Recorded on Valentine's Day 1995,
the Cranberries
'
MTV Unplugged
set came at a time when they had cemented their mainstream presence with the help of their sophomore album
No Need to Argue
and the enduring, chart-topping smash "Zombie." That song -- transformed into a spine-tingling, haunted dirge that is somehow even more powerful than the original -- is joined by other recognizable tracks from
No Need
("Ode to My Family," "Dreaming My Dreams," "Empty," and the title track), as well as the big hit from their breakthrough debut
Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?
("Linger"). Standout moments include the non-album-era cut "Yesterday's Gone," as well as the debuts of "Free to Decide" and "I'm Still Remembering," which would both land on their third LP,
To the Faithful Departed
. Following
Dolores O'Riordan
's passing in 2018, the wealth of material that came from the vaults remained generous and worthwhile; this special set is one of the highlights. ~ Neil Z. Yeung