On March 3, 2009, U2 released their 12th studio album, No Line on the Horizon.

It’s been a while since their last release, 2004’s How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, but it was worth the wait.  The album has 11 songs that feature the best of classic U2 music.

The Irish rockers get back to basics with their strongest offering in years. It was recorded in Dublin, New York, London and Fès, Morocco.  And the good news is that Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, and Steve Lillywhite all helped to produce the album.  But I don’t think this is the best U2 album since Eno and Lanois first worked with the band on 1984’s The Unforgettable Fire.

Magnificent, with its drum crescendos, trademark guitar riffs, and a soaring Bono vocal, is easily the best song on the album and is the second single to be released.The first release, Get On Your Boots, is the song U2 performed at the Grammys on February 8, and I think it is a good song and really like it.Get on Your Boots is a fun, foot-tapping track.  However, Boots only hit No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Breathe is a great song, and it suggests that the band’s classic approach can still sound contemporary. A song about war and violence, Cedars Of Lebanon ends the album on a sad, thoughtful note. The band still has a sense of humour with lyrics such as “the right to appear ridiculous is something I hold dear” in the song, I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight.

Unfortunately, sales have not been very strong since the release of the album.No Line on the Horizon only sold 484,000 copies during the first week of sales. These days, not many acts would consider that number a disappointment. But U2 is not just any act. The Irish band’s last album, 2004’s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, sold 840,000 copies in the first week.

But in my opinion, apart from a couple of the tracks being a bit too long and the cover art being a bit boring, the album – over 54 minutes – is a worthy addition to U2’s collection.

For more reviews, go to the Nostalgia Guy Music blog.

[review pros="U2 Always Makes Great Music" cons="None to speak of." score=85]

Aerosmith Dream On is a first single for the group.  It first appeared on their initial album in 1973.  Steven Tyler wrote the song with a lot of influence from the blues.

aerosmith dream on

Aerosmith Dream On was the first major hit for the group.  It only reached number 59 when it was originally released as a single.  The re release made it to six in 1976.  The debut performance was at a small inn in Connecticut.  Aerosmith Dream On was re-released many times.

Aerosmith Dream On made it into the rock ‘n roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 songs that shaped rock ‘n roll.  It was 172 in Rolling Stone’s top 500 greatest songs.  Two other Aerosmith songs, Sweet Emotion and Walk This Way, are tied for this song in the minds of fans as Aerosmith’s signature song.

Aerosmith Dream On has been sampled for other works.  Sampling is using short segments of the song in a new song.  It was featured as a sample as part of the 2002 album Eminem Show.  Aerosmith’s guitaris played the guitar in the sample.  Some less well-known artists sampled or covered Aerosmith Dream On.  These include Andru Donalds, and a rapper named Slim Thug.

aerosmith lyrics dream on

One story says Led Zeppelin wrote the song.  It’s not true.  Some Buick commercials use the song.  Dream up is the slogan in the commercials.    Movies like Last Action Hero used the song.

Aerosmith Dream On can be heard in video games.  Dead or Alive Ultimate used it.  Aerosmith even has their own game – Guitar Hero Aerosmith.  The song was performed for the game.  The song could be downloaded as part of Guitar Hero III.   It was a promotion for the new game.

Not only has Aerosmith Dream On been featured in many live concerts, but but it has also been performed with full orchestras.  In the 1990s this was done for MTV’s 10th anniversary.  And in 2006 members of Aerosmith performed it with the Boston Pops.  At one point Aerosmith dedicated the song to a fallen Israeli soldier.

dream aerosmith

Aerosmith Dream On  is a true classic.

http://dreamming.com/