If you have been on iTunes recently, you may have been surprised. Not but some new update, or by a new look or anything like that. Instead, you would have found free music. Now whats better, an update or free tunes? If you had to think about that, well shame on you.
On September 9th, iTunes users opened their iTunes to see that there was a new album in their Library by the band U2. Users wondering, “How did this get there? Was I really smashed last night and downloaded stuff? Or is my computer haunted by Joey Ramone?” Luckily, the answer to that is neither. It was simply a great gift from a great band.
U2 teamed up with Apple to release their new album “Songs of Innocence.” This is the bands newest album in five years. At an Apple event to release their new products, U2 made a surprising performance at the end, playing the first track on the album “The Miracle (of Joey Ramone).” After the performance, the band, and apple CEO Tim Cook, told the audience that they can have that song and many more for free, right then and there. They then released “Songs of Innocence” for
free to every iTunes users. All they had to do, was open iTunes .
There has been all sorts of articles and reviews about this recent marketing stunt and whether it was a good idea, or just a sellout scheme. My thought on that is, who really cares? Some have written about the music but it usually leads to a discussion about whether or not this was a good idea. Seriously though, why not just tell about the new tunes? Well that is exactly what I’m going to do now.
When I saw on Facebook that U2 had released an album and it was already on my computer, I for one, was over joyed. U2 was one of the first rock and roll bands I had ever heard when I was little and had loved them ever since. My family has always been huge fans of the band and they have played a significant role in my musical career. So I knew that this new album was going to be flawless.
After my first time of listening to the album the whole way through, I actually had to immediately listen to it over again. Then I couldn’t stop. I probably listened to it four or five times in a row. It was art, it was beautiful, it was rock and roll. All 11 tracks seemed to tell a story, a beautiful story of music being this joy to save lives. It was a masterpiece.
I can’t even chose a favorite song off the album. Each song was a piece to this puzzle that was “Songs of Innocence.” They all were moving and phenomenal pieces of music. Although I can’t choose a favorite, the song that really stuck out to me would be track nine: “Sleeps Like a Baby Tonight.” It is this mellow grace that starts with what sounds like a small string section, then is overlaid by Bono’s smooth vocals. The drums are an aggressive beat, but not aggressive as in Larry Mullen Jr. is beating his drums to death. Rather, aggressive in the sense that the rhythm is pushing everything forward. Then a heavily distorted guitar comes out of nowhere 
and The Edge rips out this lead line that somehow seems to fit perfectly together with all the background music. Then close to the end, this guitar solo emerges from the background and just sends us off to the end of the journey.
So, if you have been following along in the reading you now know that I think “Songs of Innocence” is a must have, and luckily for some of you, you already have it. The album is to be released as a physical copy on October 14. Everyone should have this in their collection. It doesn’t matter what kind of music you listen too, everyone could appreciate and enjoy this work of art. Now I usually put a link to a song I rather enjoy at the end of the post, but since some of you already have it, I’m just going to let you listen and experience this ear candy on your own. For those of you who don’t have it yet, countdown till October 14! And if there is anyone who hasn’t heard anything about this album or for the matter, if there is anyone that doesn’t know U2, there is this brand new invention called the Internet. Try it out and find this masterpiece.
Mike Coduto 