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Are You Listening? (album)

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Are You Listening?
O'Riordan looking sideways in a coat
Studio album by
Dolores O'Riordan
Released4 May 2007 (2007-05-04)
Studio
Genre
Length51:42
LabelSequel, Sanctuary
Producer
Dolores O'Riordan chronology
Are You Listening?
(2007) 		No Baggage
(2009)
Singles from Are You Listening?
  1. "Ordinary Day"
    Released: February 2007
  2. "When We Were Young"
    Released: August 2007
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Aversion[5]
Bullz-Eye.com[6]

Are You Listening? is the debut solo studio album by Dolores O'Riordan. It was released on 4 May 2007 in Ireland, 7 May 2007 in Europe and 15 May 2007 in North America. The first single, "Ordinary Day", was released in late April. The "Ordinary Day" video was shot in the city of Prague. The second single was "When We Were Young". O'Riordan embarked on the Are You Listening? Tour in May 2007.

Production and development

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After the release of the band's compilation album Stars: The Best of 1992–2002, O'Riordan told her band mates that she had decided to take a break to go on a journey of discovery. She wanted to find out "who [she] was without The Cranberries". On a personal mission to "experience real life" and "some grounding" due to feeling under pressure, O'Riordan took four years to write new songs as a hobby, as well as spend time with her family. She wrote 32 songs and chose 12 for the album.[7] O'Riordan started composing the songs at home on the piano, and brought a programmer to the house to work on ProTools. Once she had a few songs that had reached this stage of development, she went to a bigger studio to work with other musicians. Dolores emphasized the relaxed and freeing way of creating the record, stating that she "didn't rush it" and that "there was no structure on how it would be written". She experienced it as a contrast to her work with The Cranberries.[7]

At the time, O'Riordan called Are You Listening? her most personal work yet. The Cranberries would reunite in 2009 and disbanded in 2019, following O'Riordan's death in 2018.

Songs

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"Ordinary Day" is both the first song on the album and was the first single. Described by the singer as "breezy" and "uplifting", it was inspired by the birth of O'Riordan's daughter and getting "flashes" of herself when she was a child by observing her daughter. O'Riordan said the song is also "about being positive" and not letting insecurities change your perspective on life.[8]

"When We Were Young" is another song inspired by childhood. Lyrically, this song deals with looking back at one's childhood and being appreciative and grateful.[9]

In the song "Human Spirit", O'Riordan was interested in exploring who she really was without the label of "famous singer". She called the song "particularly rewarding" as it related to her self-discovery process, which had a "rejuvenating effect". This song features the tin whistle, played by O'Riordan who found it to suit the song.[10]

"Stay with Me" is a song in which O'Riordan experimented with dark guitar chords and an "unpredictable" chorus. Lyrically, it deals with O'Riordan's father who had cancer and the fears the singer was dealing with in regards to it.[11]

"Apple of My Eye" was the first song written out of the twelve songs that were chosen for the album. It was written about the singer's husband and appeared in another version on her second and final solo album No Baggage. She described it as a "simple song" about loving someone.[12]

O'Riordan said that the song "Black Widow" was written "on a particularly sad day in October". This is another song on the album that deals with the subject of cancer. It was written as a reflection on O'Riordan's mother-in-law's death from the illness shortly after The Cranberries went on hiatus. Containing an eerie piano melody, the song is another one that was described by O'Riordan as being "experimental" in its creative process,[13] also using the word "intricate".[14]

The closing track "Ecstasy" deals with issues such as depression, drug addiction and suicide. O'Riordan said that it is not an autobiographical song but rather deals with how everybody has their own journey and needs to face their issues and open up to other human beings.

