 "Great listen" | 2007-10-15 |
| - Reviewed By User: A21SRL5AY4BM99 |
| This is the first piece I've bought by the Cranberries and I'm very satisfied with it. Shipping was ultra fast and the CD was in the original wrapper - and flawless. I was very happy with the vendor. |
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 "Good Album" | 2006-08-04 |
| - Reviewed By User: A23TLCEHLY7F9C |
| I think this is a good album in the whole. Most of the songs are well written and well performed. The lead vocals do sound a bit the same after a while, but she has a nice voice so I don't mind hearing it over and over. I think this album still sounds good, it's better than most of the stuff out today. |
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| "Wow" | 2006-08-01 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1W86IHPVHPNJN |
In lieu of all of the recent negative reviews I've read, I feel this weird need to defend The Cranberries, and I don't know why.
So The Cranberries were a 90s band, sorry to all of you who think it's cool to rebel against gen x and hate the 90s. This cd doesn't sound dated really, just take a look at any given current 'indie' band, and you'll get pretty much a similar, softer sound to it. And even if one were able to identify this as a 90s band, this isn't horribly dependant on the age in which it was written like oh so many 80s pop/synth/rock acts.
I don't think anyone is going to accuse The Cranberries of being the most innovative, intelligent band ever, but they weren't trying to be. They made pop tunes and actually put a little heart into them, and thats a rare thing, I think. This is a very gorgeous, yet subtle cd; nothing is really going to jump out at you, and it may take more than one listen to really appreciate it.
So songs to listen to:
Dreams
Waltzing Back
Linger
Still Can't...
How
If you like the sound of these songs, then you won't be disappointed in the least. If they're not your cup of tea, then don't bother. |
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 "The 5 star ratings here are a bit much" | 2006-02-04 |
| - Reviewed By columbusboy |
Yes, Dolores O'Riordan has a beautiful voice. Yes, many of the tunes here waft delicately and create a slightly melancholy ambiance.
The problem is that the songs rest TOO heavily on her voice without the songwriting to carry it. Too few of these tunes have solid bankable hooks that draw you back to them again and again and that counts against the longevity of this in the end.
In addition, the lilting quality of O'Riordan's voice takes on a near yodel affectation at times that means her singing style may take some getting used to. That's not to say this album is "bad"..just that much of it possesses a tendency to bleed into the background.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Driving drums and shimering guitar made "Dreams" a big hit as was the string-kissed "Linger". Outside of those, "Still Can't.." and "How" with its "Never before and never again" chorus settle in with repeated listening. It closes on a nice note with the otherworldly soaring backing vocals on "Put Me Down".
LOWS:
"I Still Do" is a prime example of a tune that I just can't recall once it stops playing and it was allowed to set the stage for the disc. While that's truth in advertising at its most extreme, it certainly doesn't start the CD to best advantage.
BOTTOM LINE:
A great voice can't carry songs on its own and this album is hit and miss but the best bits are majestic. Definitely one I'd borrow from a friend first before buying, though. |
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| "Beautiful melancholy..." | 2005-12-12 |
| - Reviewed By aorto |
This album, along with Counting Crows 'August and Everything After', came out around the same period of time and both have this gripping, haunting sound to them. Perhaps it is because during a certain period of transition in my life, this album and the Counting Crows album never left my CD players and the song "Linger" always take me back to that period of time and causes a bittersweetness to arise in my soul. So too was I transported back when I revisited this album after a number of years.
This album is gorgeous on so many levels. I forgot just how powerful it is. The music, the singing, the lyrics and the overall tone are melancholy but not depressing, haunting but not sorrowful and gorgeous in a way few albums achieve. "Linger" is one of my all time favorite songs and it never gets old but this is a treasure trove of other songs that never made the radar.
It plays well as an organic whole; there is not a bad song on here. If you're ever looking for an album to help you chill, to cause you to reflect or to just set a certain mood, this is one to play. |
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| "A magical experience through voice and song..." | 2005-03-21 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1N4X6S94VXWWA |
Only once in a good while does a band come along that has something truly unique about them. The Cranberries emerged in the early 90's; a time when music was everything. With this album, they created a fan base that would last them well into the end of the millenium.
The smash hits from this record are not nearly what you should pick the album up for. Sure "Dreams" and the ultrahit "Linger" are purely sensational the rest of the album has the same quality. The album starts of perectly with the regretful "I Still Do..." and ends with the sorrow filled "Put Me Down". Two examples of the diversity within the group.
But intbetween the start and the finish you will experience a whirlwind of emotions. One standout track is "Sunday" in which Dolores uses her angelic voice to match perfectly with the songs tempo. Her whipsy voice will carry you away on "Linger" and "I Will Always" but blow you away on rockier songs like "How" and "Still Can't".
STANDOUT TRACKS: Sunday, Dreams, How, Linger and Wanted |
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