U2’s ‘Songs Of Innocence’ Gets Actual Cover Art For Physical Release

Earlier this month, everyone with an iTunes account was gifted with U2‘s brand new album, Songs Of Innocence, for free — a move that, quite frankly, pissed off a sizable chunk of the globe. (“Apple’s devious U2 album giveaway is even worse than spam,” cried Wired — just one of many angry sentiments posted online regarding the release.)

But despite the tornado of ire over the giveaway by the Irish rockers, there actually is a physical CD version of Songs Of Innocence on the way (it’s out October 13), and it’s one you’ll have to do the old-fashioned thing with, i.e. pay for. Above is the cover art for said release, which features U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr. and his son Aaron Elvis Mullen.

“The visuals reflect the new songs and their inspiration in the early years of U2 as teenagers in Dublin,” notes U2’s official site. “Glen Luchford‘s striking cover image of Larry Mullen Jr, protecting his 18 year old son, resonates with the band’s iconic 1979 debut album Boy – and the album War, four years later… The idea of the unique relationship between a parent and child, the image of a father and son, came from the band. The shoot with Larry and his son was initially an experiment but everyone loved it as a visual metaphor for the record.”

Band frontman Bono continued in the statement, “‘We’ve always been about community in U2, about family and friends. Songs Of Innocence is the most intimate album we’ve ever made. With this record we were looking for the raw, naked and personal, to strip everything back’.”

Three formats of the physical version for Songs Of Innocence will be released in October: the CD in regular and deluxe editions, and vinyl.

So, anyone out there buying a copy?

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