Critical reception

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At AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that the album "returns O'Riordan to her strengths: melodic, atmospheric, mildly brooding pop—Are You Listening is a success as a solo debut: it doesn't resurrect O'Riordan's earliest work as much as reconnect with it, and she hasn't sounded this purposeful, or made a record this satisfying, since the days of "Linger".[15]

Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian gave the album four out of five stars and wrote that "the lofty hooklines - like the majestic belter that makes you sit up straight during "Ordinary Day" - are stirring stuff, and enhanced by the silvery and uncharacteristic "Black Widow".[16]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Dolores O'Riordan

No.TitleLength
1."Ordinary Day"4:05
2."When We Were Young"3:24
3."In the Garden"4:28
4."Human Spirit"4:01
5."Loser"2:58
6."Stay with Me"4:02
7."Apple of My Eye"4:44
8."Black Widow"4:56
9."October"4:38
10."Accept Things"4:11
11."Angel Fire"5:02
12."Ecstasy"5:13
Total length:51:42
Japan bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."Letting Go"5:47
14."Forever"4:08
15."Sisterly Love"2:35
iTunes bonus track
No.TitleLength
13."Willow Pattern"4:18
Outtakes
No.TitleLength
1."Croatia" ([17])5:16
2."Playground" ([18]) 
3."Watch the Stars" ([19]) 
4."Stupid"3:58
5."Singing for Goutier" (not a reasonable title) 

Band members

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Charts

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Chart (2007) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[20] 58
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[21] 38
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[22] 21
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[23] 82
European Top 100 Albums (Billboard)[24] 11
French Albums (SNEP)[25] 11
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[26] 39
Irish Albums (IRMA)[27] 15
Italian Albums (FIMI)[28] 2
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[29] 26
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[30] 40
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[31] 10
UK Albums (OCC)[32] 28
US Billboard 200[33] 77
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[34] 23

References

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  1. ^ a b Jens (2007). "Dolores O'Riordan - Are You Listening?". Metal.de (in German). Archived from the original on 12 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020. [With this powerful rock album, sometimes pop but also metal, O'Riordan has definitively freed herself, although her voice will continue to be associated with The Cranberries.]
  2. ^ "'Are you listening?', l'album solo de la chanteuse des Cranberries" ['Are you listening?' the solo album of the Cranberries' singer]. Albumrock (in French). Archived from the original on 12 December 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2020. [Voice of a Goddess - Genre: Pop Rock.]
  3. ^ a b c d "Are You Listening? — Release by Dolores O'Riordan". MusicBrainz. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  4. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Are You Listening? at AllMusic
  5. ^ Aversion review[permanent dead link‍]
  6. ^ "CD Review of Are You Listening? by Dolores O'Riordan". www.bullz-eye.com.
  7. ^ a b "World exclusive: Dolores O'Riordan readies debut solo album". Hot Press. 14 November 2005. Archived from the original on 25 January 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Ordinary Day | Cranberries World".
  9. ^ "When We Were Young | Cranberries World".
  10. ^ "Human Spirit | Cranberries World".
  11. ^ "Stay With Me | Cranberries World".
  12. ^ "Apple Of My Eye | Cranberries World".
  13. ^ "Black Widow | Cranberries World".
  14. ^ "Ordinary Day | Cranberries World". Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  15. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine (15 May 2007). "Dolores O'Riordan - Are You Listening?". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 30 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  16. ^ Sullivan, Caroline (14 December 2007). "Dolores O'Riordan, Are You Listening?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 30 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  17. ^ "Loading..." www.zombieguide.com.
  18. ^ "Loading..." www.zombieguide.com.
  19. ^ "Dolores O'Riordan Official Website Biography". Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 7 June 2007.
  20. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 4th June 2007" (PDF) (900). Australian Recording Industry Association. 4 June 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2008. Retrieved 3 June 2020 – via Pandora Archive. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  21. ^ "Ultratop.be – Dolores O'Riordan – Are You Listening?" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  22. ^ "Ultratop.be – Dolores O'Riordan – Are You Listening?" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  23. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Dolores O'Riordan – Are You Listening?" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  24. ^ Ferguson, Tom (8 August 2009). "Baggage Packed". Billboard. Vol. 121, no. 31. USA: Nielsen Business Media Inc. p. 26. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  25. ^ "Lescharts.com – Dolores O'Riordan – Are You Listening?". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  26. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Dolores O'Riordan – Are You Listening?" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  27. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Dolores O'Riordan". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  28. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Dolores O'Riordan – Are You Listening?". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  29. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Dolores O'Riordan – Are You Listening?". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  30. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Dolores O'Riordan – Are You Listening?". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  31. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Dolores O'Riordan – Are You Listening?". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  32. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  33. ^ "Dolores ORiordan Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  34. ^ "Dolores ORiordan Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
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