U2 have returned with a new EP, Easter Lily. It follows last month’s Days of Ash, which was also surprise-released. Check it out below.
U2 – Easter Lily spans six songs, including a new collaboration with Brian Eno. In contrast to the overtly political tone of Days of Ash, most of which was dedicated to activists, the new EP appears to be more personal. Opener ‘Song for Hal’ pays tribute to the band’s late friend and producer Hal Willner, who would’ve turned 70 on Easter Monday.
The descriptions of the other songs in a press release are pretty vague: “‘In a Life’ is a song celebrating friendship. ‘Scars’, is a song of encouragement and acceptance; scars and all, with a twist. ‘Resurrection Song’ is about pilgrimage, a road trip into the unknown with a lover or friend. ‘Easter Parade’ is a devotional song, a celebration of new life, rebirth and resurrection.” Only ‘COEXIST (I Will Bless The Lord At All Times?)’, which features the soundscape by Brian Eno, is billed as “a lullaby for parents of children caught up in war.”
In a statement, Bono said:
We are in the studio, still working towards a noisy, messy, ‘unreasonably colourful’ album to play LIVE… which is where U2 lives. We still look to vivid rock n roll as an act of resistance against all this awfulness on our small screens. These are for sure ‘wilderness years’ for so many of us looking at the mayhem out there in the world.
It’s a time that has our band digging deeper into our lives to find a wellspring of songs to try meet the moment… With Easter Lily we ended up asking very personal questions like: Are our own relationships up to these challenging times? How hard do you fight for friendship? Can our faith survive the mangling of meaning that those algorithms love to reward? Is all religion rubbish and still ripping us apart…? Or are there answers to find in its crevices? Are there ceremonies, rituals, dances that we might be missing in our lives? From the rite of Spring to Easter and its promise of rebirth and renewal… Patti Smith’s album Easter gave me so much hope when it was released in 1978. I wasn’t yet 18. The title is a nod to her.
We will attempt hoopla and fanfare at a later date to remind the rest of the world we exist but in the meantime… this is between you and us.
Like its predecessor, Easter Lily is accompanied by another digital edition of U2’s Propaganda zine. It includes sleeve notes from the Edge, a conversation between Bono and Franciscan friar Richard Rohr, an essay from Clayton on art and the journey of recovery, and more.
