To the Faithful Departed

by

The Cranberries

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About a year and a half ago, I recieved the CD "No Need To Argue". At that time, I had very nearly no idea who the Cranberries were. Sure, like everyone, I had heard "Zombie" a few times, and i thought it was great, but i never gave it much more thought than that. To my shock, I could not bring myself to press the stop button. I listened wistfully to the crescendos of Dolores O'Riordan's voice, and floated about in another world during her softer moments. The album mesmerized me. Such is true with this album, which i purchased along with all the others soon after recieving my first. The upbeat, rocking songs "Hollywood", "Salvation", "Free To Decide", "The Rebels", and "I Just Shot John Lennon" are almost impossible to resist singing along to. The soft, melancholic tones of "When You're Gone", "War Child", "Electric Blue Eyes", "I'm Still Remembering", "Joe", and "Bosnia" are so powerful, you find yourself agreeing with Dolores. The lyrics are heart-wrenching in songs like "War Child," "Bosnia," and "Joe" (in which she remembers her deceased grandfather). Overall, my favorite Cranberries album, with the most range and beauty of them all.

Two years after the explosively successful 'No Need To Argue', Irish sweethearts The Cranberries released 'To The Faithful Departed' True to its title, the album pays tribute to casualities of war, dead singers, and just about anybody dear to somebody who had departed. This takes up the theme of most of the album: sad, emotional, and bittersweet. 'I Just Shot John Lennon' takes its title straight out of the mouth of the person who said it right after killing former Beatle Lennon, Mark Chapman. This track, like many others, is a dark and haunting song but moves by at a quick pace ending with the sound of gun shots. Yet on the other side, we get 'Hollywood', a Zombie-ish tune, turning Hollywood into a character in a gothic tale. 'Salvation' presents the dangers and ugliness of drug abuse. The highlight on 'To The Faithful Departed' has got to be 'When You're Gone' which is the soundtrack of the album's theme. The song can be related to just about anybody. And when Dolores croons the line '...but i miss you when you're gone...that is what I do...yeah yeah yea', it somehow makes up for most of the missing gaps and dullness of some of the other tracks on the album. Yet out of all the misery the album has to offer, we get one feel-good treat 'Free To Decide', a very good but typical Cranberries tune.

Somehow most of the tracks here are mostly forgotten. Unlike 'No Need To Argue' which is a compilation of memorable tracks, 'To The Faithful Departed' is at best a mediocre offering with outstanding tracks; When You're Gone, Free To Decide, Salvation, songs that shouldn't be missed out on a greatest hits compilation.

Good

C+