 | U2 No Line on the Horizon
2.8
good
| Ranking: #40 for 2009 | |
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| | Full Review | Ratings (758) |
Give your Rating |
| 0.0 | Bitchfork | June 5th 10 |
Faux-motivational, pretentious, annoying alt-rock from a band who's proven to overstayed their welcome.
5 Bumps | Bump |
| 2.5 average | Spamue1G | February 23rd 09 |
Unfortunately, this just doesn't stand up to their previous two albums. Lead single Get On Your Boots is a fun, catchy number with a memorable guitar riff, but very little else actually stands out. The album would be better if it weren't for it's excessive length - while it's only just over 50 minutes long, it could easily have been just as fulfilling in 30-40. The slight return to the style of their somewhat lacklustre 90's efforts is also an annoyance, although the album's closest resemblance is definitely How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. In a sense, it actually plays out as an attempt to be a more epic version of that album, with many similarities songwise - Get On Your Boots could easily be seen as a sleazier version of Vertigo, for example, whilst Moment of Surrender is dismissable as a lengthly take on Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own. That's not to say that they are necessarily clones in a musical sense, but both play very similar parts in the make-up of the album, though the questionable track ordering prevents them from being quite so similar as they could potentially be.
The album isn't bad, just average as a whole, and while a few songs may be sufficient to quench the thirst of any U2 fan when listened to on their own, there's simply no reason to bother looking into the entire album. Here's hoping for a more focused effort on U2's part next time.
3 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | CelestialDust | February 21st 09 |
this blows "how to dismantle an atomic bomb" away. Some very superb songs on here. And Get on your boots sounds really well in the context of things.
2 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.5 superb | 32shutout | February 21st 09 |
Excellent record, but I would feel bad giving a two day old album classic status
2 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | PTGS | May 2nd 23 |
It is a more rewarding, textural experience than it predecessor. Highlights: "No Line on the
Horizon", "Magnificent", "Moment of Surrender".
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.5 great | j1myz | September 5th 12 |
I still feel a true moment of freedom, liberation, joy when I hear Bono singing 'Breathe'. The album is musically interesting and more ambitious than much of their previous work- and more than many others would have you think. Some tracks bore more quickly than others ('Boots', 'Magnificent', 'Stand up comedy') but overall I think this is a solid effort. Unknown Caller is an undeniably great song.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 2.0 poor | aob9 | August 17th 12 |
A few good tracks with lots of filler. Not good for a band that brought us The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby!!! U2 have lost it I'm afraid.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | mvdu | October 20th 09 |
Excellent album, yet it is not one of their very best after a few listens. Does sound fresh, though not as fresh as Achtung Baby.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 1.5 very poor | neonSource | August 15th 09 |
Another tired rehash of the same album they've been releasing every year for the last 15 years.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.0 good | Skishua71 | June 15th 09 |
U2's music is losing its feel. I blame Bono's decreasing vocal strength as the main reason although I think the rest of the band is still in good working form.
No Line On the Horizon starts off strong for about the first third of the album then just becomes forgettable. 3/5.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 1.5 very poor | fight the misfortune | December 8th 20 |
There's a lot of painfully boring and mediocre records by big name bands out there. Apparently this album was produced by Brian Eno, that fact makes this album a complete waste of talent.
Bump |
| 3.0 good | beng360 | November 11th 20 |
Despite some almost perfect songs and my personal U2 favorite song of all time (Moment of Surrender), this does not feel like a U2 album and more of a compilation.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | NightmareCinema16 | January 20th 13 |
Yes, TBH, I was raised under the authority of U2. I was easily built to like it. Whether that was a bad mistake or not is no longer my judgement. I will simply state that if you look in terms of what they were making in the 2000s, material was always going to be on the edge, most especially How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, which spiritual properties made it easy musical propaganda. And then, suddenly you get an album, No Line On the Horizon, which builds on more of a 21st century regular rock ordeal, and you get U2's enjoyable sound, built on bright lights. This really added up to SOMETHING.
Bump |
| 3.5 great | lz41 | November 18th 12 |
The last exciting U2 album. Also the last album where they sound excited at the potential of what they could create rather than too afraid to risk stumbling.
Bump |
| 3.0 good | TheBenz | July 16th 12 |
I find this album better than most people find it. Yes, it isn't perfection, the lyrics could have been sharper and 'Get On Your Boots' was an embarrasing flop on a single (it's not *that* bad though and is far better than Stand Up Comedy, which is awful and 'Crazy' which is possibly even worse). But when this album is good it is brilliant. 'Breathe' would've made a great first single, 'Magnificent' is very good, too, the title track is awesome and if you ignore the lyrics 'Unknown Caller' is breathtaking musically. So while it is wildly uneven, the parts where it succeed are some of the finest stuff in the band's history.
Bump |
| 3.0 good | Smevin | June 25th 10 |
Yeah, the second half of the album sputters out pretty badly, and lines like "II WAAAS PUUNCHIN' IIIN THE NUUMBEEERRRS ON THE AAA TEEE EEEMMM MACHIIIIIIIIIINE" aren't exactly the most imaginative. But the first half is so strong - it's got the hooks of Atomic Bomb without its god awful pompous nature - that it easily carries the whole thing.
