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  1. +1. I love the song a lot.
  2. Unknown Caller
    FEZ-Being Born
    Moment of Surrender
    I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
    Breathe
    No Line on The Horizon
    Stand Up Comedy
    Magnificent
    White As Snow
    Get On Your Boots
    Cedars of Lebanon

    Why? First off I think Cedars is the weakest song on the album, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's bad. When NLOTH was first released I really liked Cedars of Lebanon but the other songs have grown and evolved over that period wheras Cedars hasn't.

    Unknown Caller tops the list because it's so simple, yet so elegant. Edge's solo also adds a new dimension to the track. The fact that it brings back memories of seeing U2 live is also a bonus. Really good track.

    FEZ is a song that we have yet to enjoy live, but the studio performance in its own right is a joy to behold. Musically brilliant and I think I'd compare it to Exit on The Joshua Tree. It's sitting down the list, doesn't explode in your face like other songs but just works really well. And like Exit, I think it has some kind of haunting quality to it that evokes something within.

    Moment of Surrender is in terms of description, similar to Unknown Caller, great music, really good vocals from Bono in my opinion, brings back memories and has adelightful Edge solo in there.

    Crazy Tonight is up there because I like the delightful poppy feel it has to it. Sounds kind of magical. I really like the lyrics as well.

    Breathe. I placed this at 3rd from bottom whilst listening, then I felt it was actually better then Magnificent on the album, then I figured I preferred it ot NLOTH and almost put it above Crazy Tonight. I think it's a great song, never understood why it's the penultimate track though.

    NLOTH itself isn't as good as it is live I'm afraid and in all honesty I prefer NLOTH2. But it's worth it's place where it is.

    Stand Up Comedy has a good rhythm to it and is a very enjoyable song to sing along to. Would love to hear it live.

    Studio version of Magnificent, in my opinion, is weak. Live it's fantastic. Just want it to pack more of a punch.

    White As Snow is simply beautiful.

    Get On Your Boots would have been higher, perhaps above Magnificent, pushing Stand Up Comedy, if the first half was not empty. The 2nd half of the song is really good. A live GOYB in studio form would have been a lot better. If you get me?

    And Cedars was discussed.


  3. Agreed, the lets do a reprise singalong thing is stupid
    It's not bloody Elevation, it's a serious song.

    It should just end after the solo like it does on the album.
  4. 1. No Line On The Horizon (because I will forever love Achtung Baby and to me this is a mash up of Ultr Violet and Until The End of The World)

    2. Magnificient

    3. Breathe

    4. Moment of Surrender (although I still don't like the "punching in the numbers at the ATM machine" lyric)

    5. Get On Your Boots

    6. "Crazy"

    7. Unknown Caller

    Notice that the following final four songs are the ones that they didn't play live on the first two legs of the 360 Tour. Admittedly, I don't even listen to the studio album anymore. Thanks to this site, it's all live for me baby!

    8. Fez - Being Born (I really think this should be tested live)

    9. Cedars of Lebanon (great verse, lame chorus)

    10, Stand Up Comedy (decent song, just not very inventive)

    11. White as Snow (boring)
  5. Originally posted by kris_smith87:01. No Line On The Horizon
    02. Get On Your Boots
    03. Magnificent
    04. Stand Up Comedy
    05. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
    06. Moment Of Surrender
    07. Unknown Caller
    08. Breathe
    09. Cedars Of Lebanon
    10. Fez/Being Born
    11. White As Snow


    So I decided to re-rank the songs today since this is the one year anniversary of the album's release. There have been some slight-major changes in how I feel about the songs since I last posted my ranking about six months ago:

    01. No Line On The Horizon (9.5)
    02. Get On Your Boots (9.5)
    03. Magnificent (9.5)
    04. Breathe (9.5)
    05. Moment Of Surrender (8.5)
    06. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight (8)
    07. Stand Up Comedy (8)
    08. Unknown Caller (8)
    09. White As Snow (7.5)
    10. Cedars Of Lebanon (7.5)
    11. Fez- Being Born (7)
  6. Originally posted by dferryachtungbaby:By this stage I can say is the final decision:

    1. Unknown Caller
    2. Breathe
    3. No Line on the Horizon
    4. Moment of Surrender
    5. Magnificent
    6. Get on Your Boots
    7. Cedars of Lebanon
    8. Crazy Tonight
    9. White as Snow
    10. Stand Up Comedy
    11. Fez



    Since its the albums birthday, a little tribute so to speak:

    I remember my first listen of the album. I wasnt sure what to think at all, if anything, I was a little worried. I was on the same boat as Bono, ''if this isnt our best album, we're irrelevant.'' I thought this album needed to be great, was begging for another great, classic album.
    It didnt happen on first listen. The only song that I liked instantly was 'Magnificent', and I really didnt get 'Unknown Caller' at all.
    So I was a little worried. But, over time, like many people, I began to see what this album was all about. I grew to like it, then really like it, and now I LOVE it.
    'No Line on the Horizon' is such a rocking tune and Bono's voice sounds great, and the album just takes off from there. Ive listened to it the whole way through on many occasions, and I never get tired of it. I'll remember the album for 'Unknown Caller'. which is one of the bands best ever, in my opinion.

    Just wanted to add that I dont hate 'Fez'. I love it up until the point of ''lights flash past, like memories'', then I think it goes down hill a bit. Does have a nice ending though.
  7. 1. Unknown Caller
    2. Moment of Surrender
    3. No Line on the Horizon
    4. I'll Go Crazy if I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
    5. Cedars of Lebanon
    6. Breathe
    7. Get on Your Boots
    8. Magnificent
    9. Fez – Being Born
    10. White as Snow
    11. Stand Up Comedy

    1-2 are very close, as are 3-7, 8-9, and 10-11.

