MusicRadar

Can U2 still cut it? Maybe...

View in gallery

3. Moment Of Surrender

Every U2 album has its epic ballad. Clocking in at 7:20 the vision for Moment Of Surrender is clearly on the scale of One and Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. Yet it falls short of even a Kite or Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own. It's a tale of spiritual awakening at an ATM machine (this is Bono after all), and takes time to build into a bass-driven mantra with added organ before moving into a chorus with a distinct gospel feel. But despite an impressive vocal performance from Bono it never takes off because melodically it's just not that special.

Nevertheless, Edge fans will enjoy his brief but dramatic Gilmour-esque slide solo. He's clearly still very much a player of taste, despite not showing any sides of breaking out of his stylistic box.

4. Unknown Caller

The Eno/Lanois touch again pays dividends here on this mid-paced song, adding textures that are very natural amongst the sound four-piece band's sound. It starts with birdsong and a burst of African instrumentation but a simple and effective delayed riff from Edge and some "Oohs" from Bono bring us back to the familiar. Nevertheless the chanting Apple OX-savvy chorus with Edge on backup ("Force quit and move to trash") is jarring to give a futuristic feel and Eno's synth break lifts the drama up another notch to lead into a surprisingly long solo from the Edge that closes the song in true guitar hero style.

5. I'll Go Crazy, If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight

It's time to smell the glove. Although even Spinal Tap would probably reject this song title. No Eno or Lanois on writing or production credits here, the band are left to their own devices with old friend Steve Lillywhite manning the desk. The sound is more of a live dynamic as a result and this is an optimistic pop rocker sure to go down well in the stadiums. It's upbeat, everyman U2 but with enough dynamics to engage - despite Bono weighing in with some intensive lyrical sloganeering:

"Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot" - plus - "The right to be ridiculous is something I hold dear" - AND - "There's a part of me in the chaos that's quiet". He really should consider putting some of these on bumper stickers.

6. Get On Your Boots

No hope on the horizon for this one. The single seems to be dividing opinion and it's easily the weakest song on the album. Bono's stream of consciousness is more substandard than Subterranean Homesick
Blues, sounding a little too close to grandpa at the discotheque.

"Get On Your Boots is the weakest song on the album"

It just doesn't suit U2 but tellingly, the song it most recalls - especially on the bridge - is Fast Cars. That was a superior song but one only deemed worthy as a bonus track on 2004's How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.