U2's How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
So I picked it up, being a U2 fan. Before I get anywhere with this, let me give you the abridged version of this: if you like U2, you'll like the CD, and if you don't like them than you won't. Bottom line.
That being said, this album opens really strong. If you aren't burned out on Vertigo from the radio, then you'll enjoy hearing it as the premier track. Personally, I enjoy the tune, although saying "1, 2, 3, 14" in the beginning is kind of dumb.
The second track, Miracle Drug, is an awesome tune in my opinion. It may just be that when I hear it I think of the perfect place to put it in a movie I've been thinking about doing, but it works. The tune is mostly quiet guitars with Bono singing, interspersed with some ripping guitar and drums. The message of the song isn't exactly romantic, but that's forgivable. There's a particular riff about 2:40 in that just rocks.
The third track, Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, is fantanstic. Bono's tribute to his father (who apparently passed recently) is touching and catchy at the same time. I don't get tired of this song, period.
The fourth track is ironic because it's about as hard as U2 can get and it's called Love and Peace or Else. It starts off with some vibrating and whining, but in a good way if that makes sense. This song is pretty standard U2. It ain't One, but it ain't bad.
The fifth track is City of Blinding Lights. Listen to this song and tell me the very beginning of it doesn't belong in Pilot Wings 64. I DEFY you to tell me it doesn't fit in for at least the first minute or so, ESPECIALLY at the 50 second mark. Other than that, it's a decent tune, but all I can think of is the hovercopter levels from Pilot Wings.
ARGH! The six track opens up with a high pitched guitar twang, which hurts like a bitch if you're on headphones and unprepared. All Because of You is the title, and honestly, I'm not much a fan of this song. It's okay until they rhyme "intellectual tortoise" with "choice", especially considering how they enunciate tortoise to make it rhyme. The lyrics are just kinda retarded if you ask me. Which is a shame, because the chorus works. Just judge the following for yourself:
I like the sound of my own voice
I didn't give anyone else a choice
An intellectual tortoise
Racing with your bullet train
Some people get squashed crossing the tracks
Some people got high rises on their backs
I'm not broke but you can see the cracks
You can make me perfect again
If you like those lyrics, imagine them sung in a really annoying way. If you still like them, you're probably retarded, and this song is perfect for you.
The seventh tune, A Man and A Woman, opens up with some nice guitars. I like this song, but I suspect it's about him being in love with his sister. I hope I'm misinterpreting. Also, I don't like the title. I'd much prefer Mysterious Distance, which is also uttered in the chorus. But this song is so damn well done that I don't care if he's fucking his sister, honestly.
Crumbs From Your Table is the eighth tune. To be honest, this one doesn't really stand out to me. The chorus as usual is done epically, and the guitars are nice, but the same can really be said of all their stuff. This one gets a meh.
One Step Closer is the ninth tune and let me tell you, I dig this song WAY MORE than I could dig the Linkin Park tune. Aside from the fact that Linkin Park is utter crap, this song is really refreshing in that it stays low key throughout. It's a nice song to listen to when you're driving home alone. Really good tune.
The tenth tune is Original of the Species and everything about it screams "Bono has a child." I don't know personally, but I'm just going to assume that if he doesn't openly have one then there's one locked in his basement that he raises in secret. The beginning of the tune is very lullabyish, and he often refers to giving the possible child "everything he wants, except the thing he wants." What does every child want? To grow up of course, which is what this whole song is warning the kid not to do. Maybe he's just talking to someone else's kid. Whatever. It's a nice tune. Just cut out the stupid "Duddit! Duddit! Duddit!" parts about three minutes in. They do nothing but annoy.
Yahweh is the last track. Honestly, I can not be objective about this song. Songs like this that are obviously about God but use the old names to try to sound cool are whatever just come off as fucking retarded to me. I hate this song, and I guarantee you it's purely on this basis. Judge it for yourself, because there's nothing positive coming out of my mouth except maybe "at least the song ends eventually."
Just ask this gay and faintly holy man, he agrees.
