Few bands today have the ability to release a new record and instantly command the attention of nearly every music media outlet in the world. U2's 2010 album will likely meet those expectations, as they have done with previous efforts. After more than 30 years in the limelight, U2 has managed to stay culturally relevant primarily by fine tuning their unmistakable sound, and slightly reinventing themselves with each release. With their new 2010 album, fans are likely to once again hear a side of the group they've probably never heard before. Titled 'Songs of Ascent,' the record has been extensively talked about ever since Bono announced its development last spring -- right before they set off on another massive world tour in promotion of their most recent CD, 'No Line on the Horizon,' which was released on February 27, 2009.
Although their 2010 album doesn't yet have an official drop date, Bono recently told the Irish Independent that U2 is aiming for a June release. And while an official tracklisting hasn't yet been published, it's been reported that much of the songs would be tracks that were left off of 'No Line on the Horizon.'
As Bono told Rolling Stone, fans should also expect a marked shift in U2's sound. "We're making a kind of heartbreaker, a meditative, reflective piece of work, but not indulgent," Bono said. The lead singer went on to compare the album to other seminal jazz works, saying, "It will all have a clear mood, like 'Kind of Blue'. Or 'A Love Supreme' would be a point of reference, for the space it occupies in people's lives, which is to say, with that album, I almost take my shoes off to listen to it."
