The Q on U2's New Album

"Q", the world's finest music magazine, was recently granted an exclusive preview of U2's upcoming album No Line on the Horizon. Described as a bolder, more testing collection more in keeping with Achtung Baby (1991), Brian Eno and The Edge say this could be U2's greatest album. Q previews many of the new songs as follows:

"Magnificent"

Classic U2-isms, echoes The Unforgettable Fire (1984) opening track "A Sort Of Homecoming" in its atmospheric sweep. 

"Crazy Tonight"

Straight-up pop.

"Stand Up"

Swaggering, wherein U2 get in touch with their, hitherto unheard, funky selves - albeit propelled by some coruscating Edge guitar work, a signature feature of a number of the tracks.  

"Get Your Boots On"

Instantly striking, a heaving electro-rocker that may mark the destination point the band had been seeking on Pop (1997)

"Winter"

Featuring a fine Bono lyric about a soldier in an unspecified war zone, surrounded by a deceptively simple rhythm track and an evocative string arrangement courtesy of Eno

"Unknown Caller"

Stately, recorded in Fez and opens with the sounds of birdsong taped by Eno during a Moroccan dawn. 

"Moment Of Surrender" 

A strident seven-minute epic recorded in a single take, sounds like a Great U2 Moment in the spirit of "One".

"Breathe"

Eno suggests it is potentially both the best song the band had written and that he had worked on.