In the 1990s, The Cranberries and Superdrag were part of a movement which helped define a moment in alternative rock—one that balanced raw emotion, melodic hooks, and radio dominance. Now, both bands are revisiting their biggest hits with new vinyl reissues which may be worthy of your consideration. Originally released at the height of the CD era, clean original pressings are tough to find and often pricey, making these new reissues a welcome and long-overdue opportunity for fans and collectors alike.
Superdrag, Regretfully Yours (Elektra Records)
Superdrag’s acclaimed 1996 debut Regretfully Yours didn’t actually make its vinyl debut until around 2012–2013, based on available online sources. Even those later pressings have become highly sought-after and command steep prices on the collector’s market today.
This new standard weight vinyl reissue sounds pretty decent for an album that was (likely) digitally recorded back in the day. The album sounds clear and crisp and the opaque pink color vinyl is pretty quiet and well centered. At its core, Regretfully Yours is an indie rock record, and from an audiophile perspective that can be a bit of a gamble.
This reissue has some of that familiar angular crispness, likely the result of digital-era production choices, which becomes more noticeable as you turn up the volume. A more sympathetic remaster might have smoothed out those harder edges and made for a warmer, more inviting listen.
The band’s breakout MTV hit “Sucked Out” now plays like a bit like a response to Weezer’s self-titled debut—the so-called Blue Album—not a bad benchmark for a major label debut.
Personally, I’ve always preferred Superdrag’s second album, Head Trip in Every Key—it had a bigger budget and (in my opinion) stronger songwriting. I hope that album gets reissued on vinyl someday soon (earlier reissues are selling online for stupid high, vampire-like asking prices, click here to see!). Until then, you can find Superdrag’s Regretfully Yours on Amazon.
Where to buy: $26.99 at Amazon.
The Cranberries, No Need To Argue (Island Records/UMe)
Ireland’s acclaimed band The Cranberries became relative overnight sensations in the mid-1990s with the breakout success of their second album, No Need to Argue, and its massive hit anthem “Zombie.” Produced by Stephen Street—best known for his work with The Smiths, Blur, and Kaiser Chiefs—the album cemented the group’s global appeal. To date, The Cranberries have sold more than 50 million records, with No Need to Argue standing as their biggest seller—a powerhouse mix of Dolores O’Riordan’s distinctive, impassioned vocals and a bright, Smiths-like guitar jangle, topped off with just the right amount of grungy amplifier grit.
This 30th anniversary reissue of No Need To Argue is a great option for those unwilling to pay the heady collectors prices for rare 1990s-era original vinyl pressings (near mint copies sell for prices upwards of $300).
My standard weight black vinyl pressing is quiet and well centered, so no problems on that front. While I don’t have an original LP to compare with, the new reissue probably sounds better given the music is likely less compressed, spread out across three sides of this collection — all 13 tracks were crammed onto a single LP back in 1994. The 2LP set is fleshed out with bonus remixes and live tracks. I especially like the rough demo of “Zombie.”
The front cover of this 30th Anniversary edition of No Need to Argue has been subtly updated, featuring a touching tribute to singer Dolores O’Riordan, who tragically passed away in 2018. Look closely along the edge of the floorboards and you’ll find a heartfelt message: “We miss and will always love you, Dolores!”
A good sounding 2LP set for the price of a single album, this 30th anniversary edition of No Need To Argue is clearly a gift from the band to the fans.
Where to buy: $32.98 at Amazon
Mark Smotroff is a deep music enthusiast / collector who has also worked in entertainment oriented marketing communications for decades supporting the likes of DTS, Sega and many others. He reviews vinyl for Analog Planet and has written for Audiophile Review, Sound+Vision, Mix, EQ, etc. You can learn more about him at LinkedIn.
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