4Play

March 1, 2009

U2 - No Line on the Horizon - Interscope
U2 keep a firm grasp on their throne as kings of the intelligent arena-rock world with their latest set. Recorded with the legendary Brian Eno and the equally legendary Daniel Lanois (who’s been with U2 since the early days), the band even spent some time in Morocco to work on this set, and the attention to detail shows. It’s a bold, huge album with some familiar elements - Bono’s towering vocals, The Edge’s distinctive guitar, more globally-relevant lyrics - and some new, like Eno’s synth influence




Nels Cline - Coward - Cryptogramophone
Wilco’s Nels Cline is not just an asset to Wilco, but an accomplished, experimental, and versatile guitarist all on his own, and this album nicely showcases that side of him. He makes his guitar sound like strings on “Rod Poole’s Gradual Ascent to Heaven,” steps briefly into club-ambient land with “Epiphyllum,” and electrifies his high-note strums on “Thurston County” (a compliment of sorts to Sonic Youth.) Cline’s abilities include a talent for balanced compositions and tracklists, as well, which enhance this set even more.




The Fray - The Fray - Sony
You may have heard The Fray’s latest single, “You Found Me,” on promos for the ABC-TV hit show Lost - but that only scratches the surface of what this Denver band’s latest set has to offer. “Syndicate” opens their new album with its catchy melody and distinctive piano patterns, and moves quickly from track to track, from the also piano-based “Where the Story Ends” to the more quirky “We Build Then We Break” and all the way to the memorable closer, the acoustic-guitar-seasoned “Happiness.”




Pearl Jam - Ten: Deluxe Reissue -
Sony Legacy
Every Pearl Jam fan definitely has the original release of Ten in their collection - and if you aren’t familiar with the band at all, this reissue of Ten is a great introduction. These new reissue packages include two versions of the band’s landmark set, a remastered version of the original, plus a remix version by the band’s producer, Brendan O’Brien; and in addition to the original tunes, you also get six bonus PJ tracks, including “Just a Girl” and “State of Love and Trust,” plus a DVD of the band’s 1992 MTV Unplugged performance.