U2 announces new album ‘No Line on the Horizon’

Mark your calendars! U2.com reports that ‘No Line on the Horizon’, the new studio album from U2, will be released on Monday 2nd March, 2009.

They write:

Written and recorded in various locations, No Line On The Horizon is the group’s 12th studio album and is their first release since the 9 million selling album How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, released in late 2004.

Sessions for No Line On The Horizon began last year in Fez, Morocco, continued in the band’s own studio in Dublin, before moving to New York’s Platinum Sound Recording Studios, and finally being completed at Olympic Studios in London.

The album calls on the production talents of long-time collaborators Brian Eno and Danny Lanois, with additional production by Steve Lillywhite.

Billboard runs the story and has a quote from a ‘source’ who heard songs in their early forms: “…amazing and a little out there. I hope they don’t change anything.” (Read more.)

Oh yes, he’s the great confuser

U2 and R.E.M. producer Jacknife Lee finds time to talk to Times Online about his work and upcoming fourth solo album.

“U2 called. I was brought in for the Eno-esque role of the Great Confuser, throwing out mad ideas.” He played on and partly produced How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. Not everyone appreciates his approach. “I did a session with Rick Rubin, but he didn’t like to be confused…”

Read the full interview.

U2 receive Grammy nominations

U2 received a whopping five Grammy nominations from the Recording Academy today in the following categories:

  • Album of the Year (How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb)
  • Song of the Year (“Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own”)
  • Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (“Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own”)
  • Best Rock Song (“City of Blinding Lights”)
  • Best Rock Album (How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb)

Friend and producer Steve Lillywhite also was nominated in the category of Producer of the Year, Non-Classical, for his work on How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.

The 48th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 8, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Album review: U2’s Ultimate Ticking Bomb

the album, dvd and sleeve
U2’s new album got a warm reception from the U2log.com team from the moment we downloaded the first mp3 rip off Usenet. Now that we’ve forked over dollars and euro for every single available format out there, it’s time to have a closer look.

Patrick Lynch, Chris Conroy and Caroline van Oosten de Boer review How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb:

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The Most Photographic Village Ever

We have given our image discussion group at Flickr.com a new name — The Village — and a new reason to join it: we’ve been adding a lot of photos to the pool for members’ review.

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Atomic Details

U2log.com has learned a few more details from yesterday’s preview of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb in Australia, including the running time and producer of each song:

1. Vertigo 3.11 (Steve Lillywhite)
2. Miracle Drug 3.54 (Steve Lillywhite)
3. Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own 5.05 (Chris Thomas)
4. Love & Peace 4.48 (Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois)
5. City of Blinding Lights 5.46 (Flood)
6. All Because of You 3.34 (Steve Lillywhite)
7. A Man & A Woman 4.27 (Steve Lillywhite)
8. Crumbs From Your Table 4.59 (Steve Lillywhite)
9. One Step Closer 3.48 (Chris Thomas and Daniel Lanois)
10. Original of the Species 4.34 (Steve Lillywhite)
11. Yahweh 4.22 (Chris Thomas)

Other details emerging from the preview:

  • The second single will be released on February 5, 2005, and the third on May 16, 2005.
  • U2 will perform around 10 shows in Australia and New Zealand during their tour.
  • “City of Blinding Lights” was originally called “Firefly” and was the track the band were thinking of contributing to the “Spiderman” soundtrack. (We had heard it was called “Sky Hawk.”)
  • The band will be doing some video shoots in Dublin in the next few weeks.
  • The band have been working on live versions of the new songs in rehearsals and will return to rehearsing once Bono’s commitments to DATA have been fulfilled.