Still Rocking After All These Years

U2's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" is not in any way a surprising record. The rock god known as Bono has reached his 40s, and he has passed the age for drastic experimentalism.

After their failed experiments in the mid-'90s like "Zooropa" and "Pop," it seemed Bono and the boys prefer the better reviews and higher sales they received from their more straightforward rock albums of the '80s.

This could be seen on the band's 2001 release, "All That You Can't Leave Behind." Note the title. It was a return to rock for the band, without all the dance and new wave experimentalism that lost them fans towards the end of the last century. It was widely praised as their best album since 1992's "Achtung Baby."

"How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" continues right where their last album left off. It has a traditional U2 sound meant to appease their longtime fans. Produced by Steve Lillywhite, this album is even more wistful then their last one.

The lead single, "Vertigo," is U2's best pop song since "Discotheque." It only lacks the disco beats. The song sounds downright effortless and goofy with the Spanish shouts that pepper the song.

After that, it is about 45 minutes of jangly arena rock - the kind that has earned U2 their millions. "Love and Peace or Else" is one standout and the closest thing that U2 has to a political rant on this album. Their protest of war was another thing that made them famous when they were young, but apparently they have lost some interest in politics.

"All Because of You" is more indicative of the direction that U2 is taking lyrically nowadays. It's a sweet love song with serious religious undertones. Musically it sounds like whining.

Closing track "Yahweh" is as painful a listen as any U2 song could possibly be. The music sinks to new depths and the ridiculous lyrics fail to raise it from the abyss.

There are plenty of bands who sound like they can't even play their instruments anymore, once the members have hit their 40s. Luckily, U2 still has the capacity to put out a decent album. Since they have resigned themselves to wallowing in past glories and attempting to imitate them, they will probably never create masterpieces like they did in their youth.