Well, I hope you enjoyed my exhaustive review. Good album. But can the God blather. Even POD is good about keeping that under control, and they're a Christian rock band for Christsakes.
That being said, this album opens really strong. If you aren't burned out on Vertigo from the radio, then you'll enjoy hearing it as the premier track. Personally, I enjoy the tune, although saying "1, 2, 3, 14" in the beginning is kind of dumb.
The second track, Miracle Drug, is an awesome tune in my opinion. It may just be that when I hear it I think of the perfect place to put it in a movie I've been thinking about doing, but it works. The tune is mostly quiet guitars with Bono singing, interspersed with some ripping guitar and drums. The message of the song isn't exactly romantic, but that's forgivable. There's a particular riff about 2:40 in that just rocks.
The third track, Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, is fantanstic. Bono's tribute to his father (who apparently passed recently) is touching and catchy at the same time. I don't get tired of this song, period.
The fourth track is ironic because it's about as hard as U2 can get and it's called Love and Peace or Else. It starts off with some vibrating and whining, but in a good way if that makes sense. This song is pretty standard U2. It ain't One, but it ain't bad.
The fifth track is City of Blinding Lights. Listen to this song and tell me the very beginning of it doesn't belong in Pilot Wings 64. I DEFY you to tell me it doesn't fit in for at least the first minute or so, ESPECIALLY at the 50 second mark. Other than that, it's a decent tune, but all I can think of is the hovercopter levels from Pilot Wings.
ARGH! The six track opens up with a high pitched guitar twang, which hurts like a bitch if you're on headphones and unprepared. All Because of You is the title, and honestly, I'm not much a fan of this song. It's okay until they rhyme "intellectual tortoise" with "choice", especially considering how they enunciate tortoise to make it rhyme. The lyrics are just kinda retarded if you ask me. Which is a shame, because the chorus works. Just judge the following for yourself:
I like the sound of my own voice
I didn't give anyone else a choice
An intellectual tortoise
Racing with your bullet train
Some people get squashed crossing the tracks
Some people got high rises on their backs
I'm not broke but you can see the cracks
You can make me perfect again
If you like those lyrics, imagine them sung in a really annoying way. If you still like them, you're probably retarded, and this song is perfect for you.
The seventh tune, A Man and A Woman, opens up with some nice guitars. I like this song, but I suspect it's about him being in love with his sister. I hope I'm misinterpreting. Also, I don't like the title. I'd much prefer Mysterious Distance, which is also uttered in the chorus. But this song is so damn well done that I don't care if he's fucking his sister, honestly.
Crumbs From Your Table is the eighth tune. To be honest, this one doesn't really stand out to me. The chorus as usual is done epically, and the guitars are nice, but the same can really be said of all their stuff. This one gets a meh.
One Step Closer is the ninth tune and let me tell you, I dig this song WAY MORE than I could dig the Linkin Park tune. Aside from the fact that Linkin Park is utter crap, this song is really refreshing in that it stays low key throughout. It's a nice song to listen to when you're driving home alone. Really good tune.
The tenth tune is Original of the Species and everything about it screams "Bono has a child." I don't know personally, but I'm just going to assume that if he doesn't openly have one then there's one locked in his basement that he raises in secret. The beginning of the tune is very lullabyish, and he often refers to giving the possible child "everything he wants, except the thing he wants." What does every child want? To grow up of course, which is what this whole song is warning the kid not to do. Maybe he's just talking to someone else's kid. Whatever. It's a nice tune. Just cut out the stupid "Duddit! Duddit! Duddit!" parts about three minutes in. They do nothing but annoy.
Yahweh is the last track. Honestly, I can not be objective about this song. Songs like this that are obviously about God but use the old names to try to sound cool are whatever just come off as fucking retarded to me. I hate this song, and I guarantee you it's purely on this basis. Judge it for yourself, because there's nothing positive coming out of my mouth except maybe "at least the song ends eventually."
Just ask this gay and faintly holy man, he agrees.
Well, I hope you enjoyed my exhaustive review. Good album. But can the God blather. Even POD is good about keeping that under control, and they're a Christian rock band for Christsakes.
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