Revenge of the Crap-berries?
Is there a wrestling term for a face who turns heel and then turns face again? I’m talking about a 360 degree character turn? It happens all the time; there must be an expression for it.
If so, that describes me and the Cranberries. As you may or may not remember, I used to have a couple of Cranberries CDs in University. I enjoyed them for a short time and then suddenly and without any warning couldn’t stand them at all. And it’s not like I simply lost interest. I actually abhorred them. I could not sell those CDs fast enough, and I doubt that I held onto any of the songs on tape (apart from those that show up in the 90’s Collection.)
So it is that I started the run of three Cranberries CD (that’s 140 minutes, fool!) with more than a little bit of anxiety. No, anxiety is the wrong word. Reluctance is better. Apart from a casual interest in seeing if I still hated them as much as I remembered, I didn’t want to drop them in the changer at all. But this is the way of the Ol’ Blitzeroo…and of course, I did.
The first two CDs went as expected. I was literally using the track details on the back cover of the CD case as a way to calculate the remaining playing time. I didn’t enjoy revisiting the albums in any way, though I want you to know that I tried very hard. By the way, while it hasn’t happened much in this Blitzeroo, my answer to this sort of problem is to play the music loud and try to let it absorb me. The first two Cranberries CDs were like trying to be absorbed by a brick wall. Mostly headaches ensued.
Which leads me to a hypothetical question. Again and again, it came to me as I was listening that the Cranberries sound an awful lot like early Sinead O’Connor, who I happen to love. In fact, The Lion and the Cobra is one of my favorite records of all time. Top five for sure. So why is it that I can love Sinead’s sound so much and be so annoyed by the Cranberries? Especially when the sound is sooo similar? Can you think of any other examples of this? Another one that comes to mind quickly is Lenny Kravitz – an artist that sounds an awful lot like Prince rocking out but to me, just isn’t. I just can’t get excited about Lenny Kravitz but give me Prince on a guitar any day.
Back to the point.
It was only a few tracks into To The Faithful Departed that I started to hit the bottom. In fact, it was Salvation that did it. I was almost – almost – ready to simply tune out the CD or worse, turn it down (something which I’m pleased to say that I’ve never done in this Blitzeroo.) But I didn’t and the music gods must’ve smiled on that. Because between the triple shot of War Child, Forever Yellow Skies and The Rebels, I suddenly and to the delight of the fans turned babyface. The crowd got behind me and I suddenly found the groove. In what must be the Blitzeroo equivalent of giving a kid in a wheelchair at ringside a high five, I actually backed up and listened to these three songs again. And at least War Child will show up on my Ol’ Blitzeroo compilation!
Worse, I can’t explain it. The songs aren’t that much better or different than anything on the rest of the album; I may even regret dropping a Cranberries song into the Blitzeroo collection. However suddenly in the minutes of listening to these songs I was aware of the brilliant summer weather. I was also coming home into a long weekend, and was on my way to see Episode III for the second time in two days. How could I not be open for anything?
I don’t think this marks a permanent change of view for the Crap-berries, but it was a stunning reversal that I wanted to share. And one of a million welcome surprises in the Ol’ Blitzeroo.
If so, that describes me and the Cranberries. As you may or may not remember, I used to have a couple of Cranberries CDs in University. I enjoyed them for a short time and then suddenly and without any warning couldn’t stand them at all. And it’s not like I simply lost interest. I actually abhorred them. I could not sell those CDs fast enough, and I doubt that I held onto any of the songs on tape (apart from those that show up in the 90’s Collection.)
So it is that I started the run of three Cranberries CD (that’s 140 minutes, fool!) with more than a little bit of anxiety. No, anxiety is the wrong word. Reluctance is better. Apart from a casual interest in seeing if I still hated them as much as I remembered, I didn’t want to drop them in the changer at all. But this is the way of the Ol’ Blitzeroo…and of course, I did.
The first two CDs went as expected. I was literally using the track details on the back cover of the CD case as a way to calculate the remaining playing time. I didn’t enjoy revisiting the albums in any way, though I want you to know that I tried very hard. By the way, while it hasn’t happened much in this Blitzeroo, my answer to this sort of problem is to play the music loud and try to let it absorb me. The first two Cranberries CDs were like trying to be absorbed by a brick wall. Mostly headaches ensued.
Which leads me to a hypothetical question. Again and again, it came to me as I was listening that the Cranberries sound an awful lot like early Sinead O’Connor, who I happen to love. In fact, The Lion and the Cobra is one of my favorite records of all time. Top five for sure. So why is it that I can love Sinead’s sound so much and be so annoyed by the Cranberries? Especially when the sound is sooo similar? Can you think of any other examples of this? Another one that comes to mind quickly is Lenny Kravitz – an artist that sounds an awful lot like Prince rocking out but to me, just isn’t. I just can’t get excited about Lenny Kravitz but give me Prince on a guitar any day.
Back to the point.
It was only a few tracks into To The Faithful Departed that I started to hit the bottom. In fact, it was Salvation that did it. I was almost – almost – ready to simply tune out the CD or worse, turn it down (something which I’m pleased to say that I’ve never done in this Blitzeroo.) But I didn’t and the music gods must’ve smiled on that. Because between the triple shot of War Child, Forever Yellow Skies and The Rebels, I suddenly and to the delight of the fans turned babyface. The crowd got behind me and I suddenly found the groove. In what must be the Blitzeroo equivalent of giving a kid in a wheelchair at ringside a high five, I actually backed up and listened to these three songs again. And at least War Child will show up on my Ol’ Blitzeroo compilation!
Worse, I can’t explain it. The songs aren’t that much better or different than anything on the rest of the album; I may even regret dropping a Cranberries song into the Blitzeroo collection. However suddenly in the minutes of listening to these songs I was aware of the brilliant summer weather. I was also coming home into a long weekend, and was on my way to see Episode III for the second time in two days. How could I not be open for anything?
I don’t think this marks a permanent change of view for the Crap-berries, but it was a stunning reversal that I wanted to share. And one of a million welcome surprises in the Ol’ Blitzeroo.
posted by J. at 11:41 PM
2 Comments:
Blame Patty. I don't suppose there's any way that I'll be able to distinguish your CD's from Tab's - Although I seem to remember that I have a lot of her Madonna CD's in store for me. Anyway, the Cranberries were purchased when Patty asked for them, only to learn I had sold them years ago (I think before we were married). After so many years, to turn down such an impulsive need to hear them, I had to visit High Score. I feel exactly the same way about them that you do: I can't really stand how very much they sound like Sinead. The voice, the nuances, the whole shebang. Somehow, I don't have that problem with Crowded House, no matter how much they rip on The Beatles. I do think, however, that fate was on your side because "Songs" is the CD that sounds the least like Sinead, in my mind anyway. Glad you hung in there for the turnaround. And the rasslin term? I don't know - but I gather Flair pulled the exact trick you're talking about on Batista last week. His turn ended with a shot to the balls, though - I'm glad your turn was in the other direction.
I think you can expect most of the CDs to be mine. Tab doesn't assert much interest in building her CD library and aside from the Madonna run (and that'll be every Madonna CD, just so you know) I don't think she has more than a handful of CDs.
But it'll be fun if you want to guess. (It may startle you to know just how pansy-mansy my musical tastes can run. That glut of Broadway showtunes in your future? All mine, baby, all mine.)
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