Senior Writer Jeff

U2’s 12th studio album, “No Line on the Horizon,” is out today. Critics seem to like it. At last check, Metacritic’s score was 71 ... that includes some glowing reviews from the media establishment and some less-than-glowing reviews from hip publications that always hate the establishment.

They're back! 30 years and going strong.

I’m just on my second listen ... and, so far, I think it’s solid but not great. But that’s an early response. Ask me again in a couple of weeks.

Just like Bruce Springsteen’s new album last month did, “No Line …” got me thinking about my favorite U2 albums. And just like my Springsteen list, I’m leaving out the obvious. So, here are my 5 favorites other than “Joshua Tree”.

1- Unforgettable Fire.

It’s kind of like “Joshua Tree, Jr”. A fantastic album … of course highlighted by “Pride,” “Bad” and “A Sort of Homecoming.” Honestly, you hear it and wonder how they got better. But a couple of years later they did.

2- Achtung Baby.

The biggest band in the world decides to reinvent its sound … and remains the biggest band in the world. The first time I heard a track off the album I said, “That’s got to be U2. No wait, is it?” Special credit to The Edge.

3- War.

I was 11 years old when I became aware of some new band from Ireland. I still get a buzz from the drums and bass on “Sunday Bloody Sunday.” And a cool twist: The Edge sings the lead on “Seconds.”

4- All That You Can’t Leave Behind.

After Zooropa and Pop, doubters were starting to wonder if U2 was losing relevance. Nope. Bono even said, “Can’t Leave Behind” was U2’s way of, “reapplying for the job of best band in the world.” They’re hired! Every single was great-“Beautiful Day,” “Stuck in a Moment,” “Elevation” and “Walk On”.

5- Boy.

Let’s go back to the really early days. It’s hard to argue that the album is really as smart and sophisticated as “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb” or even “Pop”… but there’s always something special about a great band’s debut; you can hear what they’ll become. They still play “I Will Follow” sometimes on tour …which gives you an idea of how much they still think of one of their earliest songs.

So have you heard “No Line on the Horizon” yet? What are you favorite U2 albums? Let me know what you think.

Senior Writer Jeff

For this week’s New Music Tuesday segment, we gave you a taste of Bruce Springsteen’s new album, “Working on a Dream”. His “Born to Run” and “Born in the USA” are considered to be 2 of the greatest albums in rock history. So, here’s a list of my favorite Springsteen albums that don’t start with “Born”. What are your favorites?

You know you love him.

5) The Rising (2002)
Springsteen copes with the tragedy of 9/11 and seeing his hometown in shambles. But, somehow, “The Rising” finds a way to be uplifting.

4) The River (1980)
The ideas were overflowing. The 2-record set is a masterpiece of joy and pain. How are the title track and “Hungry Heart” on the same album? Amazing.

3) Nebraska (1982)
Springsteen’s always been a folk singer in disguise. The title track, “Atlantic City”, “Johnny 99” and “Highway Patrolman” are dark, empty, and unforgettable. He decided to make his next album more listener-friendly, and we all know how that went.

2) Greetings From Asbury Park (1973)
His debut album. I still pull out the vinyl every so often to get that 1973 vibe. It has this feeling like.. whoever this Springsteen kid is, he’s going somewhere special, and I want to go, too. I never get tired of “Growin’ Up”, “Hard to Be a Saint in the City” and “Spirit in the Night”.

1) Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978 )
It came right after “Born to Run”, so you know expectations were high. It’s hard to believe looking back 30 years that there really weren’t any hits. “Badlands” and “The Promised Land” are on the short list of my favorite Springsteen songs.

Which Springsteen albums do you love? Any favorite lyrics? Tell us in the comments field below.

Senior Writer Jeff

Every Tuesday on Morning Express, we tell you about the best new CDs hitting stores.

This week, we have a special blog edition of New Music Tuesday.

The Zac Brown Band’s new album, “Foundation” is out this week. The guys are riding high right now. Their single “Chicken Fried” is a top 5 hit, and it’s been on the country music charts for 5 months.

I asked Zac a few questions about the new album, his heroes, and of course, how to cook up some tasty fried chicken.

Writer Jeff: Your new album is called “Foundation”… and you’ve started a non-profit foundation for kids. What inspired you to do that?
Zac Brown: The inspiration came from working at camps for kids, especially Camp Mikell and Camp Glisson.

