The Cranberries
Roses
(Downtown)

The sixth studio album by the Cranberries, Roses, is unique in that the album actually features a rock track. While the Cranberries have become synonymous with breathy, quiet lyrics, the band from Ireland has finally picked up the volume.

“Show Me” is a newer Cranberries song while “Conduct” is about as classic a Cranberries track as you can get. With repetitive lyrics (“show me the way”) over a louder instrumental line, “Show Me” is still somehow quiet thank Dolores O’Riordan’s iconic voice. The track is “rocking,” but in only a way that the Cranberries could pull off. “Conduct,” on the other hand, is quiet and sullen. The track features the type of slow, breathy vocal work that fans expect from the Cranberries. Even with Roses being their first studio album in over 10 years, the band still proves they have the right formula for their fans. The title track is also a slower song from the band, but features little instrumental work and truly highlights O’Riordan’s voice.

Cranberries fans will love this latest release by the band while new fans will love picking up a new release by a band they were too young to catch the first time.