- Audio CD (4 Sep 2009)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Indie Europe/Zoom
- ASIN: B00015U3UQ
- Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 57,414 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Literally translating as "Old Songs Made New", Sean Nos Nua is a redefining moment in Sinead O'Connor's wayward career, an album composed of songs extracted from the bottomless well of traditional Irish folk song. Indeed, as many have proved in the past, this ancient repository is an apt source of material from which to draw and compliment the outsider's oeuvre of an artistic mutineer such as O'Connor, for, along with the customary stories of lust and heartbreak, Irish traditional song and verse--much like that of other folk song emanating from the British Isles--is stuffed to the gills with bloody narratives of tragedy, intransient rebelliousness and lawless skulduggery.
Despite it's generous thematic share of ex-pat Paddies caught up in foreign wars, nautical misadventure ("Lord Franklin"), murder and piracy, Sean Nos Nua is a very feminine album, with O'Connor at her fragrant, interpretive best on the sorrowful "Molly Malone" and "Lord Baker", which finds Christy Moore revisiting the song he performed with Planxty on the 1982 album Words and Music. Intentions to "sex things up", as O'Connor puts it, give birth to an intriguing reggae undertow on "Óró, Sé Do Bheatha 'Bhaile" while guest appearances from the Emerald Isle's most eminent bouzouki practitioner Donal Lunny, the Waterboys' Steve Wickham on fiddle, Sharon Shannon on accordion and ON-U Sound producer Adrian Sherwood keep things fresh but traditionally firm-footed enough not to deter purists. And, who knows, the boozy Irish bards and archivists of the future may have occasion to recount the tales of the shaven-headed colleen from Glengeary who ripped up pictures of the Pontiff and whose backside never surrendered to the threat of a star-spangled kicking from the boot of Frank Sinatra. --Kevin Maidment
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Sean Nós is, literally, 'old style'. It's the type of unaccompanied singing that makes me think of little antique men sitting in pubs crooning out an antique song while everyone respectfully listens.
Most of the songs on this CD have probably been sung 'sean nós' over the years. Now along comes the wonderful Sinéad to turn them into Sean Nós Nua - New Old-Style. The title is a perfect description of what the CD is all about. Old songs, in the Sinéad style, sung with respect (even Molly Malone!) and given a range of new meanings and depth.
I can't imagine why anyone would be put off by the two numbers in the Irish language - they're beautiful songs, they're fully explained, and for anyone who's interested there are full translations all over the internet - just type in a few words and you'll find them.
Sinéad has announced her intention to retire from music in just a few months from now. I hope she's occasionally tempted out of retirement, but if not, this is probably the most perfect album she could have ended on.
Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful. Buy it!
Thank you Sinéad!
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
When I first heard about this CD, my heart sank as I suspected that an attempt to cover some familiar Irish songs suggested a lack of new ideas and ran the risk of committing near-sacrilege. I mean, who could possibly reinterpret songs like 'Molly Malone' and hope to add anything to them? However, when I played the CD, I realised that the answer to that question is very simple: Sinead O'Connor. This is an astounding CD in which the singer takes songs which, to the ear of any Irish person, will probably have lost their appeal through over-familiarity and she respectfully enhances them through sometimes only minor modifications while retaining all the valuable qualities of the originals. So 'Molly Malone' is transformed from a singalong ditty to a profoundly sad and moving song and - this one is my own favourite - 'I'll Tell Me Ma' is transformed from something that I remember as a skipping song sung by young girls in the street into a cheeky, joyous riot of a song with some expert traditional musicians giving it their all. Of all the CDs I've bought this year, this is the one that I've played most often. It's simply a CD to treasure, featuring an imaginative performer at the very top of her game.
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
For me, this very personal collection of mainly Irish-language songs is the best of Sinéad O'Connor so far. Irish listeners will hear new life in stale songs, such as Oró 'se do bheatha 'bhaile and Baidín Fheillimí, sung as you would never have expected to hear them. If you're not Irish, don't worry about the language barrier: the sleeve notes explain the songs, and the voice needs no translation; the power and grace of Sinéad's voice has never had better expression than here. The songs are new arrangements of traditional songs, and the arrangements are by some of Ireland's leading artists. For me, the best is "My Lagan Love". But the best thing about this CD is that my 3 and 5 year old boys have discovered a liking for these Irish songs, which is completely unexpected.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Absolutely wonderful
I'm quite new to Sinead, since I heard Raglan Road on Youtube and was instantly hooked. I started to listen out for her other stuff and fell in love with Moorlough Shore also. Read more
Published 8 months ago by B. Smith
Lord Baker
Just get it for the Lord Baker track alone. It is a simply stunning and beautiful duet. Christy Moore's voice is matched perfectly to O'Connor's. Stunning, just stunning.
Published on 14 May 2010 by D. M. Downes
Spine-tingling album
I bought this album when it first came out having heard Sinead being interviewed late night on radio. I was nearly asleep and they played a couple of tracks. Read more
Published on 14 Jan 2008 by C. Rose
A thank you from the heart to gorgeous sinead
There is something in sinead o connors voice that seems to bypass the head and speak directly to the heart. This is an album that i keep going back to. Read more
Published on 31 Mar 2006 by Mr. Christopher E. Murphy
Best in years
Sinead O'Connor's first couple of albums were magnificent ground-breaking stuff which still sound great today. Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2006 by Laurence Upton
Old songs ruined
Old songs ruined by the queen of breathless, weak singing. If you are a fan of O'Connor's "unique" style, then this might be for you, but if you are not, these songs have been... Read more
Published on 11 Jun 2003 by Mr N T Cosgrave
Traditional Irish songs in a new way
Finally Sinead is back, this time with a collection of 13 irish traditional songs re-arranged by her. Best tracks are Lord Franklin, My lagan Love and Paddy's lament. Read more
Published on 22 Dec 2002 by "alessandrochus"
Only beautiful
Only two of the songs are Irish language so don't be put off by that. The two that are in Irish are classics, learned at school by many in Ireland. Read more
Published on 27 Nov 2002
"Sinéad Nós-Nua"
So here she comes, yet again with something fresh and different. Sinéad has to be one of the most versatile artists around, having collaborated with so many others, and... Read more
Published on 20 Oct 2002 by B. Smith
I did enjoy this record.............. so.....
We've heard them all before ....... but have we - Sinéad O'Connor's latest offering brings an unprecendented depth and vitality to a selection of traditional Irish songs -... Read more
Published on 11 Oct 2002 by Mr. Jonathan F. Fryer
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