My expectations for the new Cranberries album, were high, to say the least. Usually when expectations are that high, one ends up being disappointed with the final result. When I popped "Wake Up And Smell The Coffee" into my cd player and listened to it for the first time, all of my prior expectations were blown out of the water, it was 100 times better then I could ever hope for!
The music haunts me, I find myself humming the tunes that I can't get out of my head. From the absolute beauty of songs like "Never Grow Old", "Chocolate Brown", and "Dying Inside", in which Dolores sings: "The lady loved her gold, the lady lost her soul.", It's lyrics like that that give me chills down my spine.
Of course the true rocker in me has worn out tracks like "I Really Hope", "Wake Up And Smell The Coffee", and "This Is The Day", the song that in my opinion has surpassed the previously untouchable "Zombie" as the best rock song ever!
All in all, this album is a must have! I only hope that The Cranberries will be making music for many years to come.
--Richard Ortiz
Even thought they never went away, the Cranberries are back with another strong effort. This album certainly has the feel of their first two releases, but yet has a fresh and updated sound. Alright, so Shakespare or Hemingway might find the lyrics a little on the simple side, but the songs themselves are so easy to listen to with the catchy melodies and of course Dolores' voice. Some real nice guitar work, kind of like how George Harrison's non-flashy but oh so effective style just seemed to fit and fill where needed on those great Beatles songs. A couple of experimental sounds and effects are kept to a minimum, but just enought to make it interesting.
"Wake Up And Smell The Coffee" and "This Is The Day" show that the band can rock. "Never Grow Old" and "The Concept" display the band's softer side. "Analyse" is the obvious choice for the first single with it's clever and overall "pop" sound.
I really like this album a lot and I think that Cranberries fans will like it too. I thought "Bury The Hatchet" was a very good album too, but this release should put the bad memories of "Faithfully Departed" behind us.
After over a decade of experience, The Cranberries once and for all, refine and reaffirm their musical identity with the fifth album release, "Wake Up And Smell The Coffee." Getting back together with producer Stephen Street (album 1&2) allowed them to recapture that special sound so easily recognizable. The release of their first single off the new album, "Analyse", reminiscing the guitar sounds of their 1993's hit, Dreams, was an instant hit and a promising glimpse into "Wake Up And Smell The Coffee." Lead singer, Dolores O'Riordan's vocal delivery in 'Dying Inside', 'Carry On' and 'This Is The Day' are extremely powerful, and is the most distinctive element of the band's sound. 'This Is The Day' is the heavier track on the new album, taking us back to the style of 'Zombie'- one of the band's biggest hit to the day. The Cranberries show much diversity in their new masterpieces, using creative introductions exemplified in the title track, 'Wake Up And Smell The Coffee' and an exciting beat in the beautiful love song, 'The Concept.' Dolores' concern about the future of the world is portrayed very artistly in 'Time Is Ticking Out' with lyrics that leave you pondering about what we've done to our precious planet. Even after ten years of writing music, four previous albums under their belt, and 3 different producers, The Cranberries have not added nor detracted anything from their original formula, creating an outstanding fifth album that no one should let themselves miss out on.
The magic is still there: that's the first impression I got when I first heard the new album "Wake Up and Smell the Coffee". If you didn't heard it yet, I'm really sorry for you, my friend, but tough words ain't enough to describe music I'll try my best, ok? :o)
The first track, "Never Grow Old", reminds me of one of the very first songs of the band ("Nothing left at all"), tough this one is full of hope (instead of that other song wich was sort of a last desperate cry before the abism), it's a ballad to remain always young in spirit. It is the call to feel the breeze of today, because today may be the perfect day if we try.
Folowing this first advice of what would be a change of attitude to full positive feelings (in Dolores own words "...guess the lows make the highs far superior.") comes their first single "Analyse", this time you don't just have to feel the breeze but completly breath the air and enjoy the beauty that's around us, close your eyes, shut your analysing device a.k.a brain and let your heart do the work, of course the song is a great way to achieve that state of mind.
