If God Lived On Earth People Would Break All His Windows

Sinead O'Connor borrows this Jewish proverb for her beautiful new album, Theology.

It's been 20 years since her debut CD, The Lion And The Cobra, stormed onto the music scene. Ever since, Sinead has been singing about social injustice and religious hypocrisy. Her latest work sums up her feelings in song so wonderfully, and presents them to us...twice. Each song is represented twice in this specially-priced* 2-disc set. Disc 1, "The Dublin Sessions", presents each song acoustically, and features just Sinead and guitarist Steve Cooney. You can listen to some of those songs on Sinead's MySpace page. Disc 2, "The London Sessions", showcases all the songs in their "full band" versions. The version sold at Best Buy also includes 5 live versions recorded in Dublin in Nov 2006. Videos of two songs from that gig are available on Sinead's web site.

(*Most places are selling it for $17.99. BB sells it for $14.99 and I got it on sale there for $11.99. I have a problem with these mega-retailers underselling the larger record stores, which are becoming extinct as a result. Unfortunately, there are no large Tower Records, or Virgin Megastores in my area, only an FYE in Miami. As much as I want to support large music retailers, I'm not going to drive 40 miles to pay more.)

"I wanna make something beautiful for U and from U," Sinead sings on the 1st song. And that pretty much sums up the whole record: "Something Beautiful". You don't have to be to religious or even have any particular belief in God to appreciate these songs. Sinead has poured her heart out once again, and created something she should be proud of. In her own words, "Theology is an attempt to create a place of peace in a time of war. It is my own personal response to what has taken place and is affecting everyone around the world since and including September 11, 2001. I simply wanted to make a beautiful thing which inspires me.”

Through 8 original songs, 2 covers (Curtis Mayfield's We People Who Are Darker Than Blue and I Don't Know How To Love Him from Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice) and a rendering of the traditional Rivers Of Babylon, Sinead explores various themes pertaining to her beliefs and her connection to God. For me, the stand out track is "If You Had A Vineyard", a poignant commentary on the sadness and UNgodliness of Israel's brutal oppression of the people of Palestine.

"They have turned their backs to You for worship of gold and stone" she sings on "Out Of The Depths". Indeed they have. Shine on Sinead. God knows you're right, and He knows you're beautiful. So is your work.

If You Had A Vineyard
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If U had a vineyard On a fruitful hill
And U fenced it and cleared it
Of all stones until
U planted it With the choicest of vine
And U even built a tower And a press to make wine
And U looked that it would bring forth sweet grapes
And it gave only wild grapes
What would U say?

Jerusalem and Judah U be the judges I pray
Between me and my vineyard This is what God says

What more could I have done in it That I did not do in it?
Why when I ask it for sweetness It brings only bitterness

For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts Is the house of Israel
And the men of Judah His pleasant plant

And he looks for justice but beholds oppression
And he hopes for equality but hears a cry
Jerusalem and Judah This is God's reply

Sadness will come to those who build house to house
And lay field to field 'til there's room
For none but U to dwell in the land Oh in the land
And sadness will come to those who call evil good And good evil
Who present darkness as light and light as darkness
Who present as sweetness only the things which are bitterness

For the vineyard of The Lord of Hosts
Is the house of Israel
And the men of Judah
his pleasant plant

Oh that my eyes were a fountain of tears
That I might weep for my poor people

For every boot stamped with fierceness
For every cloak rolled in blood
Jerusalem and Judah
I'd cry if I could