Track Listing

1. Vertigo
2. Miracle Drug
3. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
4. Love And Peace Or Else
5. City Of Blinding Lights
6. All Because Of You
7. A Man And A Woman
8. Crumbs From Your Table
9. One Step Closer
10. Original Of The Species
11. Yahweh
12. Fast Cars

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11621 in Music
• Released on: 2004-11-22
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 52 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
A return to bombast and stadium histrionics, there is little disarming about U2's eleventh album, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. A rather predictable if undeniably effective guitar-fuelled romp, with long-time collaborator Steve Lillywhite at the production helm, the Irish quartet's follow up 2000's 11-million selling All That You Can't Leave Behind with much of the same, something that will delight fans of Rattle And Hum while frustrating those who preferred the beat-driven experimentalism and eminently more evocative lyricism that made Achtung Baby! grab attention.

While there is certainly no "One" here with Bono proving a less politically subtle songwriter than he obviously is a proven negotiator on the likes of "Love And Peace Or Else"; "We need love and peace/Lay down your guns," he chimes simply, he does reach the heartstrings on "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own", a passionate ode to his dead father, and the equally sharp scribing "No I could never take a chance/Of losing love to find romance" on "A Man And A Woman."

As you might expect the production, assisted by the likes of Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois and Nellee Hooper, resounds with epic depth, while The Edge's trademark guitar sound rings throughout, cutting through the booming bass and honed rhythm section.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained then? Well no. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb is the sound of a band who, with a confident swagger, have finally decided on content over style. --Christopher Barrett

CD Description
Released over 25 years into their career, this is the eleventh studio album from U2. 'How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb' sees the band return to their classic sounding mix of rock, pop and strong songwriting skills, harking back to the days of 'The Unforgettable Fire' and 'The Joshua Tree'. The albumalso includes the singles 'Vertigo' and 'Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own'.

Customer Reviews

curve ball
U2 threw a big curve ball with Vertigo.A great song that offers no clue to the new album and maybe why some of the reviewers are disappointed.This isnt 'u2 as a garage band album' But as always
its just one of the outfits they wear.After being critised for lack of tunes on 'pop' they came up with 'all that you cant leave behind'.This album is ATYCLB's big brother.It is also a huge improvement.The songs are as strong as they have ever produced and remain so for the whole album and it doesnt lose its way like its little brother.Once again U2 have produced an album of outstanding quality in all of the colours and all of the sizes.The explosion of vertigo ,the melody masterclass of miracle drug and sometimes you cant make it on your own,the rattle and hum blues of love and peace or else, staduim anthems in city of blinding lights,crumbs from your table,original of the species and yahweh,the acoustic triumph that is a man and a woman, the Boyesque all because of you. Its got the lot.

Triumphant Return
Those of you old enough to have been following U2 since the late 70's consider yourselves fortunate. My first taste of U2 was "all that you cant leave behind," not a bad introduction at all. You will be pleased to hear that their latest album is not a departure from ATYCLB and carries on in the same vein of excellent form. This album lives up to everything you could hope for as a straight follow on from their last album. Just like "beautiful day," was the opening track and lead single off the album. "Vertigo" jumpstarts the album, its such a good track because of its huge chorus and the Edge's trademark chiming guitars, you will be pleased to know that The Edge continues this sound throughout the album.
"Miracle drug" provides a brilliant follow on, at a slower pace. Bono puts such passion into the vocals on this track. The excellent baseline and gradual fretwork by Edge culminate to a high emotion chorus, where the whole band are operating on a higher plain from any other band that could be compared to them. This provides the framework for most of the songs on the album, but it is far from predictable. "Sometimes you can't make it on your own" is the perfect example of this.
"City of blinding lights" opens up with a sound that is reminiscent to "where the streets have no name." This song is an expansive masterpiece throughout mainly due to the trademark guitars and the epic synthesised sounds created, you could get lost in this song. "All because of you" is a straightforward pure rock track. Catchy riffs mixed with solid vocals make this song so easy to get into. " Crumbs from your table," has the potential to be a single off the album. It is appealing in its own right and does not rely on the rest of the album to be appreciated like "Love and peace or else."
" One step closer" is a slow and subtle track that will be a great soundtrack to some days of your life. "Yahweh" and "fast cars" work well together to conclude an all round brilliant album, which uses a perfect mixture of variety along with classic sounds that you associate with U2, to produce The Album of the year and it will sit perfectly with all your U2 back catalogue ( I will have to work on that)

Nothing new but nothing bad
U2 have once again decided to play it safe, and "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" sounds like a more grown up, slightly rockier version of 2000's "All that you can't leave behind". There is one odd track her though. Vertigo, is good enough, but it just doesn't fit. Being the lead-off single, it has given people the idea that the whole album will be reflection of Vertigo. Not so, I'm afraid, but what we have got is mature U2 and the songs on here are on the whole pretty good. I find myself wanting to play this CD, whereas ATYCLB just sits on my shelf. It's not that it's bad, but this new CD has more catchyness about it and it really grabs you, demanding to you that it be played. ATYCLB is one of U2's best CDs (I rekon it is third best after Achtung Baby and The Joshua Tree) but it just lacks that attractiveness about it.

On first listening on the day it came out, I wasn't really sure what to think. I have never listened to any U2 CD and thought "Wow, this is really good" on the first listen (except Achtung Baby)and HTDAAB follows this rule. After about five complete listens, I really liked it. I wouldn't call it a U2 classic, but it is better than most. I'd put it with War and The Unforgettable Fire.

Highlight tracks have to be Vertigo, Sometimes you can't make it on your own, City of blinding lights, Crumbs from your table and Yaweh. Vertigo (as I'm sure you've all heard by now) is an upbeat rocker that is not too dissimilar to Elevation. Sometimes you can't make it on your own is my personal favourite, and is the second single. There is just so much passion about it direted towards Bono's late father, Bob. The video's pretty good too, showing you around Dublin and the areas where U2 grew up and the theatre where Bob Hewson performed. City of blinding lights has a Where the streets have no name esque about it in the introduction. It slowly builds up into quite a song, with a focus away from the guitars and onto the piano/keyboards. Crumbs from your table has a great chorus to it and there's just something about it. It's about Bono's plea for Africa. Yaweh is the last of my favourites (by the way Yaweh is Hebrew for God) and it wouldn't be out of place on The Joshua Tree.

The other songs are and I like the experimentalness of Fast Cars (although I think it is a little under-produced compared to the rest of the album) but I have too concerns. Firstly, some of it is a bit too radio-freindly. I know they want to compete with all those ghastly pop singers/groups who don't write their own music and feel that dancing to their music is more important than actually singing it, but some of it is a little too easy (e.g. the falsetto section on Sometimes you can't make it on your own) and the lyrics are also a little too easy. Secondly, maybe they could consider a little bit more experimentation for their next album otherwise they may be repeting themselves a little which U2 have publically said is the last thing they want to do.

Overall though, a fine acheivement.