Album Title: Sean-Nós Nua
Producer(s): Sinéad O'Connor, Donal Lunny, Adrian Sherwood
Genre: POP
Label/Catalog Number: Vanguard 79724
Source: PRINT
Originally Reviewed: October 19, 2002


With her Pope-pic-ripping days but a memory, Sinead O'Connor now delivers one of her finest albums to date—and she's done it by going back to her cultural roots. This collection of traditional Irish songs, which she aimed to "sexy up" (the album title translates to "old style but new"), is, simply, soul- touching. From the plaintively beautiful opener "Peggy Gordon" to the agonized song of war "Paddy's Lament"—featuring the singer's soaring elegiac wails—to the gentle Oirish jig "I'll Tell Me Ma" (which closes the disc with the winking line "Please won't you tell me, who is she?"), O'Connor has understandably never sounded so comfortable and at home. Sean-Nós Nua may not propel O'Connor back to the superstar ranks, but after the lean times that followed the success of I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, it will likely re-affirm her status as an important and talented artist.—AZ

It really is a pretty album... intimate, and reflective...

Definitely an acquired taste, but she's put a lot of herself in it, and that's why I appreciate it.

Quite a dreamy Irish childhood kind of feel.. lovely voice that Sinéad.

I used to like Sinead O' Connor but she went to Far with Ripping up the POPE'S picture and then Fighting with Prince and not going to the Grammy's and making Prince lose the award for Nothing Compares to U. She has a Great voice and all,but she's just too much of a Troublemaker and I lost my Interest and Respect for her.

Natasha...following Prince and all, you should like troublemakers...

Sinead suffered from that genious syndrome of "good motives and message but bad delivery." Ripping up the pope was her attempt to call attention to the atorcities the Catholic chruch commits, especially in regards to abuse to children. Her message was completely lost by her method of saying it.
Which was too bad, with the year the Catholic church has just gone through, she was a decade ahead of the times in sounding the alarm...

In retrospect, it reminds me a lot of P's "slave" days- he had a good point to make, but the "slave" on his face made him look like an idiot and made people not listen to him...

Anywho, I'm glad Rolling Stone gave a good review to Sinead's latest, it's subtle and breathtaking. Artistically she has come so far in the past 4-5 years. It's refreshing to see someone in "the press" noticing.

endorphin74 said:

Couldn't agree more.

Sinéad is really underappreciated... I love her stuff. I haven't heard the newest album yet, I gotta pick it up.

Very Interesting Album from what I've Heard thus far.Track 3 is pretty Good.I'm Hit&Miss with Her overall for Her Career but the Woman is a Very Talented Songwriter IMHO.

wow mistermaxxx, im impressed...*you* a sinead fan...have you listened to her last album? that one is a *classic*...and im off to get this one today...

sinead is a great singer...a great lyricist...and a great artist...me loves me some sinead...

as far as natasha's comments are concerned..here here to endorphine...nat, think about her message...think about the child abuse cases last year..and dont tell me sinead, as a mother, wasnt right for doing what she did.

SkletonKee said:

Yeah "Faith and Courage" is an AMAZING album... just adore it.

Listening to it now actually

Diva said:

Yay! I love that album! After Universal Mother I pretty much forgot about her for a long while. Good thing I have a good friend around to remind me what genius she is. After hearing Faith and Courage about a bazillion times at his house I couldn't get Daddy I'm Fine out of my head one day and had to hear it immediately so I FINALLY went out and bought it like 6 months ago.

Thanks endorphin74!

SkletonKee said:

Thank You Yes I Have Listened too All of Her Albums&She is a Interesting Artist.I Liked Her Cole Porter Cover on the Red,Hot&Blue Compilation from back in 92.I saw Her on the Arsenio Hall Show performing.

CarrieMpls said:

Faith and Courage is probably my favorite album of the last ten years. I can't get enough of it.

CarrieMpls said:

No problem, toots...all in a days work!

ps...Faith and Courage is the greatest, isn't it?!?!

lovemachine said:

Now, if only we can turn you into a Cure fan...