December - 33

One of the albums I've been excited about hearing all year, finally arrived in my email box yesterday.  It's due for release on September 30. I gave it the old school treatment, while I don't yet have a CD book to finger through. I put earphones on, turned off the lights and let the music speak to me.

The album in question is December's '33'.  The album is a collection of U2 songs. They're more than covers,  they've been given a breath of freshnes.  I just love Ails voice, she brings the earnestness and passion you know from Bono. There's a refreshing thing about hearing these songs, sung by a female vocalist and stripped back a little.

The album doesn't contain the band's biggest hits, but rather a collection of deeper cuts from their catalogue, including God Part II (R&H), Surrender (War),  and a couple of my favourites Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses (Achtung Baby) and Bad (The Unforgettable Fire).  Along with those there's the beautiful Promenade, the powerful Surrender, and the fan favourite Where the Streets Have No Name. The album also includes A Sort of Homecoming, Invisible, I Fall Down and Ultra Violet (Light My Way).

It's a collection made by a group of people who clearly both know and love the band with songs from throughout the bands history. I'm excited to hear their own new music shortly, and hopefully a volume 2 of U2 covers down the track. The album is out on September 30 and you can order it from here.