In the End (album)
In the End is the eighth and final studio album by Irish alternative rock band The Cranberries, released on 26 April 2019 by BMG. It is the band’s first release since the death of singer Dolores O'Riordan, whose vocals are featured posthumously.[2][3] The surviving instrumentalists pieced together her demos with in-studio recordings over the course of the subsequent year and worked with long-time producer Stephen Street to finalise the album. Critical reception has been positive.
In the End | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 26 April 2019 | |||
Recorded | 2017–2018, 2019 | |||
Studio | Bunker Studio and Kore Studios, London, England, United Kingdom | |||
Genre | Alternative rock[1] | |||
Length | 42:54 | |||
Label | BMG | |||
Producer | Stephen Street | |||
The Cranberries chronology | ||||
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Recording and release
Guitarist Noel Hogan and vocalist Dolores O'Riordan began composing songs for the album while on tour in May 2017;[2] the first track that Hogan wrote was "A Place I Know" while touring in Poland.[4] The band ended up canceling several North American tour dates when O'Riordan suffered a herniated disc.[5] That June, Hogan spent time in France writing and sending his demos to O'Riordan in New York City to add lyrics.[6] Together they wrote and demoed 11 songs that winter, with the final emails from O'Riordan arriving to Hogan hours before she died.[7] The surviving bandmates set aside her vocals for several months following her death and after getting the full support from O'Riordan's family,[8] they brought in Stephen Street—who produced several of their early albums—to complete the recording sessions[2] in April and May.[7] The voice of Dolores O'Riordan has not been retouched by the Auto-tune[9] but required the addition of backing vocalist Johanna Cranitch to fill few holes in the demos. Cranitch had toured with the band from 2012 to 2017.[5] By October 2018, the recordings were complete. A month earlier, Noel Hogan confirmed that the Cranberries moniker will be retired after the album's release.[6]
The album’s cover image was taken by the band’s original photographer Andy Earl and sleeve designer Cally Calloman. On the first anniversary of O'Riordan's death, "All Over Now" was released as a streaming advance single.[2] The song debuted at 25 on the Adult Alternative Songs.[10] On 1 March, they released "The Pressure" for digital streaming,[11] followed by a music video for "All Over Now" on 7 March.[12] "Wake Me When It's Over" debuted on 19 March.[13] Lastly, the title track was made available on 16 April.[14]
For many of the tracks, the first time they were performed in studio was also the last: the surviving band members had no intentions on performing them live prior to the album's release.[4]
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 77/100[15] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Clash | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Consequence of Sound | B[18] |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Independent | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Irish Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Skinny | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
In the End was met with positive reviews from critics noted at review aggregator Metacritic. This release received a weighted average score of 77 out of 100, based on 12 reviews.[15] BeatRoute's Jennie Orton gave the album a positive review calling it a fitting end to the band and writing that they, "ha[ve] done a stellar job of embracing the sadness of the material, as if to give themselves and the rest of us a place to put the grief about O’Riordan's pain and how it ultimately got the best of her".[25] In The Irish Times, Eamon Sweeney gave the album four out of five stars, calling it "remarkably uplifting".[21] Asya Draganova gave the recording three out of five stars, writing for The Arts Desk that it's, "a tribute to the friendship and the shared path of her fellow band members Noel Hogan, Mike Hogan, Fergal Lawler—illustrating well how the four had grown together with their audience over thirty or so years."[26] Writing for NME, Mark Beaumont gave the album three out of five stars, specifically praising O'Riordan's vocals.[22] Charis McGowan of Clash summed up his review, "An album pieced together by a band in mourning, with the sweet sadness of O'Riordan‘s voice layered over, makes it cruder, rawer yet ultimately more truthful and hard-hitting, evoking the charged vulnerability of their very first releases" and gave the release eight out of 10.[17]
Sales chart performance
In the End placed sixth on the midweek UK Albums Chart,[27] eventually placing at 10th on the full week chart.[28]
Track listing
All lyrics written by Dolores O'Riordan; all music composed by O'Riordan and Noel Hogan, except where noted.
