First Reviews

10 Sep 2014121
No-one knew it was on the way but less than 24 hours after it's dramatic debut, the reviews of Songs Of Innocence are rolling in. Here's some of the earliest - follow the links to read the entire review.

'More than any U2 album before it, Songs of Innocence goes deep into Bono and the rest of bandmembers' teenage years in Dublin in the Seventies. The first song captures the big bang of Bono's musical awakening: the first time he heard the Ramones. "Everything I've ever lost now has been returned," Bono sings. "The most beautiful sound I ever heard…We were pilgrims on our way."'
Rolling Stone

'With occasional exceptions, Bono’s vocals are well to the fore throughout; Edge piles on the big chords and twangs brilliantly where appropriate; and in the engine room, Larry and Adam anchor things powerfully, giving U2 their unique centre of gravity.‘California (There is no End to Love)’ is a certain single: starting with an almost religious choral vocal, it is the most West Coast the band have ever sounded. There is a sense of rapture which marks it as a special moment in the U2 pantheon of great tracks.‘Volcano’ is a monster: the album’s ‘Elevation’, it's a ball buster of a riff-based anthem that opens with a full-on Stranglers’ style bassline from Adam. Packed with raw, meaty guitar slashes and psychedelic, swelling backing vocals, it is another near-certain centre-piece for their live set....' Hot Press

'The method of distribution will dominate the initial chatter about the album for a few days, but once people have had a chance to listen to Songs of Innocence a few times and digest it, they'll discover a substantive album that harks back to the band's earliest days, most musically and lyrically...'
USA Today

'It is an album of big, colourful, attacking rock with fluid melodies, bright anthemic choruses and bold lyrical ideas. Perhaps the most surprising thing is that, despite apparently being created in a spirit of self-doubt, it sounds fresh and cohesive, bouncing out of the speakers with a youthful spring in its step....'
Daily Telegraph

"California (There is No End to Love)," a song about the band's first trip to Los Angeles, is a modern take on The Beach Boys with a hallucinatory opening consisting of the band chanting "Barbara Barbara Barbara Santa Barbara" in the round before launching into one of those trademark power ballads that feel like a jet plane racing to the horizon....' US News

'This Is Where You Can Reach Me" is a kind of howling, skanking disco-punk homage to the Clash...'   Billboard.

'The 11 tracks look back to the band’s musical roots in the punk and post-punk era, paying explicit homage to the Ramones and the Clash, and carrying resonances of later genres and bands, not least the many groups such as Arcade Fire and Coldplay that flourished by tapping into their influence.'
Time.

The music on Songs of Innocence doesn’t hark back to the open spaces of early U2; it exults in multitrack possibilities. But it connects emotionally to a time when, as Bono sings in 'The Miracle (of Joey Ramone),' “I wanted to be the melody/Above the noise, above the hurt/I was young/Not dumb.” New York Times