WJ: You guys sold out a show recently in New York. How does it feel to be a boy from the Georgia mountains playing in front of sold-out crowds in NYC?
ZB: It feels good to know that people like good music wherever you are.

WJ: “Chicken Fried” is climbing the charts. How do you balance enjoying your success vs. worrying about finding another hit?
ZB: I feel that people who like “Chicken Fried” will like our other songs.

WJ: Zac, you used to own a restaurant where you were also the cook. What are your tips for making great fried chicken?
ZB: Getting quality chicken, frying it in peanut oil and having the oil at the right temperature that will crisp up the skin without burning it and of course you need the right seasoning and I like to have a little breading on the chicken.

WJ: If you could pick anything to eat tonight for dinner, what would it be?
ZB: Sushi.

WJ: You’ve opened for some of the biggest names in country music. What’s it been like getting to meet your musical heroes?
ZB: Sharing the stage with them has been the biggest milestone of my career.

WJ: You’ve even opened for ZZ Top. That sounds like a battle of the beards as much as a battle of the bands. Did you guys compare grooming tips?
ZB: No, but Billy Gibbons made a point to come out and let us know he enjoyed our music. They make a lot of music as a 3 piece band. They are legends of Rock and Roll.

WJ: Do you ever think you’ll shave off your beard?
ZB: I don’t have any plans to but later down the road you never know what you’re going to do.

Senior Writer Jeff

We do our best to tell you the news you need each morning.

But let’s be honest: part of what makes “Morning Express” so much fun ... is that we find stories about some of the strangest people you'd ever hope to meet.

This cop tasered a teen for fun. Yes, looks like lots of fun.

My personal favorite is still the guy who tried to rob a store using a palm frond as his weapon.
But this morning, we have 3 fine candidates. Let’s examine their actions and (lack of) judgment.

1) Mac the Knife
Police say he stabbed himself to impress a woman! During my years of dating, that one never occurred to me. Maybe my wife would like it. Honey?

2) Tase me, Bro!
An off-duty rookie policeman was having fun at a party where there was underage drinking … when a 15-year-old boy had a great idea: tase me, bro! The cop obliged. The crowd cheered as the kid went down. The officer has been fired.

3) Queen Mary Jane
A teen beauty queen and her friends decided to dine and ditch. It was funny until she remembered she'd left her purse at the restaurant. By the time she had gone back, the cops were there waiting for her. This train wreck gets even better: the cops found marijuana in her purse!

So, who should be kicked out of the gene pool first? Now, I’d say we can’t kick out the beauty queen. But, ignore her obvious gifts for a moment, and focus on sheer stupidity. To whom would you give the boot?

Write your comments below, tell us why, and feel free to offer up some other nominations!

Senior Writer Jeff

Last month, you and I bought a 79.9% stake in the insurance giant AIG. It wasn't really at the top of my wish list, but the government says we needed to do it. So, we spent $85 billion for a bankrupt company. Sounds like a great deal. Since then. the government has told AIG it can have tens of billions more if it needs it. Wonderful.

Yes, we could all use an island vacation right about now.

Some economists say this could turn out to be a good deal for taxpayers. Ummm. ok.

But there's clearly a huge disconnect going on between AIG and it's new owners-us. When you and I are facing tough financial times. we consider where every penny is going. AIG executives just went on a $440-thousand dollar luxury retreat. Their defense: they wouldn't have been able to get their deposit back.

But they weren't done. They had another one planned next week. And even when it became clear that the public would be furious if they tried that again, they didn't just call it off right away.

Here's what we didn't have time to tell you on the show. and this is where it gets really mind-blowing:

According to Bloomberg News, executives at AIG considered launching an expensive ad campaign-in other words, spending even more taxpayer money-to explain why these retreats are important. Their PR consultant sent them an email that all but smacked 'em upside the head, saying that would be, "a really bad idea."

At least someone is thinking. The retreat is off.

What do you think of these shenanigans? Even if we do need to bail out all of these companies for the good of the economy, do you think they'll ever get it? Let us know.

Senior Writer Jeff

Even Christian Bale, star of American Psycho, could use a movie night sometimes.

