Sinéad O'Connor
So Far...The Best Of Sinéad O'Connor

THE REVIEW

So Far... The Best Of Sinéad O' Connor, dated 1997, summarizes in a handful of tracks the best of the controversial Irish artist, from her beginnings through to the famous hit Nothing Compares 2 U. A decorous sonic "representation" illustrating her Pop/Rock debut and the subsequent evolutions towards more refined and sophisticated sounds, electronic, country, classical, without however neglecting the essential folk-Celtic roots from which Miss O' Connor would never completely stray.

As already highlighted, Nothing Compares 2 U is, without any doubt regarding it, the jewel in the crown not only of the Greatest Hits under analysis but rather of Sinéad's entire career: anyone would be able to appreciate, at least partially, this very romantic ballad, written no less than by the eclectic Prince, particularly dense with atmosphere and melancholy, accompanied by a simple yet effective video clip, a must of the early '90s.

Nevertheless, the general intent of this work is a full recap, meant to go well beyond the aforementioned hit: with a due reference to the early studio albums (The Lion And The Cobra, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, Am I Not Your Girl?, Universal Mother, Gospel Oak e.p.) one notices, in fact, the frivolous Pop-Rock of decidedly Eighties origin embracing tracks such as Mandinka and The Emperor's New Clothes, the extraordinary country-folk lightness of The Last Day Of Our Acquaintance, as well as the profound "lyricism" of This Is A Rebel Song, Troy and Don't Cry For Me Argentina: in particular, Troy stands out for a long classical tour-de-force, characterized only by orchestras of strings and violins, then evolved into dramatic folk-rock, gentle melodies that, with splendor, highlight sudden and unexpected vocal "parables" by the Dublin singer, almost determined to externalize/remove a pain and despair previously frozen; also worth mentioning, the sweet and gentle love lullaby John I Love You.

The notable electronic/alternative experiments applied to tracks such as I Am Stretched On Your Grave (a musical reworking of a 17th-century Irish poem), the nostalgic chant Thank You For Hearing Me and Fire On Babylon, a dark rock/lounge mix tinged with heavy electronic bass. Stand-Out Track is the bizarre collaboration with Bomb The Bass in the pulsating and dynamic Empire, a clever Trance/Trip Hop package also recalling ethnic-tribal sounds, guaranteeing an unrepeatable and "out of the norm" sonic mixture.

A valid and pleasant collection of Sinéad O' Connor's ancestral works, an artist determined to showcase to the whole world a nonconformist, reactionary, and often scandalous character (it is obligatory to refer to her candid and furious live television destruction of Pope John Paul II's photograph, ed.), suitable for ardently and courageously claiming rights and freedoms that barely assert themselves (not even peacefully) in today's often godless and ruthless society.

Sinéad O'Connor, So Far...The Best Of Sinéad O' Connor

Nothing Compares 2 U

Mandinka

The Emperor's New Clothes

Thank You For Hearing Me

The Last Day Of Our Acquaintance

Fire On Babylon

Troy

I Am Stretched On Your Grave

Jackie

Success Has Made A Failure Of Our Home

John I Love You

Empire (Bomb The Bass featuring Benjamin Zephanian & Sinéad O'Connor)

Don't Cry For Me Argentina

You Made Me The Thief Of Your Heart

This Is A Rebel Song