Which brings us back to 'All That You Can't Leave Behind'! There's all this crowing about how it's a return to form for U2, even though it's really rather different from their '80s work. Bono's lyrics are his most direct in years, and while I've heard chatter about how the lyrics are simplistic, it doesn't bother me. I've always felt lyrics in music were an overrated commodity, since no one has a clue as to what Beck is talking about, Al Green had (on paper) banal lyrics, and you couldn't even understand a word Mick Jagger said on 'Exile on Main St.' It's not what is being said that matters, but how it's said. Performance is what counts, not content. While I say that mainstreamers should learn to accept weird detours taken by groups like U2, I also think music snobs who think free jazz and Pere Ubu are where it's at--at the expense of all other types of music--should relax their dull musical vocabulary (though I myself like Pere Ubu and free jazz, Ornette Coleman and his ilk).

U2 is so together on this album it's incredible. The first five cuts are vintage U2 classics already and among the best songs they've ever recorded, incorporating elements of their old sound in with some modern twists. The rest of the tunes are far from shabby as well, with the oft-overlooked "Grace" being my current favorite, continuing U2's tradition of moody and slightly sad album closers (40, Mothers of the Disappeared, Love is Blindness, Wake Up Dead Man) quite nicely. But as with all music, I find it somewhat difficult to write about. This is something that should be experienced, not written about. U2 have merely gone out and proven that they are still the kings of transcendental rock music.

You might buy the CD, but don't buy the reviews.
I eagerly awaited the new U2 album, All That You Can't Leave Behind (ATYCLB); I am a long time U2 fan. Admittedly, I didn't much care for what I felt was pretentious dance-beat, electronica-looped overload in Zooropa and Pop. I have been leary of any U2 studio product since Joshua Tree. So, I carefully read all the reviews before buying ATYCLB. Every one of the reviews were glowing (which should have raised some flags in my mind). In fact, Rolling Stone magazine called ATYCLB U2's "third masterpiece" after Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. According to the reviews, U2 had returned to its rock-n-roll roots in ATYCLB. Feeling reassured by the reviews, I bought the new album. I listened to it several times, got a good night's rest, and listened to it again. My reaction is this: "Were the reviewers all on crack?" Only tracks 4 (Walk On), 5 (Kite) and 9 (When I Look At The World) approach the well-crafted U2 sound and song writing represented in War, Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. The rest of ATYCLB is plodding, superficial drivel. What's worse, Bono's vocal range isn't there anymore. It's absolutely painful to listen to Bono straining to hit the high notes; there's nothing artful about it. As much as I like U2, I wanted to like ATYCLB. But to me, ATYCLB is inescapably disappointing. Perhaps I am not being fair to expect U2 to produce masterpieces, but I hate feeling ripped-off (again). My advice: Be pragmatic, and listen to the tracks before buying ATYCLB.

Music for a New Generation
When U2 first emerged, they were hailed as the rock voice of a generation. Now, two decades later, they are providing the soundtrack to the lives of those original fans' children - truly making music for a new generation. "All That You Can't Leave Behind" is what introduced the Irish rockers to Generation X, and it's as incredible as the band's past work.

With a lead voice as unmistakable as Bono's, deeply touching lyrics, and elegantly-crafted songs, this album is easily one of U2's best. Sure, it doesn't have the impact of "The Joshua Tree" or "Achtung Baby", but it is far from mediocre. Continuing in the styles that they have made so famous in the past, U2 has once again raised the bar on how great rock albums can be.

It's hard to describe everything on this incredible work, but I'll give you the highlights:

'Beautiful Day': The perfect opening to the album, 'Beautiful Day' is an anthem-laced track about embracing life with all its difficulties. An ideal song to lift your spirits.

'Stuck in a Moment...': Though grossly over-played as a tribute song in the wake of the September 11 attacks, 'Stuck in a Moment...' is a wonderful piece when taken in context. A bit lighter and poppier than the rest of the album, it is nevertheless great.

'Peace on Earth': Perhaps the sequel to the rocky 'Sunday Bloody Sunday', this track is a pleading look at needless violence in the world, examining its roots and futility.

