U2: 'Magnificent'

U2 have been making their particular brand of stadium rock for nearly three decades now - a dizzying thought. Their most recent album No Line On The Horizon was primarily produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, who worked on the band's best-loved mid-eighties LPs The Unforgettable Fire and The Joshua Tree. It went straight to number one and has already played its role in justifying another of the band's ever-expansive global tours.

But for all the talk of eye-opening trips to Morocco and wild experimentation, second single 'Magnificent' still sounds like classic U2. Unfortunately, this means that it sounds remarkably like Echo & The Bunnymen, but with the rough edges, heart and soul replaced by slick polish and empty bombast. As ever with Bono, the lyrics walk a tightrope between raw simplicity and absurdity, but sadly come off as somewhat trite ("Only love, only love can leave such a mark, but only love, only love unites our hearts"). If you're already a fan of U2, you'll no doubt disagree, but if you've never been a convert, 'Magnificent' will do nothing to change your mind.


> Click here to read our review of No Line On The Horizon