Lending credence to recent reports suggesting that U2's long-delayed new album may arrive in stores before the end of the year, new information from sources at the Irish Times indicates it may be only a few weeks before fans' waiting is over.

Quoting an unnamed "music industry source," the report claims the band will release a "single in September, album September-October, tour announced December, first date April next year" and adds that, as previously reported, they've been taking their time trying to craft just the right set of songs. "The album has been actually been finished for a few months, but a decision was taken not to release during the summer months because of holidays etc. There was one last, frantic scramble earlier this year to get a big single, so they got Adele’s writer-producer, Paul Epworth, into the studio."

The article goes on to add a quote from former U2 manager Paul McGuinness, who vouched for the new material earlier this year, saying, "It’s great. It’s very different from what they have done so far, but still sounds like U2. Bono sings better than ever. As he gets older, his voice is even more interesting."

Adding to the anticipation is the recent leak of a new track, reportedly titled 'Song for Someone,' which was recorded by a fan sitting outside Bono's French beach house while the singer played it at high volume. Lawyers promptly issued a cease and desist, but as the Irish Times notes, the exact same thing happened during the run-up to U2's last album, 2009's 'No Line on the Horizon.'

The report also points to a deleted tweet from Universal Music's South American branch, which alleged that the new album is titled 'Sirens' and be out sometime in September. Whenever it arrives, the Times' sources predict it'll come without the usual hoo-ha afforded a band of U2's stature; following the lead of acts such as David Bowie and Beyonce, the group appears ready to try a surprise release -- or as close to a surprise as they can get after all this conjecture, anyway.

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