Sinead O’Connor is back on the music scene, two years after she announced her retirement, and is as flamboyant and controversial as ever.

“Throw Down Your Arms” is O’Connor’s latest endeavor, singing alongside reggae legends Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. The album was recorded in Kingston, Jamaica, last April. The album hit North American shelves on Oct. 4.

This compilation has a lot to offer, including smooth, consistent beats. Two songs in particular stand out: Vampire and Curly Locks.

All of the tracks contain elements of a cultural mystique, but this is most prominent in Vampire, with lyrics like, “Obadiah, Obadiah, Jah Jah sent us here to catch vampire.” It sounds a lot cooler than it reads, due to O?Connor?s strong vocals.

“Curly-locks” comes across as more of a hip-hop song, but overall, it doesn’t deter from the talent put into the album. As the name suggests, curly-locks is the object of affection in the song, which is hidden under the unique flavor of the Rasta lyrics.

O?Connor, a mother of three, dedicated the entire record to her son, Nevi?m Nesta Ali Shane O?Connor.

She also comments on the inside of the CD cover: ?The originals of these songs could never be bettered, and so all I can hope in recording them is to honor the composers and pass on their teachings in the that in doing so, they will pass on the message of the Rastafarai to some who might otherwise not know that God and religion are two very different things. And that God is alive and around all of us.?

It appears Sinead O?Connor has come a long way as an artist, despite the incident on Saturday Night Live in which she tore up the picture of the Pope.

Some may argue her outlandish acts in the past have given us reason to not pay attention to her, but thankfully, there are others who beg to differ and believe in giving others second chances.






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