Dolores O'Riordan
Are You Listening?

Everyone, whether they know the Cranberries or not (which is almost difficult for anyone who lived through the '90s), has heard "Zombie" at least once, whose myth remains intact and present among both the young and the not-so-young. It's so present that it overshadows the fame of its creators: to the question "Cranberries who?" the most immediate answer is certainly "Zombie." This should help us understand why Dolores felt under pressure, crushed by the weight of the myth she had created, and help her realize that although we didn't disdain cheerful and quiet works like "Bury The Hatchet" or "Wake Up and Smell The Coffee," our hearts belonged to the early, dark but inspired works. As a matter of fact, in 2007 Dolores decided to return to singing, this time solo. I dare say the news was more appreciated in Italy than in Ireland, as she brought her single "Ordinary Day" to the Festivalbar and had a full house at all her concerts in Italy. Nostalgic fans and new listeners found themselves captivated by O'Riordan's voice. The brand-new look and modest long hair introduce us to the fact that this album was dedicated to her family. "Ordinary Day" is dedicated to her daughter, "Black Widow" and "Without You" (bonus track) to her mother-in-law, "Stay With Me" to her father, "Apple of My Eye" to her husband, and finally "Sisterly Love" to her sister; in short, a tribute more substantial than "Ode To My Family."

If the criticism directed at the Cranberries' latest work (oops, fifth work, I always forget "Roses" for some reason) was the lack of experimentation, well, in this album Dolores indulges in astonishing high notes, shouts and vocalizations, venturing into genres never explored before. But let's start at the beginning, "Ordinary Day," beautiful and suffering, renews her figure as a caring mother who warns her children about the dangers hidden in days called "ordinary." Although a great success, especially in Italy, this song perhaps serves only to reacquaint us with Dolores' voice, which returns more forcefully than ever in "When We Were Young," the second single and a track full of energy. The lyrics are pounding and occasionally repetitive but become a pleasure animated by Dolores' voice, who sings about how easy it was in the beginning when they were young (a problem she doesn't encounter with her husband, but we'll see that later). The third track is "In The Garden," which, with a piano that has nothing in common with "Dying In The Sun," presents us with Dolores' new aggressive voice. The experimentation present in "Human Spirit" amazes at first listening, but we quickly find Dolores in the introduction, with a flute whistling a motif reminiscent of Ireland. "Loser" gives us the opportunity to see how Dolores' grit and anger have returned as before, catching her intent on railing against a "loser." However, this track closely resembles "Such a Waste" in structure.

The next track, "Stay With Me," is a real surprise, where the singer ventures into metal and gothic atmospheres to sing about her father's cancer. We encounter a moment of respite, a ballad like only Dolores can deliver: "Apple Of My Eye." In this track, she sings about love for her husband, which surprises me to be the same as in '94 (love, not husband). "Black Widow" is a haunting and very dark song where O'Riordan, inspired by her mother-in-law's death, sings about the drama of the "black widow." Now, in my opinion, the most exciting moment of the album begins: "October," "Accept Things," and "Angel Fire." Dolores' voice has an incredible range, and this is no news, but that she could shout and produce fantastic sounds could only be seen in "Delilah," which, however, with all due respect, does not reach the levels of "October." "Accept Things" is one of the most distinctive and catchy tracks of the album, where Dolores invites us to open our eyes and see things. "Angel Fire" was performed at that year's Christmas concert in Monte Carlo, and although it may seem like a slow song at first, it quickly picks up. "Ecstsy" is the closing track, and curiously, along with "In The Garden," it has never been performed live, and essentially based on the guitar, perhaps the album's most understated track. The b-side is pleasant but doesn't evoke too many emotions, with the exception of "Willow Pattern," while the remaining tracks "Without You," "Sisterly Love," "Lettin Go," and "Forever" merge into a single song, melancholic and desolate, yet always hopeful and tied to the family.

In short, I like this Dolores coming back, although she plays it safe with the verse-chorus-verse-chorus system. A voice like hers has never been seen before and never will be again, and this is yet more proof that she is a valid singer, even though the absence of the other three is felt. Many have labeled this a Cranberries album without the Cranberries, but this is Dolores, just Dolores presenting herself as she is.