U2
No Line on the Horizon
(UNIVERSAL)
by Melody Fox

 

Rating:  Quite good

In my mind, one of the best albums of all times (by U2), has been The Joshua Tree, and, U2 have not quite been able to repeat such an acclaim since then. This new album, some 20 years later, is nice, but it doesn’t have that same edge…When I first listened to it, I just *scanned quickly* each song while I was in the listening booth of one of the record stores I go to frequently. The song that I preferred, and one of the main reasons I bought it, was (and is!) *Magnificent*… Of course, the 6th track, *Get on Your Boots* is the main and first hit single, but I have already launched the afore mentioned one, which, in my mind has a cool electronic sound to it, with good lyrics. The first track of NO LINE ON THE HORIZON, which takes its title from the album itself, gives a feeling of the past, sounding like the intro of the Joshua Tree, but that’s all. Another interesting sound is the one borne in *Fez-Being Born* that starts off with a mellowness, with reminiscences of the refrain of *Get on ur Boots* (let me in the sound…let me in the sound…), to trigger off in a different style. The album is dedicated to the memory of Rob Partridge who convinced Island Records to sign U2 up for a contract when no one else seemed to believe in them…(he died after a deadly battle with cancer in November 2008).

Uno dei migliori albums di U2, a mio avviso, e’ stato The Joshua Tree, e non sono riusciti in seguito, ad uscire con un album di quella portata. A 20 anni circa di distanza (parlo dell’uscita de The Joshua Tree) ne hanno fatti tanti di albums, uscendo ora con NO LINE ON THE HORIZON (Nessuna linea all’Orizzonte), il cui inizio, potrebbe assomigliare un pochino all’album di successo menzionato, ma ne e’ ben lontano. Al punto che, quando sono andata ad ascoltarlo (una settimana prima dell’uscita ufficiale), la prima volta, l’unico brano che mi piaceva molto era (e resta!) *Magnificent*. IL singolo di grido del momento e’ *Get on Your Boots* (Mettiti i tuoi Stivali), che ha un bel riff di chitarre, con parole un po’ “insensate”, forse…ma nulla di eccezionale. L’album e’ dedicato alla memoria di Robert John Partridge (morto a Novembre 2008 combattendo per due tumori), l’unico che aveva creduto in loro, e che aveva convinto la Island Records a dare un contratto a questa Band Irlandese. Loro, in ringraziamento, hanno permesso a Rob di essere il loro PR per 10 anni…

2009.4.19 (Sun.—km*)©