People love to be first.
First to review, first to react, first to share the news of the unexpected. And that’s fair. Human nature or something. The adrenaline of new music is something quite unique, and I fall for that rush more often than not.
But not this time.
It took me less than a minute into U2’s new Easter Lily EP to know that I wouldn’t take part in the race. Those are special songs.
Halfway through Song for Hal, I sat back and exhaled, lost in instant contemplation. In A Life just stopped me in my tracks. Something is happening here and I don’t want to miss one bit. So I stopped listening.
What I had heard so far struck that chord in my heart that brings light, and I knew that this piece of work deserved a proper moment, not a half-arsed listen in between two tasks. Songs that require space of mind because you just know they’re ones that will bleed daylight. Ones that are a gift much bigger than the one of music. Ones that feel personal, so you don’t have a choice but to make them personal.
And that’s why I wasn’t even sure I wanted to share anything about it. Sometimes you need to scream it from the rooftop, and sometimes you just need to feel and hold onto that.
So, I didn’t read the reviews, hell I didn’t even look up the lyrics. I just felt a lot, and here I am, putting words down on a blank page and not knowing if they are for anyone else but me.
But the more I listen, the brighter the light gets, and if anything has to be shared in this sick, sad world right now, it’s definitely more light.
If Days of Ash had layers of darkness to unfold, this one is much more straightforward. Rage and anger are complicated feelings. Hope is much easier to embrace and hold onto. When you find it.
And that’s what I heard in these songs. Something uplifting. Soaring feelings. And clarity. That’s not the U2 you stan. That’s not the U2 you worship – which is pretty funny considering the divine qualities those tracks hold.
That’s the U2 that feels like an old friend. Something familiar not just by design but by how comforting it gets. That hand held mine before and got me through shit-kinda feelings.
Musically speaking, we’re on a level of radiance, and that’s the best way I can possibly explain it. And if you’re a U2 fan, you probably get that. From Edge’s impeccable performance to a rhythm section back to the most beautiful synergy and a certain guy who can make you believe whatever he wants through the soft grit in his voice. Add to that the markers of scattered moments in time and you get everything you could wish for. I know you smiled at that intro on Ressurection song. I did too.
U2 has always been excellent at encapsulating the whole universe and turning it into something bigger and more personal all at once. It’s that sound. The sound of these four guys in a room together. Something, something about God walking in the room.
All leading up to COEXIST (I Will Bless The Lord At All Times?), reflecting what has been present all along and reminding you how genius this band is to drop this EP for Easter weekend.
That central, almost overwhelming sense of faith.
Some people have a hard time wrapping their heads around the fact that you can be a U2 fan and not necessarily believe in God, the truth is you just have to believe.
Regardless of what you believe in or not, you can find faith in these songs, and that’s by far my favourite thing about this EP.
We all need something to hold onto that is bigger than ourselves, and thankfully, sometimes, things align and you get to find grace inside a sound.
And maybe that is the comforting thought.
A new day will rise, and we don’t actually need to achieve anything on our own.
Maybe that’s how you find that hope and hold onto it.
By opting out of the race for a moment, sit back and just enjoy basking in the sunlight music can bring into your life. Maybe you will smile, maybe you will cry, and most probably you will do both and feel very much alive.
I told you these were personal. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Happy Easter to those who celebrate.
And happy Easter Lily EP to everyone else.
