U2 has never been short on ambition. With their last album, "All That You Can't Leave Behind" (2000), they sought recognition as one of the greatest rock 'n roll bands and succeeded. Then Bono went on a rock-star-turned-politician mission around the world, promoting world peace. Their new album, "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" catapults them along this same trajectory with more motivational, feel-good rock.
Most of the songs on "How to Dismantle" come across as mini-sermons on love, death war and peace. Yep, they're back with more counting in foreign languages and more dialogues with the creator of the universe. With titles like "Love and Peace or Else" and Bono repeatedly singing "Where is the love?" it's quite clear what U2's own solution to the problem posed by the title of their album is.
The album gives off an excessive amount of wholesome vibes. Poetic lyrics have never been U2's strength; instead we are bombarded with feel-good messages. Bono is all about the love (the solid kind now, not the crazy unstable kind) as he sings "I could never take a chance in losing love to find romance" in "A Man and a Woman."
He questions a lover: "You had so much to offer/Why did you offer your soul?" in "Crumbs From Your Table," and follows with a gallant offer: "I want a lot of what you got/And I want nothing that you're not."
What about the music? U2 chose content over style with this album. As a consequence, musically there is nothing too striking. It does not jar the listener, but it also does not greatly impress. Confident but predictable, most of the songs still follow the well worn formula of start-slow-build-to-climax, alternating chorus and refrain.
Bono is most passionate when singing about his father, who died of cancer in 2001; the songs dedicated to him: "One Step Closer" and "Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own" are also the least formulaic.
Driven by Edge's swaggering guitar and a booming bass, the fast, punchy songs like "Vertigo" are balanced by a few warmer, thoughtful tunes like "A Man and a Woman" and "Original of the Species."
Aside from Bono's switch to political everyman, this year also brought about a first for the group; they've become a commercial enterprise. Before this year, aside from contributing music to several Wim Wenders films (the "Million Dollar Hotel" soundtrack is brilliant, by the way), U2 had never sold their songs for commercial use. Now, they perform the opening track of the album, "Vertigo" on iPod advertisements and iPod is releasing a new black and red U2 edition that features the band's autographs laser-engraved on the back.
But amidst their new home at Apple, the band is still loyal to their arena-rock sound, infused with their trademark U2 political/spiritual feel. This Irish quartet has come a long way over the past two decades, but I can't help but wonder, does Bono know that in his countdown at the beginning of "Vertigo" he is shouting out in Latin "One, two, three ... fourteen?"
