brill's Full Review: Are You Listening by Dolores O'Riordan
First of all - The Cranberries have been my favourite band for years on end. I have always loved their music, their style, and the fact that they sing about stuff that means something.
Throughout this review I'm going to use The Cranberries' library of music to compare Dolores' work to -- since it's a very understandable benchmark!
When I discovered this album release, I was instantaneously curious as to what it would hold. Solo projects are so unpredictable at times. I find largely this album to be a continuation of the work that was done on "Wake Up And Smell The Coffee" by the Cranberries. The songs are similar in architecture and there are a number of similarities. I'll first of all point to a familiar intro to a few of the tracks being extremely similar to that of "The Concept" on "Wake Up And Smell the Coffee". Beginning with simple piano then leading in to a very well written song.
The album as a whole has few weaker tracks on it. There are definitely a few experimental styles going on here and there. Over all I would call the album a great success.
It's also worth mentioning that, as far as I can tell, the album is free of profanity and therefore family safe. I always appreciate artists who can get their point across without the use of blatant cursing.
The album has a total play-time of 51 minutes 41 seconds spread throughout 12 tracks. Not to shabby considering its all Dolores' own song writing.
Track By Track: My Thoughts
Track 1: Ordinary Day
This song sounds something of early Cranberries but with more of a pop twist found on their later songs such as Analyze. Its a beautiful song with a great melody and naturally Dolores' voice sounds a touch celtic and mystic throughout. It's a good way to start the CD. There's nothing terribly groundbreaking here just another great song in an already stunning career.
Track 2: When We Were Young
Ahh reminiscing. "Funny how things just tasted better when we were young, when we were young...". The first verse of this song is a bit misleading. It sounds rather messy and it sounds like a truly cheesy song in the making. Next thing you know you hit the chorus and you hear quite possibly the most memorable chorus since The Cranberries' smash hit, "Zombie". This is a truly well written and well executed song. Well Done!
Track 3: In The Garden
One of the tracks with a similar song structure to The Cranberries' "The Concept". It leads in this time, however, to different instruments and more of an electronic feel... Something similar to that of another artist Imogen Heap or Jem. Suddenly we're thrust into a very psychotic sounding chorus with haunting jeers and Dolores doing things with her voice that only Dolores could pull off. Absolutely fantastic song.
Track 4: Human Spirit
Again, leading in with a simple piano riff. This time however we're taken away with a celtic style flute (what is that instrument called anyways?) that finally brings us into drumming similar to Led Zeppelin's famed "When The Levee Breaks". The only down side to this track is that the intro is so similar to the previous song "In The Garden" it makes you question the integrity of the album from start to finish. I do wonder if that was actually intentional, however. This song still goes down as another masterful, powerful song in my books.
Track 5: Loser
This track is one of the more experimental styles in that its on the heavier side of things. With power chords being banged out on electric guitars, and lyrics such as "taking a p*ss" it is certainly an interesting song. It's a success, but not as much as tracks 3 and 4 in my opinion.
Track 6: Stay With Me
The intro to this song makes you think you're going to be listening to a ballad. It is a slower song, but part way into the song, it turns angry. A truly chilling song, Dolores performs it magnificently with her truly unique style. Absolutely well done.
Track 7: Apple Of My Eye
I think I read somewhere that Dolores has become a Mom within the last few years. It would be understandable that she'd be singing a song such as this. It's not perfectly clear as the meaning is subtle but I would suspect that is what this track is about. I would call this one the first true ballad of the album. This is a truly beautiful song. Dolores doesn't have the greatest voice for a ballad type song but she pulls this one off quite well.
Track 8: Black Widow
Another one of the more experimental tracks. A truly creepy one at that. This song is something you'd moreso expect from Evanescence's Amy Lee. Near the end of the song, it ends up sounding like something off a horror film score. Really excellent piece of music... but it gives me the creeps!
Track 9: October
"October October the summer is over". A bit of a darker track. Not a slow song but not upbeat either. This song is similar in sound to the album's first song, "Ordinary Day", but lacks the hit potential. In my opinion this is one of the weaker tracks on the album, though its still a good song.
Track 10: Accept Things
This song has a feeling of Cranberries of old. With a heavier bass line and a light acoustic guitar strum, it would be easy to mistake this for a true Cranberries track. Stunning melody and well done!
Track 11: Angel Fire
This song... is done in such a way that is simply indescribable. I would venture to say that this song could only be done by Dolores O'Riordan. Perhaps what I might call one of the weaker tracks on the album, but again... still a great song.
Track 12: Ecstasy
The last and final track, also the longest one on the album at 5 minutes 12 seconds. Again similar in style with the heavy bass line. Its my opinion that the strongest and most powerful song on the album should be the last one. This song, unfortunately, falls short of that and I would go to say its possibly the weak point on the album. Don't get me wrong here, though. It's still a good song. It just doesn't leave me wanting "more". I love a song that makes me want to go back to the beginning of the disc and start the whole adventure over again. This song just doesn't cut it for me, though and seems to run on. An unfortunate end to an otherwise amazing album.
Final Thoughts:
Dolores can write, perform and arrange great music as a solo artist. My one major concern for her solo career however, is that many people will hear her single on the radio and think "oh awesome a new Cranberries song!" due to her voice being so truly imprinted on that band we all know and love. Unfortunately when those listeners go looking for the album to go with the song, they won't find a new Cranberries album, and her name on its own is difficult to spell and pronounce and is often unknown to store clerks in charge of stocking shelves. I had a heck of a time finding the album in the town I live in. I doubt I'd have had the same problem if I was seeking a Cranberries album.
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