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Roses
Rock · 2012

Roses

The Cranberries

A graceful return to the band's softer roots. Shimmering guitars and elegant string arrangements frame Dolores O’Riordan’s unmistakable, hushed vocals.

February 22, 2012 · Art Optimum

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Roses feels like a long-overdue conversation with an old friend. It eschews the distorted grit of the band's mid-90s output for a sophisticated, chamber-pop elegance. The production is warm and spacious, allowing the interplay between Noel Hogan’s jangling guitars and the lush string sections to create a sense of timeless comfort. It is an album of reflection rather than rebellion, trading the aggressive howl for a more nuanced, mature whisper.

Moments Worth Listening For
The way the strings swell and recede during the bridge of Tomorrow, mirroring the lyrical theme of fleeting time.
Dolores O'Riordan's transition from a breathy whisper to her signature yodel-inflected lilt on the title track Roses.
The unexpected, mournful accordion textures that ground the track Waiting in Walthamstow in a specific, European folk melancholy.
Reviews
AllMusic
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Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does Roses sound next to the rest of The Cranberries's catalogue?

Wistful+2.2σ

Wistful saturates this record far more than the artist's norm.

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