For one reason or another, U2’s 2004 release How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is the album everyone loves to hate. Four years after it’s release, I am beginning to realize it suffered the same poor reception as R.E.M.’s album of the same year, Around the Sun, did. Both albums lack a clear musical direction. There are several strong songs, but as a whole album package, both are fairly weak. Atomic Bomb cannot seem to decide what it wants to be.

While still in production, Bono described Atomic Bomb as “punk rock from Venus”. Well, sorry Bono, it’s far from it (whatever punk rock from Venus is suppose to sound like). I feel that U2 took too long to make this record and lost focus somewhere along the way. In fact, one can almost hear this if the track listing was written and recorded chronologically (more on that later). This feels more like a collection of songs U2 happen to all record in 2004 rather than an album.

However, this is not going to be a complete Atomic Bomb bashing article. This album came out in the first half of my senior year in high school and was the first album that I really listened to and paid attention musically. This album has some really good instrumentation and actually has a lot going on if you listen closely. The really strong songs on this album are really obvious on first listen and are in fact really strong. So because of the time this was released, I have a little emotional connection to the album, which is why I cannot completely hate it.

OK, now for the track by track breakdown…

Vertigo
If you just listen to this song for what it is without thinking of how overplayed or overhyped it is, it is actually good song. Vertigo, like Beautiful Day from the previous album, is a well crafted pop song with actually a lot going on in it. This song, and a few others, really show how much I love the bass tones that Adam Clayton dials up on recent albums. It can best be described as a grinding growl. Try listening to Vertigo with just the right channel and hear what I mean with this.

Miracle Drug
So after the roar of Vertigo comes Miracle Drug. This is a fairly typical post 90s U2 sounding song. Musically it has potential, but lyrically it is kinda lacking. I think if someone made Bono rewrite the song before releasing it, I would like this song a lot more.

Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own
Another in U2’s habit of making really long song titles. I think this song has good lyrics (about Bono’s father) and I love the 12-string guitar, but it suffers from a slick digital sounding production. I also think it should pick up in pace and intensity towards the end more than it does.

Love and Peace Or Else
I have to say, I have always loved the opening synth dirge. If a pile of smoldering destruction ever had a sound, that is it. Adam’s bass and Edge’s guitar is also really good on this song. LAPOE is one of the better songs on Atomic Bomb, in my opinion.

City of Blinding Lights
I remember just absolutely loving this song the first time I heard it. It is still a favorite of mine, but it really deserves it’s place as the album opener. A very powerful song that takes off and uplifts even more than Beautiful Day in my opinion. I love how the song chugs along and then breaks down in the bridge with Edge’s sliding. Bono’s lyrics are also fairly strong on this song.

All Because of You
This is one song a lot of U2 fans seem to hate, but I really wish more of the album sounded like this. Once again, the production kills it. The lyric “an intellectual tow-toise” is easy to hate on, but I am not really annoyed too much about it. Adam’s bass break down before the bridge always catches my attention, followed by Edge’s solo.

A Man and A Woman
Remember what I said about how you can almost tell the album was written chronologically? Well this is the point where U2 was in studio and said “oh shoot, we have two weeks to finish this!”. The focus of this album is really lost here. It has potential lyrically, but musically it doesn’t really fit in. 

Crumbs From Your Table
Again, same as before… has potential. As with most of the album, it suffers from over dubs and a slick production. Some of the lyrics work, but mostly sounds contrived.

One Step Closer
So before the second half of the album gets hated on too much, I actually do kinda like this song. It has a lot going on in it and is deep musically. It just really needs that extra kick to make it great though.

Original of the Species
The piano and guitar in the chorus is interesting, but this just seems like too obvious of a song for U2 to write. I guess I am used to U2 writing songs that are challenging to listen to, and this is not it. It is a fairly obvious melody that just doesn’t take off like great U2 songs should.

Yaweh
Lyrically it works as a closer, but again it is too obvious of a song musically. The live version that was stripped back to acoustic guitar, bass, and a single keyboard was much more interesting.