January 21, 2009

New U2 Song Picks Up Where Queens of the Stone Age Left Off

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mojo-u2-boots.jpgU2’s new single, “Get on Your Boots,” from their upcoming album with the weird cover, has made its debut, and it’s okay. You can listen to a stream over here or at Last.fm, and you can even buy it, unexpectedly early, on iTunes. “Boots” is already a massive radio phenomenon, hitting No. 1 in Ireland and No. 4 in the U.K. on airplay-monitor charts and dominating radio playlists around the US. The track has a fuzzy, lo-fi vibe, and at the very least is a welcome break from the highly-produced pop of “Beautiful Day” or “City of Blinding Lights.” More than anything, it evokes Southern California combo (and Party Ben faves) Queens of the Stone Age, with its rumbling guitars and vaguely Eastern half-step chord change. Unfortunately there really isn’t a hook, other than the half-hearted exhortation to adorn one’s feet with the aforementioned footwear. I’ll be interested to see if the single has legs (ahem!) and if there’s anything better on the album (out March 3).

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WE'LL BE BLUNT

It is astonishingly hard keeping a newsroom afloat these days, and we need to raise $253,000 in online donations quickly, by October 7.

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