U2

Despite selling out their best hit to Apple, U2 doesn’t disappoint with its first album in four years. “Vertigo” (the song from the I-Pod commercial) clearly stands apart, launching the listener through the ozone, culminating in a soaring supernova. Meanwhile, the rest of the album fully embraces the powerful sound U2 has made famous on such albums as Achtung Baby, The Joshua Tree and Unforgettable Fire without littering it with too many electronic indulgences. Bono’s beautiful ode to his father, “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own,” pairs nicely with the love song “City of Blinding Lights,” which seems to employ anti-gravity, being effervescent and forceful at the same time. The Edge’s tireless guitar and Bono’s expansive vocals wrap around tracks focusing this album on furthering their core sound rather than trying to break a bunch of new ground. And that was a good decision.