Before “Dreams.” Before “Linger.” Before “Zombie” racked up 1.7 billion views and cemented them as one of the defining alt-rock bands of their generation, The Cranberries were four young people from Ireland recording their first EP. ‘Uncertain,’ originally released in October 1991 in a run of roughly 5,000 copies, is out now via Island/Ume as a limited edition, numbered, lightly remastered reissue pressed on cranberry-colored vinyl.
The four-song EP captures Dolores O’Riordan at 19 years old, her voice already unmistakable, already carrying something rare. Drummer Fergal Lawler puts it plainly: “You can really hear it in Dolores’s voice. She was just 19 years old then.” The reissue is a 45-RPM 12″ that preserves the youthful energy of a band on the edge of everything, two years before their debut album ‘Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?’ would introduce them to the world.
The tracks hold up with real strength. The title track ebbs and flows around Dolores’ ethereal vocals, “Nothing Left At All” pairs heartbreak with a driving, hopeful beat, and “Pathetic Senses” foreshadows the post-punk edge that would later define “Zombie” and “Promises.” Noel Hogan reflects with genuine surprise: “I’m surprised by how well it’s held up. You can hear small hints of how the band would eventually sound.” The closing track “Them,” a live favorite in the band’s early days, remains the most powerful of the four.
This is a document of a band before the world caught up to them. Essential listening for longtime fans, and a remarkable entry point for anyone still discovering what made The Cranberries so singular.