U2
“HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB”
(Universal)

How to dismantle an atomic bomb? I’m not sure that you will find the answer to that rhetorical question in U2’s new album...What is for sure, is that if you listen to it you’ll find, the old magic atmosphere and the inexpressible mixture of love, fear, hope, anger, faith, and disappointing... you will find the darkness and the light together as one. I must admit that I was quite relieved when I listen to the first three tracks of the album and that’s because I knew since then, what I was about to hear... eleven tracks, all of them on very high standards, that stuck in your head, with their words and their melodic lines...That’s the U2 I knew and that’s the U2 I want to listen to. To tell the truth my expectations were far away from what I finally listen to...

The opening track “Vertigo” (using Bono’s words) offers us a kind of electric shock treatment, it’s very dynamic, full of energy and I think it’s the best intro to the album, which does not continue with so powerful and electro songs as the first one. (For those who are wondering “Vertigo” is a club that actually does not exist, but Bono created it in his mind, strange things happen in that club... but just read the words and you’ll see). The second track “Miracle Drug” has the known U2 sound and the magic poetic lyrics of Bono, I’m sure you will love it! The song that follows under the title “Sometimes You Can Make It On Your Own” is the song that Bono sang at his father’s funeral and it is dedicated to him. “Love And Peace Or Else” surprises us with its rhythm and blues feeling. Another song that captures us with both music and lyrics is “Man And A Woman”. There’s no way to stay silent and not to sing while you’re listening to it!

Generally I enjoyed the whole album very much, and U2 seems like they decided to return to their known rock music paths, that many of their fans missed a lot since “Achtung Baby”. The production of the album is, once again, awesome. My only objection is about the artwork, and I’m referring mostly to those red lines into the black fond, which I find them rather depressing, and old fashioned. The album includes also a DVD with documentary U2 and 3 songs with bonus videos. All U2 fans and not only, must get this album immediately!

by Kyriaki Petraki 8,5/10