- "All Over Now" – 4:16
- "Lost" (O'Riordan) – 4:00
- "Wake Me When It's Over" (O'Riordan) – 4:12
- "A Place I Know" – 4:26
- "Catch Me If You Can" (O'Riordan) – 4:38
- "Got It" (O'Riordan) – 4:02
- "Illusion" – 4:07
- "Crazy Heart" – 3:25
- "Summer Song" (Dan Brodbeck and O'Riordan) – 3:34
- "The Pressure" – 3:22
- "In the End" – 2:57
Japanese bonus track
- "All Over Now" (demo) – 4:30
Personnel
The Cranberries
- Mike Hogan – bass guitar
- Noel Hogan – guitar
- Fergal Lawler – drums
- Dolores O'Riordan – vocals
Additional personnel
- Johanna Cranitch – vocals
- Andy Earl – photography
- Cally Calloman – design
- Andy Larkin – artwork
- Stephen Street – production
Charts
Chart (2019) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[29] | 28 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[30] | 16 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[31] | 38 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[32] | 9 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[33] | 34 |
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[34] | 17 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[35] | 45 |
French Albums (SNEP)[36] | 11 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[37] | 8 |
Irish Albums (IRMA)[38] | 3 |
Italian Albums (FIMI)[39] | 4 |
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[40] | 25 |
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[41] | 9 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[42] | 7 |
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[43] | 10 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[44] | 5 |
UK Albums (OCC)[45] | 10 |
US Billboard 200[46] | 119 |
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[47] | 7 |
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[48] | 18 |
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[49] | 10 |
Awards
Year | Organization | Award | Status |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | 62nd Annual Grammy Awards | Best Rock Album[50] | Nominated |
References
- "The Cranberries Return for the Last Time". The Hamilton Spectator. 25 April 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- Kreps, Daniel (15 January 2019). "The Cranberries Announce Final Album with Dolores O'Riordan, In the End". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
- Schatz, Lake (15 January 2019). "The Cranberries Announce Final Album with Dolores O'Riordan, Share 'All Over Now': Stream". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
- Meredith, Kyle (21 March 2019). "The Cranberries Discuss Their Future, Unreleased Music, Woodstock '94, and Final Album In the End". WFPK. Retrieved 22 March 2019. Reference to touring occurs ~4:56 and composition of the first songs at ~7:06.
- Browne, David (7 February 2019). "The Making of the Cranberries' Haunted Farewell". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
- Bienstock, Richard (9 October 2018). "The Cranberries on Their Surprise Hit Debut and Final Album with Dolores O'Riordan". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
- Mossman, Kate (13 September 2018). "'She Was on a Roll': The Cranberries on the Last Days of Dolores O'Riordan". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
- Zuel, Bernard (18 April 2019). "The Cranberries Farewell Album: One More Time with Dolores". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
- "The Cranberries' final album". www.officialcharts.com. 19 September 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
- Rutherford, Kevin (31 January 2019). "The Cranberries, with Dolores O'Riordan's Vocals, Return to Adult Alternative Songs Chart with 'All Over Now'". Billboard. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
- Fisher, Mel (1 March 2019). "The Cranberries "The Pressure"". WFPK-FM. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
- Graff, Gary (7 March 2019). "The Cranberries Unveil 'All Over Now' Video from Final Album: Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- Martin, Montana (19 March 2019). "The Cranberries Release Brimming New Single 'Wake Me When It's Over'". Paste. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
- Blisten, Joe (16 April 2019). "Hear the Cranberries' Potent Farewell Ballad 'In the End'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- "In the End by The Cranberries". Metacritic. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
- "In the End – The Cranberries". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
- McGowan, Chris (23 April 2019). "The Cranberries – In the End". Clash. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
- Clark, Tyler (3 May 2019). "The Cranberries Deliver a Lovely Final Statement with In the End". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
- "The Cranberries: In The End". theguardian.com. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
- "Album Review: The Cranberries – In The End". The Independent. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
- Sweeney, Eamon (19 April 2019). "The Cranberries: In the End Review – Dolores O'Riordan's Remarkable Swansong". The Irish Times. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
- Beaumont, Mark (23 April 2019). "The Cranberries – In the End Review". NME. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
- "Album: The Cranberries, In The End". rollingstone.com. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
- "The Cranberries: In The End". theskinny.com. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
- Orton, Jennie (8 April 2019). "Album Review: The Cranberries – In the End". BeatRoute. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
- Draganova, Asya (21 April 2019). "CD: The Cranberries – In the End". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
- "Pink Set for Third UK Number 1 album with Hurts 2B Human". Official Charts Company. 29 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
- Sexton, Paul (3 May 2019). "P!nk Scores Third No. 1 Album on UK Charts, Stormzy Beats Out Taylor Swift on Singles Tally". Billboard. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- "Australiancharts.com – The Cranberries – In the End". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- "Austriancharts.at – The Cranberries – In the End" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- "Ultratop.be – The Cranberries – In the End" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- "Ultratop.be – The Cranberries – In the End" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- "The Cranberries Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 201918 on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – The Cranberries – In the End" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes – SNEP (Week 18, 2019)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on 19 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – The Cranberries – In the End" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
- "Irish Albums Chart: 3 May 2019". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- "Album – Classifica settimanale WK 18 (dal 26.04.2019 al 02.05.2019)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- "Portuguesecharts.com – The Cranberries – In the End". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- "Top 100 Albumes – Semana 18: del 26.4.2019 al 2.5.2019" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- "Swisscharts.com – The Cranberries – In the End". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- "The Cranberries Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- "The Cranberries Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- "The Cranberries Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
- "The Cranberries Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- "2020 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Nominees List". GRAMMY.com. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
External links
- Official website
- In the End at Discogs (list of releases)
- In the End at MusicBrainz (list of releases)