If you like Noel Hogan's guitar style, then you are in full emotion when you hear the chords of "Time is Ticking Out" wich sound delicious troughout the song and with the company of a smooth bass guitar texture of his brother Mike to build a persistent ecological protest against human stupidity. The musical world of "politicaly correct" artists may have forgotten about Chernobyl, a difuse radiation incident on the past (in a world when yesterday news seem ancient history), but not the cranberries, they still have something to say about it, in hopes of not repeating the errors of the past for the good of our children.
On "Dying Inside", I could apreciate that dolores voice remains angelical, it's really like she's came down from heaven just to whisper you on the ears.The Cranberries are a strong rock band, without week points on their formation, want to check their drummers strenght? Then you have full proof on "This is the day", a song that's for sure to become one of the hit singles of this album. I can imagine how comfortable may Fergal Lawler (their drummer) feel when playing this song wich is an ode for ethernal friendship trough faith.
The Cranberries always find place to experimentation and this album is for no exception, take "The Concept" as an example of this statement, for sure a personal song from Dolores to her husband Don Burton, this song demonstrates the influence of ambient music on doloroes that she likes to hear from time to time, transpolated to a cranberry language, it has also some "synth-oriental" feeling, if you know what I mean.
In the folowing years (I guess), will be possible to find in the dictionary this: "wuastc: acronym for Wake Up And Smell The Coffee", that's the importance I give for the song that gave this #5 album of the band his title. If "Go your own way", was the song they choosed as a tribute for Fleetwood Mac on the Rumours album (together with many artists like for example Sonic Youth), w.u.a.s.t.c is an evolution on a scheme where power is not oposite to armony.On this song dolores is critic on some of her negative attitudes from the past and she's ready to wake up to life.
"Pretty Eyes" is a sweet song I would like to hear every time I'm together with my gilrfriend. One upbeat song, wich in a way remains me of the 80's, is "I really hope", sort of a warning to your lover to remain always with you, I really like the catchy beat of this song and I hope it becames one of the singles of this album as well.Talking about decades feelings, this time we can trip to the 60's and listen to "Every Morning", you can't deny this is an optimistic album and this is certainly a tune to prove it. Dolores finally burys the past ( a process that began on the previous "Bury the Hatchet" album ) and she no longer cares about it, she's really enjoying her life today and it's an invitation to do the same with your life: don't let the years pass you by.
Back to our days and with a psychodelic breeze ( something that is in syncrony with the artwork of the album, for the second time left on the hands of Mr. Storm Thorgerson ) is the song "Do you know", next to this one is "Carry On" wich reflects a connection with their first two megasuccesfull albums: "Take destiny by the hand and lead it far away, Take it to another land, we will all decay". It's a blink to all loyal fans of the band trough the years.
This album doesn't resist the advances in musical recording technology and Stephen Street is always a guarante of good taste when it's about to "Play with the buttons around".But a good musician always depends on the basics, and that is to make good music. "Chocolate Brown" let's you enjoy the cranberries and their lead singer on their very own, without intervention of heavy production, her voice is unique; once again is like your special friends are playing on your living room, it's magic, the magic of real music!
Depending on the region you bought the album, you will enjoy extra tracks, like the "In the Ghetto" song (made popular by Elvis Presley, one of the musical influences Dolores admits) or "Capetown" a song written back from their first tour in southafrica. Or even also some live tracks from the famous Bercy (Paris) show from 1999.
But this album never lacks of surprises and if you have it, then head to [their website] for details on how to enjoy yeat another great song: "Many Days".
Would like to write more about the album, but I'm sorry, I have to go... to push random play at my cd player ;o)!!!!!!!
Matias[...]
Many critics accuse the band of having plain lyrics and melodies into their songs...they're totally wrong!The cranberries glorify simplicity, simplicity is pure and more straightforward, like this new CD. It may not be as good as Bury the hatchet, but still is a must have for songs like the aggressive This is the day, I really hope, the sensitive The concept, the dreamy Never grow old, Wake up and smell the coffee, Analyse, the optimistic Carry on...The cranberries are worth listening to!
Privacy PolicyTerms of UseContact Us