The band’s first new work since 2025, the EP tackles the central headlines of the world and the ongoing causes of global pain. Listening is both a relief and a heartbreak, the reassurance of love, beauty, resistance, and its existence is music. But the reality is that this piece of media exists both due to and in spite of the tragedy that inspired it.
This year, Ash Wednesday landed on Feb. 18th. The 18th was also the release of U2’s new EP, “Day of Ash”. The first three tracks of this EP are a call back to U2’s original sound, songs of protest, addressing The Troubles from their Irish upbringing. Released on their album War, the top track “Bloody Sunday” is a commentary on the violent altercation by British soldiers. With a focus on the impact of the messaging and simpler sonic technique.
Opening the EP, the message is clear. The first track, “American Obituary”, is written less like the title suggests and more like a love song. Moreso, an encouragement to the more than testing time that America and Americans are living through, from lyrics like “The power of the people is so much stronger than the people in power,” to “We love you more than hate loves war.” This song also contains a message directed at the trouble on the streets of Minneapolis, a tribute to Renee Good, murdered by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer. “Renee Good, born to die free, American mother of three.”
Next up, ‘The tears of things’ is acoustic and laid back in order to allow the audience to hear the story being laid out. The song uses a religious motif, with the band’s Irish Catholic roots, using the story of David and Goliath, to emulate our world and the onslaught of Authoritarianism within it. Using the lyrics like, “Mussolini came to see me.” Sonically, this song is just gorgeous with a slow acoustic start, but a growth throughout to a build-up to match the story, weaving the chorus “the tears of things” through and ending with the statement “Let my people go,” a peak for the storytelling and a message to listeners.
“Song of the future” is for Iran. Specifically for two young women who experienced violent deaths at the hands of the state. Sarina Esmailzadeh, whose name was the chorus and the backbone of the song, “Sarina, Sarina, she’s the song of the future.” And for Mahsa Amini, both were named in the lyrics at the end of this song. With the line, “She’s the song of the future, playing in my mind.” There is an ebb in the song everytime Sarinas name is mentioned. With intentional lyrics about what these women stood for throughout their lives and their activism.
The fourth track, “Wildpeace,” is less a song and more a poetic reading, taking inspiration and recitation from Yehuda Amichai, an Israeli poet, acknowledging the violence and perpetual warfare from a civilian perspective.
The 5th track “One Life at a Time” starts with a stylistic call back to U2’s earlier music, a decade into their career in the 80’s. The song then settles into something poetic and soulful, as the clarity of the lyrics fades in. This is a continued discussion of peace, noting how difficult it is to negotiate and, in a way, ‘get it right’. With lines like ‘and ‘perfect love drives out all fear’, a biblical quote and a recurring lyric within U2’s music.
Every song had a dedication to a person; each song was a tribute. Beyond a statement, this EP wraps up several of the world’s center-stage headlines and concerns, which are both ongoing and ever-evolving.
In the EP’s last track, “Yours Eternally”, U2 partnered with Taras Topolia, a Ukrainian singer, activist, and Ed Sheeran. This piece employs a more pop sound but remains sonically uplifting, with lines like “Still dream, about waking up free, as we can be”. The perfect song to wrap up this packed statement and alleviate the weight with an encouragement towards awareness and hope.
As we flounder under the weight of each new devastating global event, a return to the arts, music, and poetry, away from the seemingly senseless and away from the mindless. A return to the arts is a social consciousness, and one we’re reminded that shouldn’t be too easily relinquished.
