There’s definitely a sense of mortality/death throughout as corianderstem put so well in her review and death of innocence that crops up in Little Things and 13. I think seeing his children grow up, has really had an impact. I get the idea that he transferred his innocence to them and now they’ve lost or are losing that, he’s truly seen the last of that preciousness that was up until recently an ever-present facet of his life. 13 is a phenomenal closer. The album kind of finishes where it started – in the dark and alone. There’s a point about 1.50 around the bit where he sings ‘and all you’ve got is grieving’ and then wanders off ‘la da da da’ with the gentle piano that I found heart aching. It’s got flashes of that Irish/Scottish lament about it – deep melancholy, lonely and spiritual at the same time. This might just be the album’s crowning moment for me. I really think this is the best Bono has sounded in voice and lyrics in a long long time.