Dolores O'Riordan - Are You Listening? 2007

As the name suggests we have to do with an Irish woman who may or may not be remembered from her time with a famous Irish band and probably mostly for one of that band’s songs, which one I will not say but I will hint towards the info spot of this review. I guess in some part it is a love or hate thing but for songs like Ordinary Day or Loser, Human Spirit, there is so much “hit” that you just can’t help falling in love with them, I belong to the category that really love this kind of music. It is easy-listening in part but it is also amazingly deep and versatile my many listens on iTunes would prove that I think, I just don’t get bored with the “hit-songs” or the other songs that takes a listen or two before become a part of your every-day-music. It is melodic rock that is slightly rooted in the classical and it is topped with a vocal performance that doesn’t sound like anything else, that I mean; there is no other singer that sounds like Dolores and apart from many other female singers with their names on a record cover, Dolores actually writes her own stuff. Another cool thing about her is that she worked with famous composer Angelo Badalamenti, you know the Twin Peaks guy for a soundtrack to a movie called Evilenko.

If you wonder about her voice and would like a description, I just can’t do it. All I can say is that I have never heard any singress come even close to her, she probably hasn’t the best of voices but it is undoubtedly very interesting and distinguishable from the masses.

Are You Listening is an album that I listen to nearly every day and that is quite strange for me since I am a guy that doesn’t have routines since they are bothering me, but even so; the feeling to play this album sneaks up on you nearly every day and as I write this English review I have heard the album in complete over 60 times and the most played tracks around a hundred times. I know I mixed written numbers with regular numbers in that sentence, and that it isn’t recommended at all to do so; I however felt that it would be fun to do so I did. Back to business now as I once again hear the amazing single-track that made me discover this album and re-discover another band that is as interesting, not as hit-prone but interesting nonetheless. The great balance of hits and more non-commercial tracks is really what drives this album so very close to the perfect, it is just amazing how this thing is put together and produced. I could go on and on sayings positive things about this record but it is probably not even fun to still read it, buy it and listen to it! That is my advice.

Brilliantly put together with great music and great musicianship and song writing. Dolores will you marry me? Guess not since she is already married. Buy this album people, you may be partially disappointed but the hits are still outweighing the other stuff and there is probably nothing else out there either. On my part it is really close to perfect, and a great continuation from her time with the Cranberries, no new Zombie though, that’s a bit sad but what the hell, Ordinary day and Loser is amazing too, don’t read me anymore since I just write words now in order to write a review that is as long as the ones my brother does. But to be serious again for another second (not that I believe in that sort of thing but still…) I think you should buy this album because it has everything from headbanger rock/metal to beautiful hymns about the more beautiful parts of life and it is on the same time a tad deep and morose at times, I can’t help falling in love with this record I think you may too.

official website