SINEAD O'CONNOR
Sean-Nos Nua (Vanguard)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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Sinead O'Connor has arguably had some significant lapses of good judgement, both personal and political, over the course of her career, but she's rarely made a better decision than the one that led to Sean-Nos Nua. The title translates from the Gaelic as "old-style new," and she delivers pretty much what the title promises. With co-producer Donal Lunny, she offers a set of songs drawn from the Irish tradition, but the traditional instrumentation is augmented with an array of keyboards and programmed beats, some of which might seem quite alien to the tradition they're applied to. Unfamiliar though some of the touches may be in an Irish traditional context, the overall impact is largely successful, and the updated backing may draw in an audience that would otherwise eschew the material.

It's not the all-star assembly of Irish and UK musicians that make this O'Connor's best work in a decade, though. Ultimately a Sinead O'Connor album's merit is dependent on the singer herself, and while her voice is always a remarkable instrument, its impact here is particularly striking. This is material that O'Connor has known since childhood and longed to record, but it's hard to argue that there's a great deal of commercial wisdom behind the effort. Kudos are due to the folks at Vanguard, who have released the album the artist chose to make rather than the one they might have chosen to sell. As a result, they ended up with O'Connor's best effort, and it's an effort of such irresistible quality that the commercial challenges are moderated to a large extent. It's an album that should appeal not only to those who have stood by through the ups and downs of O'Connor's career, but should reach out to new audiences as well.

As beautiful as it is, the 12 minute duet with Irish folk legend Christy Moore on "Lord Baker" isn't likely to become a radio hit, but there are airplay-friendly options on the album, and every single track has its own charm. Most appealing of all, though, is O'Connor's performance of these songs that clearly have great personal meaning for her. By infusing that meaning into her performances here, she makes them personally accessible to every listener.

Track List:

Peggy Gordon * Her Mantle So Green * Lord Franklin * The Singing Bird * Oro, Se Do Bheatha 'Bhaile * Molly Malone * Paddy's Lament * The Moorlough Shore * The Parting Glass * Baidin Fheilmi * My Lagan Love * Lord Baker * I'll Tell Me Ma

© 2002 - Shaun Dale