Despite the endless hype and excitement over U2’s rumored involvement in Apple’s iPhone 6 unveiling presentation today in Cupertino, CA, the Irish rockers didn’t take part in the main thrust of the technopavloian celebration. However, the band capitalized on the attention of the moment to appear after the main hardware announcements to announce that band’s hugely anticipated new studio album, Songs of Innocence, is available for a free download on iTunes.
Yes, you read that right. You can download an entire new U2 album for free, starting today. Songs of Innocence will be available to every iTunes customer in 119 countries and is exclusive through Oct. 13.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook was clearly excited to introduce “one of the best bands in the world,” as he cleared the stage for the band to play at the Apple event. After they played, an exhilarated Cook broke the image of cool and collected when he f-bombed the room while praising the band: “You guys are f*cking great.” Then came the big news: the legendary rockers were giving the world a full new album for free – one they’ve worked diligently on for a number of years.
The new U2 album has driven rumors through the roof in recent years, with scattered and scant details painting a loose picture of a band determined to make a new mark of relevance in a world very different from when they were on the rise. Last year we outlined Danger Mouse’s involvement in the sound experiments that have formed the foundation for Songs of Innocence, and for his part producer Daniel Lanois didn’t mind sitting this one out, noting, “I don’t know if I’d survive the experiment.”
An excerpt from Bono’s exclusive Rolling Stone interview on the album breaks down a few of the songs: “The album kicks off with “The Miracle (of Joey Ramone),” a loping pop song laced with distinctly punk-ish power chords. “I found my voice through Joey Ramone,” says Bono, “because I wasn’t the obvious punk-rock singer, or even rock singer. I sang like a girl — which I’m into now, but when I was 17 or 18, I wasn’t sure. And I heard Joey Ramone, who sang like a girl, and that was my way in.”
The driving, reggae-tinged “This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now,” is a tribute to the Clash, with slinky guitars from the Edge that nod to Sandinista!. “After we saw the Clash, it was a sort of blueprint for U2,” says Bono. “We knew we couldn’t possibly hope to be as cool, and that’s proven to be true, but we did think we could get behind a sort of social justice agenda.”
“It has a lyrical cohesion that I think is unique amongst U2 albums,” says Bono, “I don’t want it to be a concept album, but the songs come from a place. Edge laughed and said this is our Quadrophenia. We could be so lucky.”
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The wait is officially over. Now to dig in.
