The difference is most notable in sounds cast by lead guitarist The Edge. He said he likens himself to a painter who has aged and gained experience in his art over the years. He's brushed many colors onto the canvas, and now he knows which ones work best. The Edge paints his guitar sounds on the canvas of bass and drums by Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, respectively, but it's the gorgeous lyrics of lead singer Bono that take the colors and form images in song. On are tightly crafted and polished phrase by phrase.
Grace makes beauty out of ugly things.
This very well may be U2's best-written album. You Can't Leave Behind are reminiscent of the past, plenty of new tones and beats sneak in, making the album even more interesting. One of the things the band has done to keep things fresh is elevate the mood of the recording. Fittingly, Pop ended with a track called Wake Up Dead Man . And the dead men woke up four years later.