HOW TO DISMANTLE...

U2: The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen, Jr., Bono . Personnel: Bono (vocals, guitar, background vocals); The Edge (guitar, piano, keyboards, synthesizer, percussion, background vocals); Daniel Lanois (mandolin, shaker); Carl Glanville (synthesizer, percussion); Jacknife Lee (synthesizer, programming); Adam Clayton (bass guitar); Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums, percussion, background vocals); Fabien Waltman (programming). Audio Mixers: Chris Lillywhite; Flood; Greg Collins ; Nellee Hooper; Simon Gogerly; Simon Osborne; Carl Glanville. Recording information: HQ (11/2003-08/2004); South Of France (11/2003-08/2004). Photographers: Joe Edwards; Anton Corbijn. Much in the manner of their previous album, ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND, U2 largely strips down the stadium-sized approach of years past on the provocatively titled HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB. Whether they were inspired by the garage-rock revival that took place in between the two records, or just felt like making some visceral rock & roll, this 2004 release has as much unbridled energy as such early U2 benchmarks as BOY or WAR. The album starts with a bang, courtesy of the charging, angular "Vertigo," whose driving bass line and shouted vocals announce the band's intentions in no uncertain terms. The bluesy "Love and Peace or Else," and the fuzz-guitar-fueled "All Because of You" follow suit in a similarly high-energy manner. That's not to say that this is a mere rockfest from start to finish, though. There are an equal number of reflective, mid-tempo tunes whose direct emotional impact recalls the more elegiac tracks on OCTOBER, giving the whole album a dynamic depth of field. Whether rocking like madmen or getting in touch with their inner selves, though, the band sounds totally committed throughout ATOMIC BOMB, which has always been the first requirement for a great U2 album.