The Singles Jukebox

STILL ON TOP…

[Video][Website]
[3.29]

David Raposa: The sound of Larry Mullen, Jr. and Adam Clayton sending receipts to their accountants. Postage due, of course.
[3]

Iain Mew: Since the Spanish Grand Prix was a much more appealing prospect than listening to this more than once, some F1 comparisons for current U2. For “Get on your Boots” they were Ferrari, arrogant winners now making elementary tactical errors, self-sabotaging all round and finishing way down in the standings. Mid-tempo U2 is more like Williams – the name once meant a lot but they’ve been boringly and inevitably midtable for years now, not even offering comedy value.
[4]

Martin Skidmore: One of my least favourite bands ever, their epic pomposity evoking what I loathed most about a lot of earlier rock. A quote that “Bono noted that the lyrics were influenced by both Cole Porter and Bach” only ups my hate, and I can’t say I’d have spotted either connection. It’s a love song with their usual sweep and sonic polish, and I hope I never have to hear it again.
[1]

Michaelangelo Matos: I admit a preternatural attraction to the groove they establish here — it’s the same-old, sure, but it’s reliable, a staple, and I find its modestly curvaceous bump fetching. That’s about 10 seconds; then they lay one of their latter-day hollowed-out husks of a song over it and we can call it a day.
[3]

Alex Ostroff: According to Bono, “Magnificent” is about “two lovers…trying to turn their life into worship.” Unfortunately, the song signifies inspiration and triumph without ever really tapping into either. Pretty, but unlikely to leave a mark, a scar, or anything else.
[5]

Martin Kavka: Another anthem from U2 that sounds like a slightly inferior copy of a dozen of their other anthems. This is supposedly the best song on their album; if that’s true, their milk has definitely gone sour.
[5]

Ian Mathers: U2’s made some good music, but their latter day work is sufficiently empty/annoying enough that it’s begun to retroactively taint the fondness I have for their old stuff (call them the Star Wars of rock). Personally, I’m going to avoid listening to anything else off of the new album and go find my copy of Zooropa.
[2]