by Heather Huff
U2's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is the guitar album the band has promised for years. The Edge takes control of nearly every song and refuses to relinquish his dominance. That's not to say that HTDAAB is a loud riff-heavy album, but the guitars do set the tempo. With the Edge in the driver's seat, U2 delivers an album that is raw, bluesy, beautifully chaotic and less pop than the bulk of their previous work.

It may take a while for many of the U2 faithful to embrace the concept of HTDAAB, if they do at all. This is not an album saturated with the great, driving U2 melodies and choruses, which dig deep into your brain and refuse to come out. In fact, the song structure occasionally falls apart and the vocals sometimes fight with the instrumentation. Some will even find Bono's vocals on this album flawed, as his voice is hoarse and raspy at times. But don't miss the point, these imperfections allow the incredible emotional force of this album to shine through. You would lose that with over-production. This album's craftsmanship is increasingly apparent with each listen. If you can refrain from focusing on the tiny flaws here and there, you'll be able to see the brilliance.

The album opens with the danceable, almost punk-rock "Vertigo," kicked off by Bono with a defiant "uno, dos, tres, catorce." One, two, three, fourteen? What? Did he have a few too many pints? Could there be some greater meaning? Speculation on the internet is all over the place, but the theory holding the most water is that the 14 represents HTDAAB, as it is the band's fourteenth release. Regardless, it works. The foundation is simple, the guitar riffs are heavy and the song is fun. Just don't expect the rest of the album to sound like this.

The classic U2 ballad on the album is "Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own," written by Bono for his father who died in 2001. The song starts at a slow tempo driven by acoustic guitar, then steadily builds and climaxes towards the end as the sound thickens and Bono starts belting it out. While Bono's vocals aren't perfect on this one, it's a good thing that the producers fought any urges to enhance them or ask for additional takes. His raw emotion comes bleeding through in a way it probably wouldn't in a perfect studio version.

The anti-war anthem, "Love and Peace or Else" begins with a bass/synthesizer distortion which may cause some to reach for the skip button. You really shouldn't, as you'd miss the albums most innovative track. Five different producers touched this song, including Brian Eno, who also pulled synthesizer duty. (See the liner notes here). The distorted intro eventually gives way to a heavy rhythm, which morphs into gritty blues and then evolves into something increasingly lighter as the guitars rise. You'll need to listen to this one often and at full volume.

"Original of the Species" is the outlier on this guitar-based album. Those who don't care for the album as a whole will likely favor this song. It is driven by vocals and piano and, unlike most of the other songs, has a true chorus. Ringing guitars chime in midway to complement one of Bono's most powerful vocal efforts on HTDAAB.

You'll hear a lot of people say that HTDAAB sounds like early U2. While it does have the raw emotion and loose production which defined their early work, the sound is new and fresh. No, this is not U2's greatest album, but it is nonetheless important. It is testament to the fact that U2 still has the heart and drive of a newly formed, struggling band. Unlike many other bands that crank out sloppy, uninspired albums late in their career, 26-year old U2 fights as hard on their latest album as they did with their first.

Labels: U2