Agree? Disagree? Add your own reviews below.
Comments
121
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gbirraux
Perfect ?
So please to listen The new album. I've waited so many years. So good the first time you listen it, becomes magical after few other times listing the songs. Now waiting for the European tour ... Thanks
marcbuth
Great Album !!
Christmass comes early this year, what a surprise. Think this is going to be a Achtung Baby experience for me & new refreshing. Will it knock Achtung Baby from my first place ?? Time will tell, but you'll never know.
Chadd Bryant
U2 is the only band that matters
The excitement and surprise listening to a U2 album for the first time. No words.
Milosz
Adam kicks ass!
PS Adam really kicks ass on this album. His bass sounds powerful and thick like it never did since the War album. Makes me crazy on tracks like Volcano!
Elevate-me-baby
Innocent
Wow - what a Fantastic album that will only get better with time. EBW is brilliant & Cedarwood Road feels like you were hanging out with the boys way back then when the world wasn't exactly a great place in the UK. Simply Brilliant - Thank You Boys
Troglodrew
So after 24 hours... yeah, this is a rea
This is a good album. The songs are more complicated both lyrically and musically than they appear at first glance. To me, Bono's story of losing his mother and absorbing himself into Dublin's punk scene as an escape from his empty house is THE U2 story - it's as important as Roger Waters losing his father in a war before his birth, to Pink Floyd. Everything that U2 sings about: God, War, failed relationships, etc all go back to this story. That sort of U2 mythology is what drew me to the band in the first place and this album tells it in a more straightforward way than ever before. I love that Cedarwood Road is essentially about hanging out with Gavin Friday. I worry because I can't imagine this has a whole lot of public appeal. The story is really a harsh one! There are no "Beautiful Days" or "Ones". I like "Every Breaking Wave" as sort of the theme song of the album. I see that reviewers are calling it a break-up song - which is such an incredibly simplistic interpretation of it. Favorite Songs: Every Breaking Wave Sleep Like a Baby Tonight The Troubles Songs I'm still wrestling with: Song for Someone (too much safe U2 territory) The Is Where You Can Reach Me (I'll probably like this after a few listens - a bit like "Please")
Redhill1973
forward to the past, A +
It's not what I expected and very good! It definitely has a straight up rock feel with no pretense and reminds me of their early 80's catalogs with modern relevance that only they can master! Bravo!
Milosz
Impossible album!
What can I say about this album? I am so happy since yesterday, I'm listening to it all the time. It's so beautiful, touches my soul like nothing else. I can't believe it really is so good and feels so good for me. There is no song I like less than other ones. Reminds me of War album. Grows on me with each listen. I'll stop cause it's impossible to express my feelings here anyway. God bless you guys
Avion Espia
Hell yeah
Can't wait to hear them live... right?
Bonoedge4U
It's been worth the waiting
Being a long term U2 fan, from the early days on, I recognize the roots as well as the immense evolution the band made over the years, all in this record. I can't wait hearing this live. I am waiting for a tour to hear Iris, Song for Someone and Cedarwood Road. Edge's rocking guitar sound the massive beats of Larry, the still strong singing of Bono and don't forget the firm bass-playing of Adam. It's all there. You have to listen to it over and over again to make up every new twist. It's been worth the waiting. Thanks guys.
u2jen
In love again
I am so in love with U2 again today. I have been in love with this music, which seems to be the sound my soul would make if it could have a sound, since 1983. But this album....wow! I am blown away. It's so personal I almost feel like I'm invading some privacy. It's intimacy in my ears. I am grateful to have it. I am overjoyed with how it turned out. I can't wait to hear these songs played live. It was very much worth the long, long wait. I LOVE THIS BAND!!
utwothefly
Whats my favourite...
There's a few, someone, iris, trouble, EBW and California are all possible best songs on the album and reach me know I'm getting into. Seems like there isn't a dud!. 9/10
danny37
danny37
well well pleased worth the wait the boys are back
dw68u2fan
Awesome!!!!!!
Love this album and can't stop listening to it. Well done and worth the wait. This is my favorite time of the year and even better now with some great music to listen to. Can't wait for the tour.
Bonosgal
Class!
'The most beautiful sound I ever heard' <3
JessLee
Jesslee / Innocence
Sunny days, sweeping the clouds away, on my way to where the air is sweet.................I am there!
spinningheadnl
Worth The Wait
