Sinéad O’Connor | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Sinéad OConnor ranked among the most distinctive and controversial pop music stars of the alternative era, the first and in many ways, the most influential of the numerous female performers whose music dominated airwaves throughout the last decade of the 20th century. Brash and outspoken -- her shaved head, angry visage, and shapeless wardrobe a direct challenge to popular cultures long-prevailing notions of femininity and sexuality -- OConnor irrevocably altered the image of women in rock; railing against long-standing stereotypes simply by asserting herself not as a sex object, but as a serious artist, she kick-started a revolt which led the way for performers ranging from Liz Phair to Courtney Love to Alanis Morissette. OConnor was born in Dublin, Ireland, on December 8, 1966. Her childhood was often traumatic: her parents divorced when she was eight, and she later claimed that her mother, who was killed in a 1985 automobile accident, frequently abused her. After being expelled from Catholic school, OConnor was arrested for shoplifting and was shuttled off to a reformatory; at the age of 15, while singing a cover of Barbra Streisands "Evergreen" at a wedding, she was spotted by Paul Byrne, the drummer for the Irish band In Tua Nua (best known as protégés of U2). After co-writing the first In Tua Nua single, "Take My Hand," OConnor left boarding school in order to focus on a career in music, and began performing in area coffeehouses; she later studied voice and piano at the Dublin College of Music, and supported herself delivering singing telegrams. Upon signing a contract with Ensign Records in 1985, OConnor relocated to London; the following year she made her recorded debut on the soundtrack to the film The Captive, appearing with U2 guitarist the Edge. After scrapping the initial tapes for her debut LP on the grounds that the production was too Celtic, she took the producers seat herself and began re-recording the album, dubbed The Lion and the Cobra in reference to Psalm 91; the result was one of the most acclaimed debut records of 1987, with a pair of alternative radio hits in the singles "Mandinka" and "Troy." Almost from the outset of her career, however, OConnor was a controversial media figure; in interviews following the LPs release, she defended the actions of the IRA, resulting in widespread criticism from many corners, and even burned bridges by attacking longtime supporters U2, whose music she declared "bombastic." However, OConnor remained a cult figure prior to the release of 1990s chart-topping I Do Not Want What I Havent Got, a harrowing masterpiece sparked by the recent dissolution of her marriage to drummer John Reynolds. Boosted by the single and video "Nothing Compares 2 U," originally penned by Prince, the album established her as a major star, but again controversy followed as tabloids took aim at her romance with black singer Hugh Harris while continuing to attack her outspoken politics. On American shores, OConnor also became the target of derision for refusing to perform in New Jersey if "The Star Spangled Banner" was played prior to her appearance, a move which brought public criticism from no less than Frank Sinatra, who threatened to "kick her ass"; she also made headlines for pulling out of an appearance on the NBC program Saturday Night Live in response to the misogynist persona of guest host Andrew Dice Clay, and even withdrew her name from competition in the annual Grammy Awards despite four nominations. OConnor also continued to confound expectations with her third album, 1992s Am I Not Your Girl?, a collection of pop standards and torch songs that failed to live up to either the commercial or critical success of I Do Not Want What I Havent Got. However, any discussion of the records creative merits quickly became moot in the wake of her most controversial and damaging action yet: after finally appearing on Saturday Night Live, OConnor ended her performance by ripping up a photo of Pope John Paul II, resulting in a wave of condemnation unlike any shed previously encountered. Two weeks after the SNL performance, she appeared at a Bob Dylan tribute concert at New Yorks Madison Square Garden, and was promptly booed off the stage. By then a virtual pariah, OConnors retirement from the music business was subsequently reported, although it was later claimed that she had merely returned to Dublin with the intent of studying opera. She kept a low profile for the next several years, starring as Ophelia in a theatrical production of Hamlet and later touring with Peter Gabriels WOMAD festival. She also reportedly suffered a nervous breakdown and even made a half-hearted attempt at suicide. In 1994, however, OConnor returned to pop music with the LP Universal Mother, which, despite good reviews, failed to relaunch her to superstar status; the following year she announced that she would no longer speak to the press. The Gospel Oak EP followed in 1997, and in mid-2000 OConnor issued Faith and Courage, her first full-length effort in six years. Sean-Nós Nua followed