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'No Line on the Horizon' Is No Radical Reinvention of U2 (Hooray!)'No Line on the Horizon' Is No Radical Reinvention of U2 (Hooray!)

What's so great (and what's not) about the band's new album.

Andy Whitman | posted 2/26/2009 10:19AM

"Time is irrelevant, it's not linear," Bono proclaims near the beginning of No Line on the Horizon (4 stars), U2's 12th studio album, which releases March 3 but is already posted on the band's MySpace ...

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jay	Posted: March 09, 2009 10:45 PM


Mr. Lately- you are obviously drowning in your own arrogance.

Best man

Posted: March 08, 2009 8:42 PM


"What about the "s..." word in Cedars of Lebanon?" You mean "skubalon?" Yeah. Paul used that too. And guess what, it means basically the same thing as the other "s..." word.

Gavin Sunday

Posted: March 07, 2009 1:34 PM


Does Bono claim to believe in a living, risen Lord Jesus Christ -- seated at the right hand of God -- who has conquered death and will return for His bride?

RICHARD POWELL

Posted: March 07, 2009 3:14 AM

REREADING J C LATELY'S POST AGAIN WITH A CLEAR HEAD AND NOT SUFFERING FROM JET LAG AS I WAS WHEN I FIRST READ IT,I REALISE NOW THAT IS AS WE BRITISH CALL IT,A TOTAL 'WIND-UP'. NICE ONE MATE,I FELL FOR IT HOOK LINE AND SINKER. WE BRITISH PRIDE OURSELVES IN THINKING THAT WE INVENTED SATIRE.BUT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU YANKS ARE PRETTY GOOD AT IT TOO. THE U2 ALBUM BY THE WAY,GETS BETTER WITH EVERY LISTEN.GREAT REVIEW OF SPRINGSTEEN TOO. MY WIFE AND I HAVE JUST COME BACK FROM OUR FIRST VISIT TO THE US.NEW YORK.WHAT A FATNASTIC CITY.WE FELT SAFER THAT IN THE UK.ITS REALLY HORRIBLE OVER HERE.THE STREETS AT NIGHT ARE FULL OF DRUNKEN HOOLIGANS. THANKS TO ALL THE FRIENDLY PEOPLE IN NYC WHO HELPED MAKE OUR TRIP THE BEST HOLIDAY WE'VE EVER HAD. RICHARD POWELL

James

Posted: March 05, 2009 5:15 PM


I love this new album! As for you Mr. Jonathan C Lately, you better check yourself. You're the one that doesn't sound the least bit Christian with that horrible attitude.

will	Posted: March 05, 2009 10:47 AM


best christian poetry out there!

You and I will magnify...The Magnificent.

Posted: March 04, 2009 7:29 PM

Bono is a Christian. He has been extraordinarily open about it. He has made it his mission in life to help the world's poorest, the ones we were commanded by God to look out for and care for in the Bible. In doing this, he has helped to save countless lives. If that isn't putting your faith into action, then I don't know what is. U2 has dealt with faith in their music from the very beginning, and continues to do so, in a thoughtful, beautiful way. U2's new album is incredible. It's a breath of fresh air musically, and lyrically it's absolutely brilliant. In my opinion, it is easily better than the band's last two albums. Thanks for the great review, Mr. Whitman.

Bill	Posted: March 04, 2009 4:14 PM


Bono has no reason to play believers. I personally know folks that have spent time with Bono and have been very impressed with his faith. He is very out spoken when it comes to his faith and reaching out to the hurting.

Boomer

Posted: March 04, 2009 2:41 PM


What about the "s..." word in Cedars of Lebanon? Is this why you can't find this at the Christian bookstores? My local Christian book store has been carrying all the U2 cd's of late but now they've completely taken them off their shelf. Interesting to say the least....

Jake	Posted: March 04, 2009 2:17 PM

Great review of an excellent album by a rock group that consistently makes music that has challenged me to think more deeply about my faith. Its too bad that so many Christians are so concerned with judging and condemning fellow believers. Too bad we can't all pour that energy into serving others and actually living out what Jesus taught - the world would be a much better place, and I suspect that our service would do much more to draw people to Jesus than our in-fighting. Bono certainly has his issues, which he is often the first to admit. He's also done a great deal of good in this world, and I'm grateful for his challenge to think about how we treat those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Nobody here is in a position to judge the sincerity of his confession of faith - that's God's job. But Jesus did tell us that we would know people by their fruits - and from where I sit, Bono seems to be producing very good fruit.

zmster

Posted: March 04, 2009 11:11 AM


Um,does no one get irony & sarcasm? Bono and better yet Jesus himself has used it. Reread what johnny C wrote and this time think "sarcasm to make a point."

