New Song: U2 Release Rocking “Silencio” And Finally Announce New LP ‘Carnaval De Luz’

U2 have finally announced the title and release date (November 12th) for their long awaited next album, Carnaval De Luz. It’s been nine years since their last album of all new material, 2017’s Songs Of Experience which followed the companion piece LP 2014’s Songs Of Innocence. I think we were all a little disappointed with those last two efforts and we’re all longing for the rocking new LP they’ve been promising for what seems like forever.

Today, midday, U2 released the second single from the new album “Silencio” and I am pleased to report, yes indeed, it does rock!! I have to admit being a little disappointed with “Street Of Dreams” which was the first single they released from the record (without telling us the album was actually coming). With “Silencio” you can put me back on the “excitement train” for this new record! Even the Rock Chick digs it and that’s high praise.

It’s been an interesting year for U2. They started off this spring with not one but two EPs featuring the best music they’d done in decades, Days Of Ash and Easter Lily. I would have been happy if they’d combined those two EPs into one release and called it the new album. Of the two, Easter Lily is “must U2 listening.”

They followed up the EPs with “Street Of Dreams” which is an okay song but kind of, well, meh. They didn’t even announce the new album when they put it out which means they probably realized it wasn’t the rock song we all wanted. The autotune choir thing at the beginning and end of the song had me scratching my head.

Then they released “Fireflies” a collaboration with DJ Martin Garrix. Frankly, despite the presence of a “DJ” I liked that one better than “Street Of Dreams.”

Right around the same time “Fireflies” came out, their Pogues cover from 20th Century Paddy: The Songs Of Shane MacGowan, “Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah” came out which might of confused a few folks. I really dug that cover and am really getting into the Pogues of late, but I digress.

And now with the new album release announcement we get the new song “Silencio” and it’s the most Punk song they’ve done in ages. I mean, these guys have been calling Punk an influence for as long as I can remember, it’s about time they showed that in the music. They haven’t rocked out like this while yelling random words in Spanish since “Veritgo.”

“Silencio” starts off with Adam Clayton’s bass line tapping on your shoulder and then, suddenly, like a blast from the past the Edge’s guitar comes blaring out of the speaker. I have to say, I love the lyric “It’s when I’m with you when I miss you most.” The guitar solo makes me very very happy. It’s a straight up rock song. Here it is:

Hearing these guys rock like this – without that gauzy synth stuff around it, like they were trying to sound like a more butch version of Coldplay – warms my rock n roll heart. Not that it’s hard to be a more butch version of Coldplay, but you get what I mean.

Of course there’s a breakdown midway through where Bono goes spoken word, mumbling “Silencio” and other words in Spanish, which I don’t mind the Spanish, but can’t we just have a breakdown with no words, build some suspense? But I’m nitpicking. It’s still a kick ass song, if I may quote my teenage self.

I will admit the Abbey Road-ish style (via Rio) cover art of the band walking in a line and the name Carnaval De Luz which translates to “Carnival Of Light,” which happens to be the title of an unreleased psychedelic Beatles’ song makes me wonder if these guys are trying to hard to say, “Hey, we’re the new Beatles.” I mean, c’mon guys, just rock without pretense… but then again, this is U2.

Either way, after those two spring EPs, I think this album is finally going to make all of the U2 fans happy. I know I am…leastwise, I’m hoping.

Turn this one up loud!!

Cheers!