two years later, and was widely hailed for its return to the Irish folk tradition as its inspiration. OConnor used the press exposure from the album to further assert her pending retirement from music. In September 2003, the two-disc She Who Dwells... appeared through Vanguard. It collected rare and previously unreleased studio tracks, as well as live material culled from a late 2002 date in Dublin. The album was positioned as OConnors swan song, though official word was not forthcoming. Collaborations followed in 2005, a compilation of appearances on other artists records throughout her long career. Later that year she released Throw Down Your Arms, a collection of reggae classics from the likes of Burning Spear, Peter Tosh, and Bob Marley that managed to reach the number four spot on Billboards Top Reggae Albums chart. OConnor returned to the studio the following year to begin work on her first album of all-new material since Faith and Courage. The resulting Theology, inspired by the complexities of the world post-9/11, was released in 2007 through Koch Records on the artists own imprint, Thats Why Theres Chocolate & Vanilla. OConnors ninth studio, How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?, tackled familiar subjects like sexuality, religion, hope, and despair, all of which were subjects that dominated her post-Theology personal and public life. After a relatively quiet period, OConnor found herself once again embroiled in controversy in 2013 after a personal dispute with singer Miley Cyrus, who OConnor wrote an open letter to warning her of exploitation and the dangers of the music industry. Cyrus also responded with an open letter, which seemed to mock the Irish singers documented mental health issues. OConnors tenth studio album, Im Not Bossy, Im the Boss appeared in August of 2014. Inspired by a Lean Ins female empowerment campaign, Ban Bossy, the album was a rock-oriented and melodious affair as heard on the lead single "Take Me to the Church." | ||
 | Album: 1 of 18 Title: The Lion and the Cobra Released: 1987-10-25 Tracks: 9 Duration: 41:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Jackie (02:28) 2 Mandinka (03:47) 3 Jerusalem (04:17) 4 Just Like U Said It Would B (04:28) 5 Never Get Old (04:35) 6 Troy (06:30) 7 I Want Your (Hands on Me) (04:38) 8 Drink Before the War (05:21) 9 Just Call Me Joe (05:51) |
| The Lion and the Cobra : Allmusic album Review : Sinéad OConnors debut, The Lion and the Cobra, was a sensation upon its 1987 release, and it remains a distinctive record, finding a major talent striving to achieve her own voice. Like many debuts, its entirely possible to hear her influences, from Peter Gabriel to Prince and contemporary rap, but whats striking about the record is how she synthesizes these into her own sound -- an eerie, expansive sound heavy on atmosphere and tortured passion. If the album occasionally sinks into its own atmospheric murk a little too often, she pulls everything back into focus with songs as bracing as the hard-rocking "Mandinka" or the sexy hip-hop of "I Want Your (Hands on Me)." Still, those ethereal soundscapes are every bit as enticing as the direct material, since "Troy," "Jackie," and "Jerusalem" are compelling because of their hushed, quiet intensity. Its not a perfect album, since it can succumb to uneven pacing, but its a thoroughly impressive debut -- and its all the more impressive when you realize she only topped it with its immediate successor, before losing all focus. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 18 Title: I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got Released: 1990-03-20 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:37:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Feel So Different (06:47) 2 I Am Stretched on Your Grave (05:33) 3 Three Babies (04:46) 4 Emperor’s New Clothes (05:16) 5 Black Boys on Mopeds (03:53) 6 Nothing Compares 2 U (05:08) 7 Jump in the River (04:12) 8 You Cause as Much Sorrow (05:04) 9 Last Day of Our Acquaintance (04:40) 10 I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (05:46) 1 Night Nurse (04:54) 2 My Special Child (04:46) 3 Damn Your Eyes (04:46) 4 Silent Night (long version) (04:44) 5 You Do Something to Me (02:36) 6 Mind Games (05:26) 7 What Do You Want (02:59) 8 I Am Stretched on Your Grave (Apple Brightness mix) (05:36) 9 Troy (Live in London) (06:41) 10 I Want Your (Hands on Me) (03:52) |
