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It's a Beautiful Album

by Spencer Ross

I wanted to get U2's newest album, All That You Can't Leave Behind, earlier, but I didn't. And it took three Grammys for the song "Beautiful Day" for me to finally pick it up. I'm glad I did. "Beautiful Day" has been a bright song from U2, highlighting what has been a politically successful year for the great Irishman Bono. This album was not hyped up all that much and in retrospect and in relation to most of the other work the band has done in the 90s, I think its a good thing. While some of the other works were a change in style and successfully reviewed, I wasn't impressed with the past decade of their music. Pop's "Discotheque" was rather sad attempt at dance-pop rock and didn't work and Zooropa didn't yield anything spectacular. However, on All That You Can't Leave Behind, the band tries to go back to its rock roots of The Joshua Tree, while still branching out into a little different sound. The sound that comes out is one of U2's finest in years, making this four star album sound like beautiful rock.

All That You Can't Leave Behind came out in 2000, the year that Jubilee 2000 kicked off, trying for the G7's erasure of the national debt for third world countries. This became one of Bono's biggest causes and his humanitarianism and humanistic attitude becomes prevalent, not only in his lyric writing, but his tonality and vocal expression as well. This, combined with the music, makes for a very humanitary sound, perhaps creating the beauty throughout the whole album. It opens with the three Grammy winning song, "Beautiful Day," of which my favorite part is when the guitar kicks in just before the first chorus. The politics and peace-pushing in Bono's lyrics become evident in the third verse particularly. Sings Bono:

See the world in green and blue
See China right in front of you
See the canyons broken by cloud
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
See the Bedouin fires at night
See the oil fields at first light
See the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colours came out

And then, a sound like a rainbow of colours from the vocals of Bono and The Edge comes flooding through into the chorus again. Impressive. The next song, "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of," is again, light hearted and melodic, building on the simplistic guitar workings of The Edge. As with most of the album, nothing is too heavy and too distorted but rather, gives you the feeling like there is some greater purpose. Knowing what Bono is about and what U2 tries to put out, gives the album a definite sense that there is a sprituality in what they are doing. The career of U2 is like the career of Michael Jackson. Both are humanitarian and both keep playing music that continues to be hits. Over 20 years of music and U2 is still going strong, still greating music with a message and still selling out stadiums. "Peace on Earth" is Bono's call to "heal the world" and make all the problems of the past disappear. However, songs like "In a Little While" start to repeat the melodies of "Beautiful Day," albeit with a lessened beat. This is a downside to the album because the songs start to blend together.

But then again, this album works together. "When I Look at the World" is very melodic again with simple synthesizers, yet The Edge comes in with guitar when it is necessary. This album is not overdone and that's what makes it sound so beautiful and pleasing on the ears. When U2 burst out with its first biggest album The Joshua Tree, it became about high paced, yet mellow riffs. Now, it is about adding texture to a pop song without over or underdoing it. The last line of the album in the song "Grace" is, "Grace makes beauty out of ugly things." With this album, it is definitely the case. I expect a couple of grammy nominations for this record next year, because its graces has transformed this album into a delight and a beauty to listen two, from the first strands of "Beautiful Day" to the last bass and snyth chords on All That You Can't Leave Behind.

2/23/01