U2 release Carnaval de Luz, their first album since 2017, with a final Dolly Parton duet

A lighter return

U2 have released Carnaval de Luz, their sixteenth studio album according to Het Parool and their first new album since 2017 according to the Financial Times. The record marks 50 years since the band formed in Dublin. Reviewers describe a set that sounds hungry and optimistic rather than worn out, after the 2023 covers collection Songs of Surrender drew a mixed response.

The Financial Times notes that the album follows a pair of EPs released at Easter, which were recorded during the same sessions. RTE describes the record as the band's fifteenth album and first in nearly a decade, and says it moves away from the politically charged protest songs of the Days of Ash and Easter Lily EPs earlier this year.

Songs and sound

The opening track Go (Carnaval de Luz) is described by the Financial Times as a curt electro-rocker, while Het Parool highlights the bright melody of Midnight Sunshine. La Reina is praised by Het Parool as a driving track that recalls Even Better than the Real Thing. The Mirror Maker (Rosalía), a tribute to the Spanish singer, is described by RTE as a soaring track with a flamenco-inflected feel.

Reviewers are less convinced by the middle of the record. The Financial Times calls Street of Dreams an ungainly mash-up and finds the songwriting wobbles after a confident start. RTE describes Superficiality as a clunker, and says The Greatest Show on Earth gets lost in middle-eight bloat.

Dolly Parton's final recording

The album closes with Torn, a duet with Dolly Parton. Het Parool reports that her contribution is the last she recorded before her death in August. The Telegraph notes that the late country singer's final song is on the record.

Critical reception

Het Parool writes that the album shows U2 are not worn-out veterans but hungry musicians. The Telegraph describes the record as a big, shiny and slightly odd piece of pop art. The Financial Times judges the album a mixed success, with a strong start and a weaker middle. RTE says the album is full of hope and celebration.