| I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got : Allmusic album Review : I Do Not Want What I Havent Got became Sinéad OConnors popular breakthrough on the strength of the stunning Prince cover "Nothing Compares 2 U," which topped the pop charts for a month. But even its remarkable intimacy wasnt adequate preparation for the harrowing confessionals that composed the majority of the album. Informed by her stormy relationship with drummer John Reynolds, who fathered OConnors first child before the couple broke up, I Do Not Want What I Havent Got lays the singers psyche startlingly and sometimes uncomfortably bare. The songs mostly address relationships with parents, children, and (especially) lovers, through which OConnor weaves a stubborn refusal to be defined by anyone but herself. In fact, the album is almost too personal and cathartic to draw the listener in close, since OConnor projects such turmoil and offers such specific detail. Her confrontational openness makes it easy to overlook OConnors musical versatility. Granted, not all of the music is as brilliantly audacious as "I Am Stretched on Your Grave," which marries a Frank OConnor poem to eerie Celtic melodies and a James Brown "Funky Drummer" sample. But the album plays like a tour de force in its demonstration of everything OConnor can do: dramatic orchestral ballads, intimate confessionals, catchy pop/rock, driving guitar rock, and protest folk, not to mention the nearly six-minute a cappella title track. Whats consistent throughout is the frighteningly strong emotion OConnor brings to bear on the material, while remaining sensitive to each pieces individual demands. Aside from being a brilliant album in its own right, I Do Not Want What I Havent Got foreshadowed the rise of deeply introspective female singer/songwriters like Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan, who were more traditionally feminine and connected with a wider audience. Which takes nothing away from anyone; if anything, its evidence that, when on top of her game, OConnor was a singular talent. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 18 Title: Am I Not Your Girl? Released: 1992-09-01 Tracks: 12 Duration: 47:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Why Don’t You Do Right (02:30) 2 Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered (06:15) 3 Secret Love (02:56) 4 Black Coffee (03:21) 5 Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home (04:29) 6 Don’t Cry for Me Argentina (05:37) 7 I Want to Be Loved by You (02:45) 8 Gloomy Sunday (03:56) 9 Love Letters (03:06) 10 How Insensitive (03:28) 11 Scarlet Ribbons (04:14) 12 Don’t Cry for Me Argentina (instrumental) (05:09) |
| Am I Not Your Girl? : Allmusic album Review : Based on Sinéad OConnors version of "You Do Something to Me" (a highlight on the Red Hot + Blue album), an album of pop standards performed with a big band might have actually worked. At times, such as on "Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home" and "Dont Cry for Me Argentina," Am I Not Your Girl? does work. However, OConnor runs into trouble with acknowledged standards and songs heavily identified with other vocalists. She doesnt offer a new perspective on these songs, and her airy voice is buried by overwrought string arrangements. Plus, theres OConnors bizarre two-minute rant on love, hatred, herself, and the Catholic Church. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 18 Title: Universal Mother Released: 1994-09-12 Tracks: 14 Duration: 50:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Germaine (00:37) 2 Fire on Babylon (05:11) 3 John I Love You (05:32) 4 My Darling Child (03:09) 5 Am I a Human? (00:23) 6 Red Football (02:48) 7 All Apologies (02:37) 8 A Perfect Indian (04:22) 9 Scorn Not His Simplicity (04:26) 10 All Babies (04:29) 11 In This Heart (03:10) 12 Tiny Grief Song (01:56) 13 Famine (04:56) 14 Thank You for Hearing Me (06:25) |
| Universal Mother : Allmusic album Review : Sinéad OConnors first album of original material since her breakthrough I Do Not Want What I Havent Got is nearly as confused as her big-band album, Am I Not Your Girl? OConnor has lost her sense of conceptual unity, which makes her most extreme moments quite embarrassing ("Red Football" and the white hip-hop of "Famine"). Every so often, she manages to pull off a number that shows why her first two albums were so startling and captivating, but through most of Universal Mother, OConnor sounds lost and confused. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 18 Title: Gospel Oak EP Released: 1997-06-03 Tracks: 6 Duration: 22:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 This Is to Mother You (03:12) 2 I Am Enough for Myself (04:07) 3 Petit Poulet (03:44) 4 4 My Love (04:06) 5 This Is a Rebel Song (03:02) 6 He Moved Through the Fair (live) (04:21) |
 | Album: 6 of 18 Title: So Far… The Best of Sinéad OConnor Released: 1997-11-25 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:17:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Nothing Compares 2 U (05:08) 2 Mandinka (03:47) 3 Emperor’s New Clothes (05:16) 4 Last Day of Our Acquaintance (04:40) 5 Fire on Babylon (05:10) 6 Troy (06:30) 7 I Am Stretched on Your Grave (05:33) 8 Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home (04:29) 9 John I Love You (05:49) 10 Empire (05:51) 11 I Want Your (Hands on Me) (04:38) 12 Heroine (theme from ‘Captive’) (04:26) 13 Don’t Cry for Me Argentina (05:37) 14 You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart (06:20) 15 Just Like U Said It Would B (04:28) |
