U2 is obsessed with America; the country is a frequent inspiration for many of their songs and even entire albums (“Rattle & Hum” is essentially them awkwardly role-playing as American blues artists). They’re fascinated by the promise of America, a land of liberty, creativity and hope — things that their homeland of Ireland struggled with during the peak of The Troubles. And U2 is also obsessed with politics. Much of the scorn directed toward the band over the years has focused on their activism, or, more specifically, Bono’s tendency to pontificate about world issues. For example, during their Zoo TV Tour in the ‘90s, they would interrupt their boisterous shows for live satellite transmissions from people in war-torn Sarajevo, shaming the audience for indulging in hedonistic thrills while so many in the world were suffering. One night, a group of Sarajevan women told Bono and the entire stadium, “We know you’re not going to do anything for us. You’re going to go back to a rock show. You’re going to forget that we even exist. And we’re all going to die.” Once the call ended, Bono turned to the stunned stadium and said, “Tonight, we should all be ashamed to be European.” I’m sure that really set the mood for the rest of the show.
Knowing these two eternal truths about U2, it’s no surprise that they’re upset about what’s happening in our world today and want to speak their mind about it. Enter “Days of Ash,” the newest EP from the band that shadow dropped Wednesday. In a press release, Bono said, “The songs on ‘Days of Ash’ are very different in mood and theme to the ones we’re going to put on our album later in the year. These EP tracks couldn’t wait; these songs were impatient to be out in the world. They are songs of defiance and dismay.” U2 usually tortures themselves about releasing new music, constantly tinkering and questioning every move, so the fact that they rushed to get these new songs out says a lot. The politically charged EP kicks off with the bluntly titled “American Obituary.” Following in the footsteps of Bruce Springsteen, it’s a protest song about Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis and the killing of Renée Good. The uproarious song kicks off with The Edge ripping a sick guitar riff and Adam Clayton laying down a bouncy bass line. The lyrics are incredibly on the nose and frequently clichéd, but it works. The sing-along chant at the end also lands well. But the thing that really stood out to me on this song was the energy; U2 sounds invigorated and hungry. The next song, “The Tears of Things,” is much more cerebral. The lyrics are haunting and mysterious, as the song builds to a classically grand U2 ending. It is also a fantastic guitar solo from The Edge that wails with unresolved anguish.
Next is “Song of the Future,” a tightly constructed pop song with breezy playing and a very catchy melody. Following the odd sound collage interlude of “Wildpeace” is “One Life At A Time.” The song’s repeated aphorisms and rhetorical questions remind me of the book of Proverbs, and they really make the listener question the stance they’re taking in an incredibly tumultuous world. It’s probably the most effective political moment on the album, trading in didacticism for thoughtful provocation that doesn’t steer you to an easy conclusion. And then the EP ends on “Yours Eternally,” a crowd-pleasing stadium anthem featuring Ed Sheeran, who fits in very nicely on the song.
“Days of Ash” is U2’s first collection of new songs since 2017’s “Songs of Experience,” and it reaffirms that the band still has something vital to offer. The playing is as tight and electrifying as ever; the songwriting and production remain grand and earnest in that unmistakable U2 fashion, and these tracks carry a verve that very few bands can summon this deep into their careers. My decision to be a Zoomer U2 fan continues to pay dividends. If this is the caliber of material the band is currently producing, then I’m super hyped for their forthcoming album this year.