Andy Whitman

Posted: March 04, 2009 10:23 AM

Re: Bono's confession of faith, he has stated repeatedly, in interviews from the past three decades, that he is a Christian. The evidence is also all over his music if you have ears to hear. And see. Just read the lyrics from the new album. If you're still disposed to doubt his claims, contrary to all that evidence, you might want to try something radical like praying for him. Just a thought. I'm also curious whether anyone has actually listened to the new album.

Good Enough for Me

Posted: March 04, 2009 10:12 AM

Re: confession of faith: From "Bono in Conversations" Bono: ...I'd be in big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge. It doesn't excuse my mistakes, but I'm holding out for Grace. I'm holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don't have to depend on my own religiosity. Interviewer: The Son of God who takes away the sins of the world. I wish I could believe in that. Bono: The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world, so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death. It's not our own good works that get us through the gates of Heaven.

Romans1

Posted: March 04, 2009 9:22 AM


What confession of faith? The notion that Bono is a Christian is wishful thinking on the part of those fans who happen to be believers. Bono is playing them.

Jonathan C Lately

Posted: March 03, 2009 7:06 PM


Satire? Hardly. Christianity is a SERIOUS matter. There won't be any laughing when Jesus returns. It'll be rod of iron time.

Diane

Posted: March 03, 2009 3:01 PM


Thanks, Mr. Lately, for your wonderful satire. I loved the truth it points out.

Stephanie of Asphalt Eden

Posted: March 03, 2009 11:52 AM


Whether you like them or not, it looks like U2 is taking over NYC::: http://asphalteden.blogspot.com/2009/03/u2-takes-over-new-york.ht ml

lisa	Posted: March 02, 2009 9:50 PM


Excellent U2 keep on putting out the cds.

Chris

Posted: March 02, 2009 8:26 PM


Yo Johnathan, you might want to pick up a good book that talks about all the things Jesus did do, it is called the Bible

richard powell

Posted: March 02, 2009 4:49 PM

i've followed u2 since 'boy'. i love them to bits and as a young christian back in 1980 when 'boy' came out . that album spoke to me then just as much as certain albums by 'the who' or the 'beatles' or the 'rolling stones' spoke to teenagers from previous decades.the new album on first listen, sounds fresh and invigorating.classic u2 mixed with something new.however i write this post not to voice an opinion re. u2.there's enough of those floating around as it is.no,i'm writing to voice my disgust at a post by someone called johhny c lateley. his comments re.african orphans are nauseating and disgusting.i havnt got a bible immediately to hand,and i'm not a biblical scholar.im not even a perfect christian,but i do remember the passage where jesus mentions that 'not all people who call me lord will enter the kingdom of heaven and when you do this to the least of your brothers ,you do it to me.' im sure jesus weeps when he reads such rubbish uttered in his name.so so sad. richard.

Mick	Posted: March 01, 2009 10:12 PM


It's certainly obvious that someone isn't a Christian, but it's not Bono.

Jonathan C Lately

Posted: March 01, 2009 5:06 PM

Look. It's obvious that this man Bono is not a Christian. The Bible clearly says that "The poor will always be with you" and "If a man doesn't work, neither shall he eat." When are these African orphans going to start earning their own keep? I am an American, a citizen of the nation that has brought freedom, peace and prosperity to the whole world. I deserve my high lifestyle, and earned everything I have. Why should I be ashamed of that? And why should I have to listen to a lecture by some rich rockstar about giving my stuff away to a bunch of people who probably aren't even Christians? These socialists know nothing about Jesus, and act like he would just hang around degenerates and drunkards if he was here today, giving away all of his riches and undeserved favor, scandalizing the church and ruining any chances for a lasting political legacy. Beware of people who want to give gifts to the undeserving. They'll lead you astray every time.

Nicholas

Posted: February 28, 2009 7:07 PM


Don't take rock so seriously. Only Dylan really deserved it.

Carolyn

Posted: February 27, 2009 10:01 AM

I'm a 55-yr.-old who got to know U2 later in life through my oldest daughter. I LOVE the music these guys make -- sometimes it's like going to the Psalms. I thank God for the work that Bono does for the least of these (Matt.25:40). I quite like the fact that Bono and his songs cannot be put in tidy little spiritual boxes with neat, simple Christian labels. A lot of his work is more poetry than lyrics. "Grace" --last track on "All You Can't Leave Behind" -- is a beautiful meditation on the substance of I Cor. 13. He who has ears, let him hear.

Claudia

Posted: February 27, 2009 9:15 AM

To honest with you i dont know where Bono and GOD stand. Here is a man on his last album that included a DVD, talks about staying up late and drinking, then in another breath blastes the modern day church for not doing enough for the poor, then in another breath swears like an old sailor. Who can tell where he stands, he has always struck me as a man who wrestles with GOD and has never come to peace with GOD. I believe then we should just judge the music.

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