"At this stage of our careers, it would be easy for us to make something quirky," says Bono. "The challenge is to be bigger and bolder and better -- to make records the whole world will listen to."

There's also a challenge facing music fans and critics alike when listening to How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb: Is it good enough for U2 to be U2 and create good songs in their signature style or must they continue the Achtung Baby-Zooropa-Pop trajectory of constant reinvention and pushing the limits of their sound? Your answer to these questions will probably have a lot to do with your reaction to the new album. I'll break it down, song by song.

1. "Vertigo"
   Everyone has heard this one. It's a great rock song with a bit of an old-school punk vibe. The Edge is on fire, and the storyline of temptation (featuring a creepy MacPhisto comeback in the bridge) and submission to God makes it a nice "more than meets the eye" U2 single (a la Discotheque).
2. "Miracle Drug"
   A slow starting track that builds into a powerful anthem. It may have the best bridge on the album. The Edge has a slide guitar solo while Bono whispers "God I need your help tonight." Just then, Edge comes in with a guitar solo that sounds like lightning from heaven and he sings this verse:

   Beneath the noise, below the din
   I hear your voice, it's whispering
   In science and in medicine
   "I was a stranger, you took me in"

   It's so good it gives me chills. This is really one of the finest moments on the album. I cannot wait to see this live.
3. "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
   Bono's tribute to his late father is a powerful ballad, with a stunning vocal moment as he asks "Can you hear me when I sing? You're the reason I sing." The music is fairly simple but builds as it goes and fits perfectly with the tone of the lyrics. This was the song I was anticipating most, and it definitely met my high expectations -- an early favorite.
4. "Love and Peace or Else"
   NME called it "glam, camp, and silly" but still loved it. It definitely stands out musically, as it is more of a blues-rock song and starts out with an industrial sound that would've fit perfectly on Achtung Baby. Bono's vocals are great on this song, from his opening lines of "Lay it down, lay it down" to the way he sings the word "Zion." It's one of my lesser favorites on the album, but it's still quite good.
5. "City of Blinding Lights"
   My wife's favorite song thus far, and destined to be a concert favorite. The inspiration for the chorus came from U2's first show in NYC after September 11th, as the bright white lights came up at the beginning of "Where the Streets Have No Name," and that association is evident musically. A very very good, very very U2 song.
6. "All Because of You"
   This is a great rock song, again with kind of an old-school vibe to it. It's solid throughout, but the guitar solo, Bono's primal scream, and the vocal delivery of the bridge really push it from good to great.
7. "A Man and A Woman"
   Wow! This song is the biggest surprise of the album. It's a smooth love song with a really different, yet still distinctly U2 sound. Very cool.
8. "Crumbs From Your Table"
   Good, solid song, in the modern U2 rock vibe of "Walk On" or "Electrical Storm." Nice lyrics, especially the chorus. Great vocals on the chorus as well.
9. "One Step Closer"
   Another wow! This has been mentioned in some reviews as a low point, but I think it's stunning. It's a very low-key song, minimal in style, but the atmosphere it creates both in word and music is really something. I love the slide guitar. Bono's vocal delivery is a bit off his beaten path and I love it. Definitely a favorite, and it will probably be the "Running to Stand Still" or "The First Time" from this album -- the hidden gem, the underrated fan favorite, you get the idea.
10. "Original of the Species"
    What a great pop song, in the best possible sense of the word. The theme is innocence, much like in the verses of "City of Blinding Lights" and Bono makes it a stirring, sing-a-long anthem.
11. "Yahweh"
    The closing prayer of the album, and a good one at that. Great lyrics, and the music (think "Falling at Your Feet" meets "One Tree Hill") is inspiring. One of U2's best closing tracks ever, and it would make a great concert closer.

So How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is full of great music and the heart I've always loved about U2. Is it "bigger and bolder and better?" Yes it is. And that's good enough for me.