No Baggage

Dolores O'Riordan | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 25, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Zoe Records
• ASIN: B002BYSFR8
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,976 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

First bursting upon the music scene as lead singer of The Cranberries, Dolores O'Riordan has already had one of the most successful careers in popular music of the past 20 years. With four top 20 Billboard albums, eight hit singles, and worldwide album sales of over 40 million under her belt, she decided to embark on a solo journey. Her first solo disc, Are You Listening?, came out in 2007 and now, two years later she is back in action with No Baggage, a bright, clean, and astoundingly emotive recording. The album features not only Dolores' instantly recognizable vocal style and songwriting, but also a glimpse into a life viewed forwards and backwards simultaneously, seen most prominently in the quasi-Beatlesque track, "Fly Through" and the infectious, driving lead single, "The Journey."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Lot Of Cranberries Sound Shows Up On No Baggage, September 7, 2009

By 

Philip R. Heath "Gadgets, Music, & Books" (DFW) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: No Baggage (Audio CD)

No Baggage is Dolores O'Riordan's second solo CD, and I think it is an improvement over her debut Are You Listening?. She has changed quite a bit on this CD including record labels. She is now on Zoe Records home to one of my favorite artists, Sarah Harmer. However, she and Dan Brodbeck produced both CDs, and she wrote the songs on both so the differences would seem to be more artist driven than by the label.

Cranberries fans will find this CD much to their liking. A lot of what you hear sound like it could have been recorded with O'Riordan's old band mates circa Bury the Hatchet. One of my favorites on this CD is "It's You". It mixes electric sounds with acoustic jangle, and it has a tinge of sadness that isn't explained until the end as O'Riordan advises "Don't wish your days away" as she has done at times. "Stupid" is a piano driven song that also has a very distinct Cranberries feel to it. She seems to be wrestling with something that she can't get out of her mind.

Other tracks also suggest this to be a cathartic effort as "Switch Off The Moment", "Skeleton", "Be Careful", "Lunatic", and "Tranquilizer" all seem to point to something deep and dark within. It is not clear if she sings of herself or someone close to her, but it is clear that she has been a part of a number of struggles in some form or fashion. I thought that one of the best usages of instrumentation to create the mood that goes with the lyrics was on "Lunatic". Here the piano playing builds to a crescendo with the right chords to create the tension to go with the lyrics - "There's nowhere you can hide".

One song that has less of a Cranberries vibe is the first single "The Journey". The electric guitar has a brighter sound and the riffs seem fresh. Another more unique track is "Throw Your Arms Around Me". It starts with instrumentation that seems to suggest a jungle or island location.

Finally, I found it odd that No Baggage includes one carryover song from Are You Listening? in "Apple Of My Eye". It was not one of my favorite songs, and a second recording has not changed things. Fortunately, this is the only real low point on No Baggage.

Overall, No Baggage is a very good CD from Dolores O'Riordan. What is somewhat puzzling is why she created a CD that could easily be 75% Cranberries in form with different musicians. Adding further to the confusion is that The Cranberries are getting back together for a tour in which they will play both their old material and songs from *this* CD as well. In the end I guess it doesn't matter as long as it's good music.

Download this: It's You

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There's something so intriguing and inspiring about this woman and her voice, September 16, 2009

By 

Josiah - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Baggage (MP3 Download)

I'm new to Dolores' music. I learned about her through her single, The Journey, which was very inspiring to me. Since then, I've chatted with her some on her web page, learned more about what inspires her and seen a few of her interviews. There's something very intriguing and inspiring about this woman and her voice...yet, it's her words, a spiritual yearning for something more in life and for othes that I hear in her songs which is also what draws me to her music. I have been very touched by her first single (The Journey) but now, having listened to the rest of her album, it's one of the best that I have really ever heard. It's a tenderness mixed with strength. An introspection on the difficulty of life combined with a message about what is better that brings a sweetness to her songs.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very nice indeed, August 28, 2009

By 

Alicia - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Baggage (Audio CD)

I came across this gem a few days ago while listening to a radio station in my car. The station was playing "It's You" from Dolores' new album and I immediately recognized her distinctive voice and style. Once in a while one hears a song that particularly grabs our psyche and sends us into a journey, it is an experience that transforms us, sometimes momentarily, other times for good; It somehow leaves us feeling differently than before. This is the feeling I had on my first listen to "It's You." I pursued wanting to hear more of the album when I arrived home and heard the short clips which prompted me to listen to the rest of it. I am surprised there aren't more reviews here for "No Baggage," perhaps it is because the album has only been out for a few days and there are a few good simultaneous music releases this week among a sea of other stuff which I consider "noise" or "meaningless audio clutter." After all the dust settles you might want to consider listening to "No Baggage" and perhaps it will speak to you the way it did to me.
Among my favorite tunes on this release other than "It's You," I really liked:
"The Journey," which is featured in a video here in Amazon, "Switch Off The Moment," and "Apple of My Eye."