•
Rating: With 'To The Faithfull Departed', the Cranberries attempt to repeat the tremendous success of 'No Need To Argue' (to date, about 16 million copies sold).
In reality, the band does not succeed in the difficult task of placing the new album at the top of the charts, but, something much more difficult, they produce a rock masterpiece largely ignored by critics, but absolutely appreciated by true Cranberries fans who consider it the most beautiful album alongside 'No Need To Argue'.
The fact is that 'To The Faithfull Departed' is an album that is dark, controversial, and angry, but above all very controversial, and the goal the Cranberries set is a Rock Harder, and indeed it is strongly felt. Just listen to the majestic track opening the album, Hollywood, where Dolores O'Riordan enjoys playing with her platinum voice doing acrobatics that ordinary mortals can only dream of, as she did with Zombie. The song is powerful, the electric guitar is strong, the voice is determined, diverting the listener from the Hollywood dream.
No time to recover, and the music starts again at breakneck speed with the first single released, Salvation, a punk rock song that somewhat diverges from the Cranberries' style, and strongly opposes drugs. And then finally, a rock ballad that in the intro reminds of Ode To My Family, which is the romantic When You're Gone, in the style of the 50s/60s. The fourth track on the album is a beautiful piece by the group chosen as the second single, Free To Decide, where Dolores refers to the oppression of the paparazzi. And then more controversy in War Child, delicate and beautiful, where the voice is accompanied by the solo guitar. And then again pure energy in Forever Yellow Skies, The Rebels, which tells the adolescence of the Irish quartet between Doc Martens and aged cider, and I Just Shot John Lennon, which deals with the theme of the English artist's death, which in the Complete Session version is preceded by Intermission, a small musical space to calm a bit the anger that the CD releases.
Beautiful Electric Blue, from the refrain in Latin is a chilling introduction. And then I'm Still Remembering, a bright song on the theme of love where, however, Kurt Cobain, of whom the artist was a fan, and J.F. Kennedy, an important figure for many Irish people, are mentioned. Bizarre Will You Remember, characterized by a fairground tune, and delicate Joe, dedicated to the singer's beloved grandfather, one of the figures to whom the entire album is also dedicated, along with Danny Cordell, a friend of the band who helped them get to Island who died in 1994.
To him, Dolores dedicates Cordell, a beautiful intense piece dealing with the difficult theme of post-mortem. More protests in Bosnia, a piece against war characterized by a choir of children who in the finale imitate cannons and other sounds. Besides Cordell, in the Complete Session there are The Picture I View, a short very rock piece, L'Ave Maria sung (superbly) with Pavarotti, Go Your Own Way, an excellent cover, and God Be With You, a great piece written by O'Riordan as a soundtrack for the film "The Devil's Own".
The album remains unknown to many, and allow me to say unfortunately. In fact, it's worth listening to, given the excellent songs it contains, or at least to admire the singer's skills. The 'Complete Session' is great, the Cranberries appear as inspired as they won't be for much longer, and the album, though demanding, is very enjoyable.
Loading comments slowly
