My 175-word No Line on the Horizon review

As published on atu2.com

Whatever they say to hype their albums about reinventing themselves, going back to their roots, incorporating dance or electronica, U2 always end up sounding like U2. I wouldn’t have it any other way. But I can never remember the titles of U2’s previous two CDs. They weren’t bad and contained some great songs, but they weren’t memorable to me as albums. No Line on the Horizon is.

I’m not religious, I don’t bleed for Africa, I’m not keen on stadium rock. What turned me on to U2 was as much their military beat as a certain Celtic mysticism, their affinity with the European landscape, their singer’s do-or-die delivery and their big ideas.

For some fans, Achtung Baby is the touchstone in assessing a new album’s worth. For others it will always be Pop. My U2 is more ephemeral, present in moments found across their vast back catalog. You can hear echoes of these moments all over NLOTH.

“Moment of Surrender” reaches levels of intensity on par with “Bad” or “Please.” There’s a dash of “Van Diemen’s Land” with “White as Snow.” You’ll hear some Zooropa in “Magnificent” and “FEZ-Being Born,” the latter of which harks back to The Unforgettable Fire, while the first is the 00’s “Gloria”. “Unknown Caller” has roots in The Million Dollar Hotel. “Breathe” comes from the same songbook as “Gone.” And you may hate the single, but “Get On Your Boots” is probably their most Achtung Baby-like track in 20 years, and the title song borrows a riff from “The Fly.”

This is U2 doing what they’re best at: being U2. Except in “Stand Up Comedy,” where they attempt to be Led Zeppelin. Give it up, lads.

Still crazy after all these years

Maria Mckee

Performing in Amsterdam for the first time in ten years, Maria McKee seemed surprised (though you never know with her) so many had come out to see her.

Personally, I had expected a bigger crowd. The Paradiso staff had made their main room more intimate, putting tables and large plants down and moving the soundstage up a good way towards the stage.

She played all my favourites. Even the oldies: Breathe, Dixie Storms, Shelter, Wheels… fabulous to hear them all again, as well as tracks off her new album ‘Peddlin’ Dreams’. Unpredictable and slightly mad (she says) as ever. Another one of those ‘criminally’ underestimated artists I like so much.

Setlist: You Are The Light, I Can’t Make It Alone, Am I The Only One, Peddlin’ Dreams, High Dive, Wheels, The Horse Life, Shelter, Turn Away, Sullen Soul, Worry Birds, If Love Is A Red Dress, Dixie Storms, Barstool Blues, People in the Way, In Your Constellation, Everyone’s Got A Story, Breathe, Life Is Sweet.

Some photos

Selling the drama

Maria McKee, on the release of her new album Peddlin’ Dreams (which is lovely, by the way):

“In the past I haven’t been the most prolific artist,” she admits. “It’s taken me as much as six years to go from one album to the next. I’ve had to sit with songs and ideas a long time until I’ve felt satisfied with them. I want to make better use of my talent now. If I’m honest with my songs, I can put albums out more frequently; that’s become important to me because of how incredible my fans have been and how important it is for me to connect with them as often as I can.”

Oh Maria, if you can imprint some of this on your good friend…

Husband Jim on his role as producer:
“With this album, I wanted a more open, almost stark recording. It’s all about emotion in the vocal. Where the voice cracks and reveals something that’s almost beyond what the artist intends.”

Interpol

(De Melkweg, 24-9-2004. Click to enlarge.) More shots at Flickr.

You can hear this concert on the VPRO website. Interpol are a really tight combo and I enjoyed their set, even if it was a little short (54 mins). I’d like to see more showmanship on the part of the singer – maybe he can take lessons from the bass player. Speaking of bass man, sir, the nazi-look isn’t all that cool. Anyway, musically they were outstanding. Performance-wise… B-.

According to fans who partied with the band afterwards, Interpol hated the Dutch audience and did not enjoy the gig because we ‘didn’t dance or scream’. I’m sure eventually they’ll learn to appreciate audiences that are interested in lyrics and chord changes, and do not swoon at the sight of their skinny little bods. I hope they’ll learn that a few words, a glance, the drop of a shoulder can build a connection with an audience, who will then reward you with the attention you crave.

I’m not too keen on the new album which reveals they might be just one step away from generic USA pop/rock and lacks the serenity of their first.

… but someone got me a ticket for their next show on November 22, so I’ll have to go again.

George Michael: Patience

patience-sleeve.jpg

George Michael’s Older (1996) is in my Top 10 favourite albums. So there. Now that that’s out of the way let’s tackle the long-awaited new album.

‘Precious’ won’t make my top 10 because it’s not really an album. It’s a collection of songs that goes on a little too long, has two old singles on it and sounds just a tad dated. So it’s good old fashioned George Michael schtuff then? Yes. ‘Amazing’, the single, has grown on me, ‘My Mother Has A Brother’ is the touching stand out ballad, but it’s the 7 minutes and 36 seconds long dance floor dark horse ‘Precious Box’ that I’ve been playing on repeat. This despite the fact that it sounds like a theme tune for a mid-90s TV show about the hard-core dance scene in, I don’t know, Sheffield. Yes, it’s got under my skin, as George himself sings in this tribute to… what? Satellite TV? You tell me (lyrics). At the end of the album, George bids the business that comes with music farewell. Here’s to many many future downloads. He may be ‘Through’, but he’s not finished.

  • Guardian review
  • Interview w/ Jo Whiley March 10, 2004
  • Older & Wiser: The George Michael story (BBC Radio 2 )
  • Rickie Lee Jones’

    Rickie Lee Jones’ new album was recommended to me by a man of good taste. (When I said I wasn’t sure I liked her I was asked: “Oh, because she’s a girl?” Let me state this here now: I do like female singers. Can’t think of any right now, but I do. ) Has anyone heard it? Don’t think she’ll be playing at a republican convention any time soon: Singer Lee Jones attacks Bush.