U2 - Get On Your Boots - Single Review
OK, here’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for - a listen to U2’s new single, Get On Your Boots.
It’s the first single from No Line On The Horizon (which we talked about earlier), and it’s beyond all my expectations. It’s described as a “blazing, fuzzed-out rocker that picks up where "Vertigo" left off.”
More importantly, the lyrics show that Bono can have a laugh at himself, when he sings “I don’t wanna talk about wars between nations”. In fact, the basic thrust of Get On Your Boots is about just having some fun.
The harmonies are perhaps the most jarring thing for me - they’re just not something I associate with U2’s sound. That’s not a negative, by the way, but it’s great to hear something new from the band
Other Reviews
This is too important a single to just hear my verdict - let’s see what bloggers and U2 fans are saying. Skott Bennett has been quoted extensively, but this is interesting:
The single most striking thing about this song for me are the drums. Or at least I think they’re drums. I’ve never heard so many layers of rhythm on a U2 song. There are a lot of very processed drums (I thought of Kasabian at one point and N*E*R*D* at another) and loops going on, coming in and out of the mix and then at points it goes back to traditional sounding drums for emphasis.
Here’s a quote from Alan Cross, radio host for ExploreMusic:
There are some new sounds that could only come from an Eno/Lanois production, which left me with a feeling similar to what I experienced when I heard “The Fly” for the first time. This is NOT a back-to-basics guitar/bass/drums track like “Vertigo” or even “Beautiful Day.” There’s some definite sonic evolution going on here.
A slightly less opinionated review from Slate says:
Upon first listens, the song is quite a traditional rock tune in line with the kind of song that appeared on How To Dismantle An Atomic Band. The song is stripped of any large rock histrionics in favour of some treated drums and is certainly a less dramatic affair than recent material.
Greg, over at Ventvox has a great description of a single that:
marks a change in direction for the influential rock band. The track opens with a serpentine down tuned guitar riff while polyrhythmic percussion plays off Bono rattling lyrics off like a post rock Dylan attempting a new version of “Subterranean Homesick Blues.”
Anyway, Get On Your Boots will be released as a digital download on February 15th with a physical format to follow on February 16 through Mercury/Universal.
For my part, I’m pleased at the change in direction, but I think the single needs a bit more time to grow on me. However, five years is a long time to wait between albums, but I get the impression that fans will not be disappointed when the album gets its release!
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great song. it’s not meant to be ‘one’ or ‘pride’. it’s not even meant to be a classic. it’s a wake-up call that they’re back and kicking your front door down. better get on your boots, QUICK.
Always evolving! U2 is incredible!
GARBAGE!!!!
Been a die hard fan my whole life and it hurts me to actually say this. This song makes POP look like The Joshua Tree.
They kinda sound like Audioslave now. What’s next…… Nickelback??? Just like 90% of the other bands out there?
Sad.
U2 is a band that was created by the forces that be, to take us somewhere special with each of there albums that they release. This single is just another step higher for the boys on there tour through love, spirituality, politics and faith. Amazing song, I can’t wait to hear the new album!
I agree with the above comment, the song is not as dramatic as their previous tracks, while I am a Die Hard U2 fan, I don’t find the song to be exceptional, but a descent track that will grow on me no doubt like so many other U2 Songs! However, I do believe the best is yet to come on the new album. ‘Breathe’ for one is meant to be the best ever U2 song…
Why are you so excited by Get On Your Boots? It is incredibly forgettable. Having been a U2 fan for 20 years, I know that we are a one-eyed lot who melt at pretty much everything they do. This song suffers from the same over-involved, over-produced nonsense that led U2 to release technical-heavy duds like Discotheque & Vertigo. Listen to ‘Pump It Up’ by Elvis Costello; it sounds almost like a legal rip-off (Costello’s version actually has rock’n'roll guts to it). The lyric style are a direct rip-off from Dylan’s Subterranean Homesick Blues. Read reviews from non-partisan and partisan sites all over the web. People are incredibly under-awed and disappointed with the song. It will not catch on, it will not be popular, but Bono (who are obviously surrounded by ‘yes-men’-a stance they used to rally against) will thrash it ilke he did Vertigo and bang on about it being the best thing they ever did - as he does with every long-awaited U2 single/album release
Most certainly the worst single U2 have ever released. Dated electronics, horrendous muscle-rock guitar sound by way of Audioslave, lack of melody or any kind of emotional impact beyond the usual FM wake-up show vibe… And above all, extremely uninspired lyrics that just make you think: perhaps this money-cow, mostly meant for keeping the Bono Humanitarian Ship afloat, should let other, more inspired people rule the airwaves for a decade or so.
And the above article, comprised montly of fanboy praise and a couple of exerts from DJ A*s-sucker over there, is simply irresponsible.