Bump |
| 3.0 good | HankMcCoy22 | June 9th 10 |
Magnificent is a bloody fantastic song. It might even end up being a U2 classic. But this record just sounds like U2 have got their heads stuck too far up their asses. It sounds like they're saying, "Dude, we're fucking awesome musicians, so we can write weird, obscure and shit music and still sound awesome." Well, they kinda got that one wrong.
Best Tracks: Magnificent.
Bump |
| 0.0 | MrDoobie | November 23rd 09 |
After "Achtung Baby" it seems like U2 really started to flag. At least to me. Their music just seems to be getting more and more blah as time goes on. While this is one of their better modern records, it's still not one of my favorites, and I definately wouldn't buy it when I could just buy "War" or "Achtung Baby" instead.
Bump |
| 2.5 average | meepstone | October 20th 09 |
Album is mediocre compared to all the rest. Only three songs will probably be memorable to any listener of this album. While trying to rejuvenate their sound like they did in Achtung Baby, they have instead come off as a band aging like most do with little musical talent being imprinted on their songs.
There may be hope though. They have a new album supposed to come out next year. Most I'm sure can only hope it isn't an extension of this album.
Bump |
| 5.0 classic | cjboog | August 4th 09 |
With time, No Line On The Horizon really soars. "Magnificent" and "Breathe" are two of the best songs I've heard in my life. I just can't believe that such an old band can still come out with such amazing material after all these years.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Matty CONTRIBUTOR | September 30th 22 |
| 3.5 great | ino1000 | September 9th 22 |
| 2.0 poor | Mitch | September 4th 22 |
| 2.5 average | Gazo | August 4th 22 |
| 2.5 average | olisz | February 10th 22 |
| 3.5 great | Adol | October 22nd 21 |
| 2.0 poor | eureka | September 23rd 21 |
| 5.0 classic | Momus2 | September 3rd 21 |
| 2.0 poor | Wj2006 | April 14th 21 |
| 2.0 poor | Harlz | March 29th 21 |
| 3.5 great | Juuso | February 7th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | Vaka | January 26th 21 |
| 1.0 awful | Polvo | January 13th 21 |
| 3.0 good | degina | February 29th 20 |
| 3.5 great | iBelak | December 20th 19 |
| 2.5 average | JNeu | July 22nd 19 |
| 3.5 great | Uzumaki | December 18th 18 |
| 2.5 average | jw | October 8th 18 |
| 2.5 average | igi78 | March 22nd 18 |
| 2.5 average | Ozshark | January 14th 18 |
| 3.5 great | bSmith | December 11th 17 |
| 2.5 average | mrfixit | December 6th 17 |
| 1.5 very poor | Luisito | December 3rd 17 |
| 2.0 poor | wg98 | August 14th 17 |
| 2.0 poor | Keira | April 29th 17 |
| 3.5 great | Kalhur | November 19th 16 |
| 3.0 good | Xurxo | November 8th 16 |
| 3.0 good | Eames | November 6th 16 |
| 3.0 good | CHUR | October 26th 16 |
| 1.5 very poor | md5 | September 20th 16 |
| 3.0 good | maxer | September 20th 16 |
| 3.0 good | SB129 | May 16th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | jesper STAFF | March 15th 16 |
| 3.5 great | CRX | February 2nd 16 |
| 2.5 average | Nexus6 | January 22nd 16 |
| 2.5 average | Lassie | December 6th 15 |
| 2.5 average | Log S. | December 4th 15 |
| 2.5 average | daFigz | November 22nd 15 |
| 2.0 poor | Baehr52 | September 20th 15 |
| 2.5 average | edirp | August 17th 15 |
| 3.5 great | amkunz | April 4th 15 |
| 2.5 average | Mojito | March 24th 15 |
| 2.0 poor | theyam | January 16th 15 |
| 2.5 average | MOS6581 | December 26th 14 |
| 2.5 average | Slozio | December 20th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Mookid | November 7th 14 |
| 3.0 good | Morina | October 30th 14 |
| 3.0 good | Titan | October 22nd 14 |
| 3.0 good | Rumsiac | September 17th 14 |
| 2.0 poor | Thaeras | September 12th 14 |
| 2.5 average | ksoflas | September 10th 14 |
| 1.5 very poor | Pho3nix | September 9th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | sashlon | July 27th 14 |
| 2.5 average | mhart8 | July 2nd 14 |
| 2.5 average | Skoj | May 12th 14 |
| 3.0 good | Jade | April 23rd 14 |
| 3.0 good | Zuh | February 18th 14 |
| 3.5 great | Xed | February 11th 14 |
| 2.0 poor | ProfC | December 28th 13 |
| 2.0 poor | zundza | December 14th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Me2 | October 31st 13 |
| 1.0 awful | Sulphur | September 26th 13 |
| 2.5 average | Vatlarr | August 20th 13 |
| 2.5 average | nomwein | August 13th 13 |
| 3.0 good | t67 | July 9th 13 |