| So Far… The Best of Sinéad O'Connor : Allmusic album Review : So Far...The Best of Sinéad OConnor is a missed opportunity, failing to deliver a comprehensive overview of the first part of OConnors career, or an adequate hits collection. Part of the problem is the fact that OConnor is an album artist that happens to deliver great singles as well, which means there will be essential tracks missing from a collection, even if it relies solely on the singles. So Far decides to circumvent this problem by combining album tracks with singles, but that doesnt work, since it gives the patchy Universal Mother preference over the excellent The Lion and the Cobra and omits such singles as "Three Babies." Things are further muddled by the inclusion of the non-LP rarities "Heroine," "You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart," and "Empire." All three songs are worthy, but they would make more sense on a rarities collection, which could also feature B-sides and non-LP singles like "Silent Night" and "My Special Child," which have never appeared on an album. Their inclusion was designed to convince hardcore fans into buying this album, but they make the collection less appealing to casual fans. In a way, thats not a bad thing, since So Far doesnt provide a good introduction to OConnor, even if it does contain such essential songs as "Mandinka," "Troy," "Nothing Compares 2 U," "I Want Your (Hands on Me)," "I Am Stretched on Your Grave," and "The Emperors New Clothes." However, those moments of brilliance sound awkward when put in a collection as poorly conceived as this. Only extremely casual fans, those that just want the hits on one disc, need this, since most listeners with a passing interest in OConnor are much better served by the original albums. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 18 Title: Faith and Courage Released: 2000-06-13 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:00:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Healing Room (05:35) 2 No Man’s Woman (03:00) 3 Jealous (04:17) 4 Dancing Lessons (04:17) 5 Daddy I’m Fine (02:59) 6 ’Til I Whisper U Something (06:07) 7 Hold Back the Night (04:12) 8 What Doesn’t Belong to Me (05:38) 9 The State I’m In (04:11) 10 The Lamb’s Book of Life (04:58) 11 If U Ever (04:26) 12 Emma’s Song (03:21) 13 Kyrié Eléison (02:45) 14 Emma’s Song (Adrian Sherwood mix) (04:22) |
| Faith and Courage : Allmusic album Review : On Faith and Courage, her fifth studio album, Sinéad OConnor sounds both lonely and afraid ("Jealous," "Dancing Lessions") and fiercely confident ("No Mans Woman"). The sorrowful "Hold Back the Night" and the Celtic reggae of "The Lambs Book of Life" -- the latter a slap against her native Ireland -- are among her most honest songs. Despite the spiritual content, OConnors bitterness prevails. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 18 Title: Sinéad O’Connor Released: 2000-12-12 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:02:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (05:46) 2 Jackie (02:28) 3 Three Babies (04:46) 4 Fire on Babylon (05:08) 5 Black Coffee (03:21) 6 Thank You for Hearing Me (edit version) (04:36) 7 Scarlet Ribbons (04:14) 8 In This Heart (03:10) 9 Never Get Old (04:35) 10 I Want to Be Loved by You (02:45) 11 Black Boys on Mopeds (03:53) 12 Drink Before the War (05:21) 13 Famine (04:55) 14 This Is a Rebel Song (03:02) 15 Last Day of Our Acquaintance (04:40) |
 | Album: 9 of 18 Title: Sean-Nós Nua Released: 2002-10-02 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:05:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Peggy Gordon (05:42) 2 Her Mantle So Green (05:40) 3 Lord Franklin (05:02) 4 The Singing Bird (04:32) 5 Óró Sé do Bheatha ’Bhaile (03:22) 6 Molly Malone (03:35) 7 Paddy’s Lament (05:29) 8 The Moorlough Shore (05:29) 9 The Parting Glass (04:34) 10 Báidín Fheilimí (03:25) 11 My Lagan Love (04:46) 12 Lord Baker (11:42) 13 I’ll Tell Me Ma (02:24) |
| Sean-Nós Nua : Allmusic album Review : With all 13 tracks on Sean-Nós Nua drawn from traditional Irish repertoire, Sinéad OConnor reclaims that combination of fragility and strength that distinguishes her from virtually every other singer of her age and background. Supported by an assembly of brilliant musicians, OConnor follows the two paths most traveled by modern interpreters of these songs. One, represented on tracks like "Peggy Gordon," evokes misty pictures of mystic Eire by drenching strings, acoustic guitars, and her own voice in the kind of echo normally associated with whale songs; by reading the lyric with minimal and only idiomatic adornment, OConnor turns these clichéd arrangements into compelling narratives. The other approach is drier, with the instruments more clearly articulated, yet here she excels as well; a hard edge cuts through tunes like "Her Mantle So Green" and even on the whispered "Lord Franklin" and "Lord Baker" to emphasize the tragic flavors that sweeter singers often miss. Throughout Sean-Nós Nua the production treats OConnors voice like a canvas on which to paint vivid images. At times the result is distracting, with far too much slap-back, but it also scores on songs like "Molly Malone," where vocal and instrumental textures together trace the tale through poignant light and ominous shadow. It is likely no coincidence that the album ends with "Ill Tell Me Ma," which closes with the teasing line, "Please wont you tell me, who is she?" The answer is clear: it is Sinéad OConnor, ascendant again. