a small criticism, but it could have been better to let the album conclude on its third vinyl side rather than rolling directly into the remixes of“ Ode to My Family” and“ Zombie” by Iain Cook of Chvrches. These bonus cuts alter the listening experience at the conclusion of the carefully sequenced album. While imaginative, Cook’ s electropop flourishes won’ t supersede anyone’ s fond memories of the songs’ original arrangements( nor are they meant to), and certainly don’ t improve upon the ending of No Need to Argue as“ Daffodil Lament” glides into the hymnal title track. The remixes belong on a separate side with other extras.
In addition to the audio, the album’ s cover art is also remastered. A new message is superimposed over the exposed floorboard ends in the familiar photo studio image, which features the same brown couch from Everybody Else is Doing It. The message reads,“ We miss and will always love you, Dolores!” O’ Riordan’ s untimely January 2018 death at age 46 in a London hotel room was determined to be an accidental drowning. As the Cranberries’ topselling album and a landmark in Irish popular music, No Need to Argue is the core component of O’ Riordan’ s musical legacy and partnership with her bandmates.
– Jeff Elbel
8 lean into Bonham’ s classical training and interests, abetted by like-minded producer Rene Hart.“ Give Us Something to Feel” originally appeared on 2000’ s Down Here. Hart’ s guttural double bass provides an undercurrent of speakeasy jazz, juxtaposed against Bonham’ s measured piano, exotic strings, and Alvester Garnett’ s intoxicating rhythm.“ Come to our emotional desert,” sings Bonham as a deadpan siren. Tuneful new composition“ The Uncertain Sun” finds Bonham musing upon the perspective of a long life, wherein every day offers an opportunity to love oneself better and“ another chance to get things right.” The gentle song balances gliding piano with stirring winds and strings.“ Dear God, Should I Hit Send?” is rooted in a contemporary and wholly relatable dilemma. Bonham considers the havoc that a single text or tweet can wreak upon a relationship. With the mood set once again by Hart’ s acoustic bass( with gently undulating piano and cooing vocal melody flowing incongruously atop martial snare drum), it’ s an altogether different sort of angst and a far cry from the caustic and cathartic single“ Mother Mother” that put Bonham on the map in 1996. In the liner notes, she cheekily reveals that the“ chorus is a direct rip from Chopin’ s Nocturne op. 9 no. 2.” The angry Down Here track“ Jumping Bean” arose from tumultuous experience as a woman in the music industry, and unsavory treatment from men in general. Bonham promotes the right to say no when things don’ t feel right. The song is tackled with punk fury on bass, drums, and Bonham’ s sputtering and chugging guitar.“ Damn the Sky( For Being Too Wide)” reruns to meditative piano and ruminative strings as Bonham laments being so far from her loved ones.“ Where’ s my village?” she repeats mournfully.“ Damn the miles between you and I.”
TRACY BONHAM Sky Too Wide( A Woody Hollow)
It’ s been 29 years since Tracy Bonham’ s bracing debut album, The Burdens of Being Upright. It’ s been eight years since Modern Burdens, which revisited and radically reinvented the original work. With that first slate wiped clean, Bonham returns with Sky Too Wide. The album offers new material combined with a handful of carefully reworked songs. The arrangements
14 illinoisentertainer. com september 2025