U2 Drops Politically Charged EP, ‘Days Of Ash,’ Marking a Return to New Music
After a near-decade hiatus from releasing new material, Dublin rock giants U2 have unveiled their latest collection, the five-track EP titled ‘Days Of Ash.’ This powerful new offering is steeped in political commentary, focusing on global injustice and the lives of individuals caught in its crossfire. The EP, available now, serves as a potent precursor to a full-length album slated for release later this year.
The EP opens with “American Obituary,” a stark and confronting track addressing the recent shooting of Renée Good in Minneapolis by ICE agents. U2 describes the incident as the killing of “an unarmed mother who was then described as a ‘domestic terrorist’ by the government.” This song, along with others on the EP, shines a light on lives tragically cut short by systemic issues and conflict.
Themes of Courage and Lamentation
U2 has characterised ‘Days Of Ash’ as a tribute to “the many extraordinary and courageous people fighting on the frontlines of freedom.” Bono elaborated on the EP’s distinct tone, noting that its themes and mood differ significantly from the upcoming full album. “It’s been a thrill having the four of us back together in the studio over the last year… 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,” he stated.
He further explained the urgency behind these new tracks: “‘These EP tracks couldn’t wait; these songs were impatient to be out in the world. They are songs of defiance and dismay, of lamentation. Songs of celebration will follow, we’re working on those now… because for all the awfulness we see normalised daily on our small screens, there’s nothing normal about these mad and maddening times and we need to stand up to them before we can go back to having faith in the future. And each other.'”
A Global Tapestry of Voices
A standout collaboration on the EP is “Yours Eternally.” This track features Bono and The Edge alongside global music sensations Ed Sheeran and Ukrainian musician-turned-soldier Taras Topolia. The band met Topolia while busking in a Kyiv metro station, an invitation extended by President Zelensky.
“Yours Eternally” is presented as a letter from a soldier on active duty. To accompany the song, a short, four-minute documentary was filmed in December, capturing the realities faced by Ukrainian soldiers on the frontlines of the ongoing war. This visual companion is set for release on Tuesday, February 24th, marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Honouring Young Lives and Resistance
Another poignant track, “Song of the Future,” pays homage to 16-year-old Sarina Esmailzadeh. Sarina was tragically beaten to death by Iranian security forces in 2022 after participating in a women’s rights protest. The band aims for this song to encapsulate the schoolgirl’s “free spirit, the promise and hope of her short life.”
The EP also includes:
- “The Tears Of Things”: This track offers an imagined conversation between Michelangelo’s iconic sculpture, David, and its creator.
- “One Life At A Time”: Written for Awdah Hathaleen, a Palestinian father of three who was killed by an Israeli settler in his West Bank village last summer. Hathaleen was a consultant on the Oscar-winning documentary ‘No Other Land.’ The song’s title was inspired by a mourner at his funeral who spoke of Palestinians being erased “one life at a time.”
“Wildpeace” and a Digital Zine
Rounding out the EP is a reading of the poem “Wildpeace” by acclaimed Israeli author and poet Yehuda Amichai, set to music by U2 and producer Jacknife Lee. This literary addition will be accompanied by a substantial 52-page digital zine, with a limited-edition print run also planned.
A Timely Response to Global Turmoil
Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. expressed his confidence in the new material, stating that the songs “stand up to our best work.” He believes the current global political climate necessitates a musical response. “We talk a lot about when to release new tracks. You don’t always know… the way the world is now feels like the right moment,” Mullen Jr. commented. He further emphasised the band’s long-standing commitment to taking a stance on important issues: “Going way back to our earliest days, working with Amnesty or Greenpeace, we’ve never shied away from taking a position and sometimes that can get a bit messy, there’s always some sort of blowback, but it’s a big side of who we are and why we still exist.”
The release of ‘Days Of Ash’ signifies not only U2’s return to new music but also their unwavering commitment to using their platform to address pressing global issues, offering both lament and a call to action in these turbulent times.
