1. Sept 9th 2014

    U2's new album, the first in 5 years and a half, has just been announced out of the blue and released worldwide for free.

    Like that!

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    The other thread has collapsed for me, impossible to post or read
  2. WOW!!!!!
  3. Do you see it yet in the iTunes store?
  4. The wait is over. Songs of Innocence, the new album, is here.

    Got iTunes ? Take a listen.

    Simply go to the Music app on your iOS device, or to your iTunes music library on your Mac or PC, and find 'Songs of Innocence' under the artist or album tab. The new album is in iCloud, just tap the track listing to start listening or tap the cloud icon to download.

    Songs of Innocence is set for worldwide release on October 13th. Today Apple are giving it to half a billion iTunes Store customers.

    Not got an iTunes account? Create one here - the album will automatically appear in your library.

    U2.com slipped into the studio a few days back where the band played us the new tracks and we were blown away. A kind of musical autobiography, the eleven new songs chart their earliest influences from 70s rock and punk to early 80s electronica and soul... and reveal how music changed everything. As Bono sings in the lead song, 'The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)' 'I woke up when the miracle occurred/ Heard a song that made some sense out of the world...'

    Exploring themes of home and family, relationships and discovery, detailed liner notes fill out the picture with resonant stories, like one of the first gigs the teenage band got into.

    'The 4 members of U2 went to see the Ramones playing in the state cinema in Dublin without thinking about how we were going to get in. we had no tickets and no money.. My best friend Guggi had a ticket and he snuck us through a side exit he pried open. The world stopped long enough for us to get on it. Even though we only saw half the show, it became one of the great nights of our life....'

    Songs of Innocence was recorded in Dublin, London, New York and Los Angeles and is produced by Danger Mouse, along with Paul Epworth, Ryan Tedder, Declan Gaffney and Flood.

    Here's the eleven tracks: The Miracle (of Joey Ramone), Every Breaking Wave, California (There Is No End To Love), Song For Someone, Iris (Hold Me Close), Volcano, Raised By Wolves, Cedarwood Road, Sleep Like A Baby Tonight, This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now, The Troubles.

    On October 13th the physical release of Songs of Innocence comes with a 24-page booklet. A deluxe, gatefold double album, contains an acoustic session of songs from the album and four additional tracks: Lucifer's Hands, The Crystal Ballroom, The Troubles (Alternative version) and Sleep Like a Baby Tonight (Alternative Perspective Mix by Tchad Blake)

    The album will also be available as a gatefold, double white-vinyl LP with an exclusive remix of "The Crystal Ballroom".

    When you've given it a listen, get right back here and review Songs of Innocence for us in the comments below.
  5. Awesome, well done U2
  6. OMG my Last.fm is displaying new U2 songs
  7. Troubles. Yes!
  8. Listening now and i've just realised Invisible isn't included.
  9. Fuck, you guys 'Song for Someone' amazing!
  10. Going through my first listen! Right now I'm at Song for Someone and I have been impressed with every song so far.

    The album feels incredibly fresh, but also very distinctly U2. It's as if all aspects of the band are present in a delicate balance. Feels good, man.
  11. Listening. Sill can't believe it.
  12. Brilliant