- Jubilee offer: spend £10 or more on any product sold by Amazon.co.uk on or before June 6 and you can buy The Diamond Jubilee A Classical Celebration Album for just £2.50 Here's how (terms and conditions apply)
Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More. |
Special Offers and Product Promotions
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Track Listings
| 1. 4th And Vine |
| 2. Reason With me |
| 3. Old Lady |
| 4. Take Off Your Shoes |
| 5. Back Where You Belong |
| 6. The Wolf Is Getting Married |
| 7. Queen Of Denmark |
| 8. Very Far From Home |
| 9. I Had A Baby |
| 10. V.I.P |
Product Description
Review
After seeming to disappear for a few years, Sinéad O'Connor has recently become a gift to Google Alerts. There's been the on-off marriage to a drug counsellor she met on Twitter, two reported suicide attempts, and several bloggy splurges pertaining to her sex life for which the acronym "T.M.I." could have been invented. Her own, somewhat quaint description of this behaviour? "Acting batty".
It would be a shame if How About I Be Me (And You Be You)? got lost in the online gossip. It's the Irish songbird's best album since 2000's Faith and Courage. Probably wisely, long-time producer John Reynolds never tries to make his 45-year-old ex-wife sound hip. The album is bookended by 4th and Vine's Afro shuffle and the hymn-like simplicity of V.I.P., but what stands between tends to work an early 90s pop-rock sound. Current single The Wolf Is Getting Married is O'Connor's catchiest ditty in years; it also bears a passing resemblance to Zoë's hairbrush anthem from that era, Sunshine on a Rainy Day.
However, O'Connor is no relic. She's full of vim and vigour, mixing tender character studies with doe-eyed love songs and impassioned protest pieces. Two decades after she ripped up a picture of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live, she's still bent on berating the papacy. Take Off Your Shoes was apparently written from the standpoint of "the Holy Spirit with an AK rifle on the train on the way to the Vatican". Bearing this in mind, its opening gambit – "I bleed the blood of Jesus over you and over every f***ing thing you do" – feels almost restrained.
Of course, like O'Connor herself, this record can be frustrating and a little embarrassing. A couplet like "Not that he's no wuss / Girls you know his love is serious" really belongs on a Pixie Lott tune. But the old girl is an endlessly compelling presence here, making this a welcome reminder of why the world still cares that Sinead O'Connor may have been "acting batty".
--Nick Levine
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
CD Description
Iconic Irish singer-songwriter and performer Sinead O’Connor releases her brand new studio album ‘How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?’ through One Little Indian. Her ninth studio album, and the latest release in a career spanning 25 years and millions of record sales worldwide, ‘How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?’ is asshowstopping a performance as her silver jubilee deserves, and ranks as one of her best and most confident pieces of work so far. Produced by long-term collaborator John Reynolds, its ten tracks play like an encyclopaedic definition of O’Connor’s oeuvre: songs about love and loss, hope and regret, pain and redemption, anger and justice. This is an album of consistently moving, exciting, brilliant and beautiful songs built around Sinead’s voice at its very best – raw and passionate. The album contains original tracks all self/co-written bar one cover of John Grant’s ‘Queen of Denmark’.
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
36 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
There will be those devoted Sinéad O'Connor fans who purchase this cd because of their love for the artist. Some may have liked some of Sinead's work but haven't followed her may read online reviews and wonder if all of the lavish write ups are nothing more than undue hype and praise. I assure you, the lavish write ups are right on target.
I give this cd a five star rating because it really is that good. You know the kind of cd that you just want to keep playing over and over again. Well, for me that's a rare thing anymore. Too often these days, cd's are filled with a few good songs and the rest is mediocre filler. I can honestly say, there is nothing mediocre or filler on this entire cd. Each and every song is top notch quality.
There is truly a fire and passion on this cd. Sinead is really singing from the heart. Lyrically, it's an odd twist of playful sorts at times but that keeps light what is meant to be kept light. When she's digging deep, you really feel it.
The highlights for me would have to be 4th and Vine (hard to sit still for that song, great way to start off a disc), Reason With Me, Old Lady, The Wolf is Getting Married and Queen of Denmark. These songs easily match in quality with the great songs she's already made her mark with in the past 25 years. The songs all blend nicely and create a remarkable a balance that by the last song, you just want to put track 1 on and listen to the disc all over again. Yes, it's THAT good!
