Review: U2 Return With Surprise (2nd) EP of ’26, ‘Easter Lily EP’ – Another Set Of Sublime Songs

After surprising and delighting me with the release of Days Of Ash EP on, as you would guess, Ash Wednesday this year, U2 have returned (already!) with a second surprise release, Easter Lily EP which came out on Good Friday. I considered writing about this immediately on Friday, but got a little sidetracked with the two great new songs Jack White released, also on Friday. And truly, I needed to sit with these rich, beautiful songs for a few days.

It is so wonderful at this dark time in the world to have new, really great U2 music. Much like Days Of Ash, which hung together very well, Easter Lily is a collection of six tracks that fit together very well.

I know many folks feel like they should have just released both EPs as one album. I could have seen U2 combining these EPs into one LP like Rod Stewart used to do in the 70s with a “fast side” and “slow side” but these EPs stand up very well on their own, each with it’s own identity and theme.

Days Of Ash had, to my ears, some of the best tracks U2 have done in years. You could say that “American Obituary” was one of their finest songs, period. That EP found U2 tackling broader, current world issues. Easter Lily also has some of the best U2 music I’ve heard in a longtime – and I’m not a hater of the Songs Of… albums – but these are more personal, introspective songs.

While those albums, like Songs of Experience saw U2 looking inward as a sort of “self mythologizing” exercise, reflecting on their career, much like Elton did on Captain Fantastic, these EPs find U2 tackling big issues and confronting the world again this time by turning inward. They’re always at their best when they’re being earnest.

This collection of songs is where U2 sing about faith, relationships, human connection and in one case, the loss of a friend. These are at each turn very personal subjects but at the same time very universal experiences. U2 has a genius at taking very personal feelings, that are indeed universal and turning them into great songs. They certainly did that on All That You Can’t Leave Behind. 

First and foremost, like I did on the first EP, I must compliment the fabulous playing of Larry Mullen,Jr on drums and Adam Clayton on bass. Now that Mullen has had shoulder surgery, he’s altered his drumming style, but it’s taking him in great new directions. Clayton and he seem to be delighted to be playing together again.

The Edge’s guitar on this EP is giving me real The Unforgettable Fire vibes. I keep hearing this spidery guitar and it gives me goosebumps. Bono sounds wonderful, as usual. He brings such a heartfelt beauty to these tracks. I like hearing him belt these tracks out. I do wonder if his inability to play rhythm guitar (due to a bike crash) on certain tracks hasn’t hurt their process but I’m slipping down a rabbit hole.

The first track is dedicated to and about their friend Hal Willner who passed early in the COVID epidemic. Hal was a music producer that was associated with SNL for a long time. I’m embarrassed to admit that it wasn’t until I listened to the track on my headphones – I always listen to a track at home, on headphones and in the car, like god intended – that I realized it was Edge on the lead vocals.

Indeed, the credits read that only Edge, Clayton and Mullen, Jr play on the track, with producer Jackknife Lee as well. The track might have soared a little bit more with Bono on lead vocals, but not much. The Edge kills it here! He’s certainly come a long way since “Van Diemen’s Land.”

The lyrics are heartfelt and frankly the best eulogy you could hope for. It’s hard not to feel lyrics like “I swear where music is made, You’ll be there.” Or the lyric, “Did you know he is close to God
Who makes his old friends laugh?” Ah, there was a time when I was funny… This is just a great song.

The next song is again, like “American Obituary,” one of U2’s best tracks – ever. “In A Life” again starts with classic, ringing Edge guitar. And, on this one, Bono makes his entrance on the EP. The lyric, “I’ll meet you in the air, I’ll meet you when you’re not there, The shopping list of all you missed, Let’s go there.” This track about connection and well, life is a minor key epic. I can’t stop listening to it.

Just when you think they’ve peaked U2 hit us with “Scars,” another stellar track. Larry’s drums just rumble against the electric strikes of Edge’s guitar while Adam’s bass keeps us grounded to the earth. It’s a wonderful love song that sounds written by a man who’s been with someone a long, long time. Relationships give you scars. But, as Bono sings, “It’s your scars that give you beauty, You’re a beauty.” I love this song.

The next two tracks, “Resurrection Song,” and “Easter Parade” tackle the bigger subject of faith. In “Resurrection Song,” I was struck by the lyric:

“If love is in the air
Let’s take a breath
If I sound ridiculous
I’m not done yet
All these signs to forever
Have we got heaven for you
Or you can go to hell together
Till death dies too”

Once again it’s Bono’s voice over the tribal drumming of Larry and stabbing guitar of Edge. Wonderful stuff.

“Easter Parade” starts off with keyboards and bass. Just when you think the EP is going to run out of steam, you hear “I have one more left in me, A song of devotion.” It’s a little more experimental than the other tracks, but it works in all the right ways. It’s another track that Bono’s voice makes soar.

The final track “Coexist,” which one might remember used to be on their bumper stickers spelled in different religious symbols, is the only one of these tracks that leave me cold, a bit like the reading of the poem on Days Of Ash, “Wildpeace.” It’s part spoken word, with heavily autotuned vocals on the chorus. It’s about community and might grow on me. But, 5 out of 6 classic songs ain’t bad for an EP.

U2, like many bands who have been around a long time and who mean soooo much to their fans often get a lot of grousing about their latter day work. Of course we founded B&V on extolling the latter music of bands we grew up listening to. I think people’s expectations have a way of getting in the way of their ears.

Regardless, this is some of the best stuff they’ve put out in a long time. Even the most die-hard U2 fan from the 80s who wants Joshua Tree 2.0 is going to like this set. This gives me great hope – and probably fuels over the top expectations – about the next U2 album. Bono and the Edge have been promising the next one will “rock” more… if they just keep doing what they’re doing on these EPs, the world will thank them.

Enjoy this one, it’s almost a spiritual experience to listen to. Well, not “Coexist,” but stick with me here…

Cheers!