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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful Music, Beautiful Voice, February 8, 2003
It was the video to "Zombie" that first made me notice The Cranberries. At first I didn't care for the song, but as it grew on me, I began to be pulled into the emotion and story behind the song. Finally I paid attention in detail, and I was hooked. While The Cranberries first album was full of love and angst, this album is darker and about violence.The first song, "Ode to My Family", is very much in the style of the songs from "Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?" As full of angst as the former album, but this time about her feelings about her family. The sentiment is positive, but the tone of the song feels grunge. "I Can't Be with You" has a faster pace, and harkens back to the angst-filled love and relationship songs of their previous CD. The tone of the song is ironic, because it sounds as though it wants to be happy, but is a song of separation and frustrated love. The next song has simple lyrics, and I am unsure of the subject matter. "21" may be about turning 21 and being on your own, and being able to do what you want to do. The song is mellow with Dolores' beautiful voice. The outstanding song "Zombie" follows. Containing grunge elements, this song has a heavy beat that crescendos with the chorus, punctuating the anger regarding the "Troubles" in Ireland. The mental images and the video are graphic and sobering, visual art successfully marrying musical art. A beautifully performed song that is political and sad and angry and despairing all at once. Stop the violence she sings. The next song is another angst-filled song. "Empty" could apply to a lot of situations, but given The Cranberries penchant for relationship songs, my guess is that it is about someone who either didn't notice someone who wanted to be noticed, or didn't get the relationship they wanted, leaving the singer "Empty".
"Everything I Said" is another relationship song. Slow and sad, touching. Trying to reach out to someone who just isn't paying attention. I sometimes find it emotionally difficult to listen to "The Icicle Melts", because the subject is about the death of a child, and the sadness of the mother. It is difficult for a man or a woman who has not carried a child for nine months to understand the special bond that exists between the child and its mother. It is sad when any child dies, but for the mother it will always be worse. This song is very serious, and incredibly sad. You must be in the right kind of mood for this one. "Disappointment" is about ending a relationship for a serious error on his part. While these songs seem like one sad song after another, they are so beautiful and mellow that sometimes they just really fit my mood. "Ridiculous Thoughts" is another song along the same lines. "Dreaming My Dreams" could have been happy, but the song is about a glass half empty instead of half full, very slow, very mellow, and very full of bass. "Yeat's Grave" has a little quicker beat. I must admit that the subject matter of this one is beyond me. I suspect that it relates to Irish history or folklore, of which I have only marginal knowledge. It is very pretty though. As you might have suspected, "Daffodil Lament" is another relationship song, about her thoughts of breaking up and not being able to stay with him. Dolores gets to exercise the full range of her voice on this, punctuating the song sharply in several places. The last song, "No Need to Argue", is a kind of coda. The reason there's no need to argue is because the relationship is over. The song starts with an organ sound, very very slow. This song would seem to tie all the relationship songs on this CD together to form a vague concept. If you assume that songs like "Zombie" and "Yeat's Grave" form a background to the relationship, then perhaps this is a concept album, the story of the trials and tribulations of a relationship that ends with the last song. Musically, lyrically and vocally beautiful, this CD is a bit more polished than "Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?" If you like mellow music, especially like Enya or Lorena McKinnitt, you might find this CD to your taste. Just be prepared for the angst.
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~ The Cranberries
~ Dolores O'Riordan
~ The Cranberries
~ The Cranberries
~ The Cranberries
by The Cranberries 