'Walk On': Of all the U2 songs I've heard, this is probably my favorite. Easily one of the best songs the band has ever come out with, it is truly in the spirit of great hits such as 'Pride', 'One', and 'Where the Streets Have No Name'. A great message and touching melody - all elements that have made U2 great.

Perhaps the most startling revelation about this album is how short it is. There are so many great tracks here (not one is bad), I thought it contained at least 15 songs instead of a mere 11. However, each track is so beautiful and well-performed, that you won't mind it's length. After all, this is classic U2.

You Sure Can Leave It Behind
A bland and average set of innofensive rock songs, "All That You Can`t Leave Behind" has little to recommend. While there`s nothing truly horrible here, most of the moments are merely passable and far from memorable. "New York" is probably the best track, and even that is far from stunning. This record offers nothing new to the current music scenario, presenting weak compositions that lack originality and innovation. It certainly doesn`t deserve all the overexposure it got, since it has been awhile since U2 created something truly remarkable and cutting edge. This album may please die-hard fans of the band, but those who search for intriguing music will probably be disappointed.

Passable and forgettable.

Blandness
This is one of the most overrated U2 albums ever. It did not deserve to win so many grammys and I'm glad it did not win the grammy for best album of the year. However, it is not one of the worst; it is good compared to the rest of the junk on the pop charts. ATYCLB is a safe U2 album, so safe that it's nearly sunk down to the level of adult contemporary and adult alternative hits, pleasant and uninteresting filler.

Bono's voice is horrific, a pain to the ear, especially on such tracks as In A Little While and Elevation. His lyrics are uninspiring, mostly reduced to simple maxims, such as "Believe in yourself!" and "Everything will be all right," which is apparent on Stuck In A Moment and Walk On. Bono realizes that life isn't that easy on better, previous U2 songs that urge people to find their own solutions and leave the door open for interpretation. Of course, complexity doesn't sell nowadays in pop music and that's why U2 has to feed mainstream listeners the answers to common problems. Also, the poor guitarist's talent is hardly visible. Wild Honey doesn't allow for him to do anything earth-shattering. Grace is possibly one of the dullest U2 tunes in all of the band's history.

Fortunately, Kite, though relatively mellow, is the exception to the rule, one of the only songs on ATYCLB that matches the previous high quality work of U2. A song about immortality and life, it is emotional and a soaring anthem. If the next U2 album takes its cues from this song, I will be one happy U2 fan.
The foursome come roaring out of the blocks with their latest collection. The album's first single, "Beautiful Day," raced to the No. 1 slot on the U.K. singles charts and received a similar rapturous reception stateside. From its shimmering preamble to its sweeping, infectious chorus, it perfectly stakes out the middle ground between the anthemic U2 of the '80s and the more grounded group of the '90s. With Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno sharing production chores again after having taken a break with Pop, the U2 team enters the new millennium with their lineup--and mission--intact. --Steven Stolder
If U2 hadn't used the title already, "A Sort of Homecoming" might have suited this, their 10th studio album. All That You Can't Leave Behind sounds, at various points, like any or all of U2's previous albums, as if the band is sending postcards back from a protracted ramble through previously conquered territories. The euphoric opening track, "Beautiful Day," reintroduces Edge's signature delay-laden guitar, which has been pretty much absent since The Unforgettable Fire. Elsewhere, the gospel stylings of Rattle and Hum resurface on "Stuck in a Moment," and the deranged, Prodigy-influenced dance textures that characterized 1997's Pop crop up on "Elevation." None of which suggest that this commendably restless bunch is running out of ideas. Having spent the '90s making three of the most bizarre and adventurous albums ever delivered by a stadium-rock band (the consecutive masterpieces Achtung Baby, Zooropa, and Pop), it's as if they're now trying to figure out what is the one particular thing they've always done best. Based on the evidence presented here, their forte remains a facility for making the epic statement alongside Bono's increasing lyrical intimacy: "Walk On" and "Peace on Earth" are two of the best things he's ever written or sung. All That You Can't Leave Behind confirms that U2's laurels are still making them itch. --Andrew Mueller