The rare 1991 four song release that captured an Irish band on the brink of global impact is reissued on cranberry coloured vinyl, preserving a crucial moment before The Cranberries transformed alternative music worldwide.
by Paul Cashmere
Before The Cranberries became one of the most influential alternative rock bands of the 1990s, before songs like Dreams, Linger and Zombie reshaped global radio and introduced millions to Dolores O’Riordan’s unmistakable voice, there was Uncertain. First released in October 1991, the four track EP documented a young band still forming its identity, yet already carrying the emotional weight and melodic instinct that would soon define an era.
On January 30, 2026, Island / UMe announced the return of Uncertain as a limited edition, numbered and lightly remastered reissue. Pressed on cranberry coloured vinyl and cut at 45 RPM, the 12 inch release restores one of the rarest artefacts in The Cranberries catalogue. Estimates suggest only around 5,000 copies of the original EP were manufactured, making it a sought after piece among collectors and an important historical snapshot of the band’s earliest Island Records period.
Uncertain arrived two years before the release of the band’s debut album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?, which would later achieve multi platinum status and launch The Cranberries onto the world stage. At the time of the EP’s recording, the group had only recently finalised its definitive line up, with O’Riordan joining Noel Hogan, Mike Hogan and Fergal Lawler after answering an advertisement for a singer in Limerick.
Listening back more than three decades later, the EP reveals both youthful vulnerability and remarkable assurance. Lawler describes revisiting the recordings as a powerful reminder of how young the band was at the time. He notes that O’Riordan was only 19 when the songs were recorded, a detail that makes the emotional depth of her performances even more striking. Her voice, already capable of soaring intimacy and restrained force, anchors the EP and hints at the global recognition that would soon follow.
Guitarist Noel Hogan hears Uncertain as a document that stands up surprisingly well with time. He points to early signs of the band’s future sound while acknowledging that the recordings remain rooted in their early 1990s context. More than anything, the EP captures the enthusiasm of four musicians driven by songwriting and the excitement of possibility, before international expectations and industry pressures arrived.
The title track Uncertain opens the record with a dynamic sense of space, O’Riordan’s vocal floating above guitar swells that rise and retreat with careful control. Lawler recalls originally viewing the song as leaning towards pop, though with hindsight he recognises its alternative edge. The balance between melody and restraint would later become a hallmark of the band’s work.
Nothing Left At All follows with a more reflective tone, pairing melancholy lyrics with a rhythmic pulse that suggests resilience rather than despair. The song reflects the emotional contrast that The Cranberries would repeatedly explore throughout their career, sadness carried by movement and melody.
On Side B, Pathetic Senses introduces a sharper rhythmic drive and a post punk undercurrent. Lawler highlights O’Riordan’s high soprano backing vocal and the blend of power chords with jangling guitar textures. The Cure are cited as a clear influence, a reference point that situates the EP firmly within the alternative lineage of the time while pointing toward the heavier direction the band would later pursue on songs like Zombie and Promises.
Closing track Them holds particular significance for Lawler, who recalls its strong impact during the band’s early live performances. Frequently played in their formative gigs, the song demonstrated the group’s ability to captivate audiences even before widespread recognition arrived.
The reissue of Uncertain reinforces the importance of this early chapter in The Cranberries story. From their formation in Limerick in 1989 to their signing with Island Records in 1991, the EP stands as evidence of a band already equipped with strong songwriting instincts and a unique sonic identity. In the years that followed, The Cranberries would sell close to 50 million albums worldwide, earn major international awards and leave an enduring cultural legacy following O’Riordan’s death in 2018.
TRACKLISTING
SIDE A
Uncertain
Nothing At All
SIDE B
Pathetic Senses
Them
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