Defamer Australia’s U2 Expert Delivers Her Verdict On ‘No Line On The Horizon’

Guess what follows a new single, folks? That’s right, an album! And Defamer Australia’s resident U2 expert Elmo Keep recently heard an advance copy of the new long-player from the Irish up and comers, and it’s safe to say she’s pumped about it.

As we enter the DEFCON 1 environs of Universal Music (not really, just hand over your mobile please. And your soul), I can only think that teenage me would really be freaking out right now to be hearing an advance copy of a new U2 album a full month before it becomes ubiquitous out in the world (maybe sooner, if a copyfight happy employee decides to leak it. C’maaaaaan, chumpy!) Adult me is also pretty excited.

Focus! We were only permitted to hear it through once, and the sheer joy I felt afterwards over it not being searingly terrible has forced a lot of critical faculties out of my brain. Still, I would characterise No Line On The Horizon overall as falling firmly in the Achtung Baby/Zooropa/Pop triumvirate (OF AWESOME) with a sprinkling of Boy (also, excellent) and very far from the All That You Can’t Dismantle You Leave Atomic Bombs Behind, or whatever they were called twinset (OF TERRIBLE), with only a few nods to the later 80’s with a lot of OH OH OH OHHHs that surely this band can take a patent out on now.

Want to read her song by song notes? Head to Perfectly Cromulent and check out her first impressions of the album.

PS: I really can’t believe there is a song called ‘FEZ – Being Born’ on the album. It’s like Bono invites scorn, you know?

MORE: First Impressions of the New U2 Album, No Line On The Horizon