U2 dishes 12th Studio Album

U2 releases its 12th studio album on Today in the U.S., titled No Line On The Horizon. The disc is the band's first since 2004's How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb and has already gathered a considerable amount of critical acclaim, with some reviews calling it the Irish group's best effort since 1991's Achtung Baby. Some rock critics, however, have said that lead singer Bono's work as a political and social activist interferes with the band's music. Washington Post critic J. Freedom du Lac wrote that the album was "at times magnificent," but added, "It's becoming increasingly difficult to hear U2's music without filtering it through your feelings about the other Bono, that strident, sanctimonious swirl of idealism, agenda and ego."

Bono has worked tirelessly to reduce poverty, hunger, and AIDS in Africa and other parts of the globe, and was even nominated for a Nobel Prize in 2005 for his efforts. U2 guitarist The Edge told us at the time that the band has never worried about Bono's activist efforts alienating its audience: "There are, I'm sure, people who'd rather that there were less direct references to politics in the show, or that Bono wouldn't end up on TV talking about his work for Africa, but we're fine with that, you know. We think that it's really important, and the small downside that comes with it is far outweighed in every respect by the positives."

Despite the critical concerns, No Line On The Horizon is likely to be one of the biggest albums of 2009. The disc was awarded five stars by Rolling Stone, four stars by Mojo magazine, and five stars by Q magazine, which argued that it could even be better than the landmark Achtung Baby.

No Line On The Horizon was produced by the band with Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, the same team responsible for 1984's The Unforgettable Fire and 1987's classic The Joshua Tree.

The quartet was scheduled to begin a week-long residency on CBS-TV's Late Show With David Letterman on Monday night (March 2nd), and also planned to play a special concert at New York's Fordham University on Friday (March 6th) for ABC's Good Morning America, with attendance limited to students at the school.

An intimate club show is also in the works for Boston on March 11th. The venue has not yet been revealed, but tickets for the gig will be given away by several radio stations in the area.

Full plans for a summer stadium tour are expected to be announced next week.

Bono also told Rolling Stone that U2 will release another album before the end of 2009 that will act as a "companion" to No Line On The Horizon. The disc, which the singer described as "more meditative and processional," could arrive in November.