On the heels of an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, during which she openly talked about the bipolar disorder diagnosis she had lived with for four years before the show, singer/songwriter Sinead O'Connor hit the road to promote her newest release, Theology. With this two-disc compilation, the controversial Irish artist “attempts to create a place of peace in a time of war and to provoke thought.”

Inspiration in Different Places
O’Connor found inspiration for the set in both Jerusalem and in Jamaica. Though many of her lyrics are adaptations from the Old Testament, Theology, somehow, doesn’t come off as particularly religious.

“So (what I tried to do) is lift out from Scriptures the things that show, in fact, the delicate nature and the humanity of the God character. And just give it a voice in the world where it has no voice, not even through religion,” O’Connor says on her website.
 
Bipolar Music: Meditative to Rock-and-Roll
When you play the initial disc’s haunting melodies for the first time, you may be tempted to reflect or even meditate (at the very least, it’ll help you relax). But the second disc will have you on your feet, moving to the music. Disc One, Dublin Sessions, is a purely acoustic guitar and vocals set delivered intimately and gently. O’Connor’s voice is reduced to a whisper, yet she somehow manages to belt out her more quiet tunes despite that. The track “Something Beautiful” in particular shines both in terms of delivery and lyrics.

Disc Two, London Sessions, is a departure from Dublin Sessions yet somehow incorporates many of the same sounds. With rock, electric, hip-hop and R&B influences the same songs from disc one are, this time around, delivered with energy and instrumental accompaniment. For instance, this time, the haunting “Something Beautiful” features a rock-and-roll beat that takes it far from its original delivery.

The full-band arrangements on the second disc are produced by Ron Tom. Instrumentation on London Sessions includes drums, bass, guitar, piano, harp, violins, celli, French horn, flute, backup vocals, percussion and programming. Guest artists include reggae bass legend Robbie Shakespeare.

Extra Tracks
Both discs include one extra track ("Hosanna Filio David" on the Dublin sessions and Weber and Rice’s "I don’t Know How to Love Him" on the London sessions). One surprise—and some listeners may not think it’s a pleasant one—is a pop-influenced cover of "I Don’t Know How to Love Him," of Jesus Christ Superstar fame.

With the difference in sounds, the two-disc set isn’t for everyone—not all who listen will find that the songs appropriately translate from one mood to the other. But Theology remains one of O’Connor’s best-laid plans; her intense range and emotional candor stand out despite the fact that this, her later work, misses the mark in terms of the commercial success her earlier works enjoyed.

Theology is being released by Koch Records on That's Why There's Chocolate and Vanilla, O’Connor's own label imprint.