This financial crisis got the writers here on Morning Express thinking about movies that might shed some light on, or least make you feel better about, what’s going on.

And since your 401(k) is now more like a 201(k), you should probably rent a DVD instead of going to a movie theater this weekend.

So, here’s a list of the old and not-so-old movies we could think of that hit on the ups and downs of Wall Street and big business:

• American Psycho
• Barbarians at the Gate
• The Bonfire of the Vanities
• The Boiler Room
• Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
• The Family Man
• From the Terrace
• The Hudsucker Proxy
• Mr. Deeds
• Other People’s Money
• Pi
• Risky Business
• Rogue Trader
• Rollover
• The Secret of My Success
• A Shock to the System
• Skyscraper Souls
• Solid Gold Cadillac
• Trading Places
• Wall Street
• The Wheeler Dealers
• Working Girl

Have fun.
Oh … We also discovered a movie called “Wanda Whips Wall Street”… but you’ll have to look in the Adult section of the store. None of the guys here will admit they’ve ever seen it.

Let us know if you can think of any others.

From Senior Writer Jeff

The clash, ca. 1978.

Every Tuesday we tell you about some of the biggest new CDs in stores.
This week, we didn’t have a chance to mention on air one that I really like.

It’s "The Clash: Live at Shea Stadium."

The concert was October 13, 1982 … at the height of their popularity … and as their personal relationships were starting to show some strain.

Less than a year later, Mick Jones was gone, and so was one of the great rock bands ever. (Let’s not dwell on the "Cut the Crap" era.)

If you’re as much a fan as I am, 'Live at Shea' will be a real treat.
They break right into "London Calling" … and fire through 16 of their classics.

Feel free to leave your reviews in the comments field below. And thanks for watching New Music Tuesdays on Morning Express!

Senior Writer Jeff

We’re doing a story today about a Connecticut school district that pulled “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” from its reading list ... but is now reversing course.

Did you read Huck Finn as a student?

English teachers are attending seminars so that they can lead their students in complex discussions about race, slavery, stereotypes and satire. They’ll start teaching the book again next month.

If you’ve never read “Huck Finn”, there are 2 things you should know:
1) Mark Twain uses the N-word over and over again. I don’t think I could even count the number of times the word appears in the book. It should make anyone reading it uncomfortable.
2) It’s a great novel! (Honestly, it’s my all-time favorite.)

But, the question remains: Are high school kids ready to handle talking about the language in the book? And would you trust the teachers to put it into context?

Leave your comments below. We’d love to know what you think.

From Senior Writer Jeff

Too much is never enough: That was the motto for MTV when I was a kid.

Actor Terrence Howard has released an album. Critics say it's pretty good.

It’s also true when it comes to fame. Celebrities just can’t get enough attention.
And, it seems many of them try to extend their Us Weekly domination by chasing a career as pop stars.

Paris Hilton has tried singing. So has Eddie Murphy, Don Johnson, Patrick Swayze and recently, Scarlett Johansson. Yeah, it’s not a pretty list. But, once in a while … a star proves to have the skills.

Actor Terrence Howard has a new CD, “Shine Through It,” out this week. He’s been nominated for a best actor Academy Award for “Hustle and Flow” … when he played a pimp who wanted to become a hip hop star.

No, he doesn’t rap on “Shine.” In fact, it’s something completely different … soft rock and R&B. He wrote and co-produced the entire album. And, he played guitar as well.

And critics say it’s really good.

Our producer Mark compared his voice to Seal’s. I totally agree. Howard thinks his style has some Don McLean and Cat Stevens mixed in, too.

Here’s the music video for his first single: Have a listen, and enjoy. If you like smooth ballads, you can’t get too much of this.

And remember … watch Morning Express every Tuesday to find out about the new CDs in stores.

Senior Writer Jeff

Critics are giving country crooner Keith Anderson credit for showing his softer side with his new CD in stores today, “C’mon.” And Anderson wants to share the love, one fan at a time. He’s standing by, ready to give you a hug.

No, I’m not kidding.

Click here to check it out.

Enjoy a warm embrace from the guy People magazine calls one of the “50 Hottest Bachelors!”

One warning, ladies… you may find this disappointing: word is he has a longtime girlfriend.

Remember, you can find out about the coolest new music hitting stores every Tuesday on our show!