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 18 Title: She Who Dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High Shall Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty Released: 2003-09-02 Tracks: 32 Duration: 2:25:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Regina caeli (01:03) 2 O filii et filiae (03:14) 3 My Love I Bring (03:55) 4 Do Right Woman (03:55) 5 Love Hurts (04:03) 6 Aint It a Shame (04:31) 7 Chiquitita (03:50) 8 Brigidine Diana (04:14) 9 Its All Good (05:09) 10 Love Is Ours (demo) (04:45) 11 A Hundred Thousand Angels (03:20) 12 You Put Your Arms Around Me (demo) (04:59) 13 Emma’s Song (Adrian Sherwood mix) (04:22) 14 No Matter How Hard I Try (demo) (04:24) 15 Dense Water, Deeper Down (03:34) 16 This Is a Rebel Song (03:49) 17 1000 Mirrors (04:54) 18 Big Bunch of Junkie Lies (04:03) 19 Song of Jerusalem (05:54) 1 Molly Malone (03:56) 2 Óró, Sé Do Bheatha Bhaile (03:07) 3 The Singing Bird (04:25) 4 My Lagan Love (05:12) 5 I Am Stretched on Your Grave (04:43) 6 Nothing Compares 2 U (05:40) 7 John I Love You (05:30) 8 The Moorlough Shore (05:41) 9 You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart (04:38) 10 Paddys Lament (05:36) 11 Thank You for Hearing Me (05:12) 12 Fire on Babylon (07:32) 13 The Last Day of Our Acquaintance (05:58) |
| She Who Dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High Shall Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty : Allmusic album Review : She Who Dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High Shall Abide Under the Shadow of the Almighty (yeah, its a mouthful, but at least its not Fiona Apples monolith), was reportedly Sinead O Connors final album -- it wasnt -- as she seeks another way of life as a spiritual pilgrim, OConnor delved deep into her rare, B-side, unreleased, and compilation tracks and gives listeners a live album to boot over two discs. Released stateside on Vanguard, this is, despite its disparate nature, one of the most satisfying recordings shes ever delivered -- the previous years Sean-Nós Nua, her traditional album, was a knockout and perhaps her finest studio moment, but it went unnoticed here because Americans cant seem to forgive OConnor for exercising her right to free speech (the audience at Bob Dylans 30th anniversary concert should be especially ashamed). The studio sides released on disc one include her collaborations with everyone from Adrian Sherwood to the Asian Dub Foundation to Massive Attack to Roger Eno. Her covers of Dan Penns "Do Right Woman," Boudleaux Bryants "Love Hurts," and the B-52s "Aint It a Shame" are highly original, deeply moving, and satisfying. Her originals, such as "No Matter How Hard I Try," "Love Is Ours," "This Is a Rebel Song," and "Emmas Song," are eclipsed only by her readings of traditional Gaelic material. Her arrangements and those of her collaborators are top-flight. There are 19 cuts in all on disc one, and not a moribund moment in the bunch. The live show on disc two is riveting; it is revelatory for its deep emotional commitment to the performance of the material at hand. On material such as "Molly Malone," "I Am Stretched on Your Grave," and "You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart," Celtic, reggae, and modern dance music come together in a singular mix of OConnors own design. Bottom line: it kicks ass. And the performance of Princes "Nothing Compares 2 U" blows away the studio version with its searing sense of loss and grief. OConnors professionalism as a bandleader is not to be eclipsed by anyone. This 13-track set was simply the best record of 2003 at the time of its release. Her manner of getting inside the material is uncanny as she transforms herself with that gorgeous voice from track to track. Her protagonists and characters are people of this world to be sure, but they are also angels and haunted spirits, children, and broken lovers who have been laid waste by their honesty, much like the singer herself. OConnor is easily the most misunderstood artist of her time, and her willingness to allow her restless spirit to seek happiness and indulge her emotions clearly makes people -- particularly Americans -- very uncomfortable and angry. If you cannot get past the person to appreciate the voice, its your loss, as this is quite simply a presentation of pop culture that translates itself into high (yet very accessible) art for anyone with ears that are open. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 18 Title: Essential Sinead OConnor Released: 2005 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:01:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Troy (06:31) 2 Nothing Compares 2 U (05:08) 3 Mandinka (03:46) 4 The Emperors New Clothes (05:16) 5 Three Babies (04:44) 6 Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home (04:28) 7 I Want Your (Hands on Me) (04:39) 8 I Am Stretched on Your Grave (05:33) 9 Jump in the River (04:12) 10 Just Call Me Joe (05:52) 11 Dont Cry for Me Argentina (05:36) 12 I Do Not Want What I Havent Go (05:45) |
