So basically, does RS actually listen to these records or do they just baptize whatever they wish?

Look, I heard “Boots.” It’s utter shit. Therefore 5 stars is an epic fail. Nice work.

Boots is a one off track and NOTHING like the rest of the record. 1 out of 11 is effectively like 9%, so you could still get a low A if you got one wrong, thus 5 stars = an A, and this record, by U2 classic standards, is very much a Joshua Tree meets Achtung Baby Hybrid. Go to myspace adn listen.

You should listen to the whole record. Boots is, like they said, the halftime show of the record. Download the record and see for yourself.

The new album is brilliant, except for Boots, which if anything should have been a B-side to a truly worthy single, like MAGNIFICENT.

As for the internet leak, Paul McGuinness should be wary about throwing down the gauntlet to pirates in the future. Theyll take him up on it. Pirates 3, U2 0. G’day to ya, Mr. McGuinness (and dont worry, the album will still be a mega-seller).

Why do people listen to leaks anyway? It’s like sneaking into your parents’ closet and looking at your Christmas presents beforehand. Or reading online spoilers about next week’s on “24″.

PS- Brian- using terms like “Epic Fail” prove you’re a lame internet loser. Go play World of Warcraft.

You’ve never heard the term “epic fail” before the Internet? You think that’s an internet-only term? Plus, Oddjob, you’re kind of on the internet too, aren’t you? Dumb ass.

Look, I actually LIKE U2. I’m not a religious disciple like the rest of you, but I’m sorry, with a song as poor as “Boots,” you cannot give it a 5. 4.5? Sure. 5? No. That’s not perfection. And I have heard other songs from it, and I agree “Boots” is the worst, but it’s not a 5 record. Sorry, in my opinion it’s not. It’s a desperate stab at awarding a career band with a major accomplishment they don’t quite deserve. Like Bruce. 5? Gah. No way. And it’s another reason RS has no credibility.

I don’t hate U2, but NO U2 RECORD DESERVES 5 STARS. None!

I haven’t heard it yet, obviously, but ‘Unforgettable Fire’, ‘Joshua Tree’ even those are not classic 5-star albums. They’re good but not mindblowing or anything.

i’m a general fan of all music styles, but i can’t stand how much praise u2 gets; maybe i just don’t get it (but i don’t think there’s much about their music to get in the first place). who cares if this leaked; when it actually does come out i’m gonna take a literal leak all over it. eat me. listen to buckethead.

i was following diditleak.com every hour for a week until it leaked

seriously…..is everybody done yet? u2 blows me……..and continues to make shitty albums…….com’on ride that train. these guys laugh at all of you who worship them…….and they laugh all the way to the bank w/ your money. i have it figured out….they have it figured out when are all you bono disciples going to figure it out?

Brian,

You don’t like Get On Your Boots. That’s fine.

But just because you think the song is crap, doesn’t make it so.

I agree. I haven’t heard the album yet (going to myspace in a few minutes to do so), but I’m not a fan of “Get On Your Boots.” With that said, I’m sure I will like, probably love, the rest of the album. But we shouldn’t be handing out 5’s to an album unless they’re perfect. Achtung Baby, my favorite album, is an album I would make an argument for as the best album ever, but I wouldn’t even give it a 5, cuz it’s not perfect…
With that said, time to listen to “NLOTH.” I’m psyched!

I dont know what that very first comment was all about; BUT you can blow U2,You couldnt make a zit on any of U2’s asses!!!!!

U2 made a album they wanted to make. this album needs to be listened to with head phones. The opening to Fez is so odd it’s great. There is a hint of passengers and scent of MD Hotel soundtrack (GBHF, Stateless,) type sound, but they are in their own class i feel.. They’ve made a different album… it’s rewarding. I’m going to buy a copy. I want them to keep going in this direction even more so.

Finally! — an album that lives up to the hype and anticipation, unlike that forgettable debacle last year, you know “Chinese something or other.”
No band has maintained such a level of critical and commercial acclaim for so long. Not the Stones. Not Pink Floyd. U2 are second only to the Beatles.