I wish the disc was a bit longer but had it been, there may have been unwanted filler to distract from the brilliance that lies within these 10 songs. Hands down my most favorite listening pleasure in a very long time. Though it perhpas feels like a cd she would have released after 'I Do Not Want..', it sounds as fresh and modern as anything else being released by her younger peers. Timeless indeed.
So, Sinéad fan new or old, or just searching for some addictive new music - you will most certainly not be disappointed. Cheers to Sinéad and her new release.
I give this cd a five star rating because it really is that good. You know the kind of cd that you just want to keep playing over and over again. Well, for me that's a rare thing anymore. Too often these days, cd's are filled with a few good songs and the rest is mediocre filler. I can honestly say, there is nothing mediocre or filler on this entire cd. Each and every song is top notch quality.
There is truly a fire and passion on this cd. Sinead is really singing from the heart. Lyrically, it's an odd twist of playful sorts at times but that keeps light what is meant to be kept light. When she's digging deep, you really feel it.
The highlights for me would have to be 4th and Vine (hard to sit still for that song, great way to start off a disc), Reason With Me, Old Lady, The Wolf is Getting Married and Queen of Denmark. These songs easily match in quality with the great songs she's already made her mark with in the past 25 years. The songs all blend nicely and create a remarkable a balance that by the last song, you just want to put track 1 on and listen to the disc all over again. Yes, it's THAT good!
I wish the disc was a bit longer but had it been, there may have been unwanted filler to distract from the brilliance that lies within these 10 songs. Hands down my most favorite listening pleasure in a very long time. Though it perhpas feels like a cd she would have released after 'I Do Not Want..', it sounds as fresh and modern as anything else being released by her younger peers. Timeless indeed.
So, Sinéad fan new or old, or just searching for some addictive new music - you will most certainly not be disappointed. Cheers to Sinéad and her new release.
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
There aren't many singers who can open a song with "I wanted to change the world, but I could not even change my underwear..." and then a few minutes later - stop your giggling in its tracks by moving you to tears. But then Sinead O'Connor has always been impossibly special - and at times - a complete space cadet.
Newly signed to One Little Indian Records - 2012's "How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?" is a hugely accomplished record - and more importantly - it's a moving one.
The opening number is catchy enough - a clever ditty on marriage called "4th And Vine" (and a potential single), but the haunting "Reason With Me" is different. It's beautiful and its message about knowing that you need to seek help is incredibly moving (lyrics from it title this review). "Old Lady" grows on you like mad - an upbeat winner - as does "Take Off Your Shoes" with its religion and reverence. "Back Where You Belong" is properly great - a gorgeous melodious vocal with a drum rhythm that feels like a march towards something spiritual. It's followed by the joyful single "The Wolf Is Getting Married" (recently aired with such confidence on The Graham Norton Show on UK TV to a rapturous audience response). The witty and angry "Queen Of Denmark" (a John Grant cover from his album of the same name) has superlative lyrics (mentioned above) and is a blindingly good interpretation. It's followed by a powerhouse of hurt and longing called "Very Far From Home" where she pines with a stunning emotiveness "I long for you...see you in my dreams..." The last two tracks "I Had A Baby" and "V.I.P." suffer a little from being too preachy, but are powerful stuff nonetheless.
To sum up - like John Martyn, Bruce Springsteen, Joni Mitchell, Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, Kate Bush and so many other great songwriters with brains and heart and the courage to wear their world on their sleeve for all of us to see - there is 'always' magic in their latest offering - that track that simply floors you - touches your soul even...
Well folks - Sinead O'Connor is back with an album chock full of them - and I'll openly admit that many of them left me in tears of admiration. "How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?" is a bit of a blinder frankly.
Way to go you gorgeous woman...
Newly signed to One Little Indian Records - 2012's "How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?" is a hugely accomplished record - and more importantly - it's a moving one.
