The moment U2 announced that No Line on the Horizon would be released in 5 formats – you probably wondered which one to buy. I wish I could tell you that most of them are gimmicks, and the lowest priced one is your best buy. However this is not the case. I recently got my hands on all 5 of the different packages, and I have to say I was thoroughly impressed with the quality and effort put into most of them. Out of all the packages, the Vinyl and the Digipack were the most impressive for the price range.
Starting with the Digipack, it comes with a really nice slip case that has the = sign on it, and they even added a nice multicolored look to the equal sign if you tilt it back and forth. I was very impressed with how much they crammed into this package. When you hold it in your hands, it feels heavy, and has a nice feel to it. When you open it up, the weight of the package makes sense as there is a lyric book, and a fold out poster inside of it. The lyric book is attached to the package (you can’t take it off) – but it has some great photos, and is printed on thick glossy paper. The poster is also nice, because when it folds out, there are two sides to it. If you are careful, you can take the poster off the packaging. The vinyl is pretty much standard, except it comes with a really nice lyric book that is the same size of the packaging. This really adds to the value, as it is nice to have the lyrics in such a big format. The vinyl is pretty much the same as the Digipack as far as content (although it’s missing the poster) , however, it is easily the best bang for your buck. At only $19, the package really shines in this format.
Final Verdict:
The Digipack has the best packaging out of all of them in terms of affordability. At only $22, they really do give you a lot. While the price might seem unjustified at first, when you have it in your hands and see all the content that comes with it, you see why it’s $20+. The vinyl comes in second, as it’s the cheapest out of the best packaging, and it holds up to the Digipack. Don’t even bother with the $9.99 Jewel Case. This version leaves too much to be desired, and the packaging really is flimsy. The $33 magazine also ranks low, because while it is neat to have all the photos in a medium size format, it is not worth paying $33. The pages feel flimsy, and really, it’s just a weaker version of the one included in the box set. As far as packaging goes, the Box set is truly worth the money – if you have the money. At $65, it truly packs a punch, and pretty much is a culmination of all the different packages. Unlike its How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb counterpart (I mean really, the limited edition for that was so weak) – this truly lives up to the price tag.
Digipack
Video:
U2 – No Line On The Horizon [Digipack] Review from onethirtybpm on Vimeo.
Photos:
Vinyl
Video:
U2 – No Line On The Horizon [Vinyl] Review from onethirtybpm on Vimeo.
Photos:
– Brent Koepp