Fantastic album lads...love the sounds on it. Favourite song at the moment is Volcano...amazing intro bass riff. Can't wait to hear and see these songs performed live.
jnj13
Laporte indiana usa
Listened to it this morning sitting in 2 hour traffic. The songs made the commute non existent. The Troubles,iris and the miracle really stand out. Can't wait for the ride home. Great Stuff!!
tonicastillo
magico
me están atravesando la cabeza poco a poco y dejando melodías increíbles mientras me imagino a los cuatro irlandeses viendo pasar los lugares ,personas y acontecimientos durante sus comienzos ..saltando de canción en canción sin saber aun cual serán las que se quedaran mas grabadas en mi mente ......
alanvox5
Happy now?
For all you so called fans that in previous posted had given up on the boys, it's here!! As always it's taken time, but it's here. So you can all shut the fuck up about 'U2 splitting', 'this is the end', 'why don't they just say their finished' but now your all happy that the albums here. Call your self REAL U2 FANS, bollocks.
dropintheocean
I can't stop listening to Song for Someo
I got to that track on my iPod & I keep hitting repeat, over & over. I'm abjectly in love with this song. It may look like I'm at my desk working, but I've actually been knocked to the floor by the beauty of this song.
loloya
simplemente BRUTAL!!!
Generalmente cuando sale un disco nuevo de U2, hago una lista de las canciones colocandolas en un Ranking, pues para mi grata sorpresa, con "Songs of Innocence" no he podido hacerlo. Cada vez que escucho el disco completo (y ya llevo como 10 veces), cambio el orden de las canciones y todas las quiero colocar de primero. No puedo decidir cual es mi tema favorito. Conclusión: estamos en presencia de uno de los mejores discos jamas hechos por U2, Achtung Baby levels!!. Good Job Guys!! Waiting for "Songs of Experience"!!
buzz2
A Great Record!
The world is a better place now that this record is out. It is the sound of U2 now with hints of where they have been and where they are going!
COL
Mostruos !!!!!
Como la primera vez ! gracias por buena música
CTU
in LOVE with THE NEW ALBUM!! (Please inc
Thanks U2 for bringing this fantastic sound to this world!! It's THE best gift I could ever wished for!!!!!!! Iris, Song for Someone, Raised by Wolves, The Troubles are my favourites for now, but of course, love all the songs. =D =U2= South Korea has the craziest, one of the most amazing audiences in the world, so please please come to Seoul next year. We've been waiting for so long for U2!! You're missing some amazing U2 crowd here.
MJSmith
FINALLY!!
The sky is bluer, the grass is greener and life is a little bit sweeter today because I finally have a new U2 album to listen to. The more I listen, the more I love. It's ALL good. Can't wait to start planning on attending as many concerts as I possibly can!
christyblue
A refreshing album :)
Well I am a huge U2 fan and after all the rumours & wondering if a U2 album would be out this year & hearing about a struggle doing the album, it was a great surprise to hear that it was here !!!! I am on my 6 the listen & it is a very refreshing album and the album does not blow me away onn1st listen but that is not a bad thing no..... It is a grower and a good one at that !!!!! Bono's singing voice is strong and Edge doing very nicely on guitar with less delay than normal but I like this :), of course I love his delay but his guitar work on some of the songs on the album is very refreshing & rockier riffs :) Larry & Adam sounding really good, they all bring something truly refreshing to the table of the collection of songs of innocence. That is my early review and it is growing by the minute !!!! And could maybe grow into their best album yet.......... But that us just a small thought at the moment until I hear more of it. Welcome back guys, I have missed you and thanks for free download :)
jmsaenz
Congratulations guys! You deserve it.
Truly amazing. I have listened to it about 5 times now and I'm amazed that I keep finding small references to classic songs like With or Without you and City of Blinding lights.
chambers215
Awesome
I have listened to the album 5-6 times now and I love it. Favorites so far are Song for Someone, Iris, Cedarwood Road, Raised By Wolves, and Sleep Like A Baby Tonight. I'm so grateful to have new music from U2 and can't wait for a U.S. tour.
shaneOHara
in a world of numb
I cant wait to go out running with these new tracks buzzing around my head. I've read a few reviews that say things like 'no Streets in there etc etc'... but if you gave them Streets they would soon realise that Streets has been done - The Godfather was a superb film - but I don't need to keep going back to watch it. Thank you U2 for lighting up my days all over again. Thank you quietly, too, for getting the haters to wind themselves up ... by doing what they do best :-) PS: what is relevance? Keep hearing this but what does it really mean? uplifting... may not sound posh, but its that simple, right?
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