    The above goes for live versions taken into account, although it should be noted that I prefer the album (and most especially the Letterman live) version of IGCIIDGCT to the 360 Tour versions of the Redanka mix, even if I believe the latter better fits the arena setting.

    In my opinion, the songs on No Line on the Horizon that benefit the most from being played live (as in being an improvement from the studio version) include Unknown Caller, Breathe, Magnificent.

    Hopefully 2010 will see NLotH or GoYB opening at least some shows, and additional live debuts.
  8. 1. Fez-Being Born
    2. Moment of Surrender
    3. No Line on the Horizon
    4. Breathe
    5. Unknown Caller
    6. White as Snow
    7. Magnificent
    8. Crazy Tonight
    9. Get on Your Boots
    10. Cedars of Lebanon
    11. Stand Up Comedy


    On the whole, I love this album. None of these songs suck hard in my opinion, and even though I'm not really a fan of Stand Up Comedy, I can't say that its being on the album pisses me off. Cedars is just not my type of songs I guess. I've recently fallen in love with White As Snow and Larry's drumming on Crazy Tonight. Despite the fact that Magnificent and Breathe could have ended up being better, I still love them when listening to them on high volume.

    Not to mention the fact that the songs transform to the live stage very well.
  9. I agree. That's some mighty fine drumming for show!

    I really like Stand up Comedy a lot more than I initially did. I kind of dismissed it at first. Actually, I rather love it now, except for the verse which is way sub par of the song, by comparison.
  10. a year later
    moment of surrender/unknown caller 5 stars
    breathe/Fez-being born/magnificent/White as snow/IGCIDGCT/NLOTH 4 stars
    cedars of lebanon
    stand up comedy/GOYB-don´t like them
  11. Final ratings

    1. Fez - Being Born (10)
    2. Cedars Of Lebanon (10)
    3. White As Snow (9.0)
    4. Breathe (8.0)
    5. Moment Of Surrender (8.0)
    6. No Line On The Horizon (7.5)
    7. Stand Up Comedy (6.0)
    8. Unknown Caller (5.0)
    9. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight (5.0)
    10. Get On Your Boots (4.5)
    11. Magnificent (0.0)


    Final thoughts and a short review

    An interesting album that while it has its shining moments, it falls sadly flat from Crazy Tonight to Stand Up but had the same problem at Magnificent. Although the progression of those three tracks could be seen as a moment of conception - go crazy, get out and stand up - or not. Easily the best, apart from those tracks of the last 12 years and hoping they continue in a similar direction to it because while this is not rock as many are used to with this band, it's better than any kind of rock they've tried lately.

    Magnificent in particular is an interesting note of thought too. It was said 'to be a throwback to U2's early days'. I'm not sure how it is, because it sounds like something modern that shouldn't have ever been released. It's a terrible track, and while it tries to sound cool, it just doesn't do it for me. Sorry.

    A note on production with No Line On The Horizon. Some of the tracks (Stand Up and Magnificent in particular) sound beyond horrible even on a decent sound system so it makes one wonder how poorly recorded were the songs before going into pressing and production, or has it suffered like the last two from the current loudness wars and this is where the problem lies? Ah well, always time for the inevitable super-deluxe-remaster coming in 2015.

    It certainly doesn't break any new ground but it's a welcome change from the 'made for radio crowd' U2 have been pumping out for 12 years and the 'ideas' here, from the birds in Unknown Caller to the bustling crowds of people in Fez on that track through to the 'fuzz-solo' in Stand Up Comedy.

    The lyrics can be a bit odd at times, to say the least - e.g. 'restart and reboot yourself' in Unknown Caller to the 'punching in the numbers at the ATM machine' - it's just an ATM, otherwise you have 'punching in the numbers at the automated teller machine machine' - although just try singing 'punching in the numbers at the ATM', then try ''punching in the numbers at the ATM machine'. What do you reckon sounds better - so it was a catch-22 here. I also like the use of sampling - as in Unknown Caller 'let me in the sound, sound, sound, meet me in the sound', from Get On Your Boots, and 'Against The Sky' from The Pearl - one of Brian Eno and Harold Budd's collaborations. You should try something of theirs together - it is fascinating.

    A much harder album to get into than the last two were, and I think the reason being it goes in three completely different areas within 54 minutes and jumps between songs to more styles! It definitely challenges on a higher level than most other commercial albums of U2's ranks (ATYCLB and HTDAAB I'm talking about here), but ultimately rewards those who get through the whole thing.

    Last, the artwork. I kinda thought at the beginning 'Meh, it's...eh...I dunno'. But after a while, I got to like it. It matches the minimalism of some of these tracks.

    8.5 bananas out of 10.
  12. 1. Cedars - I love the sort of swirling darkness of this track. Also the strange and interesting lyrics.
    2. Fez - Beginning is superb; very eerie but melodic, the rest (part 2) is clever.
    3. NLOTH- Good bass. I love the final third of the song where Brian Eno adds some electronics.
    4. White as Snow - I like how bono's voice soars: 'the water it was icy as it washed...'
    5. Magnificent - The main riffs from Edge are repeated too much, otherwise great.
    6. Stand Up - Fat edge riff combined with bono's lyrics, this one's a bit juicy.
    7. Crazy - Like Edge's chimes here.
    8. Moment of - Bono's too loud.
    9. Boots - The remixes are better. Great lyrics though.
    10. Breathe - Messy lyrics and guitars.
    11. Unknown Caller - Sounds like three different songs, one after the other.
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Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.
Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.