The Cure is back and I bet those U2 billionaires are about to drop a whole new variant when they see this… oh wait. Just kidding, thought this was Pop Stan Twitter for a minute, BUT U2 did actually just announce something from their vaults the same day The Cure released their first song in 16 years.
U2‘s 11th album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, turns 20 in November, and to celebrate the band are releasing a remastered reissue of the original record as well as what they’re calling a “shadow album” titled How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb, featuring unreleased songs from the same recording sessions. Both are out November 22 (preorder) which is the album’s actual 20th birthday.
“The sessions for How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb were such a creative period for the band, we were exploring so many song ideas in the studio,” The Edge says of Re-Assemble. “We were inspired to revisit our early music influences, and it was a time of deep personal introspection for Bono who was attempting to process – dismantle – the death of his father.”
The Edge continues: “For this anniversary edition I went into my personal archive to see if there were any unreleased gems and I hit the jackpot. We chose ten that really spoke to us. Although at the time we left these songs to one side, with the benefit of hindsight we recognize that our initial instincts about them being contenders for the album were right, we were onto something. What you’re getting on this shadow album is that raw energy of discovery, the visceral impact of the music, a sonic narrative, a moment in time, the exploration and interaction of four musicians playing together in a room… this is the pure U2 drop.”
You can listen to two songs off Re-Assemble now: the swaying “Country Mile” and the rocking “Picture of You (X + W).” Watch lyric videos for those as well as a trailer for the reissue below.
How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb:
1. Picture Of You (X+W)
2. Evidence Of Life
3. Luckiest Man In The World
4. Treason
5. I Don’t Wanna See You Smile
6. Country Mile
7. Happiness
8. Are We Gonna Wait Forever?
9. Theme From The Batman
10. All Because Of You 2
How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb 20th Anniversary Reissue:
1. Vertigo
2. Miracle Drug
3. Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own
4. Love and Peace or Else
5. City of Blinding Lights
6. All Because of You
7. A Man and a Woman
8. Crumbs from Your Table
9. One Step Closer
10. Original of the Species
11. Yahweh
12. Fast Cars