Faith and Courage

Sinead O'Connor's Return to Grace

Sinead O'Connor's Faith and Courage is a remarkable record, clearly one of the great and overlooked CDs of the new millenium. In the years following "Nothing Compares 2 U," she has fallen into virtual obscurity, probably by choice, and made some moderately good records (Particularly Universal Mother) on occasion. But often times Sinead's singing fell into simpering and sighing and she sometimes sounded like she was 1/2 trying. Sometimes the music drifted into an uninspired abyss of chaotic Celtic pompousness. So here we have Faith and Courage, the 1st all new Sinead record of all new material in about 5 years and her first indesputable masterpiece. Artistically, this record blows way past I Do Not Want and The Lion and the Cobra, (two fine but somewhat flawed records) for it is nearly perfect. First of all, it is noted she has used outside producers. This is forunate since making good records is largely a collaborative process. Considering the relatively unimpressive production Dave Stewart has done in the past with various people, it's amazing he's so brilliant with Sinead and says a lot about her own talent as a writer and singer (but is also revealing in suggesting she is not necessarily her own best producer). The album achieves a series of unbelievable peaks with about 4 or 5 songs, particularly "Daddy I'm Fine," possibly the best single track she has recorded since "Nothing Compares 2 U." An autobiographical narrative about early musings of rock and roll stardom and following one's heart against parental disapproval, "Daddy I'm Fine" speaks volumes about the tensions between self-determination and the conflict parental and societal expectations create for an artist or anyone coming of age. Like the genre of American country music in the 70s or Shakespearean comedy, there is a story being told and by the song's end, everything is resolved. The polical song on this set is "The Lamb's Book of Life," a very impressive and tender Celtic plea that gently attacks the indifference towards a belief in God that O'Connor apparently seems to believe is growing everyday. O'Connor pleads that world problems can be overcome if people "believed in God enough to pray" because "every prayer prayed is heard." Sigmund Freud may simply laughted at such perceived wish fulfillment, but backed the strangest and best (maybe the only) reggae-Celtic arrangement I've heard and Sinead's fragile yet equally quiveringly compelling vocal, he may have had to rewrite The Future of an Illusion. Sinead's growing obsession with the Celtic style has indeed reached fruition. On past records, it was often annoying, but it is consistantly used to beautiful effect on this amazing record, not only on "Lamb's" but also on "If You Ever," a gorgeous ballad of undeniable transcendence. The hip-hop intro to "No Man's Woman" seems a bit dated (but then the song winds up being redeemed with its ambiguous, splendidly bizarre lyric about not telling everybody "about the love I get" - from either a masculine God / female lover, sung with unapologetic conviction), but the quirky, techno ending on "The Healing Room" is right on time with Radiohead, Fatboy Slim and Madonna. At a time when it seems the world may have forgotten about Sinead O'Connor, she has crafted a record that fully realizes the magnitude of her talent, a talent that her initial records only hinted at. From an artist who so seemingly almost despised the celebrity aspect that comes with being an entertainer, it almost seems as if she deliberately waited until all the hoopla around her celebrity died down so she could enjoy the creative aspect of her craft without worrying such stunning work would receive recognition from a mass audience so unawaringly starving for music with substance. Alas, Sinead may finally be at a point where she does not want what she hasn't got.

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a brand new artist

she like new ... every song is complete ... each song is touching

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Loyal Sinead Fan!

I've had this CD 2 weeks now and listened to it once a day, at least! I think so highly about this CD that I lent it to a friend I work with. My friend advised me she hadn't heard very much of Sinead's CD's, but offered to give a listen. After she gave it a first listening to she came to me and told me that ''Faith and Courage'' is a great CD and was very excited about it and thanked me for the listen. Her excitement kinda shocked me because she is a Hard Rock Fan,(Matallica, Limp Bisquit, Korn, Kid Rock ect.) and sometimes not easy to sway with new material. After she became so interested in ''Faith and Courage'' and from reading other reviews comparing this to ''Lion & Cobra'', ''I do not want what I havn't got'' and ''Universal Mother'' I decided to relisten to my collection. I also let my friend give these a whirl! Her comment was ''IMPRESSIVE''! and may purchase these for herself. After completing my listening of all these CD's back to back, I think ''Faith and Courage'' is one of the best if not the best CD Sinead has put out... Sinead is at her songwriting best on ''Faith and Courage'' she writes and sings with a lot of power and emotion. Sinead is credited for writing all the tracks except for ''Hold back the Night'' and ''The State I'm In''. Every song on this CD is a potential hit! It is really hard to give my opinion on the best song, because there are several strong songs on this CD that could catapult ''Faith and Courage'' up the charts. My hope is that Sineads record company also recongizes how ''OUTSTANDING'' this CD is and promotes it really hard. I am so glad I had the opportunity to convert a non-listener into a FAN!!! I want to dedicate this review to my friend who inspired me to write it and for letting me broaden her musical boundries. Thank You!!