It’s really growing on me. On first listen I was a little nonplussed, but now having heard it several times more (thanks to the GOYB link on the U2 site), I’m getting into it. I’m getting elements of the song replaying in my head. The little guitar riff on the “sexy boots/get on your boots” lyric and the chorus line as well and the “let me in the sound” repetition all play in my head during the day.
As for the so-called “Die-Hard’s”. I can’t see how you can claim to be a “die-hard” if you haven’t liked anything U2 have done since The Joshua Tree. I don’t claim to be a “die-hard” but I have followed the group since 1983.
I’m not disappointed by the single. It’s definitely a grower in my opinion. Don’t write the guys off yet!
I wasn’t impressed upon first listen of the new U2 song, but the second time round it is quite catchy. Lets just hope radio1 don’t over play it as thats when it starts to lose its appeal!
It does start to rattle in your head doesn’t it? It kinda blows away any preconceptions for what we expected and washes your mouth out ready to savour the delicacies prepared. I think we will get it once seen performed … It’s a sound check song ” you don’t get it do you?” echoes that sentiment. There is little emotional feeling/ connection …. for a reason! To use the jokers question ” why so serious “? I know there is a global recession but everyone is so pessimistic I believe U2 wont disappoint us as an atheist I have this faith unlike there’s based on 12 albums worth of evidence.
This new U2 single soars in the chorus. The chorus careens around the world and lands back on the fuzzy riff. What makes this a good song and not a great song, however, is that the verses and bridge do almost nothing to deserve such a fantastic chorus. The bridge sounds like it was cut out of a different song and is overly repetitive and almost headache inducing in its mechanical sound; it doesn’t take the song to a new place and elevate the chorus or riff to new heights like all great bridges do. I like it but the lack of continuity gets a B minus from me. If the whole song stood along side the chorus I’d be gushing over it.
Y’know I’ve been a fan since Boy and like all their albums but this songs just leaves me empty. There seems no point to it, no reason for it, no aim in it. In 2008 I didn’t buy REMs last offering and this year may be the first time I turn down U2. That would be really sad but I just think going into the studio with arguably two of the best producers in the business and pots of money for four years and then walking out with this as the first single is really awful. I’m not sure what they are trying to pull or who they are trying to be [or beat for that matter] but this just dosn’t work - its all over the place neither one thing nor the other…
This is maybe the greatest u2 song ever. Time will tell. The anthem chorus is comparable to the Streets have no names. Combining Discoteque type elements with it. My girlfriend cried at how beautiful it was.
This just isn’t U2. It’s nothing special - lyrically weak, musically uninteresting, boring. What used to set U2 apart was their ability to sound like no-one else could (think With or Without You, Mysterious Ways, Streets etc. etc.) Anyone could have made this song - I’m just hoping the rest of the album will be better.
Unlistenable. Pointless. Cheesy.
Sexy boooooooooooots!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha…
Verse ripping off the Ting Tings, Chorus etc. ripping of Queens of the Stone Age.
Verdict, creatively bankrupt.
Okay, U2 is about the only thing I listen to, so it’s safe to call me a fan-boy; I have no quips with that. Having said that though, this song is, relative speaking, garbage. I hate the sound and lyrics and feel and just about everything about this single. I’m a young guy, 19, but I can’t stand pop music. However, this song is pushing my limits. Hopefully, the whole album isn’t as bad.
I also agree with the comment someone left earlier about Bono’s “yes-men” signing off on this, cause that’s exactly what happened here. Highly disappointing stuff…
Well… To be totally honest, the first time I listened to War I thought it sucked. After listening again and again I discovered its charm from songs like Surrender and Seconds.
Maybe this will happen again with this single. Either it is an influential avant garde piece of music, or it is pretentious (as I think Vertigo is).
Been a U2 fan all my life. I live 2km from Bono in Dublin. Terrible song. A new low even worse than Vertigo, which was an unconvincing anthemic piece of hype. The Music is uninteresting and lyics dumb and I agree with earlier writer that the bridge is just pasted in, makes no sense and adds nothing to the song. It’s a vacuous attempt at 3 minute radio play for 13 years olds.
I was silent and stunned when I heard it. This has no credibility. Every song on Coldplay’s Viva la Vida is better than this - and that’s saying something. Also heard the single B side ‘No line on the Horizon’ Also very poor. No idea what the song is about or why it was written other than to keep the U2 machine going. I’m even surpised that Eno, Lllanois and Lillywhite let this stuff out of the studio.
Just seen the Culture Show piece on them.. couple of tracks owe a lot to Queens of the Stone Age, but given a U2 spin. Bono blathering about film directors etc having a longer shelf life than rock stars is a bit lame when he’s just happy being an ASDA friendly Josh Homm.