U2 No Line on the Horizon (Interscope)

After scrapping sessions with Rick Rubin and flirting with will.i.am, U2 reunited with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois (here billed as “Danny” for some reason), who not only produced The Joshua Tree but pointed the group toward aural architecture on The Unforgettable Fire. Much like All That You Can’t and Atomic Bomb, which were largely recorded with their first producer, Steve Lillywhite, this is a return to the familiar for U2, but where their Lillywhite LPs are characterized by muscle, the Eno/Lanois records are where the band take risks, and so it is here that U2 attempts to recapture that spacy, mysterious atmosphere of The Unforgettable Fire and then take it further.

Neko Case Middle Cyclone (Anti)

This isn’t the polar opposite of Blacklisted’s downcast Americana; there are still moments of heartbreak on this release, and Case channels the sad cowgirl blues with all the rustic nuance of Patsy Cline. Multiple years in the New Pornographers’ employ have considerably brightened her outlook, however, and Middle Cyclone balances its melancholia with some of the most pop-oriented choruses of Case’s career.

Bell X1 Blue Lights on the Runway (Yep Roc)

The ‘other’ Irish rock band releasing an album this week is Bell X1, who debuted at #1 on the sales chart in Ireland. The first single, “The Great Defector,” is also #1 on Irish Radio Airplay Charts. USA Today calls them a “high performance machine… blending soul and atmosphere, they frequently reach higher ground.” They’ll play the Late Show With David Letterman on Paddy’s day, March 17th.

The Prodigy Invaders Must Die (Cooking Vinyl)

Invaders Must Die is a curious nu-rave record, as though the sound of 1991 (such as their Top Ten hit “Charly”) has been filtered through the sound of 1996 (such as their number one, “Firestarter”) to emerge as nothing more than a hodgepodge of uptempo dance music with extroverted beats and grimy basslines. If that sounds basically like your average electronica record circa the turn of the millennium (albeit produced by one of its greatest heroes), then you’re a long way towards understanding what this nu-rave record from the Prodigy sounds like.

Rush Retrospective, Vol. 3 (Atlantic/WEA)

Few bands warrant, let alone deserve, a three-volume retrospective. Rush, however, make the case. As a concern, Rush are still going strong — perhaps stronger than ever as a live attraction — and their studio albums in the 21st century have been as heavy as anything they’ve ever cut, and very consistent in terms of quality. This set covers 1989-2007, tracking the full-lengths Presto through Snakes & Arrows. Taken as a whole, the three Retrospective CDs provide an excellent overview of a band that has continued to develop its sound, push its own boundaries, and remain timeless without concessions to trends or music biz nonsense.

Soundtrack of Our Lives Communion (Yep Roc)

Communion is a loosely based concept record. It addresses alienation and other difficulties of mass culture run amok with technological innovation, yet it unapologetically seeks — and finds — hope in the madness. Paradoxically, these songs all stand independently of one another, they aren’t topically or musically heavy-handed, and most are catchy as all get out.

Liz Carroll & John Doyle Double Play (Compass)

Celtic Folk, Contemporary Celtic

Justin Townes Earle Midnight at the Movies (Bloodshot)

Americana, Alternative Country

Raul Malo Lucky One (Fantasy)

Neo-Traditionalist Country, Americana, Progressive Country

Source: AMG