release date: Oct. 4, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: Stephen Street
label: Island Records - nationality: Ireland
Track highlights: 1. "Ode to My Family" (4 / 5) - 2. "I Can’t Be With You" - 4. "Zombie" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Empty" - 6. "Everything I Said" - 9. "Ridiculous Thoughts" - 13. "No Need to Argue"
2nd studio album by The Cranberries is like the debut produced by Stephen Street. All lyrics are by Dolores O'Riordan, as well as most of the music, or it's written in collaboration with guitarist Noel Hogan (7 of 13 tracks).
It follows closely down the same musical path as the fine debut, although, this seems somewhat less coherent - the lows here are of lesser quality, and there is left more room for a more traditional celtic rock and celtic folk inspiration.
The album launched the two best-selling singles: "Zombie" and "Ode to My Family", the first is a protest song and a track most will associate with The Cranberries. It also became the band's first and only registered song to top the singles chart lists in several countries (e.g. Australia, France and Germany). "Zombie" (released as the only single prior to the album release) shows an angry grunge rock tone, which is never carried out on the remaining tracks on a primarily acoustic-driven album - what makes me think of it as incoherent. No Need to Argue became the band's highest charting and best-selling album with several number #1 positions, nationally, and in countries like Germany, Australia, New Zealand, France and Canada.
My initial verdict (from 1994) would only have secured a score just above 2,5 / 5; however, once I had finally come to terms with / accustomed myself to the vibrant and insisting voice of O'Riordan, I find the album much closer to the quality of the debut 'cause there's simply too many fine songs left on the album. It is a front-loaded album with several great tracks, but the second half doesn't quite suffice resulting in a fine follow-up
[ allmusic.com, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 2,5 / 5, Sputnikmusic 4,5 / 5 stars ]
