It's been a while since we’ve heard that instantly recognisable voice. Or has it? Dolores O'Riordan, the sultry songstress whose ethereal vocals put The Cranberries on the map, is back with an immediately likeable solo effort.
Ordinary Day is a folksy, radio-friendly pop track which is safe to the point of insulation from criticism. Guitar-driven and centred around a rousing chorus, O'Riordan continues to perform with her definitive poise and conviction. Hardly groundbreaking stuff, but listenable enough.
However, O'Riordan's voice is no longer that instantly recognisable. While those sultry, ethereal pipes have not deteriorated in the slightest, she is no longer untouchable as the market she is trying to occupy has become intensely saturated. Worse yet, it is scattered with women who are more inventive songwriters and performers.
The onslaught of chanteuses whose voices can be described by words synonymous with 'angelic,' 'hypnotic,' 'lush' or 'heavenly' over the past few years means that sounding likeable is not enough. For O'Riordan to compete with the Feists and Kate Havneviks of the world, she'll need much more adventurous material. Regrettably, Ordinary Day fails to deliver in this respect.
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