| This Week's Highlights |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
analysis w/e 14.5.11 |
DVDs out 9.5.11 |
|
@ DVDfever Youtube |
|
|
|
|
May 11 2011 
DVDfever co uk
|
Ex-Cranberries chanteuse goes solo… dazzling results! The CD packshot rear photo shows the word ‘Saviour’ tattooed onto Dolores O’Riordan’s left arm. So has No Baggage saved her career? Well, going solo hasn’t harmed Texas’ Sharleen Spiteri, so we should expect the same results for the Irish songbird, right? Well, week commencing 7 September, it’s nowhere to be seen in the Top 40. Nevertheless, No Baggage is a resounding success: full of radio-friendly pop gems. In fact, this is a stunning album. I’d go as far as to say, this a bit of a pop masterpiece, and big departure from her Cranberries days, as the title suggests. For whatever reason, she can’t let go of her former band mates though (yes, confusing I know) and apparently announced a Crans reunion the very day of this release. Mh. No surprise really as there’s three Crans playing on it. With the Irish band splitting in 2002, Dolores Mary Eileen hasn’t exactly rushed things, and it’s seriously paid off critically, but not commercially. She released single Ordinary Day in 2007 from album Are You Listening?, without much success.
Two things remain here – her unique voice and even more unique phrasing, though some of the edgy rasp has diminished with age. A mix of danceable pop (Switch Off The Moment, It’s You), power ballads (Skeleton, Be Careful, Apple Of My Eye, Fly Through), and lightweight rockers (The Journey / Tranquilizer). Album highlights are the stunning ballads Stupid and haunting Lunatic that feature some great vocal gymnastics that built her reputation, and Throw Your Arms Around which highlights her warble more than any other, brought out by high production values. As fantastic as this album is, perhaps O’Riordan isn’t destined to be a solo star and has begun to realise it, which might just have sparked the reunion. Who knows? The verdict – Drool, drool, drool.
Weblinks: doloresoriordan.ie / myspace.com/doloresoriordan
The full list of tracks included are :
As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B 37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier. PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
|
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