 | Album: 12 of 18 Title: Collaborations Released: 2005-06-21 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:19:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Special Cases (radio edit) (03:46) 2 1000 Mirrors (04:54) 3 Empire (05:50) 4 Guide Me God (03:31) 5 Visions of You (radio edit) (04:21) 6 Release (album edit) (04:14) 7 Wake Up and Make Love With Me (04:58) 8 Kingdom of Rain (album version) (05:51) 9 Im Not Your Baby (05:50) 10 Tears From the Moon (album version) (04:18) 11 Blood of Eden (radio edit) (05:05) 12 Harbour (06:25) 13 Up In Arms (03:40) 14 Its All Good (04:23) 15 Heroine (theme from ‘Captive’) (04:26) 16 Monkey in Winter (05:01) 17 All Kinds of Everything (02:43) |
| Collaborations : Allmusic album Review : As one of alternative rocks most sought-after collaborators -- having Sinéad on even one track would garner enough press to render a release noteworthy -- OConnor racked up enough "guest vocalist" credits during the late 80s/early 90s to warrant two of these compilations. For the most part, her forays into dub, dance, and Anglo-Irish rock were successful, culminating in multiple platforms for her distinctive and often otherworldly voice to rise into the great beyond from. Spirituality -- despite her habit of tearing up pinups of pontiffs -- has always played a huge role in OConnors artistic persona, and many of the songs featured on Collaborations rely on Eastern mysticism ("Visions of You" with Jah Wobbles Invaders of the Heart) and deconstructed Christianity (Peter Gabriels gorgeous "Blood of Eden"). This preoccupation with the inward serves her well on lush, mid-tempo projects with the Asian Dub Foundation ("1000 Mirrors") and the The ("Kingdom of Rain") but has a tendency to fall short on works recorded with the Edge ("Heroine"), Moby ("Harbour"), and Terry Hall (the latters whimsical and sugar-coated "All Kinds of Everything" sticks out like a sore thumb here). All in all its as essential a piece of OConnors history as anything in her catalog -- although the omission of "Haunted" with Shane MacGowan & the Popes is nearly unforgivable -- and a huge missing chunk in the puzzle for fans who had to sit through records by Afro Celt Sound System and Damien Dempsey to get the pieces in the first place. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 18 Title: Throw Down Your Arms Released: 2005-09-28 Tracks: 25 Duration: 1:35:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Jah Nuh Dead (03:20) 2 Marcus Garvey (03:28) 3 Door Peep (03:22) 4 He Prayed (03:27) 5 Y Mas Gan (03:49) 6 Curly Locks (04:22) 7 Vampire (04:02) 8 Prophet Has Arise (04:26) 9 Downpressor Man (05:08) 10 Throw Down Your Arms (04:13) 11 Untold Stories (03:40) 12 War (04:04) 1 Intro (00:57) 2 Jah Nuh Dead (03:12) 3 Marcus Garvey (03:28) 4 Door Peep (03:19) 5 He Prayed (03:28) 6 Y Mas Gan (03:51) 7 Curly Locks (04:17) 8 Vampire (04:02) 9 Prophet Has Arise (04:26) 10 Downpressor Man (05:07) 11 Throw Down Your Arms (04:13) 12 Untold Stories (03:42) 13 War (04:04) |
| Throw Down Your Arms : Allmusic album Review : Theres no debating that Sinéad OConnor is one of the great singers to come from the pop world in the late 20th century. Her recordings and live performances have underscored her reputation in spades. Throw Down Your Arms is her first official outing since her "retirement" three years previously. Despite the cover photo of OConnor as a young communicant, the set here is strictly hard reggae -- all the cuts are covers of classic reggae tunes. Recorded at Tuff Gong and Anchor Studios in Kingston, Jamaica, and produced by Sly & Robbie -- who are also the key rhythm section on the disc -- it stars some of the cream of the scenes elder crop, from guitarist Mikey Chung to Sticky Thompson, Dean Fraser, and many others. Beginning with the a cappella "Jah Nuh Dead" by Winston Rodney (Burning Spear), OConnor does reverential readings of these canonical reggae classics. She takes no liberties, the band is mixed right up front with her voice, and she gets deep into the dread groove from Burning Spears "Door Peep" and the title cut to Peter Toshs "Downpressor Man" and Lee Perrys "Curly Locks" and "Vampire." OConnor is a great interpreter of these songs because she understands they need nothing to be complete. They stand the test of time simply because they are great songs. She wraps herself in the rhythm and the spiritual groove and lets them cover her, saturate her, and come through her into the air where she separates God from the religions of men. Dynamite singing, a killer band, and wonderful material do a fine album make. Welcome back, Sinéad. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 18 Title: Theology Released: 2007-06-18 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:30:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Something Beautiful (05:28) 2 We People Who Are Darker Than Blue (03:56) 3 Out of the Depths (05:06) 4 Dark I Am Yet Lovely (04:11) 5 If You Had a Vineyard (06:17) 6 Watcher of Men (02:34) 7 33 (02:33) 8 The Glory of Jah (03:31) 9 Whomsoever Dwells (02:53) 10 Rivers of Babylon (03:38) 1 Something Beautiful (05:15) 2 We People Who Are Darker Than Blue (04:24) 3 Out of the Depths (05:03) 4 33 (02:43) 5 Dark I Am Yet Lovely (03:30) 6 I Dont Know How to Love Him (04:13) 7 If You Had a Vineyard (06:33) 8 The Glory of Jah (04:55) 9 Watcher of Men (03:18) 10 Whomsoever Dwells (05:34) 11 Rivers of Babylon (04:28) |
