Calgarly Sun
20 June, 2000 

FAITH AND COURAGE - SINEAD O'CONNOR

Say what you will about Sinead O'Connor's current
lifestyle, but transforming into a lesbian,
masturbation-endorsing priest in an unorthodox
Catholic sect has apparently done this famously
tormented soul a world of good, both personally and
professionally. Faith and Courage sounds like the work
of a happier, more stable Sinead O'Connor. Her writing
remains startlingly confessional -- just check out her
memoir Daddy I'm Fine to discover the real reasons she
wanted to be a rock singer -- yet nowadays she's too
busy making peace with her family, her fans and
herself to waste time being outraged or outrageous.
"Words cannot express how sorry I am if I ever caused
pain to anybody/ I just hope that you can show
compassion and love me enough to just please listen,"
the woman who once ripped up a photo of the Pope on
national TV now sings with genuine contriteness. The
olive branch is nice, but fans will really appreciate
the songs, her strongest since I Do Not Want What I
Haven't Got. Aided by ace producers Adrian Sherwood,
Dave Stewart, Wyclef Jean and Brian Eno, O'Connor is
once again mixing and matching Celtic-folk, hip-hop,
reggae, drums-and-bass and old-fashioned guitar-rock
with intoxicating results -- that is, when she's not
writing hymns such as Hold Back The Night, If U Ever
and The Healing Room, which are so breathtakingly
beautiful and deeply spiritual you'd swear they were
touched by the hand of God. A comeback so triumphant
and unexpected, it qualifies as a minor miracle.

Rating: 4 out of 5