If you’ve been living under a rock, Pope Francis is in the United States for the first time, and it’s big news. And while he’s giving masses and blessing people in Washington D.C., New York and Philly, he’s also found time to drop an album! Yes, the pontiff has recorded an album with a variety of contributors. Wake Up! is a series of the Pope’s speeches set to music, and today Rolling Stone premiered the first single, “Wake Up! Go! Go! Forward!” The song was composed by Tony Pagliuca, who was in the prog-rock band Le Orme, and the album juxtaposes music of varying styles (“rock, pop, latin, etc.”) with speeches from the Pope in English, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese. The single is surprisingly rocky. It’s probably about as metal as Ghost, but a lot more sincere, with the Pope addressing a South Korean audience. Rolling Stone compares the track to Godspeed! You Black Emperor, and there is a bit of a post-rock vibe happening until the Pope comes in with his message. The iTunes preorder for Wake Up! is live now, and you’ll get an instant grat download of “Wake Up! Go! Go! Forward!” when you preorder it.