| Theology : Allmusic album Review : Theology is an enigmatic double-disc collection of original recordings and covers. The songs on both discs are nearly identical, the difference is that on the versions Sinéad OConnor recorded in Dublin she is accompanied solely by her own and Steve Cooneys acoustic guitars, and on the latter set, recorded in London, she was backed by a rotating band full of studio musicians who include everyone from bassist Robbie Shakespeare and drummer Matthew Phillips, to pianist Toby Baker, guitarist Mark Gilmour, and strings. The sheer minimal approach of the Dublin set carries within it a kind of authority, in her own elegant yet poignant tunes such as "Something Beautiful," "Out of the Depths," the tender "Dark I Am Yet Lovely," the minimal waltz that is "If You Had a Vineyard," and the nearly whispered "Whomsoever Dwells," (a kind of title track for her rarities, B-sides and live collection of the same name in 2003 called She Who Dwells...), and a truly moving reading of "By the Rivers of Babylon." The London Sessions are no less eerie, but they are, in essence, different songs when filled out by a larger group of players. Here, "Something Beautiful," with its strings and slippery drum kit, is nearly a processional. The reading of Curtis Mayfields "We People Who Are Darker Than Blue" has a 21st century soul vibe without losing the authors soulful spirit of brokenhearted frustration moved to anger. Its a unity hymn, and OConnors voice underplays the words as the music, in semi-hushed tones -- the strings and a wah-wahed electric guitar -- drive the track, but its the synth bassline that grabs the attention. There is a greater drama and a subdued ferocity in its groove. OConnor also covers "I Dont Know How to Love Him" from the musical Jesus Christ Superstar, with a slinky reggae backbeat, dramatic strings and drum loop, its theatrical, but shes got the voice for the tune and there isnt a hint of irony in her delivery; it would have been so naked on the acoustic record, so she wisely left it off. For "Glory of Jah," a harp and organ paint her vocal introduction before the cut moves into a reggae bubbler with keyboards, strings, metronomic backbeats and big fat power chords, which push it into the red. Ultimately, this will appeal to OConnors fans, more than anyone coming to her work for the first time. Theology is aptly named in that it sets out, however loosely, to offer the views and passions of a spiritual pilgrim effectively and passionately. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 18 Title: Theology Live at The Sugar Club Released: 2008-12-08 Tracks: 9 Duration: 41:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Something Beautiful (06:47) 2 Out of the Depths (05:03) 3 If You Had a Vineyard (06:39) 4 The Glory of Jah (03:50) 5 Whomsoever Dwells (04:08) 6 I Dont Know How to Love Him (04:19) 7 We People Who Are Darker Than Blue (03:58) 8 33 (03:10) 9 Rivers of Babylon (03:28) |
 | Album: 16 of 18 Title: Essential Released: 2011-10-31 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:14:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Mandinka (03:47) 2 Troy (06:30) 3 I Want Your (Hands on Me) (04:38) 4 Just Call Me Joe (05:51) 5 I Am Stretched on Your Grave (05:33) 6 Three Babies (04:46) 7 Emperor’s New Clothes (05:16) 8 Nothing Compares 2 U (05:08) 9 Jump in the River (04:12) 10 Last Day of Our Acquaintance (04:40) 11 I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (05:46) 12 Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home (04:29) 13 Don’t Cry for Me Argentina (05:37) 14 Jerusalem (04:17) 15 Black Boys on Mopeds (03:53) |
 | Album: 17 of 18 Title: How About I Be Me (and You Be You)? Released: 2012-02-21 Tracks: 10 Duration: 45:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 4th and Vine (03:59) 2 Reason With Me (04:03) 3 Old Lady (03:44) 4 Take Off Your Shoes (05:29) 5 Back Where You Belong (04:17) 6 The Wolf Is Getting Married (04:23) 7 Queen of Denmark (04:38) 8 Very Far From Home (03:55) 9 I Had a Baby (04:12) 10 V.I.P. (06:37) |
