I must confess that I was fucking terrified of how to approach this review. I wondered if it would be a written paragraph review, track-by-track, or short track-by-track. I mean, U2 are the most fucking iconic band ever, and I wanted to do them justice with a review of this. 

The band started in Dublin during the mid-70s when Larry Mullen Jr requested band members wanted on the school notice board. He would get five responses, which included Bono, the Edge, Edge’s brother, and Adam Clayton. Before the lads settled on U2, Larry thought he would be in charge of the band until it appeared 10 minutes into the formation that Paul Hewson, aka Bono, had other ideas. Dik Evans (Edge’s brother, who has gone on to have a successful music career) would be phased out a year after the formation of Feedback, then the Hype. Ivan McCormick lasted a mere two weeks before being dropped. He would go on to become a composer.

Since then, the rest of history. The band has several iconic albums packed with political issues, bombastic choruses, and stadium anthems. The band was very punky, to begin with, before working with Brain Eno, which proved highly challenging for the band, who fell out on several occasions with Brian during recording sessions. In a documentary, the band admitted that they hated those sessions because he wanted to bring his production watermark to the album. Bono would constantly push back. However, “the Joshua Tree”, which the band confessed, until they did the anniversary in 2017 and 2019, supported by the likes of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, they were not particularly fond of, but now have found some love for it. Many people are fond of “the Joshua Tree”, where the hits and stadium anthems started to roll in. There is no doubt that Brian’s second time working with the band changed their sound forever and made them more versatile from that moment on.

The band have been together for over four decades, and despite the squabbling during the recording sessions for “the Joshua Tree”, they haven’t got close to breaking up since. How did it get to this? Well, last year, Bono released a book called ‘Surrender’, an autobiography ranging from anecdotes about his time in U2 to meeting the Pope with bonus content in the audiobook. Bono would do acoustic versions of their iconic hits when he did a reading tour., which brought the “Songs of Surrender” to life.

From there, the band had this concept of doing stripped-back versions of all their hits (That’s a staggering 40.)over four discs titled after each member. The Album is over three hours of listening time in total. Anyway, I have opted for a brief track-by-track review, so here goes:

Disc 1: the Edge

One: 

Piano ballad, a gentle cymbal at the end of the chorus, soft vocals throughout, and the last chorus builds up with ghostly backing vocals and marching drums on the outro.

Where the Streets Have No Name: 

Cello intro, haunting synth verse, the piano joins on the chorus, synth rings out on outro.

Stories for Boys: 

Piano intro leading into verse, backing vocals on the verse, piano break, vocals over piano riff on the chorus, short piano riff outro.

11 O Clock Tick-Tock: 

Drums and acoustic intro, acoustic plucking and piano in verse 1, bass riff and Bono falsetto in chorus, harmonic vocal break, backing harmonies with piano in verse 2, acoustic solo joined by plucked acoustic, gentle electric guitar on outro

Out of Control: 

Acoustic solo intro, pulsating acoustic on the verse, reverb vocals over rhythmic acoustic on chorus 1, backing vocals on chorus 2, rhythmic acoustic on the bridge, acoustic solo break, bass on chorus 3, acoustic rings out on outro.

Beautiful Day: 

Piano ballad with pulsating acoustic with scratching and backing vocals, pulsating piano in chorus, harmonic vocals leading into verse 3, choral bridge, pulsating drums in chorus 2, and choral outro.

Bad: 

Acoustic intro over tambourine leading into verse, piano and strings join on verse 2, marching drums with an acoustic riff on the chorus, marching drums build before the harmonic outro.

Every Breaking Wave: 

Haunting piano riff intro is repeated in verses, with backing vocals on the bridge, light strings in chorus 1, reverb vocals in verse 2, synth joins in chorus 2, piano break, and piano riff outro with sustained high vocals.

Walk on (Ukraine): 

Plucked acoustic intro, backing vocals and bass join verse 2 with plucked acoustic, rhythmic acoustic on chorus 1, piano on chorus 2 with a light cymbal crash, pulsating piano on outro with riff.

Pride (in the Name of Love): 

Rhythmic acoustic with bass intro, backing vocals on the chorus, piano with an acoustic riff on break, electric guitar solo break with full band outro before fade out.

Disc 2: Larry

Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses: 

Pulsating acoustic, cello and piano in verses, a rhythmic acoustic riff in the chorus,  bass joins from verse 2, backing vocals from Edge in chorus 2, and synth rings out on the outro.

Get Out of Your Own Way: 

Drums, acoustic and backing vocals on the intro, bass joins in the verse, harmonic backing vocals with an acoustic riff on the chorus, and instrumental outro.

Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out of: 

Acoustic intro leads into verse, backing vocals from Edge, bass joins on the chorus, bongos on verse 2, piano joins on the outro, and acoustic rings out.

Red Hill Mining Town:

Haunting synth and acoustic on intro leading into verse with drums, bass and Trombone Shorty, chorus 2 with harmonic backing vocals, sustained trombone on the outro.

Ordinary Love:

Acoustic riff intro leading into verse, synth, bass and backing vocals on the chorus, acoustic riff break between verses, acoustic rings out on outro.

Sometimes You Can’t Make it on Your Own:

Piano intro leading intro verse, falsetto backing vocals on bridge, electric guitar riff, marching drums, tubular bells on verse 4 and final chorus, piano and bass drum outro.

Invisible:

Acoustic riff, piano, bass and drums intro leading into verse, the song builds on the chorus with backing vocals leading into the instrumental break, full band outro before Bono and backing vocals acapella.

