Only superlatives

For "Universal Mother" there is only superlatives distribute: this is the best album that Sinead has ever made. And it is the most versatile. And on top of that most intimate. Never again (and not before) she revealed such deep insights into their vulnerable and wounded inner life as on her 1994 album. Quite rightly, it became a classic. The panels sought and hyped superstars disappear after one year from the catalogs. Not so "Universal Mother". Clearly a quality proof.

The intimate and personal power not only to the texts fixed ("I'm not no red football / To be kicked around in the garden / No no / I'm a red christmastree-ball / And I'm fragile '') but also in the arrangements of the songs. Catches them in "Fire on Babylon" with a modern pop song to (the the rest settles with her mother and could explain some of the why Sinead is as it is precisely), it then goes to the chamber music on ("John I love you "and" My Darling Child "reciprocally flowing declarations of love for life partner and son, with her motherly love is quite nice run away with her) and will always be Spartan in the middle part: the Nirvana cover" All Apologies "there is only one guitar, "A perfect Indian" comes in addition to their spherical voice with piano accompaniment from, "In This Heart" is limited to a polyphonic Irish A capella interpretation, and "Tiny Grief Song" ultimately remains only one left: Sinead. Layer by layer is removed an onion. Impressive and exciting goosebumps.

And then she surprised in the end yet again with a hip-hop-heavy political song ("Famine"), with whom she arrives musically at the height of that time. Intimate also the final song - here she turns directly to her fans: "Thank you for hearing me." That almost sounds like goodbye.

In addition to all the personal musical diversity and attention to detail, such. B. impressed the trumpet at "Fire on Babylon" or the game clock in "John I love you". My conclusion may well only after twelve years are: terrific! Divine! A rare blend of gelingende great music, great lyrics, great arrangements, great interpretation, and great production - here they succeeded!

This CD is the key to understanding one of the most talented artists of the last twenty years. I bow.