Just seen it....here are my initial thoughts.... i'd like to think that they have a bit more fire in their bellies and creative devil still than this sort of pretty cliched stuff....it's pleasant enough as a tune but in all honesty would people here be raving about it if the likes of coldplay, snow patrol, travis, keane, embrace etc etc etc were turning this out as a new song......i used those bands as the song strikes me as the sort of stuff any of them could churn out and indeed have done.
The version that may arrive on any album is highly likely of course to be highly polished up as well as we all know how u2 have a habit of doing that.
It isn't the sort of song i personally dislike hugely - but it certainly isn't the sort of stuff that gets my pulse racing either - feels a bit bland, cliched and a bit safe for me. It isn't horrible by any means but i just feel like it isn't the sort of song that is gonna make a big statement and is u2 in their comfort zone.
That said a couple of listens to a song being played live recorded on a phone and said song being played live for the first time isn't really for me an ideal base from which to be forming opinions that are too strong either way.
As for clues about SoE? Well again i'd say holding back from forming too strong an opinion is wise...
SFS and SLABT for example spring to mind....Imagine hearing either as first possible taste of a new album.