words, but listen closely and you will find many ‘gems’ in the singing. Lots of impromptu chanting, beautiful sort of moments one can only get from hearing live. Somehow, you get the feel the gang is having a lot of fun jamming these songs.

There’s this theme in the album, and if I had only 1 word to describe it, it would be: joyful. [Contrary to the somberness of the title … ]. There seems to be [again] many songs on love, life, relationships, but even the depressing ones have a triumphant mood to it. Hmm. I shall go through the songs then…
Vertigo (3:13)
Ok. It certainly wasn’t an intro like Sunday Bloody Sunday [their best opener!], but it’s still their best single. To be honest, this track on its own sounds absolutely fantastic, but it does feel out of place among the entire album. It’s like, they had to make a single for an album so they wrote this, without much consideration into the theme of the entire album[sth which I feel is impt]. Still, the tune is catchy, it almost leads me to think this album would be another War …
Miracle Drug (3:54)
Which didn’t materialize! [ok, expectations way too high la]. Still, this melodic poppish song showcases Bono at the best of his vocal abilities. Edge really let loose with his guitars on this one.
Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own (5:05)
Best bet for second single. IMO their best song in the whole album, lovely, lovely arrangement of a soulful song … never would anyone have doubts on Bono’s voice. He is just like a songbird on this track. Brilliant!
Love and Peace or Else (4:48)
U2 never fails to put 1 politically charged song in every release, and this is the one. Nothing too spectacular though.
“Lay it down
Lay down your guns
All you daughters of Zion
All your Abraham's sons”
City of Blinding Lights (5:46)
I had thought this song to be a replica or Where the Streets Have No Name, which was a fantastic song. I think this song attempts to sound like it [even the track title sounds like WTSHNN …Am I imagining too much ??]. Beautiful love song this track is.
Blessings not just for the ones who kneel
Luckily
All Because of You (3:33)
Oh another potential single! Hehe. Catchy chorus, radio friendly song. But it’s not one which will grow on me over time [seems the case with me n radio-ready songs].
A Man and A Woman (4:27)
Bono sings about the strains in relationships. Lyrically one of their strongest on the track. Another lovely track.
Crumbs from Your Table (4:59)
Oddly titled song, but one of the more beautiful ones on this track
One Step Closer (3:47)
Absolutely love this one. “the heart that hurts Is a heart that beats”, struck a chord totally. I love this song ! It could very well be their next single…
Original of the Species (4:34)
Nice nice nice nice nice !!!! The intro sounds very much like a music box, the rest of the song is so melodic you would almost know-for-sure the next progression of the song. Think ‘Walk On’ . cool !
Yahweh (4:22)
Sounds like a shoutout to close the album. YahWeh. I do find the ending a bit flat though.
Fast Cars (Bonus Track)
Sorry, mine’s not the bonus issue. =p

Overall, to be as unbiased as I can be, this will be one of the better albums of 2004. Unfortunately, as of now, it doesn’t stand out as one of U2’s classics, simply because it does sound quite similar to their previous one. It still holds its own for the little gems this album contains, and I’m sure, with more listens over the weeks, who knows? I may be wrong. It’s still a very polished album, if this was their debut it would definitely rank way up high, but given my [quite high] expectations, it falls just short. Still, it’s one album U2 fans will surely want in their collection. Believe me, give it a few listens. The album grows on you =)

Rating [is this necessary? Must I quantify? Heh]:
4 out of 5 – Worth plenty of listens.