'Roses' withers

After more than 10 years of solo and side projects since splitting in 2003, Irish band the Cranberries returns with a reformed sound with “Roses.”

The album starts strong with 1990s prom song “Conduct” and remorseful anthem “Tomorrow,” which are reminiscent of classic Cranberries, but it quickly slips into a sluggish set of depressing ballads.

This six-song sinkhole of carelessly chosen lyrics — “It’s raining in my heart / every time we are apart” and “I’ve got a pain in my heart / whenever we are apart,” for example — is disappointing at best.

Hope arrives in “Schizophrenic Playboy,” which is up-tempo and packed with emotion but leaves us wondering just what emotion that is.

Closer and title track “Roses” showcases lead singer Dolores O’Riordan’s beautiful vocal range, and optimistic “Always” inspires head-bobbing to a strong kick-drum beat.

We’ll need more of that to remind us what made the Cranberries so addictive all those years ago.