| 3.5 great | MF79 | June 27th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | ramon | May 20th 13 |
| 1.0 awful | miaow | May 9th 13 |
| 1.5 very poor | Schozzy | April 27th 13 |
| 2.0 poor | APJ90 | April 2nd 13 |
| 1.5 very poor | Aids | March 3rd 13 |
| 1.5 very poor | Zantera | March 1st 13 |
| 3.0 good | CK | January 28th 13 |
| 2.5 average | doncah | November 6th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | teahead | October 29th 12 |
| 2.5 average | DMatty | June 26th 12 |
| 2.5 average | Slask | March 30th 12 |
| 3.5 great | adace1 | March 30th 12 |
| 3.0 good | Host78 | March 20th 12 |
| 2.5 average | virpi | February 27th 12 |
| 3.5 great | Spacey | February 10th 12 |
| 1.5 very poor | abeek88 | February 7th 12 |
| 3.0 good | Lebren | February 6th 12 |
| 3.5 great | PHATJ | February 2nd 12 |
| 2.5 average | ANJ45 | January 16th 12 |
| 2.0 poor | iSkane | January 1st 12 |
| 3.5 great | Coast | December 27th 11 |
| 3.5 great | bonus | December 15th 11 |
| 2.5 average | Djjakul | December 13th 11 |
| 1.5 very poor | gazanga | November 30th 11 |
| 2.0 poor | KILL | November 28th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Skipdog | November 10th 11 |
| 2.0 poor | Bog91 | October 6th 11 |
| 2.5 average | gervin | September 22nd 11 |
| 3.0 good | Muikuli | September 17th 11 |
| 2.5 average | zackseb | September 6th 11 |
| 3.0 good | Hybza | August 30th 11 |
| 1.5 very poor | Gogo | August 28th 11 |
| 2.5 average | outline | August 23rd 11 |
| 2.5 average | tribszn | August 17th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | rel07e | August 5th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | rheey90 | August 2nd 11 |
| 2.5 average | X40 | July 22nd 11 |
| 2.5 average | Prae | June 30th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Jarvig | June 30th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Reza | May 20th 11 |
| 2.5 average | Nomad | May 9th 11 |
| 2.0 poor | iemona | March 31st 11 |
| 2.0 poor | mullo | March 26th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Cayit | February 20th 11 |
| 3.5 great | pj1617 | February 14th 11 |
| 3.0 good | Comj | December 19th 10 |
| 1.0 awful | qwe3 | December 16th 10 |
| 2.5 average | TanMan | December 12th 10 |
| 3.5 great | Flagran | December 10th 10 |
| 2.5 average | antrilo | November 2nd 10 |
| 3.5 great | deco20 | October 10th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | Tolo | September 24th 10 |
| 3.0 good | Texture | September 12th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Irving EMERITUS | September 11th 10 |
| 3.0 good | Photon | September 3rd 10 |
| 1.0 awful | cvrcmrc | September 1st 10 |
| 1.0 awful | IAJP | August 19th 10 |
| 3.0 good | djigor | August 13th 10 |
| 3.5 great | des | August 10th 10 |
| 2.0 poor | mcdaid | August 6th 10 |
| 3.0 good | 76TVs | August 5th 10 |
| 2.0 poor | Isoas | July 1st 10 |
| 3.5 great | csholm | June 16th 10 |
| 3.5 great | mppwns | June 11th 10 |
| 2.5 average | guddy7 | June 5th 10 |
| 2.5 average | PedroH | May 1st 10 |
| 3.0 good | JoRos | April 25th 10 |
| 2.5 average | JackFr | April 18th 10 |
| 2.5 average | M87 | April 3rd 10 |
| 2.5 average | xezene | March 24th 10 |
| 1.5 very poor | derekkp | March 22nd 10 |
| 2.5 average | malente | February 27th 10 |
| 2.5 average | MrGM | February 14th 10 |
| 1.0 awful | Inveigh | February 10th 10 |
| 3.5 great | mirok | January 2nd 10 |
| 3.0 good | Ire | December 10th 09 |
| 3.0 good | JWT155 | November 23rd 09 |
| 1.5 very poor | barns | November 9th 09 |
| 2.5 average | BigHans | October 8th 09 |
| 3.5 great | scotish | September 29th 09 |
| 3.5 great | kojpl | September 29th 09 |
| 3.5 great | wens | September 28th 09 |
| 3.0 good | Downes | September 25th 09 |
| 3.0 good | FufF | July 21st 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | Mach | May 31st 09 |
| 2.5 average | deGit | May 26th 09 |
| 3.5 great | AdamP | May 12th 09 |
| 3.5 great | MTEK | May 10th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | cody72 | May 5th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | kygermo | April 25th 09 |
| 3.0 good | Donkey | April 20th 09 |
| 2.5 average | Rudy K. EMERITUS | March 14th 09 |
| 1.0 awful | NoXoR | March 4th 09 |
| 1.0 awful | biochip | February 25th 09 |
| 2.5 average | Mikesn EMERITUS | February 23rd 09 |
| 2.5 average | ziroth | February 22nd 09 |
| 2.5 average | natey | February 21st 09 |
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