After five years the long awaited U2 album, “Songs of Innocence” was released on September 9th. The band, a long time partner with Apple, teamed up again and allowed all Itunes users to access their new album free through icloud.

This marketing strategy has been more controversial than the album itself. Many people, including the students at York,  did not like the fact U2  popped up on their phone without consent. Personally I didn’t care, free music is free music and if you really hated it that much deleting it only takes a mere second.

Deleting though is what many did, as the album is a preachy old rock band trying too hard.

They attempted to be current with adding synth into a few songs, but they fight with some great guitar from the Edge. Overall, they attempted to change their sound, and did so on a few songs, just not in a good way. In “California” and “Raised by Wolves” you see this attempt of change. Both songs have weird chanting beginning  and do not get much better from there leaning on weak choruses where the focus, as in most U2 songs, is Bono’s voice.

The highlight of the album is the trippy disco feeling song, “Volcano”. It channels old U2 with a more current vibe. Another standout song was “Cedarwood Road” which features Edge jamming out in the intro and throughout the song. This song also has a trippy disco rock feel to it and is something refreshing to hear from the band.

We can only hope the second half of the album (part 2) or Songs of Experience will have more depth to it then Songs of Innocence did. Overall it was not one of U2’s best albums; however, loyal fans will not be disappointed.