Can The Cranberries?
Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? Review
The Cranberries’ 1993 debut full-length album was also their first major label release, and was a massive commercial success, reaching number one on both the UK and Irish charts.
Fronted by Dolores O’Riordan, the Cranberries were bound to be a success. Not shying away from her Irish accent, and possessing amazing talent, the combination of her vocal quirk, honest lyrics, and powerful, evocative performances culminated in a landmark 90s alternative rock album which sold six million copies worldwide.
Writing all of the songs alongside guitarist Noel Hogan, the two crafted an album that has stood the test of time, and is still relevant today.
The record opens with the light and easy-going track I Still Do, with breathy vocals from O’Riordan, backed by beautiful, soft harmonies in the background. The opener sets the tone for the record, showcasing the group’s creative guitar playing, simple, direct lyrics, and alternative aesthetic.
The album launches into the next song, Dreams, one of the band’s most successful hits and the first single from the record. With a simple, driving bassline, highlighted by sustained guitar chords and arpeggio lines, the song lacks a conventional chorus, but remains captivating throughout. It feels almost transcendental, with Dolores’ vocals coming across as almost ethereal.
Sunday and Pretty, the next two tracks, are quaint ballads that help propel the mysticality of O’Riordan’s vocals and the band’s light, tasteful arrangements. The record is held together by the compelling, direct lyrics of O’Riordan and the catchy melodic hooks the band seems to effortlessly deliver on each song.
Waltzing Back is a song with a bit more weight, and O’Riordan leans heavily into her accent, which could certainly be off putting but fits the mood of the song perfectly. The band holds a certain tension with the snappy drums and her edgy vocals which from moment to moment shift from a detached, broken feel, to a flowing, melodic drift.
Not Sorry is one of the more interesting songs on the album, with a decidedly dissonant chorus, with keening, pleading vocals that convey a melancholy yet angry disposition.
The second single from the album, Linger, and easily one of the Cranberries’ best follows. Featuring the band’s best chorus, the song is about a lingering heartbreak. The song is more pop than alternative rock, and begs for you to play it over and over again. What makes the song’s message so powerful is once again O’Riordan’s direct lyrics and the fact that the chorus will linger in your head for weeks to come.
Following Linger are Wanted and Still Can’t. These two songs are far more intense and driven than any other songs on the record, and show a new side to the group that was hinted at earlier with Waltzing Back. These songs cement the band’s alternative aesthetic and also show that they can play with instrumentally meatier ideas. The Cranberries’ sense of harmony is very interesting, and O’Riordan often makes use of clever dissonances in her melodies that may not be immediately apparent on a casual listen, but are what ultimately make the songs so evocative and intriguing, and keep one coming back for more.
How is another song that displays this, and is a thrilling track towards the end of the record.
The closer, Put Me Down, is the most faint, delicate track on the whole album. It provides a fitting final greeting from the band. There are many intricacies in the guitar work, yet the song still comes across as a simple lullaby.
Overall, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? is a solid album that despite having clear alternative aesthetics, evidently borders into many other genres, and, as was typical of much of the 90s, still maintains a clear directive towards catchy melodies and certain pop sensibilities, without volunteering any artistic substance.
While not the most experimental of records, the LP is a good debut and provides plenty of room for improvement. I cannot really fault the production and songwriting, however I do think that the band could definitely take things further with their instrumentation and song form, something which was toyed with on a few songs on this project. That being said, the performances are compelling and evocative, the songs are catchy, direct, and honest, and it is a fun listen.
7/10.
Least Favourite Tracks: N/A
Favourite Tracks: Linger, Dreams, Pretty, Not Sorry, Waltzing Back
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