LOS ANGELES — U2's new album, "No Line on the Horizon," is drawing rave reviews, with many critics calling it some of the band's best material in years.
The Irish rocker's twelth studio album, which drops in the U.S. on Tuesday, garnered five stars from Rolling Stone. The magazine said the new release is the band's best work "in its textural exploration and tenacious melodic grip since 1991's "Achtung Baby."
Q magazine also referenced "Achtung Baby" in awarding U2's new album five stars.
"Simply, what all of this amounts to is the best U2 album since 'Achtung Baby,' " wrote Q. "With time it may prove to be better still."
"No Line" is U2's first release since 2004's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb," which scored the band eight Grammy Awards and has sold more than 9 million copies to date
U2 began production on "No Line" in 2007 in Morocco. The group then continued the process by working at their own studio in Dublin, Ireland before moving to New York's Platinum Sound Recording Studios. The album was finally completed at Olympic Studios in London.
The new 11-track album once again features the contributions of longtime U2 collaborators Brian Eno, Danny Lanois and Steve Lillywhite.
U2 debuted the album's first single, "Get On Your Boots," in March. It has since performed the song on both the Grammy and Brit Awards.
While many have given "No Line" the thumbs up in approval, there are some skeptics who question whether lead singer Bono's political messages will eventually alienate the band's loyal following.
"It's becoming increasingly difficult to hear U2's music without filtering it through your feelings about the other Bono, that strident, sanctimonious swirl of idealism, agenda and ego," wrote J. Freedom du Lac recently in the Washington Post.
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