Personally, I think John Mellencamp makes better records than U2 even though he gets 1/4 the credit. U2 is good, no doubt, but Mellencamp is a better songwriter and his songs definitely resonate with Americans more than a bunch of guys from Ireland. Anybody agree?

I can’t make up my mind on this. It is either 2 stars for me or 4.5 stars. It will probably end up 4.5 stars for me. As for “best record since Achtung, I am finally not too scared to say that I think Pop, Zooropa and Acthung were brilliant. I didn’t get into the last two as consistently. But I hated Pop at first, and I love it now. Pop holds up remarkably well. Parts of the last two are the best U2 has ever done, so I’m sure I’ll end up liking or even loving this record.

REM is the same way with me, I love them deeply, yet it takes me a good 2 years to get into their records. That is admittedly strange, but I always end up loving their stuff. It just takes a while.

This U2 record, I’m going to give it a few more listens. My first impression was that Boots was candy when I was expecting something FUBAR and off the map. There are about 2 instantly good songs, the rest will take some time to work into.

I still don’t think it will end up being a 5 star for me, no matter how much I end up liking it.

I guess I need to get over my expectations and preconceived notions. I was hoping they would destroy U2 again like they did with Acthung, and be completely reckless and out there. I am mostly disappointed with Boots because it is not as fucked up out there as it could have been.

One thing nobody should discount is how these songs will sound live. There are U2 songs that sound good on record but awful live, and there are U2 songs that aren’t great on record but are massive live. The best example for me is Elevation — hate the album version, the live version is not a U2 song, it’s its own seperate entity and highly combustible. Yaweh — horrifying live but my favorite of the last 2 records, partly because it sounds like Unforgettable Fire part 2.

I can’t say if it’s good or bad yet. It seems like it will end up being a good record, not a classic but safely in the vein of the last two. I can’t complain. I’ll take a bad U2 record over most of the stuff out there. And I’m sure I’ll see them 2 or 10 times this year and bitch about the bad songs and love the good songs.

Finally, as usual, Larry and Adam hold everything together. Adam remains the glue that keeps everything coherent, and no matter how angry one gets with The Edge or Bono, Larry always saves the day. Adam is usually who gets me into a song when I’m having trouble. And so far that’s proving the case.

Hey my Irish life-chroniclers, next time, I want to see you destroy U2, decimate the band, the fans, the whole idea of U2. Go Radiohead or My Bloody Valentine. Make Achtung Baby look boring and predictable. Just another typical irrational passionate fan who’s deeply loved you guys for 3/4 of my life since I was 10.

Oh and please play Acrobat on tour finally? And Pete the Chop. And lots of Pop, Zooropa, and Acthung. And heavy on UF too.

Thank you boys!

Brian…

You think Get on Your Boots is shit, right? Well, other don’t. You don’t need to impose your shitty opinions on people. If the reviewer felt the album was perfect, that’s his opinion, alright? You can’t question him for the 5 star rating.

Sorry, Russ… no, I don’t agree.

I’m sure Axl will find a way to blame Buckethead.

I couldn´t resist the temptation to visit MySpace, but I only found “Get On Your Boots”. Am I so silly or are all songs for MySpace members only? But I have to say, I´ve survived more than four years, so I´ll also survive those few days until Feb. 27th! (No, I´m not Oirish)

Of course it´s nice that this site offers a legal way to hear the whole album now, but that can never replace a CD. The sound quality from a computer can be disappointing and I want something I can hold in my hands. That´s old-fashioned, isn´t it? I want the booklet and I usually listen to music in my favourite room, because atmosphere is very important for me. A computer can never give me that.

All I´ve heard is “Boots” and the remix from “No Line…”. I love the remix because of its very powerful drums and guitars. This is the kind of music that gives me that beautiful feeling of high speed and positive energy. And Bono´s vocals are intense and full of joy. When he hits those high notes he sings the soul out of his body and this is remarkable. Five stars!

This album is fantastic.

NLOTH is already in every P2P server, I got a question for the record label? why so expensive the deluxe editions when sooner or later this is going to happen (leaked) these editions stands like smart choices for people like me who loves the band but, I got bills to pay, next time think in the fans not in your pockets.

