Let it Rock: U2 is Back! But Wait, There’s More!

By Sues

If you pay attention to music news at all, then I’m pretty sure you’ve got one thing on your mind: U2. Of course, U2’s new album is what everyone and their brother is talking about this week and for good reason.

But don’t let the boys from back in the day completely overshadow the rest of the fabulous music being released this week. If you miss out on Neko Case’s new album, you’re likely going to regret it. And give newcomer Molly Jenson a listen to as well. While new releases from the classic groups are always super exciting, there’s a lot of fabulous new music out there.

U2- No Line on the Horizon

It’s U2’s 11th album and because 11 is my lucky number, I had to review it. Well OK, and because it’s U2 and they haven’t had an album in 5 years. But judging from the tracks on No Line on the Horizon, it was worth the wait; and most long-time U2 fans should be pretty happy with how it turned out. I admit I’m not the hugest U2 fan; I’ve always enjoyed their music, but haven’t been waiting too anxiously to hear their new stuff. So I’m actually kind of surprised that I have been enjoying it as much as I have. I love that Bono’s voice is always so familiar even when he’s singing in different styles, like he seems to do on this album. In one of my favorite songs, “Breathe,” the band sounds a bit more rock ‘n’ roll-y than usual and the lyrics are amazing: “We are people borne of sound/The songs are in our eyes…Sing your heart out, sing my heart out/I’ve found grace inside a sound.” Chances are, you’ll know what he’s talking about and will find grace inside this album. I’m also enjoying the somewhat quieter “White as Snow” and the fun pop-ish “Stand Up Comedy.” As Bono and the boys sing in “Unknown Caller,” “Shout for joy if you get the chance.” Most of us will be shouting for joy that U2 is finally back. And better than ever!

Neko Case- Middle Cyclone

I’ve heard so, so much about Neko Case but it took me a long while to pay her a listen (in fact, I’m ashamed to admit that for a while, I just assumed Neko was a man). But now I’m incredibly happy I jumpd on the Neko Case bandwagon. Her newest album, Middle Cyclone, is enough to make me want to listen to all the rest. One of my favorite tracks on the album is the somewhat short “The Next Time You Say Forever” because it’s fun to hear such a seemingly sweet singer sing lyrics like: “The next time you say forever/I will punch you in your face/Just because you don’t believe it/Doesn’t mean I didn’t mean it.” Other standouts on the album include “Magpie to the Morning” and “I’m an Animal,” but honestly, the more I listen to the album, the more I fall in love with each song. At first I thought I had a bad copy of the album as my last song just sounded like crickets. 30 minutes of crickets chirping, in fact. But after I did some research, I discovered this was exactly how she meant the album to end. So maybe Neko is a little bit random, but I can handle that. Her voice is incredibly beautiful and her lyrics are powerful enough that she can end her album with crickets if she desires. I’m off to listen to Neko’s previous albums in hopes that I enjoy them half as much as Middle Cyclone.

Molly Jenson- Maybe Tomorrow

Molly Jenson is a quiet, effortless singer. You know the kind. Her voice is incredibly easy to listen to. Maybe Tomorrow was my first time listening to Molly and I can see why Greg Laswell was so eager to work with her. I find the album’s first single to be a little bit boring and generic; but I’m a big fan of the title track. It really showcases her voice, which actually reminds me a bit of Tristan Prettyman, who also sings about similar topics of love and heartbreak. The last song on the album, “Wait For You Here” is filled with a quiet emotion: “I won’t blame you if you can’t find your way/ I will wait for you here/If you don’t get here till the end of the day/Still I’ll wait for you here.” There are some religious undertones in Molly’s music, but it’s not classified as Christian music and it’s definitely meant to be listened to by anyone. I hope Maybe Tomorrow helps bring Molly Jenson into the mainstream, but I’m not positive as to how she’s going to break out. She might have to wait until her next album. Maybe tomorrow.

[Photos courtesy of AuntSmack4U on Flickr, and Amazon.com]