Vertigo hit the airwaves today and it is the hardest rocking song U2 has produced since the War album. People loved them returning to their 'late 80's' sound on the last album, but I'm more excited with their seeming return to the early 80's sound.

Vertigo left me tingling!!

What do you all think?

I just heard it and really like it. Thank god someone still knows how to play a guitar! Totally stripped-down sound, with heavy, heavy guitar.

like I said in the other thread going, the song KICKED ASS!

Pretty decent song. I like Bono's singing on it.

I simply cannot wait for November. This is simply a great tune!!

Heavy, heavy guitar? The lead guitar is the weak part on this one, IMO.

Bass line is really cool, and Bono's singing pretty good. I like it.

I also returned with a vengeance, as it didn't hold up for me years after seeing it; circuit city guy gave me a fair bit of grief over my lack of receipt

im not a big U2 fan but its a good song.

Its the # 1 download on Itunes.

I dig it

I heard the whole song, and while I am a Huge U2 fan, the song didn't do anything for me. Contrary to what people say, Bono's vocals aren't that great. If you want to hear great Bono vocals listen to The Joshua Tree album, when Bono could sing circles around everyone. Yes, they still are better than most everything out there, and I'm not saying its the worst U2 song ever(far from it). I just think that U2 has something special when they team up with Laonis/Eno. Now "Beautiful Day" the first time I heard that, that really made me excited, but this one, I'll buy it because I'm a huge U2 fan of course, but I sure hope the album has some numbers that aren't so hard and heavy. I can already tell this album probably won't be as good as ATYCLB, but frankly that was the best album of the year when it came out, and will go down as one of U2's best albums ever. I don't like the sripped down sound, but to each his own.

Dalvin... Fret not! The album is not as 'stripped down' as articles would lead you to believe. I base this on the leaked clips of 'Miracle Drug', 'All Because of You' and 'Love and Peace, or Else'.

Miracle Drug especially was very reminiscent of Kite. Sounds like the best song on the album...

Thanks, buddy I loved "Kite" so I'm looking forward to hearing that track. I remember hearing that they did a song with Noel gallagher called "One Step Closer to Knowing"

Thank you thank you thank you. I didn't even think this would be up on iTunes until I read this thread. Now I can listen to it over and over again. This song rocks!!!

Umm, you very obviously missed these albums that year:

Nope, I would have to say all three albums you posted are both overrated and pretentious.

yeah, pj harvey = totally pretentious.

anyway, i gave the tune at hand a listen. didn't do much for me... although i am excited to see that they're back into a harder rock.

heh, pretentious? name another successful woman rocker who produces and plays nearly all the instruments on their albums and is actually good at it

Steve Albini liked her enough, that counts for something.

Meanwhile Bono thinks he is the spokesman for America.
I haven't heard the new u2 song yet, hopefully it's as good as you guys say.

Not picking on you in particular, but I couldn't let the allegations of pretentiousness levied against PJ stand. It just ain't so, I'm tellin' you!


Radiohead=pretentious

I can definately buy that.

Pj Harvey = pretentious

No sale. I would define pretentious (pop-musically speaking) as posing as though you are somehow above the fray in terms of the portentousness of your music. PJ's never tried to set herself above other musicians, whereas Radiohead clearly sent the message a few years ago that they were evolving beyond mere Rock and Roll, and becoming something akin to the pop music version of Asimov/Kubrick's Star-Child.

"Look Thom, I can see you're really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over."

Radiohead is a rock band, Thom. There is nothing higher!

Musically, PJ's never been anything other than what she is: a gal playing the guitar, howling and yowling and growling, alternating between sounding as though she'll slit her wrists or slit your throat. She's not Zola, trying to give birth to the experimental novel. She recognizes the form of rock music (rock music consists of drums, bass, guitar, maybe piano, maybe the occassional triangle, cowbell or various and asundry other noisemakers, and singing!) and her content excels within those boundaries, pushing and pulling but never trying to break it.

Now, if she had recorded "Stories" using only a Moog, a jaw harp, and whale song, then yes, pretentious might be an appropriate description. As it stands, though, "pretentious" and "PJ Harvey" is akin to a dog that don't hunt.

I should have known better to read this thread before I actually heard the song. It was destined for a let down...

Some of the worst U2 lyrics of all-time

uno, dos, tres, catorce....
(1, 2, 3...14....)

Vertigo...Hola!
...a place called Vertigo...donde esta?

Reminds me of all the crap lyrics I listened to in continental Europe with atrocious/amateurish English lyrics sung by non-native speakers. Now we got Bono wanting to throw in elementary Spanish into their songs. Non-sensical at that with no other reason than trying to be trendy.

That Bono, he's such a mass-market conscious teddy bear.

And, oh yeah, another vote for PJ Harvery, pretentious...NO....Radiohead....YES...

Why does every U2 song always have to be a poem? It's a hard fun rocking rock and roll song! This is one song on an album, so you'll get your poetry...

I've TOTALLY bashed ATYCLB many times before, but this new song is pretty damn great from only hearing it once. Curious now.

i guess saying it in italics wasn't enough to imply my sarcasm

Do what I do: ignore the lyrics in pop music.

I like the new single - nice and catchy.