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Review
If ever a band demonstrated the disconnection between the rock media and the paying public, it was The Cranberries.
The Irish band sold over 40 million albums worldwide, yet it was difficult to find a decent word written about them across a five-album career. Lead singer Dolores O'Riordan came in for a disproportionate amount of stick for her “cat-sat-mat” approach to lyrics. Although her second solo album, No Baggage, may not gain her any new converts, those who hold her dear will be delighted.
Written amid domestic bliss (she lives in a log cabin with her family in Ontario), and recorded in London, O'Riordan clearly feels relaxed enough to let her feelings pour out. But the album's opening line – “Some mental anguish in my head, wake me up I am not dead” – shows that although she may have found a great deal of personal inner calm, she's still pondering the invisible world.
Skeleton is from the Zombie school and her emoting reaches fever pitch on Lunatic; imagine Erik Satie tinkling the ivories with a deranged singer banging on. Tranquilizer’s “tranquiliser / desensitise her” rhyme can hardly be regarded as great art, though.
However, the album's high points are rather special. It's You reminds the listener why the world fell under O'Riordan’s spell in the first place: an ode to her parents and to her children, it warns against wishing one’s life away and wanting to go back to simpler times. It's a theme which, of course, has been touched on a million times before, but it doesn't stop it being extremely affecting.
With its charging guitars, ringing choruses, and moments of calm, No Baggage is not unlike an album by her old group. However, when it deviates, such as on the Indian-influenced Throw Your Arms Around Me or the Madchester touches of The Journey, it proves that her settled home life and The Cranberries’ ongoing hiatus suits O'Riordan well. --Daryl Easlea
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Losing her spark,
By giovanni (Greece) - See all my reviews
This review is from: No Baggage (Audio CD)
Back in 1992 , it was impossible to be a teenager and not to be in love with the Cranberries . Their music somehow enclosed all the vulnerability , insecurity and anger of that innocent age and both " Everybody Else Is Doing It..." and " No Need To Argue " and essential pop albums of the 90's . Third album " To The Faithful Departed " ruined their momentum but following releases , even though uneven , still contained enough pop gems to keep the public's interest (.. honestly it's been a long time since i heard anything as fresh and elegant as , let's say " Animal Instinct " on the radio ) .
When O'Riordan emerged as a solo artist a few years ago with " Are You Listening " , it was a welcome return . The record was nothing earthshattering and didn't claim to be , yet it had it's share of good songs like " When We Were Young " , the hit single " Ordinary Day " and the beautifully dark " Black Widow " . The lady was once more giving interviews and doing live shows and fans were delighted . With 2009's " No Baggage " though , O'Riordan has released her most spineless record yet . What makes this such a dissapointment is not that it is bad music but how indifferent music it is . There are a number of nice pop songs here with nice hooks and nice refrains but nothing that really suprises or grasps the listener's heart like her old material did . The voice is as strong as ever but so professional and unable to brake the songwritting's rather banal limits . Only " Lunatic " and " Tranquilizer " slightly stand out thanks to their eerie aura . From the interviews ive seen on tv , the singer herself seems to be going through the best phase of her life , happily married and now a mother of four . I don't know if domestic happiness has made her a less exciting songwritter , im glad for her but " No Baggage " is easily the weakest piece of music she has ever put her name on .
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
worth a punt,
By
This review is from: No Baggage (Audio CD)
Dolores O'Riordan always sends a shiver down my spine , her name alone conjures up all those brilliant cranberry moments , the songs , the music and those stunning live performances , extremely hard to re-create with solo albums , yet something enchanting remains about Dolore's music , eleven songs on here about five grow on me immediately the remainder i suspect will take a few more plays , there is a fair bit of repetition in some of the songs , repeating the same line over and over again ,dolore's trade mark perhaps ? but she's capable of singing staight and can pen lyrics which bring out the story teller in her , i would have enjoyed more of these , a good cd but about six songs off fantastic ....
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
For the fan of the cranberries. This is a very great album !!,
By
This review is from: No Baggage (Audio CD)
You'll be surprised for how great of this album. It sounds like the new cranberries album to me rather than the new Dolores album. I think this album is better than 'Wake up and smell the coffee' and 'Are you listening ?'. There are no weak tracks on the album, you can listen through it again and again. The last 2 songs 'Lunatic' and 'Tranquilizer' are very great songs.
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