Pam, click on the square with the album cover and you’ll get the rest of the tracks on myspace

This album is great. My question is that since it leaked, will it be a lot less successful and not sell, I hope not

Deffo not a 5 star album. RS kisses too much ass to artists they praise a bit too much. I heard some of the new album, and I’m not hearing what RS is hearing, just Bono being overly shrieky. I do not like the way the songs I’ve heard are presented. The vocals are just too much…like obnoxious. So I’ll try to open my mind up and TRY to get through the rest of the album at their myspace page, but I doubt I’ll enjoy it much. Ugh. Overrated U2

My favorite radio station was having a back to back hour the other day and I heard Sunday Bloody Sunday immediately followed by Pride (In the Name of Love). I them made the unfortunate mistake of switching to a mainstream station for traffic where I heard Get On Your Boots immediately followed by Katy Perry’s I Kissed a Girl.

I cried.

n, thanks for your advice, but I already tried this yesterday. On the square with the album cover I don´t get any link where I can click. But I don´t worry, ´cause those few days are ridiculous. Friday morning will LET ME IN THE SOUND anyway and Bonamusica should learn to be more patient!

Karunesh, whether you agree with my opinion (which you don’t) or not, it’s an opinion, and at least a far more thought-out one than yours. Yes, I have every right to question a 5-star rating, just like you have every right to question mine. That’s how this works, in case you haven’t figured this out (which you haven’t). I mean, I enjoy that some of the other people on here vehemently disagree with me but at least offered up reasons why. But I don’t even know why you wasted your time. I think U2’s music actually might be too intelligent for you. Maybe try that girl who was on the cover instead and work your way up.

Well… a U2 album I can listen to all the way through.

If being bold means spending time on each individual song then I guess U2 is being bold now.

I’ll have to go through their earlier releases again but from what I remember they were mostly filler and singles compared to what I am hearing on their new album.

‘Get on your boots’ makes sense now as a halfway point… it kinda scared me that every song was going to be like that one but now I appreciate more because it fits into the greater whole.

I hear they ripped off a lot of “Midnight in the City” by The Ruse.

What a great album that was. Too bad U2 is ripping The Ruse guys now…

to Thompson Bukowski:

I competely agree with you! When i first was listening to the album it reminded me a little in MD Hotel and also some sounds on Passenger. The great thing is that it still sounds like a U2 Album….and not just like some experiment. Spiritualwise, its probably their strongest work ever.

For me it is a 5star album….as far as its possible to qualify an album after such a short time.

Simply, the end of an era, as he asid himself, 2 bad albums and we are outta here, well 1 down 1 to go:
hte biggest fan ever

I realise now why “Boots” was the first song off the record, its the best they could come up with, i´m so disappointed, and I grew up listening to this band rehearse in the Dug inn in Bray, but i do have a theory…………

The songs have been out there for a few days and yet judgments are already passed how this CD will hold up in time. What a sad indictment of this era we live in of instant opinion and worse, instant historical placement.

It took me two months to ‘get’ Achtung Baby. I now consider it one of the 10 greatest rock albums of all time.

So pontificate all you want with your instant analysis. I’ll wait a few weeks or months and come back for a full review.

I am a huge U2 fan, and even I have to say I was a bit worried about the new album if GOYB was anything to go by. At first I was a bit iffy about the song, but now I love it (it’s even better with the video). Also I recently listened to the album on u2.com as i am a paid subscricer but I’m buying the deluxe box set.

To all of you who are too incompetent to understand U2 and have nothing better to do with your life but pick out every miniscule flaw that U2 posses. I ask you this next time you feel the need to bore and p*** off people with you ignorant opinions. Just bear in mind that there are MILLIONS of U2 fans out there, U2 is not perfect or the greatest band but they’re definitely in the top 5 and we don’t give s*** what you think. So… just sit back and watch U2 rise to international success again with this brilliant new album and have your little angry blog rampage when their shows are sold out once again.

p.s Not every U2 fan is a christian or Bono worshiper, I’m a strong atheist and my favourite member is Larry so there you go

U2 Rock!! Excellent album inc bootz!! No compromise with that live feel you know your going get on tour!!