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Through out Atomic Bomb what you can't fail to notice is the fact U2 are perhaps going back to their musical roots -what you get is an album packed with those classic rock songs that you just know will sound a million times better live in a stadium some place. Yes you get Bono sounding like only Bono can, the Edge knocking out some pure classic guitar rifts but the whole sound of the album has taken a step back -and by no means a bad one at that. The album doesn't skim on production but it's perhaps the back to basic approach to it that makes the album work. Go back and look at how raw their early stuff are and in places on Atomic Bomb you can see how over the years U2 have built on this. The Boys might be older and slightly greyer if you take a look at the photo's on the accompanied booklet but they still know how to belt 'em out with the best of them. Atomic Bomb isn't some arty experimental album it's about getting back to playing pure rock with guitar riffs to die for, Bono belting them out like the pro he is and imagining you're in a stadium someplace singing along! Yes in places it sounds grandiose, but the grittiness that made U2 is still there. The album takes on the usual U2 material of politics, love, spirituality and soul searching and on the whole serves them up well.

Opening with "Vertigo", you just know that the album is going to be good, with it's meaty rhythmic sound, Larry Mullen belting it out on the drums and Bono sounding more like Bono of the 80's and you've just got one hell of a good track, one that inspires you to want to see what else in store for you. This is one hell of a track to open up an album. It's mean and dirty in places, you can just image the band just belting this out in the studio instinctively you know that this wasn't some track that took take after take to get right. It sounds like one of the greatest bands in the world going into the studio and just doing what they do best!

"Miracle Drug", is a bit of a chameleon of a track with the initial opening bars and Bono's vocals you are lulled into this false sense of security that is going to be one of those soft gentle love songs that occasionally U2 do. Within a minute the tempo is upped a notched or two and what you get is one of those classic U2 tracks - with lyrics that you just can't help singing along to. Think "With or Without You", "I still haven't found what I'm looking for" and you might understand what I mean about the ability to sing along with a chorus! Unfortunately

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