U2

Interscope

U2 has returned with its first new album since 1997’s Pop, again produced by longtime collaborators Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Although it’s a definite improvement over that disc, it’s still not up to the excellence of Achtung Baby or the The Joshua Tree. At least half of All That You Can’t Leave Behind consists of ballads; the album bogs down once you get past the first single, the passionate, guitar-driven “Beautiful Day.” On this song, guitarist “the Edge” has never sounded better. Once past that, though, lyrically and musically inferior ballads such as “Walk On” and “Grace” dominate. “Elevation” does exude a flash of grungy techno-rock, à la Achtung Baby. Of the slower songs, the Dylanesque “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of” is the best. Bono and company have made a few steps in the right direction toward their rock roots. Let’s hope that next time, U2 takes it farther and faster.