Nov. 23 saw the release of the band's long-awaited 11th studio album "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb." This latest album continues in the same "back to basics" trend in "All that You Can't Leave Behind" (2000). Listening to this album, I was struck by the similarity in sound to U2's early '80s work; the only difference is slicker production, courtesy of producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. It's fitting that two decades later, U2's sound has returned to where it all began.
U2 stands alone among rock bands because of its passionate lyrics, rooted in political and personal struggles, and its simple yet amazingly powerful songwriting. U2's songs not only sound good but also have greater meaning or purpose to them. It is a testament to the universal appeal of U2 that it is one of the only bands my parents and I agree on, and that is certainly a large generation gap to be spanned by one band's music alone.
While songs from "All That You Can't Leave Behind" took on greater significance after Sept. 11, the recent death of Bono's father greatly influenced "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb." The song "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" is a beautiful and heartfelt ode to his dead father that nearly brought me to tears just listening to it.
The Edge's trademark guitarwork is in full force on this album. It is featured in "Vertigo," the lead single that you are bound to have heard in those ubiquitous iPod commercials. It is usually painful to see (and hear) aging rock bands attempt to hearken back to their days of stardom, but I am amazed that Bono, at the age of 44, still sounds as good on this album as he did back on "Boy" in 1980.
"Miracle Drugs," "A Man And A Woman" and "Crumbs from Your Table" are all melodic love songs, and all sound as if they could have been found on U2's classic albums. It is a pleasure to hear U2 replicate the energy and catchy hooks found on the band's previous albums. "Love And Peace Or Else" is a typical Bono song, demonstrating the band's involvement in world organizations, listed, as usual, on the last page of the liner notes. The song itself is an interesting detour, with a bluesy, funk sound. "City of Blinding Lights" is a perfect example of the best U2 songs: Starting unassumingly, it picks up a driving beat and gradually builds up to an in-your-face chorus. As an avid classic rock fan, I especially enjoyed "All Because of You," as it has the same upbeat tempo and searing guitarwork of that era, with the special U2 touch added.
The album finishes with some slower ballads, including "One Step Closer" and "Original of the Species," which showcase the infallible combination of Bono's amazing voice and the Edge's complementary guitarwork. The final song, "Yahweh," is aptly titled; It seems like a plea or a prayer, in keeping with the politics of the band. It is a fitting ending to a good album that should remain in good company with the other great albums the band has churned out over the years.
For a band that started out young and began with loud, anthemic songs such as "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day," it is amazing that none of this musical energy and overwhelming passion has been lost in the past 20 years. This album does not betray any signs of the band's aging or loss of direction and far surpassed my expectations. It is a necessary addition to any fan's collection, and it is also a good first U2 album for any person who has lived under a rock for the past few decades and missed the others. Although they have passed their prime and amassed a fortune in record and concert sales, it seems U2 has not lost sight of the goal they had when they first started two decades ago: to create lasting and relevant rock music.