Sinead O'Connor: Theology

Sinead O'Connor really needs no introduction. She is a unique and captivating performer with a jaw-droppingly powerful and heartbreakingly beautiful voice.

In recent times perhaps only Bjork and Prince come close.

She is an artist whose great talent like that of other female artists (e.g. Amy Winehouse, PJ Harvey), is often trivialised by focus on her iconic looks or her attitude.

Yet O'Connor's visual appearance becomes an irrelevance (if it was ever relevant), once she opens her mouth to sing.

Sure she has strong opinions but she is always honest, intelligent and articulate. After the global success of 'Nothing Compares 2 U', she chose not to play the game, but instead proceeded to speak her mind and raise a family.

Vilified and damned at the height of her fame in the 90s, for her expose of child abuse in Catholic Church on Saturday Night Live, she has been spectacularly vindicated by the success of all the recent Irish child abuse court cases.

She comes in a long line of forthright female singers – Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield, Chrissie Hynde, Patti Smith, Madonna – with a voice to match the best of them.

However it would be wrong to pigeonhole her just as a "female singer", for there's more to her than that – she's universal.

'Theology' sees Sinead O'Connor return to the pop fold after albums of reggae classics and traditional Irish tunes, and a live / rarities compilation. The album includes eight original songs written by Sinead, as well as covers including Curtis Mayfield's 'We People Who Are Darker Than Blue', 'I Don't Know How To Love Him' from the musical 'Jesus Christ Superstar', and the spiritual 'Rivers of Babylon' with new lyrics penned by O'Connor.

'Theology' is a double album, the first disc sees the songs as Sinead wrote them - stripped down to the raw bone of acoustic guitar and Sinead's startling voice; the second disc features the songs given the full band production treatment by R'n'B producer Ron Tom.

"'Theology' is an attempt to create a place of peace in a time of war," said O'Connor. "It is my own personal response to what has taken place and is affecting everyone around the world since and including September 11, 2001. I simply wanted to make a beautiful thing which inspires me."

The album is released on 25th June 2007