You can catch a live five-song set of brand new U2 material on the BBC’s Radio 1. If you’re really a U2 fanatic, you can listen to Zane Lowe’s entire show for the occasional bit of interview, otherwise skip to 1:38:XX into the show for the music (and good luck with the BBC’s goofy player that has no rewind or fast-forward buttons). You can also tune into Jo Whiley’s show for more interviews spaced throughout her show and cuts from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.
The live set includes “Vertigo,” a rollicking song called “All Because of You,” the song “Miracle Drug” with a typical Bono introduction, “Sometimes You Can’t Make it On Your Own” (which Adam revealed during Whiley’s show was originally written for All That You Can’t Leave Behind), and “Beautiful Day” as the finale with some changed words for Dublin.
Don’t worry, the new album comes out next week and I’ll shut up about U2.
In case you’ve missedoneoftheumpteenposts on this site, U2’s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb comes out next week. Until then the album is being played on radio stations in its entirety and streamed online. NME.com has the exclusive for now (it requires a slow, arduous registration process), though VH1 and MTV are supposed to be streaming it later today.
Though MTV takes the approach of not mentioning it anywhere on its site while VH1 hypes it with ever changing text, first “You can listen to the band’s new disc right here on Tuesday,” and now “… right here this afternoon.” I can’t help but wonder what this says about the two former music video channels. Something about one being entirely too hip and the other trying way too hard.
UPDATE: Both MTV and VH1 are streaming the album now but they’re both PC only. Rather ironic considering the band’s close relationship with Apple. NME.com is the place to go for Mac users, and it has the added bonus of the extra track “Fast Cars,” which is included on every version of the album except the U.S. release.
Tune in to 91X in San Diego at 11:00 a.m. and again at 3:00 p.m. PST today to hear U2’s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb broadcast in its entirety. You can listen to an online stream, though you do need to complete a free registration.
The band has decided to let radio stations play the entire album before the November 23 release date in response to the album becoming available on illegal file sharing networks (according to @U2)
93 WXRT in Chicago will also be playing the entire album today for more than 12 hours, starting at 9:45 a.m. CST (PC only).
On Tuesday, November 16 both MTV.com and VH1.com will begin streaming the album.
As a testament to the power of iTunes/iPods/music collections freed from the tyranny of albums, I just cued up a few songs for typing my last blog entry and surfing a few quick sites. I listened to the MxPx song stuck in my head (“Don’t Walk Away”), a few songs from the chick group Barlow Girl, an Evanescence song, a quieter, happier song by the local group Coach Said Not To, and now a happy, upbeat song by U2 to finish my night (the single version of “Walk On”), which just faded into a chorus of Hallelujah’s.
If you’re planning to buy the new U2 album, now might be a good time. If you pre-order the album from Amazon you can watch an exclusive video of the band talking about making the album.
All you have to do is decide which version of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb you want:
Standard CD – $10.99 Deluxe version (includes DVD with making of the album footage, interview, and acoustic performances) – $20.99 Collector’s edition (includes same DVD as deluxe version plus a full-color, hardcover book with original artwork, band notes, quotes and more) – $31.99 Import (includes extra track “Fast Cars”) – $50.49
(prices current as of posting)
And let’s get it over with right now. I nominate How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb for worst U2 cover ever. It clearly challenges October
Last week I interviewed Reese Roper, the former lead singer of the now defunct Five Iron Frenzy and current front man for the new pop-punk band Roper. The band released their debut album, Brace Yourself for the Mediocre (see my review), on October 19, managing to sell over 3,000 albums in the first week, earning them a spot on Billboard’s Heetseekers chart.
Below are some segments from the interview I probably won’t be able to use elsewhere:
Stupid fact of the day: It’s taken a mere 20 days for the new U2 single, “Vertigo,” to reach the top of my Top 25 Most Played Songs playlist in iTunes. It’s sitting at the coveted number one spot with 17 plays, just beating out The Get Up Kids’ “Close to Me” with 16 plays.
I choose to credit the fact that I’m incredibly addicted to U2 and the song’s inherent catchiness and playability. I’ve been known to play the song several times in a row and not get tired of it. At this rate I’ll completely loathe the song by the time How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb comes out.
You may have heard U2’s latest single “Vertigo” backing the latest iPod commercial, and you may have noticed the members of U2 rocking out as those signature silhouettes on colored backgrounds. You can catch an extended version of the ad from Apple. How long until someone has some desktop images from that video?
You can catch a live five-song set of brand new U2 material on the BBC’s Radio 1. If you’re really a U2 fanatic, you can listen to Zane Lowe’s entire show for the occasional bit of interview, otherwise skip to 1:38:XX into the show for the music (and good luck with the BBC’s goofy player that has no rewind or fast-forward buttons). You can also tune into Jo Whiley’s show for more interviews spaced throughout her show and cuts from How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.
Tune in to 
Last week I interviewed Reese Roper, the former lead singer of the now defunct 
You may have heard U2’s latest single “Vertigo” backing the latest iPod commercial, and you may have noticed the members of U2 rocking out as those signature silhouettes on colored backgrounds. You can catch an