It’s not as bad as I expected. Given how U2’s album was shoved onto everyone’s Apple devices back in the day, I, like many others, didn’t really get a say in whether it stayed on my phone. Because of that, a lot of people, myself included, kind of dismissed it. But now, listening to it again, I’ve come to realize that it’s actually not that bad. The tracks are solid for background music—if one of them comes on, you probably wouldn’t skip it, but you wouldn’t actively seek it out either. And that’s a pretty telling sign of U2’s staying power, especially at this point in their career.

This album feels very much like classic U2—big, anthemic songs with clear, recognizable vocals. The drums are sharp and snappy, and the guitar riffs are catchy and strong. The vocals, while still the familiar Bono style, have some interesting sound effects added here and there, which makes them more enjoyable to listen to. And the bass? It really stands out on these tracks—it’s vibrant and gives the songs an extra punch.

However, while the music still sounds good, creatively, they’re not quite pushing the envelope like they used to. It’s not bad, but it doesn’t have that same spark as their older material. Some tracks are more experimental, like “Raised by Wolves” and “Iris,” but those don’t really hit the mark for me. On the other hand, there are tracks like “Sleep Like a Baby” that play around with their sound and stand out a little more.

In the end, this album is fine—it’s pleasant to listen to and has its moments, but it doesn’t feel particularly memorable or groundbreaking. U2 still knows how to make music that sounds good, but it doesn’t quite have the same creative fire that once made them legendary.