"The newspaper says, says, say it's true, it's true..."

"...We can break through..."

If you'll allow me some fanboy geekery, I have to take a moment and spin in a circle with anticipation of U2's new album.

The album will be released in late November. While it was first reported as being entitled "Vertigo," this was later dismissed by Those Who Know. The current rumored title is "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb."

The title sounds a bit New-Wavish to me, and lends itself to too many unfavorable review titles, in the absurd but still possible event that it doesn't meet critical expectations. In fact, any album with the word "bomb" in the title is just begging to be panned.

That aside, I'm so freakin ready for this album to be released. Four years is just too long to wait.

I remember when "All that you Can't Leave Behind" was released. It was early November, 2000. I was a junior at OBU, in the irrepressibly cool Dr. Cole's Brit Lit I class. I had mentioned something about the band to another student in passing, and she mentioned that she had just picked up their album. Really? I asked. Wow. So how is it? Oh, it's great.

She let me borrow it until the next class. And I immediately went out, after listening to the first three tracks, and picked up my own copy.

So good.

Oh, news: the band's official site has released the names of six tracks from the album. They are:

"Vertigo" (hence the confusion)
"Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own"
"City of Blinding Lights"
"A Man and A Woman"
"Yahweh"
"Crumbs From Your Table"

Very exciting.

I think the release date is likely November 23. I may call in sick, just to be at the door when Target opens. Sad, I know. But true. I've done it before.

And when they set out on their next North American Tour, I will do everything up to and including selling my left kidney, to get tickets to the nearest show (even if that includes a road trip).

So yes. Woo hoo!

If you've made it this far, and aren't as excited as I am about any of this, do me a big favor: smack yourself (hard) on the forehead and then go out and get this album. Listen to it all the way through, and if you still aren't excited about the new one, smack, listen, and repeat.