Sinead O´Connor is a reggae queen!!!!!!!!

lazarus · October-26th-2005, 04:39 AM

Sinead with Sly & Robbie

I want to recommend Sinead O´Connor´s new cd "Throw Down Your Arms" to every reggae fan.
She do excellent versions of classic roots reggae songs. Her voice is great. She´s the best female reggae vocalist I have ever heard. Soooo good!!!!

1. Jah Nuh Dead
2. Marcus Garvey
3. Door Peep
4. He Prayed
5. Curly Locks
6. Vampire
7. Y Mas Gan
8. Prophet Has Arise
9. Downpressor Man
10. Throw Down Your Arms
11. Untold Stories
12. War

lazarus · October-26th-2005, 04:42 AM

Sinead O'Connor, Throw Down Your Arms
4 stars Yes, it's a reggae covers set. And far better than you'd expect, writes Neil Spencer

Neil Spencer
Sunday September 18, 2005

Observer

Throw Down Your Arms
(That's Why There's Chocolate and Vanilla)
£12.99
When it comes to supplying great records by Western acts, the Caribbean sojourn has a decidedly ropy history - consider (briefly) the ragged, reggaefied offerings of the Stones, Ian Dury, Paul McCartney and Joe Cocker. By contrast, Sinead O'Connor's pilgrimage to Jamaica has delivered a pearl of an album, a dozen cover versions that pay homage to reggae's golden age in the Seventies.

The directness of O'Connor's approach has a lot to do with the success of Throw Down Your Arms, its title borrowed from one of five Burning Spear songs here. Far from hanging out, hoping for inspiration, she has stayed as close to the originals as possible, citing, in her liner notes, a dictum from opera diva Maria Callas: 'The composer has already taken care of everything. Just do exactly as the composer has written.' With Sly and Robbie producing - and for once not on the auto-pilot the rhythm twins customarily engage for visitors - the results are clean, lively takes of hallowed sides by Spear, Marley, Abyssinians, Israel Vibration et al.

Why not cut out the middle-woman in all this and buy the original vintage tracks? No reason other than O'Connor's striking vocal presence, articulating the sentiments of Jamaican shanty town, bush and backyard in her own Celtic cadence. She remains quite a singer, able to switch from strident indignation on Peter Tosh's 'Downpressor Man' to playful whisper for Lee Perry's 'Curly Locks'.

There is, as always with the elfin O'Connor, a moral message at play, what she calls 'saving God from religion', which is why this crazy ex-Catholic girl (and schismatically ordained priestess) is spreading the 'message of Rastafari'. The appeal of Vatican-baiting Rastafari to a woman who ripped up the Pope's picture on US TV is obvious enough, though one can imagine dreadlocked ideologues being none too taken with Sinead's prayers to the 'Universal Mother'. Suffice to say that the music has its own spirit, and one that should be in full, wild cry in her forthcoming live shows with Sly and Robbie.

Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005

Sergio Zamora · October-26th-2005, 11:31 AM

It's now on the to-get-soon list, Laz

Gentle Giant · October-26th-2005, 01:21 PM

Funny, I didn't find her rendition of "War" at the Bob Dylan tribute a few years ago all that convincing!

john williams · October-26th-2005, 07:00 PM

Yes, I picked it up on the weekend and I agree with Laz. Her Irish lilt + reggae grooves works surprisingly well and I'm glad she stayed true to her own voice whilst trying something new. There is a second "dub" disk with my copy that I'm yet to listen to.

lazarus · October-27th-2005, 12:00 PM

I listened to the dub cd today.
It was pretty good. A nice bonus.
No instrumentals.
All lead vocals are high in the mix on all tracks.

Burning Spear and Sinead

October-27th-2005, 12:21 PM

I've been listening to it, and I think it's a good selection of songs. They show off the range of her vocal gifts, which is the main reason to want to buy anything by her.

AntManBee · October-28th-2005, 05:39 AM

I've never been sure of what I actually think of Sinead, but this album seems like something I should give a serious listen. At first the idea seemed so off-beat (no pun intended) but then again, off-beat ideas are usually the most interesting!

Gentle Giant · October-28th-2005, 09:23 AM

Phil Hartman as Frank Sinatra on SNL calling her Sinbad and "the bald chick"
was one of the funniest things I ever heard.

AntManBee · November-3rd-2005, 09:57 AM

I've listened to the album a couple of times now, and while it's OK and well-crafted, it fails to move me on a deeper level. I'm not entirely comfortable with her voice and also, I keep wondering why I should listen to Sinéad's covers when I can listen to the originals which I like much better. I'm sure the album is done with the best intentions and that Sinéad is perfectly honest about it but to me it actually seems a bit pointless.

shrugs · November-9th-2005, 09:30 PM

Not so great here either. A waste of time too.

Monte Smith · November-9th-2005, 10:26 PM

I can't listen to this record until our resident rasta, Gary Sisco, gives his OK or not-OK.

lazarus · November-10th-2005, 01:38 AM

A waste of time!!??
Why?
I love this cd!

I have been listening to reggae for over 30 years. I consider myself a connoisseur of this music and I hate watered out pop reggae.

I think that Sineads vocals on these great, great songs ( some of them are among my absolute favorite songs, any genre) are top notch.
Unfortunely there are not many female roots reggae vocalists and I love to hear a great female voice doing these songs.

jonas · November-10th-2005, 04:56 AM

The little celtic folkiness and the best playing by Sly and Robbie for 20+ years, what more is there to wish for? The dub is not essential, but the roots set are. Sure, it's only covers, but the selection is excellent and the vocals and playing is for real. I only wish that the ongoing tour would be ready to dl somewhere.

Gary Sisco · November-10th-2005, 09:23 AM

How much Sly & Robbie have you heard over the last 20+ years? New records come out by the truckload every week in Jamaica. More than one man could carry in a very large box.

20 years ago takes us all the way back to Black Uhuru days. You really think they've done nothing of merit until this record, that whole while?

lazarus · November-11th-2005, 01:12 AM

Gary and Sergio, listen to the Sinead cd. I think you will like it.

I have heard the original versions of these songs so many times through the years I think it´s a blessing to be able to hear new really good interpretations. Especially from a good female voice. Sinead is an excellent singer. One of the best imo.
Of course I prefer the original recordings but it´s good to have these too. Nothing revolutionary. Just excellent music in the roots reggae tradition. By an irish woman with the right atitude. And of course the best jamaican musicians you can find.
There are so many good songs in the reggae tradition for vocalists to explore. Just like in blues, country and r&b there are many compositions that deserves to be standards or evergreens.

Lois Gilbert · November-11th-2005, 06:46 AM

Here's a little trivia: her guitarist is Daryl Thompson - Lucky Thompson's son

jonas · November-13th-2005, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Sisco

How much Sly & Robbie have you heard over the last 20+ years? New records come out by the truckload every week in Jamaica. More than one man could carry in a very large box.

20 years ago takes us all the way back to Black Uhuru days. You really think they've done nothing of merit until this record, that whole while?

Sorry 'bout that. I got carried away, somewhat overenthusiastic. I tend to get a bit drastic and if I continue to post you'll most likely experience that over and again
However They DO play on top of their game, it does not get any much better than this these days. After all its not 1982 anymore