Gold [Original recording remastered]

The Cranberries | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 11, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Island / Mercury
• ASIN: B0013GBD2O
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #102,265 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars... comprehensive (but not definitive) overview of the Cranberries, April 1, 2008

By 

Paul Allaer (Cincinnati) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Gold (Audio CD)

The Cranberries were a staple of the 1990s "alternative" mainstream radio scene, and after issuing 5 studio albums and the obligatory greatest hits album ("Stars"), the band called it a day. While "Stars" was a nice overview to the extent that it focused solely on the band's best known tracks, it didn't necessarily capture all of the band's *best* tracks.

"Cranberries Gold" (2 CDs; 31 tracks; 122 min.) is an attempt to bring indeed the band's best output onto one collection. CD1 (16 tracks, 63 min.) focuses on the band's first 2 albums: 7 tracks from 1993's "Everybody Else Is Doing It" and a massive 9 tracks from 1994's "No Need to Argue", the band's artistic peak. These 16 tracks in and of themselves are a testament to the band's creative genius in the early years. Of course all the hits are here (Dreams; Linger; Zombie; Ode To My Family), but the beauty of the first 2 albums is that there really were no weak tracks on there. Just relisten to songs like "Sunday" or "Not Sorry" from the debut album, or "Empty" and "Dreaming My Dreams" from "No Need to Argue". CD2 (15 tracks, 59 min.) brings the best of the rest, starting with 5 tracks from the much misunderstood "To The Faithful Departed" 1996 album, including the commercially poorly received (but brilliant) lead-off single "Salvation". I've always liked the "Departed" album quite a bit, but for some reason the album never connected with the general public, and signaled the beginning of the band's slow demise. The terrible 1999 album "Bury the Hatchet" nevertheless gets 4 tracks. I lost complete interest in the Cranberries after that, and I must not have been the only one, as the last studio album, 2001's "Wake Up and Smell the Coffee" barely registered on anyone's radar screen (it is represented here by 4 tracks). The last couple of songs on here are from the "Stars" compilation.

In all, "Gold" is a very generous serving Cranberries, and it confirms that at its peak in the mid-90s, the band was one of the best rock bands out there, period. For "Gold" to truly have been the definitive compilation, I would have deleted several of the later (weaker) songs and replace them with some one-offs and covers that the band did in the early stages of their career. Hence, no 5 stars.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For those wanting to reach beyond the ¨STARS¨., March 13, 2008

By 

Miguel Cunillera "The Fanatic" (Santo Domingo) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Gold (Audio CD)

As far as compilations go, 2002's ¨Stars¨ was as good as they get. No holdouts, every single radio hit was there, so it made a perfect summary of the band's career for the casual fan. Purists complained that some of the songs were radio edits (which makes sense if you are cramming 20 tracks in one single disk) so in comes THE CRANBERRIES GOLD, where once again every hit is included along with many album tracks. But with 2 cds to fill out I can only feel that an oportunity was missed by not including killer covers the cranberries did early in their career for tribute albums like The Carpenter's ¨Close To You¨or Fleetwood Mac's ¨Go your own way¨ (both local hits in my territory). The ordinary Joe will still be better served by getting STARS, but those willing to explore the cranberries a bit more, look no further.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Cranberries Gold, December 28, 2009

By 

Allen O. House "Houseman" - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Gold (Audio CD)

Received the CD promptly in excellent condition. The Cranberries Gold is there best stuff. I bought it as a present for my daughter, she had only heard of one song (Zombie). She loves the whole CD, as well as my wife and son.