U2 - Songs of Innocence
U2 is one of my favorite bands in the history of music. They are perhaps one of the most spiritual non-Christian bands in the industry and a very prolific live act as well.
However, they've been very inactive with releasing new material since 2009's masterpiece (in this reviewer's opinion) No Line on the Horizon. It was last year that we heard "Ordinary Love," the first new material from the band in almost four and a half years. That song was for a film about the life of Nelson Mandela and won a Golden Globe. Their second single came as a promotion on the Super Bowl this year. "Invisible" was a free download on iTunes for two days during which Bank of America would donate $1 for every download. It was well-received as a promotional single; however, I really didn't want a whole album of that sound. It was a little too "radio-friendly," shall we say, for my tastes.
And then today, the wonderful people in Cupertino, California, gave Songs of Innocence to all iTunes users for free without any prior notice from the band. In one stroke, U2 pulled a Beyoncé and a Radiohead. Nice job.
So, how is their new album? Is it on par with their more experimental work like Achtung Baby and No Line on the Horizon, or is it more like the classic material of the late 1980s?
The answer is a very complicated both. Musically, the band integrates many modern influences like synthesized and distorted bass lines while keeping many traditional elements of the U2 sound. A lot of keyboards are added as well, giving an 80's synthpop feel to some tracks like "Sleep Like a Baby Tonight." The Edge's guitar lines retain most of their characteristic chime and delay effects, but they also add a lot of influence from more traditional rock and punk, especially on tracks like "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" and "Volcano." This makes the record at times sound like their debut album Boy and 2004's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. It's a very unique blend that is easy on the ears for the most part. However, some of the earlier tracks such as "Every Breaking Wave" and "California" seem a little too polished and radio-friendly in their music, making them slightly less enthralling than the rest of the album. Mullen's drums often seem bigger and bolder than past records, giving Songs of Innocence a very raw feel. That is probably the best word to describe the new U2 album's sound: raw.
This is very fitting when considering the lyrics. Songs of Innocence, as you might have guessed, is very indicative of the album's theme: beginnings. Bono stated in an interview with Rolling Stone that they strived to write songs about why U2 was even a band. Musically, this is reflected in the more direct evidences of their influences like The Ramones and Kraftwerk. Lyrically, many of the songs have a personal dedication or a direct story associated with them. Real characters from the band's early days in Dublin are mentioned by name in the album booklet. Guggi, a member of rival local band The Virgin Prunes, for example, is the basis of the song "Cedarwood," referring to his and Bono's friendship before U2 was even U2. Joe Strummer of The Clash also has a song dedicated to him in "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now," which characterizes a soldier going off to war. Joey Ramone is also referenced quite obviously in the opening track "The Miracle," and "Volcano" seems to be Bono musing about his younger self. This lends a very personal touch to the album, making it one of the best U2 albums lyrically. Bono doesn't create any characters this time around: he is the character.
U2's Songs of Innocence is a game-changing album for the band. Not only is it arguably the largest release in history (technically, every iTunes user in the world has the album, making it sell over 500 million copies), but it's a different kind of release for the band. Those of us hardcore U2 fans will relate far more to this album than a casual listener, as we know the evolution of sound the band has taken over the years and the different influences of the early days. This is not U2's best album; then again, nobody expected it to be. Rather, it pays a tribute and thank you to all of the people who have helped them along the way: from The Virgin Prunes, their local rivals, to Paul McGuinness, the band's manager for their first 35 years. That personal touch is what makes this album so special and one of the highlights of the year-to-date in music.
Music: 4.5/5
Lyrics: 5/5
Overall rating: 4.5/5
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