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But Don't Forget. . .

Don't forget that the last album Sinead released was 1997's 'Gospel Oak.' It contains two CDs, with the first having six songs--including a live version of 'He moved through the fair' that is found on the Chieftains' 'The Long Black Veil.' The second CD is a thirteen minute single of 'Fire on Babylon' that is on the 'Universal Mother' CD in its original form. The 'Gospel Oak' CD is lovely and should not be overlooked.

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Stunning, Breath-Taking, Phenomenal

I got a chance to listen to an advance promo copy of this new CD, which is O'Connor's first album in six years. It is an achievement of considerable proportions, and finally may be the record that supercedes her brilliant Lion & Cobra debut, and her big 1990 smash, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got. Faith & Courage is an utterly bewitching, mesmerizing, emotionally and spiritually uplifting work. With the help of producers Brian Eno, Dave Stewart (Eurythmics), Wyclef Jean and others, O'Connor has recorded her true masterpiece album. Her stunning trademark vocals are on full display here with all their power, nuance, and raw emotion, and her songwriting is the sexiest and most accessible it has been since Lion & Cobra. It's an irresistible pop/rock album... with a distinctly O'Connor edge. She has also ingeniously combined traditonal Irish musical influences with reggae, trip-hop, electronia, and R&B elements...to breathtaking, often astonishing effect! The opening track, The Healing Room, is awash with sheer unadulterated beauty and one of the most moving songs she has ever recorded. 'No Man's Woman,' the outright rocker that is currently a radio hit, is a perfect showcase for O'Connor's vocal range and defiant message, all in a pop beat that is positively thrilling and infectious--easily her best rocker since 'Mandinka.' More goosebumps appear on 'Jealous,' an absolutely heart-rending, shimmering journey into loss and relational woes. 'Daddy I'm Fine' is perhaps the best song O'Connor has ever written, and is the (hard-to-choose) album highlight. Totally autobiographical, fun, and set to a reggae beat, it represents the sheer power of Sinead O'Connor's songwriting skills,wit, incisiveness, honesty, vocal powers, and is a real hands-in-the-air triumph. 'Til I Whisper' is a driving, urgent, haunting and mysterious siren-song. Utterly irresistible. The listener is mesmerizd, enchanted. 'Hold back The Night' is a harrowing, beautiful song that permeates the listener's mind in the most marvelous ways. 'What Doesn't Belong To Me,' is a heartbreaking but liberating moment, a song that captures freedom from sadness brought on by others. Enough to move one to tears. 'The State I'm IN,' written by Scott Cutler and Anne Preven is a soaring, sexual piece of voodoo...surely the next hit single off this winner of an album--although many of these songs could find huge airplay. Every track here is a piece of great work, and THAT is a rarity in any modern album. But what Sinead O'Connor did on her first two albums was make her work MORE than an album...it becomes a magical experience, a journey that ensnares. She has never weaved a greater, more impacting spell than on Faith & Courage. This is a landmark work for its fusion of irish & reggae & trip-hop influences alone. It is a MUST-HAVE, even if you've had pre-conceived notions about O'Connor due to her political rants. Forget what you mau have thought about her. It's all about the music here. This record reminds anyone why she is considered one of the greatest singers and most brilliant female songwriters of the era. For fans who have been waiting years for her to regain the sheer sensuality and kinetic energy of her fantastic 'Lion & Cobra' album, rest assured: Sinead not only matches that record on Faith & Courage...she surpasses it. Five Big Shooting Stars.

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The best got better.

The tracks in Faith and Courage are varied and are clearly rooted in the various characteristics of Sinead. They range from tearfully sad to joyous & from street vulgar to sincerely pious. The blending of contemporary rock, Irish folk, Celtic, gospel hymn and more is masterful. That background is a worthy vehicle to carry God's gift, the sound of Sinead's singing voice. Those flashes of awsome beauty of sound that Sinead has given us over the years is truely brought to a new level. If you have been awe struck, as I have been, while listening to Sinead in the past, you will be awe struck again, because Faith and Courage is more and better.

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'Jealous' On Dawson's Creek

One of the songs, Jealous, from Faith and Courage, was on the show Dawson's Creek in the season finale of season 3. Episode: 'True Love' I was truly intriguied by this song and hope that the rest of her album will be just as good.

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