Energetic new U2 album a ‘very personal’ experience

Everything about U2’s new album is unexpected. Like its very existence, for one, after the rock giants dropped it on iTunes users on Tuesday night in a surprise move.

Then there’s its intriguingly narrow and personal scope, its playful musical adventurousness, which amounts to a smooth shifting of gears over variable terrain on a road course as the group works through songs inspired by things that seemingly have little to do with each other.

Each, however, is an experience from youth and young manhood for singer Bono, guitarist The Edge, bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr.