U2

The triumphant, iTunes-aided arrival of U2's latest flaunts the band's rapidly diminishing skills -- both the "diminishing" and the "skills." First, the latter: "Vertigo" -- as brash and unhinged and Dude, turn it up, dude a tune as this fat 'n' happy pack of rock-god lifers could ever hope for -- earns a place in the pantheon. "Miracle Drug" even trumps it, burying bumbly lyrics (Freedom has a scent/Like the top of a newborn baby's head) in one of those monolithic, blood-freezing blowout choruses that remain solely U2's provenance.

Related Content

• U2's Achtung Baby turns twenty Saturday
  November 18, 2011
• Barry Fey on that time that he held a gun to Axl Rose's head and how the business has changed
  November 18, 2011
• Big Gigantic climbing iTunes charts despite free download
  January 12, 2012
• Jesus, Bono and the Apocalypse examined in a new film
  October 13, 2011
• Jesus vs. Bono: Who would win? The founder of PeaceJam intends to find out
  May 17, 2011

More About

• U2
• Apple iTunes
• Bono (Musician)
• Self-Help
• Parenting

What's diminishing? Ballad quality control. Those who cling to "One" or "With or Without You" are left without once more: These guys are hell-bent on pounding out as many mid-tempo, somber-but-optimistic self-help VH1 rock numbers as space and time will allow, and Bomb's second half is loaded with well-meaning, well-worn vanilla lullabies. Nice singles, Bono, but just do a duet with Dido and get it over with.