How To Dismantle An Atomic Bono

I love the anticipation and excitement of waiting for something you REALLY want. Unfortunately, the hype can sometimes overshadow the actually receiving of said wanted item. On my first play of U2's latest album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, I was incredibly disappointed. It's instantly recognisable as a U2 album. There's Edge's trademark guitar playing, and Bono's pleading, coaxing lyrics. There's the return of the usual themes of love, longing, spirituality and being lost. With the middle section of "Vertigo" taken from the Boy album, it even borrows from previous U2 songs.

How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is probably the most commercial album that U2 have ever put out. This is not the album of a band trying to reaffirm their status of rock gods. This is an attempt to please everyone. The tracks are all safe and mainstream radio-friendly. There are some stand out uplifting, anthemic songs ("Vertigo," "All Because of You" and "City of Blinding Lights"), which are easily comparable with the best on The Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby.

The rest of the album is mainly made up of slower tracks and ballads. These are too frequently unmemorable and mediocre. They sound like they should be on a film soundtrack as background music. U2 used to have a reputation for being different, for creating new sounds. Think of "Miami," "Numb" and "Elvis Presley and America." On How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, the strangest inclusions are a few Spanish phrases and a flamenco-influenced beginning to "Fast Cars." U2 were frequently criticised for their musical diversions, but at least in the past they tried.


-- Daisy Gale