the new U2 album

I just listened to How to dismantle an atomic bomb and it's excellent. The Vertigo single will be released tomorrow, the album on Nov. 22 in the most of the world (including the UK), Nov. 23 in the US. U2Log has the full track listing as well as some more details on the album (It's also at u2.com, but their navigational structure is a external-link-preventing disaster).

Overall ... you get this funny feeling that you've heard this before, somewhere, but of course you haven't, which is one of the U2 trademarks IMO. Some definite whiffs of Electrical Storm, the song released in their second Best of... collection. Also of Always and Summer Rain, songs from one of the Beautiful Day b-sides.

As with most other U2 albums, it starts with a bang (Vertigo) and then mellows out a bit, with bursts of energy in between (such as City of Blinding Lights--which seems to be this album's Where the Streets Have No Name-- and All Because of You), and u2-style love songs, like Miracle Drug and Original of the Species. Then there's Love and Peace or Else not only great rock n' roll, but the political track of the album. Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own feels like a worthy follow-up to Kite from ATYCLB (For example, the line "You're the reason why the opera is in me" is clearly a reference to Bono's father).

One prediction: City of Blinding Lights (which refers to New York City, I think) will sound great live when the tour kicks off next year. I can already imagine an entire stadium singing "Oh, you look so beautiful tonight."

Bonus: via Anne, I discovered Do Make Say Think. They sound like I feel at times. Very cool.

Later: I knew that the beginning of City of Blinding Lights reminded me of something: the beginning of Sweetness Follows from R.E.M.'s Automatic for the People.