Beautiful Song

"Beautiful Day" returns U2 to their roots. Eschewing the heavy electronica sounds of their previous album, Pop, "Beautiful Day" combines the earthiness and anthemic feeling of their earlier days with a modern vibe. The chorus just soars out of your speakers with a glorious verve. Only Bono can pull off such righteousness without sounding contrived. "Beautiful Day" is one of U2's best songs and certainly their best since the Achtung Baby era.

One problem

While I do enjoy the album "All That You Can't Leave Behind," I have a serious problem with the song that became the album's hit single, "Beautiful Day." It's very simple, please give it a try - listen to the first minute or so or the song carefully with headphones on, twice. Then tell me - is there any way you can honestly tell me that this is not a BAD vocal performance? Bono sounds like he has a cold - he misses his pitch and sounds generally lousy during the verses. It's not simply a matter of singing style - this is sloppy work, the sloppiest on the whole album. I mean, jeez, this is the biggest band in the world and this is their hit single - couldn't they have waited a week until Bono was healthy to record the all-important lead vocal? He does fine towards the end of the song, but those verses - my God, this in unprofessional, and unbecoming of rock heroes so big.

U2 JUST KEEPS ON DOING GOOD MUSIC

THIS SONG, WHICH IS ANOTHER TRACK OFF OF U2'S MOST RECENT ALBUM, ''ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND'', IS ANOTHER EXCELLENT SONG. U2 IS THE KIND OF BAND THAT YOU JUST CAN'T HATE, NO MATTER HOW HARD ONE MIGHT TRY TO. I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE, IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS BAND, YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT REAL GOOD ROCK MUSIC IS ALL ABOUT.