From the early 2010s onward, U2 entered a long period of personal reflection that yielded autobiographical albums (the Songs of Innocence/Songs of Experience albums), Bono’s memoir (Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story), and albums inspired by Bono’s memoir (the career-spanning acoustic-reinterpretations set Songs of Surrender). But on this surprise release, the Irish rock legends are once again saying, “I can’t believe the news today.” Days of Ash is a rarity in the U2 canon: a non-live EP that functions as a mini six-track concept album, and released with none of their characteristic fanfare. And while its dimensions are small, its ambitions are huge, with Bono and co. taking stock of the state of the world—from Minneapolis to Ukraine to Gaza. “American Obituary” is U2’s rueful response to the shooting death of Renée Good by an ICE agent, but its funky Achtung-esque groove and gospel-gilded sentiments (“I love you more than hate loves war!”; “America will rise!”) channel an expression of grief into an uplifting rallying cry. The Dylanesque standout “The Tears of Things” frames the global struggle against authoritarianism with David-vs.-Goliath metaphors and “let my people go” invocations en route to a skyscraping display of Bono in his rabble-rousing element. The liberation anthem “Yours Eternally” sees U2 unite Ed Sheeran with Ukrainian singer/activist Taras Topolia to deliver an alt-pop liberation anthem that hits like a tidal wave. But Days of Ash isn’t all wide-eyed optimism in the face of horror: The EP includes a recitation of Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai’s “Wildpeace”—a former soldier’s meditation on the intergenerational traumas of perpetual war—and follows it with “One Life at a Time,” a tense, acoustic-powered sidewinder that acknowledges peace is more easily preached than achieved.