The ultra modern ancient gaelic music siren. (The Lion And The Cobra - Sinead O'Connor)

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Product:	The Lion And The Cobra - Sinead O'Connor
Date:	04/06/06 (146 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: a fantastic, passionate and original debut album

Disadvantages: none

Sinead O'Connor has always been a name to conjure up many images, headstrong, controversial, blasphemous to some, and whilst these descriptions may in some ways be justified they do distract from the one thing that she probably wants to be known for, that is making beautiful, intelligent and thought provoking music. After spending time with bands such as In Tua Nua and Ton Ton Macoute she recorded a demo, with the aid of Waterboy Karl Wallinger, and on the strength of that was signed to Ensign records. The demo became the basis of her fantastic debut album, The Lion and The Cobra and the rest as they say is history. One of the most memorable images of O'Connor is her hair, or lack of it and it is a tribute to how serious she was to be accepted for her music alone that she deliberately projected, in her eyes, an unglamorous image to stop her looks being the focus of attention. It is also ironic that this hard skinhead and combat boots image probably made her a memorable icon, but at least her music was accepted on its merits and this album contains some of the most interesting and original sections of her work.

Jackie opens the album and is a mixture of Enya like vocals and rasping punk guitar, O'Connor voice is alluring and mesmerising, unique and ground breaking later to be emulated by the likes of Delores O'Riordan of the Cranberries. This is followed by Mandinka, the strongest song on the album, a song that sees the young vocalist at full tilt, Marco Pirroni, once of Adam and the Ants providing a jagged swath of guitars to compliment Sineads voice. In contrast to the majesty of Mandinka, Jerusalem remind us that these songs were written when she was still a teenager and whilst there is a large helping of teenage angst, it also becomes clear that she has not yet perfected her trademark vocal and occasionally she slips from that emotion and controlled agitation into whinny mode. However the song is still powerful and original, a slow rock number that builds and falls as needed to set the atmosphere.

Just Like You Said it Would Be, begins as a slow haunting acoustic number is joined by strings and a stranglers-esque keyboard section and has a Fairport Convention or Albion Band feel to the proceedings. Never Get Old is a far more interesting composition, opening with a spoken gaelic piece from none other than Enya, as Sineads vocals build up behind, a mix of lyrics and voice being used as an instrument. Just when you think that this is going to be a vocal piece, drums kick in and a piano crashes through as the vocals rise in wordless cries like birds in flight fleeing the noise that has suddenly descended.

Greek mythology and domestic disharmony are merged together in Troy the story of a journey through love and betrayal, its setting and imagery moving from a kitchen in Dublin to the walls of the ancient city itself. Again Sineads vocals take the lions share of the song, and here they sound at their most glorious, sharp attacks of violins and brooding cellos emphasise the pain and despair that drips from the song. This song, like most of her songs comes from the heart and you believe every scream and every spat out accusation to be true and wrought of personnel experience, "you're still a liar, you're still a liar" rings out as the song fades. White funk takes over next in the form of I Want Your (Hands on Me) and in true O'Connor style seems to blend many different styles, funk is laid on rock and sandwiched in-between is the sound of the orient, chinese rhythms seem to sneak through the gaps. The production and clarity of this song seems raised in comparison to some that have gone before but this may be due to the fact that although the songs were originally mixed by the artist herself, many were remixed by a host of different producers creating a lack of continuity if only in a small way.

The album ends in a mellow fashion with two of the older songs, Drink Before the War and Just Call Me Joe provide this low key ending to an album that is anything but low key. Sales of this album were initially very poor, only about 25,000, but this exceeded the expectations of Ensign who still considered the artist decidedly odd. Although initially categorised as part of the female retro-folk thing that was being fronted by the likes of Suzanne Vega and Tracey Chapman, this was just a cop out, as there was no really contemporary or category for such an original artist. The value of this album and the artist in general seems to have only been realised in hindsight, in the messages her songs have delivered and the people that she has influenced and open doors for. This is an album of beautiful and confrontational music that was at once original and innovative, raw and haunting and timeless, a great investment for anyone serious about music.

The last word regarding her music and outspoken nature is summed up below.

In an interview with Bill Coleman that ran in Musician. " I'm not an admirer of folk music, of Suzanne Vega and Joni Mitchell," all that stuff is wishy-washy as far as l'm concerned." Sinead may have had a big mouth when she sang, but that was going to be nothing compared to what she could do with it when she talked.

Summary: an oustanding voice and some great songs