U2 - No Line on the Horizon

The band will argue vehemently that this is a departure from their previous work but the reality is there’s no way that No Line on the Horizon will alienate U2's colossal fan base. Producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois collaborated with the Irish superstars on The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby, their subsequent ‘ironic’ response to the fame brought to them by the former - in a nutshell, their best work. What they bring us now is an admirably rewarding sonic experience, multi-layered and engaging. The best material (title track, Magnificent, Stand Up Comedy and Breathe) sounds like U2 taking over the stadium and showing their recent protégés Kings of Leon how it should be done. But we’ve heard The Edge reverbing and Bono emoting over the grander themes before, so why blame them for sticking to a classic, winning formula? At least on Fez-Being Born, they stick their necks out a bit: it's erratic, moody and reeking of Eno. [Paul Mitchell]