U2 – Days of Ash/Easter Lily

Two surprises in the span of two months? It’s safe to say that in the lead-up to their upcoming studio album—described by U2 frontman Bono as having a “carnival vibe”—the boys from Dublin are proving to their vibrant hometown music scene that they still got it. Following a period of stagnation (unless you count Bono’s memoir, Surrender) since their last album of original material, 2017’s Songs of Experience, their recent release of EPs, Days of Ash and Easter Lily, reflects an outburst of creative energy.

Both EPs immediately reveal two sides of the band, which evoke conflicting feelings in me about the direction they’re ultimately bound to take. And yet, it also has me excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. If Days of Ash gave me cautious optimism through its strong lyrical themes, albeit complemented with muted, underwhelming anthems, then Easter Lily does so through its stronger melodic quality. This suggests that U2 tend to hold back on their purest songwriting instincts when the stakes are higher. Given the relatively low-stakes nature of these releases, U2 makes it known that they can easily draw from their influential past if they damn please.

While Days of Ash, released on Ash Wednesday, was immediately met with praise, its songs exhibit similarities to their patchy work from the 2010s. “American Obituary” is the obvious standout, a fierce, musical eulogy to Renée Good, the Minnesota mother of three killed by ICE agents, that recalls the slick arena-rock of tracks like “Elevation” and “Until the End of the World.” But the same can’t be said for “Song of the Future” and “Yours Eternally,” both resorting to earnest, chart-friendly hooks that sound like pale imitations of their past work. Even with their direct, and rightfully politically-charged musings, it’s “One Life at a Time,” the more thematically subdued track here, that has resonated with me the most. Honouring Awdah Hathaleen, a Palestinian nonviolent activist killed in 2025, Bono highlights the tragedy to bring up deeply human questions surrounding the futility of violence. While well-intentioned, the EP overall gave me some pause, as it proved that U2 sometimes can’t help themselves to write placid pop rock songs that don’t disrupt their quest for supreme relevance.

Meanwhile, Easter Lily, released on Good Friday, offers the visceral, emotional experience that U2 fans have been yearning for the longest time. So much so that I would’ve liked it if these were the actual songs they were considering for their next studio album. Switching gears from topical issues to solemn pronouncements of faith, the EP is the most in the pocket they’ve sounded since the early 2000s. What’s most surprising is that Bono takes a backseat to kick things off. “Song for Hal,” a COVID-19 lockdown meditation and tribute to their late friend/collaborator Hal Willner, features the Edge on vocals, providing some of his most inspired guitar work (think “Bad” from The Unforgettable Fire) in ages. The band, tapping into distinct periods of their career, seamlessly weaves the post-punk groove of their mid-’80s work (“Scars,” “Easter Parade”) with the anthetic force of the How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb/All That You Can't Leave Behind albums (“In a Life,” “Resurrection Song”), which might’ve seemed like a distant impossibility. Even on the ardent, yet awkward “COEXIST (I Will Bless The Lord At All Times?),” Bono dares to build a seven-minute song around a pitch-shifted acapella. While it’s a slight misfire, one can appreciate it for its boldness.

Ultimately, Days of Ash and Easter Lily do not necessarily offer insight into how U2 intends to move forward with the anticipation they’ve built for their 15th studio album. What it does, in return, is show how the band has regained its strength following drummer Larry Mullen Jr’s neck and back surgery in 2023. Whichever the outcome, both demonstrate that U2 remains capable of producing meaningful work when they pursue a more exploratory path. And now we wait, again.

Days of Ash and Easter Lily are both out now via Island Records.

Days of Ash

Easter Lily