With or Without You

We promised you a review of U2's latest album, No Line on the Horizon. Sorry, not gonna happen. It's not that we feel it doesn't deserve our time and effort. Au contraire, mes amis. It's just that Shawn Amos, from the music blog at Get Back, has perfectly encapsulated what we have to say about the subject at this point in time.

I don't want to talk about the merits of U2's new album, No Line on the Horizon. It sucks. It's genius. It's boundary breaking. It's pap. Read the magazine or blog of your choice to get the opinion that matches your own preconceived notions. There's an opinion for everyone, and there's a bit of wisdom in each.

The album is not the point. U2 keeps moving. THAT is the point. And there is a difference between moving and just going. The Stones "go." They are moving on inertia.

Every time U2 comes back, we get a chance to rally around something. It's nearly impossible to rally around anything these days except tragedy. Remember when we ALL came together around a band and an album? We gathered together to celebrate each other. The band was there, but they weren't the point. WE were the point. Now we huddle in a million tribes around subgenres, chat rooms, message boards. We sit alone with our cynicism and convince ourselves that nothing is cool, nothing is right, and nothing is worth celebrating. We don't move. We barely even go anywhere.

But U2 keeps moving. They dare to get out, wear their hearts on their sleeves, and demand to be the next big thing. How many dudes pushing 50 have the balls to say, "I'm going to be the next big thing"? There are a million young dudes all standing in line to be the next big thing. They're taking your job, your girl, your place at the bar. The place for dudes pushing 50 is at the back of the line next to the dump bin of Rolling Stones vinyl.

Not so, says U2. Life begins anew each day when we decide to open our arms in front of the crowd that loves to hate. They lead with joy and believe that they can still matter. Maybe they don't. Maybe everyone is laughing behind their backs. In front of their faces. Maybe U2 will have the last laugh. Maybe the album sucks. But who cares? Who else do you know who works this hard in their forties? Except Obama. That guy is definitely busting his ass.