The opening number is catchy enough - a clever ditty on marriage called "4th And Vine" (and a potential single), but the haunting "Reason With Me" is different. It's beautiful and its message about knowing that you need to seek help is incredibly moving (lyrics from it title this review). "Old Lady" grows on you like mad - an upbeat winner - as does "Take Off Your Shoes" with its religion and reverence. "Back Where You Belong" is properly great - a gorgeous melodious vocal with a drum rhythm that feels like a march towards something spiritual. It's followed by the joyful single "The Wolf Is Getting Married" (recently aired with such confidence on The Graham Norton Show on UK TV to a rapturous audience response). The witty and angry "Queen Of Denmark" (a John Grant cover from his album of the same name) has superlative lyrics (mentioned above) and is a blindingly good interpretation. It's followed by a powerhouse of hurt and longing called "Very Far From Home" where she pines with a stunning emotiveness "I long for you...see you in my dreams..." The last two tracks "I Had A Baby" and "V.I.P." suffer a little from being too preachy, but are powerful stuff nonetheless.
To sum up - like John Martyn, Bruce Springsteen, Joni Mitchell, Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, Kate Bush and so many other great songwriters with brains and heart and the courage to wear their world on their sleeve for all of us to see - there is 'always' magic in their latest offering - that track that simply floors you - touches your soul even...
Well folks - Sinead O'Connor is back with an album chock full of them - and I'll openly admit that many of them left me in tears of admiration. "How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?" is a bit of a blinder frankly.
Way to go you gorgeous woman...
33 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
WOW WOW WOW WOW!!!!
Now, I have to admit - when I clicked "Pre-Order" I was dubious; "Theology" was quite rocky but the lyrics questionable.
BUT... after previewing the whole album on NPR all I can say, whilst still coping with the shivers up and down my spine, is WOW!!! This album is totally AWESOME!!! Sinead is back, better than ever!!!
I actually can't find words enough to express how amazing I felt when I was listening... there is not a bad song to be found... Sinead has out-done 'The Lion and The Cobra'!!
If anyone actually reads this review and is, like I was, "dubious" then DON'T BE... YOU WILL NOT NOT NOT BE DISAPPOINTED... I GUARANTEE IT... THIS ALBUM WILL BE THE BEST PURCHASE THIS YEAR...
Now, I have to admit - when I clicked "Pre-Order" I was dubious; "Theology" was quite rocky but the lyrics questionable.
BUT... after previewing the whole album on NPR all I can say, whilst still coping with the shivers up and down my spine, is WOW!!! This album is totally AWESOME!!! Sinead is back, better than ever!!!
I actually can't find words enough to express how amazing I felt when I was listening... there is not a bad song to be found... Sinead has out-done 'The Lion and The Cobra'!!
If anyone actually reads this review and is, like I was, "dubious" then DON'T BE... YOU WILL NOT NOT NOT BE DISAPPOINTED... I GUARANTEE IT... THIS ALBUM WILL BE THE BEST PURCHASE THIS YEAR...
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Emotion
A fine CD with a lot of emotion. She is the best perfoirmer I know who can chance emotion in a sentence or word in a split sccond. Read more
Published 6 days ago by J. H. Wagter
Excellent album
Sinead is generally thought of as someone a few pence short of a pound coin. Perhaps she is - and perhaps she has to be in order to put out an album like this. Read more
Published 20 days ago by Dr D
Sinead O'Connor
I can only agree with all the positive reviews here. My album of the year so far and I reckon it'll still be top of the pile at year's end. V.I.P. Read more
Published 29 days ago by JMC
Sinead has got her mojo back!
I concur with all the glowing reviews of this album. It's as good as, if not better, than her early albums, full of passion and energy. Read more
Published 1 month ago by shaumbra
how about i be me (and you be you)
brilliant, Sinead at her bouncy best. Pretty much all Irish dancy folk music which keeps me jigging along through every track. thanks Sinead for another blinding album
Published 1 month ago by e
A legend just gets better
Looks like I'm joining in a party that started some time ago, but just to add how good this is. Sinead, in my opinion, just gets better and better. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Joolz
Great New Songs!
Much better than I thought it would be. I loved her early music and expected this might be a let down but a welcome surprise!
Published 1 month ago by J. Brook
Simply stunning album
Having bought my first Sinead O,Conner albums several decades ago, and not too much from her recently, I thought the fuss about "How about I be me" could be hype. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Trevor
a humble legend
Sinead would never do an album that does not match its predecessor's honesty and magic, "How About I be Me And You Be You" is simply another master piece from a woman who could... Read more
Published 1 month ago by ramazotti
Sinead
A true autobiographical melange of thoughts from sheer happiness to mind-numbing guilt all bound in religious overtones. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Benmorbry
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