| How About I Be Me (and You Be You)? : Allmusic album Review : With more and more years between proper studio albums as time goes on, often confrontational Irish pop powerhouse Sinéad OConnors decades-spanning career becomes less about her music and more about Sinéad as an institution, political figurehead, worn punch line, or in the worst cases a caricature of herself. With her ninth studio album, How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?, OConnor smacks the focus back onto her powerful voice and uncanny ability to weave sadly gorgeous narratives into catchy pop songs. Thats not to say a generous smattering of all the things that have made OConnor a controversial character over the years are not touched on over the course of the record. Familiar subjects like sexuality and religion, and their conflicts with international politics, show up on songs like "V.I.P.," a beautifully delivered hymn addressing child abuse in Irelands Catholic school system. The heartbreaking "Reason with Me" opens with OConnor in the character of a junkie thief, singing "Hello/You dont know me but I stole your laptop and I took your TV/I sold your grammys rosary for 50p." This crushing song laments wrong turns in life, with the narrator repeating "Its not too late" in a tone that only says he know its far too late for him. While heartbreaking beauty is standard in OConnors sound, whats surprising on How About I Be Me is the number of lovestruck and optimistic songs. The naked confessional of "Old Lady" finds earnest pining for a so-soon-to-be-love. OConnor goes over the mental acrobatics of being willfully unkind to her crush, because even if she were to show him a smile, everyone would know how bad she had it for him. Set to an upbeat, melodic pop curtain as strong as any of her 90s hits, this song resonates with the genuine raw emotion that OConnor made her name on. Other highlights like "The Wolf Is Getting Married" and "I Had a Baby" are more of the same brutally bare sentiments over contagious hooks. The climate inside Sinéads head is just as tumultuous as ever, but the resultant beauty and electric rage have culminated in an album as raw and open as anything shes produced in years. How About I Be Me (And You Be You)? is a delicately balanced picture of despair and hope, and a fantastic reminder of the musical gifts that made OConnor important to begin with. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 18 Title: Im Not Bossy, Im the Boss Released: 2014-08-11 Tracks: 12 Duration: 40:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 How About I Be Me (03:25) 2 Dense Water Deeper Down (03:32) 3 Kisses Like Mine (02:28) 4 Your Green Jacket (03:23) 5 The Vishnu Room (02:47) 6 The Voice of My Doctor (03:36) 7 Harbour (04:40) 8 James Brown (03:04) 9 8 Good Reasons (03:26) 10 Take Me to Church (03:01) 11 Where Have You Been? (03:02) 12 Streetcars (04:28) |
| I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss : Allmusic album Review : A decade of inconsistent, spotty, or simply confusing output from iconic Irish singer/songwriter Sinéad OConnor was redeemed with 2012s refreshingly focused and honest effort How About I Be Me (And You Be You)? That album saw OConnor effortlessly creating the same type of emotionally charged yet easily melodic fare that constituted her earliest, most popular work, and positioned her for a graceful return to form. Two years later, Im Not Bossy, Im the Boss follows the impassioned pop framework of its immediate predecessor, branching out into even more vivid stylistic dimensions and retaining all the energy, controversy, and fire that have come to define OConnor as both a musician and a political figure. Taken at face value, the songs here are vibrant and multifaceted. The album opens with a song that curiously shares a title with the record that came right before this one, a smooth alt-pop production about desire and a quest for sweetness, driven by a melancholic chord progression and multi-tracked vocals of soft, swaying harmonies. A blues structure guides tracks like the country-flavored twang of "Dense Water Deeper Down" as well as the shuffling, heavy guitars of "The Voice of My Doctor." Saxophonist Seun Kuti shows up for a guest spot on the snaky funk of "James Brown" and Brian Eno is also somewhere on the album adding synth textures in a way no one else can. When Sinéad switches into a pop mode, the results are buoyant and beautiful, as with the yearning sentiments and hooky chorus of "Your Green Jacket" or the strident, building guitar pop of "Take Me to Church." Circumstances outside of the recording studio creep into Im the Boss. Though none of the songs overtly address the issue, the months leading up to this album saw OConnor writing an open letter to Miley Cyrus warning her of the exploitive nature of the music industry waiting to chew her up and spit her out as she spun out into an increasingly cartoonish public persona. Cyrus responded with aloof sarcasm and distance, picking at OConnors issues with shaky mental health and possibly missing the point that someone who experienced the slippery road of stardom before her could offer a valuable perspective. Instead of choosing to fire off against Miley in a venomous diss track, OConnor turns her gaze inward, reasserting how problematic the music industry can be on "8 Good Reasons" with lines like "You know, I love to make music/But my head got wrecked by the business." Despite the controversies that have swarmed around her since the beginning, unfriendly or unfair press, and a history of musical wandering that fans couldnt fully get behind, Sinéad has rarely catered to anyone. That Im Not Bossy, Im the Boss continues a string of strong, entirely enjoyable releases is a bonus for Sinéads audience, but as evidenced by liner notes that proclaim "this album is dedicated to me," shes still doing it for no one but herself. | ||