SOUNDTRACK4LIFE: THE B-SIDES: the cranberries

Showing posts with label the cranberries. Show all posts

Monday, 15 January 2018

Dolores O'Riordan (The Cranberries) - 6th September 1971 - 15th January 2018

Dolores O'Riordan

1971-2018

(Getty Images)

Have to confess to being in a bit of a state of shock after only just hearing of the passing of Dolore O'Riordan, lead vocalist of The Cranberries. She was only 46 years old and the details regarding her death are still being investigated.

I was quite pleased last year when The Cranberries returned to releasing music after a five year layoff, Something Else was their second studio album since reuniting in 2009 (the first album, Roses, was released in 2012). Although the album was new acoustic and orchestral versions of some of the older songs by the band it was still nice to hear that familiar sound of O'Riordan's voice again (I have mentioned before on here about how I love singers with an accent like Amy MacDonald and Sinéad O'Connor).

Plans were afoot to tour last year in Europe and North America with the band playing tracks from The Cranberries catalogue and from Dolores' solo releases but those plans came to a grinding halt not long into the European leg as the band were forced to cancel the remaining dates of the tour due to O'Riordan having some health issues. Whether this was related to the Bipolar Disorder, which she had been diagnosed with two years before but only spoke of it for the first time in May 2017, I do not know.

She was in London for a recording session and she passed away in a hotel in Central London. As I said there are no other details regarding the cause at present.

I had planned to include the album Something Else in part two of The Best of 2017: The Honourable Mentions. But it seems fitting to place it here as a stand alone album in honour of the short life and musical legacy of Dolores O'Riordan.

The Cranberries 2017

Something Else - The Cranberries
BMG
Released 28th April 2017

UK Chart #18

Irish Chart #17

US Independent Albums #5

Tuesday, 1 March 2016

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 61 - The Cranberries

The Cranberries were formed in Limereck, Ireland in 1989 and prior to them becoming the huge band they were in the 1990's they had released Four EP's between 1990-1991 under the name The Cranberry Saw Us. By October 1991 they changed it to simply The Cranberries. One of their most famous songs, Linger, was originally released on their second Demo EP Water Circle in 1990. Linger was actually one of the songs that guaranteed Dolores a place in the band after she auditioned for them.

Anything EP (1990)

Self-Released on Cassette as The Cranberry Saw Us

01. Throw Me Down A Big Stairs.

02. How's It Going To Bleed.

03. Storm In A Teacup.

04. Good Morning God.

Water Circle EP (1990)

Also released on Cassette as The Cranberry Saw Us

01. Sunday.*

02. Linger.

03.Chrome Paint.

04. A Fast One.

* Couldn't find the original Demo version so included a live version of it.

Nothing Left At All (1990)

Also released on cassette as The Cranberry Saw Us

01. Nothing Left At All.

02. Pathetic Senses.

03. Shine Down (Take My Soul Away).

Uncertain EP (1991)

Released on CD as The Cranberries

01. Uncertain.

02. Nothing Left At All.

03. Pathetic Senses.

04. Them.

They recorded a session for John Peel that was broadcast 16th February 1992. The four songs were Waltzing Back, Linger, Wanted and I Will Always .

One of the great lessons I guess to learn from the band is persistence does eventually pay off! They went from selling demo cassettes that were limited to 300 copies as The Cranberry Saw Us to a multi-platinum selling band as The Cranberries.

Everybody Else is Doing It, So Why Can't We? - The Cranberries

Island

Produced by Stephen Street

Released 1st March 1993

UK Chart #1

Irish Chart #1

US Chart #18

The Cranberries
    Dolores O'Riordan – vocals, acoustic guitar
    Noel Hogan – guitars, backing vocals
    Mike Hogan – bass
    Fergal Lawler – drums, percussion

Additional musicians
    Mike Mahoney – additional vocals (Dreams)

Singles From the Album

Dreams

First released in September 1992 reached only #88 in the UK Chart and then reissued in April 1994 when it peaked at #27.

There's three versions of Promo Video (bizzare I know!) for this I think song (this is the first one but not totally sure, Promo 2, and Promo 3)

Linger

Released 23rd February 1993 and only reached #74 in the UK Chart. It was reissued a year later and hit #14.

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!