Quick Bits (Mini Reviews Of New Releases)

U2 – No Line On the Horizon
Contrary to the suggestion of the first single "Get on Your Boots" — its riffs and chant sounding like a cheap mashup stitched together in GarageBand — this isn't as bad as it seems. The white-boy funk of "Stand Up Comedy," the not-nearly-as-bad-as-its-title track "I'll Go Crazy if I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" - “No Line on the Horizon” is about mellow tones and midtempo meditation. Too often, the album whispers in a murmur so quiet it's quite easy to ignore. Upon first listen it seems as if it would be a classic grower, an album that gets better with repeated spins, but that repetition only makes the album more elusive, with no direction at all. Recommended with reservations. Standout tracks: Stand Up Comedy; I'll Go Crazy if I Don't Go Crazy Tonight. You can purchase the Box Set here.



Bruce Springsteen – Working On A Dream
With bright, brittle production you expect a pure positive record, which isn't true. Most vividly in the broken spirit of "The Wrestler," and Bruce mourning departed E Street Band member Danny Federici with "The Last Carnival." Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren's guitars chime like the Byrds; the band knocks out a tough little blues number on "Good Eye"; and Springsteen shows a knack for pure pop on "Surprise, Surprise” But other than those highlights the album is hampered by the digital production that muffles the music's imagination and impact. The production feels tiny and constrained. The album would be better if the sound matched the sentiment. Not recommended. Standout tracks: The Wrestler; Good Eye; The Last Carnival. You can purchase the Deluxe Edition here.