Dirty Day:

Cello intro leads into verse, Bono whispered vocals in verse, the electric guitar riff in chorus, the violin joins in verse 2, Bono’s vocals slightly louder in verse 3, backing vocals in chorus 3, sustained violin, Bono’s sustained vocals, and acoustic rings out on outro.

the Miracle (of Joey Ramone):

Acoustic lead and full band intro leading into verse, backing vocals on chorus, piano, acoustic and Bono harmonies on break, backing harmonies on verse 2, short acoustic break, harmonic vocals with an acoustic outro.

City of Blinding Lights:

Piano and bass intro, piano and Bono on verse 1, backing vocals on bridge, backing vocals and acoustic on chorus 1, electric guitar joins on chorus 2, haunting harmonic vocals break, piano rings out on outro.

Disc 3: Adam

Vertigo:

Violin and rhythmic acoustic intro, rhythmic acoustic verse, violin and acoustic on chorus and post-chorus, violin and acoustic break, cello outro.

I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For: 

Acoustic riff and tambourine intro lead into verse, Bono with mid-volume vocals, Edge backing vocals, and bass join on verse 2, electric guitar on break, piano and full drums join on verse 3, ghostly outro.

Electrical Storm:

Piano and electric guitar intro, piano in verse 1, rhythmic acoustic joins in verse 3, reverb vocals on the chorus, verse 4 same as verse 1, full band in verse 6, tambourine joins on the final chorus, light cymbal crash to end.

the Fly:

Bongos, full drums, bass and electric guitar on intro leading into verse, haunting backing vocals on the chorus, piano post-chorus, backbeat break before the verse, piano break, reverb falsetto vocals followed by an acoustic solo, then reverb vocal outro.

if God Will Send His Angels:

Piano intro, whispered vocals over the piano in verse, chorus with backing falsetto vocals before piano rings out, piano solo post-chorus, falsetto vocals to end verse 2, distant reverb vocals post-chorus 2, piano outro.

Desire:

Electric guitar intro, falsetto vocals, handclaps and keyboard reverb effect on the verse, fiddle solo on bridge, yoddling with backing vocals on bridge 2, keyboard reverb effect outro.

Until the End of the World:

Rhythmic acoustic intro, piano and acoustic on the verse, backing vocals on the chorus, acoustic break, acoustic solo after chorus 2, falsetto vocals on verse 3, light harmonic vocals with backing harmonic vocals outro.

Song for Someone:

Pulsating acoustic with piano intro leading into verse, backing vocals join on the bridge, piano solo with vocals on the chorus, piano solo with acoustic and bass, acoustic rings out on outro.

All I Want is You:

Panpipe effect with bass and drum intro leading into verse, acoustic lead on the chorus, rhythmic acoustic break with the full band, bongos and falsetto vocals on final chorus, bass and bongos outro.

Peace on Earth:

Acoustic intro, empty church ambience vocals, the choir joins acoustic on chorus, full band joins choir and acoustic on chorus 2.

Disc 4: Bono

With or Without You:

Acoustic bass and synth intro leading into verse, building post-chorus, vocals build on the bridge, full band on the final chorus, electric guitar solo with brief Bono harmonic vocal outro.

Stay(Faraway, So Close!):

Backing vocals over piano intro leading into verse, electric guitar and full band on verse 2, falsetto with falsetto backing vocals on chorus, piano and Bono vocals on verse 3, verse 4 as verse 2, brief instrumental break before the chorus, harmonic vocals with backing harmonic vocals break partially spoken word on outro with electric guitar ringing out.

Sunday Bloody Sunday:

Acoustic riff with harmonic vocals, rhythmic acoustic on the verse, Edge backing vocals on chorus with change in rhythm, acoustic break, bass joins on chorus 2, acoustic solo, three-string pluck outro.

Light of Home:

Acoustic riff with synth intro, backing vocals in verse, full band in the chorus, ghostly vocals in post-chorus, full band in verse 2, backing vocals on bridge, acoustic solo, sustained vocals before a change in tempo with backing vocals outro.

Cedarwood Road:

Rhythmic acoustic intro leading into verse, change of acoustic tempo with backing vocals on the chorus, reverb vocal effect on verse 2, change of rhythm with the full band on verse 3, reverb effect outro.

I Will Follow:

Acoustic riff with strings intro, piano and bass join on the verse, acoustic riff break, full band on verse 2, backing vocals on the chorus, brief acoustic solo, sudden stop to end.

Two Hearts Beat as One:

Piano, bass, beatboxing, funky intro. Pulsating drums with the full band on the verse, backing vocals on the bridge, funky break with electric guitar, and piano break before the outro.

Miracle Drug:

Drum intro leading into verse, the piano joins on the verse, backing vocals on the chorus, acoustic rings out, acoustic with Bono on verse 2, full band on verse 3, brief acoustic break before the bridge, brief silence before the final chorus, rhythmic drum outro.

the Little Things that Give You Away:

Acoustic and bass intro, keyboards join on the verse, full band on verse 2, acoustic break before verse 3, backing vocals with reverb on chorus 2, acoustic, keyboards and bass on verse 4, the song builds on the bridge before the brief acoustic solo break, acoustic rings out on outro.

40:

Haunting piano with electric guitar intro leading into verse, bass joins on the verse, backing vocals on the chorus, piano break.

Even if you are not a fan of U2, you will be after hearing this. Upon listening, you will soon realise every track has a unique originality to its original version. It is a monumental effort to reimagine songs; looking at what I’ve written, you might consider it tedious, but far from it.

Song recommendations: ‘Two Hearts Beat as One’, ‘Beautiful Day’, ‘Vertigo’

9/10