Over the past 20 years, U2′s lead-off singles have been an odd lot. There’s been one flat-out pop masterpiece, "Beautiful Day." There’s been one total miss, "Discotheque." There have been a couple of curiosities that worked on their albums but made for odd first-single picks ("The Fly" and "Numb"). And then there was "Vertigo," the so-so riff-fest that launched their last album, How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.
So it was with somewhat low expectations that I sat down to check out their newest single, "Get on Your Boots," the first track from the upcoming album No Line on the Horizon. (You can hear the song here.) Sure enough, things start unpromisingly: a generic heavy metal guitar riff quickly gives way to a shameless rip-off of "Subterranean Homesick Blues," with Bono chanting about "love and community" and "candy floss ice cream."
But just as I was about to shut down the computer and go back to the amazing new Animal Collective album (see Leah Greenblatt’s review), a funny thing happened: the bridge kicked in, and "Boots" suddenly took off. A wash of vocal harmony sets things up nicely, and then Bono comes soaring in, insisting (to whom? who knows?) that "you don’t know/you don’t get it do you/you don’t know how beautiful you are." It’s one of those great U2 moments, the kind of thing that has kept fans on board for more than 30 years now. The song then takes a few more twists and turns, eventually landing back on that original guitar riff, which, by the end of the song, has gone from annoying to insistent and memorable (somehow the "get on your boots" chorus that lays on top totally transforms it).
After just a few listens, "Get on Your Boots" doesn’t seem like one of U2′s all-time great songs, but it’s still interesting — and different — enough to make me pretty excited to hear the whole album.
But what do you think? Is "Boots" another U2 classic or a disappointing dud?
It’s ok–I expect a few better songs on the album but don’t think this is the song that will outlive Beautiful Day or One. It’s interesting, I’ll give them that.
I love it, but I had to listen to it like 4 times.
I’m going to be playing it twice today on my radio show, at 11 am and 1pm Pacific Time: http://www.947.fm
I love the new song, It is so different and fresh. It reminds me of when Achtung Baby came out. As for the comments of U2 trying to sound like Radiohead. I think it was Radiohead that copied U2. Lets not forget who influenced most of the music today, yeah it was U2.
Exactly the innovation they promised. I love it!
The verse TOTALLY sounds like Escape Club’s big 1988 hit “Wild Wild West.” I’m not a fan at all.
Keep listening, because it gets better and better. I’ve listened to it 5 times now. Not sure how it will stack up against U2′s catalog, but it’s far too early to say. For right now, I like it very much, and it’s definitely a new direction for them, and quite interesting.
I’m so disappointed in the new single! Over the past 10 years U2 has become an adult contemporary act but the one thing you could always count on was an awesome single like “Beautiful Day” or “Vertigo” (the only good songs on their respective albums). The new single is weak, which doesn’t bode well for the rest of the album. Damn.
Unbelievable, I love it. and it is true look at all the bands who have bit off U2, Radio head, Coldplay, the Killers, Pearl jam, and alot more. I don’t know why people don’t give U2 the credit they deserve.
One of the reason I like U2 so much is that you never know what you are gonna get. I love it! A little flamenco with a splash of Queen, ELO and Elvis Costello. LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE!!
How can you call yourself a U2 fan if you won’t let change and newness in. When The Fly came out people said the same thing. and look at that song now.
The song is a classic…it almost ends too quickly making you want to hear it more and each time you hear it you can hear something in the song you didn’t hear the last time…any one who doesn’t like it ..well that’s your loss not mine.
This is a great tune! It takes a couple listens to appreciate the layers of sound and the little things that make it great. A killer song from the world’s best band.
If you go into a private space and blast this song it takes you away. This is U2 and Bono sounds like Bono.
I was down after seeing U2 perform at Obamas bash but when i heard this song i got so excited. I think it’s one of their best songs in awhile and Bono appears to have his voice again. I can’t wait for them to tour.