release date: Sep. 12, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: Sinéad O'Connor, John Reynolds, Tim Simenon, Phil Coulter
label: Ensign - nationality: Ireland
Track highlights: 2. "Fire on Babylon" - 3. "John, I Love You" - 4. "My Darling Child" - 6. "Red Football" - 7. "All Apologies" - 10. "All Babies" - 14. "Thank You for Hearing Me"
4th studio album by Sinéad O'Connor following two years after the covers album Am I Not Your Girl? (Sep. 1992). The album counts 14 tracks of which O'Connor is credited as producer of twelve. John Reynolds is the second main co-producer and he's credited on ten tracks. Phil Coulter is credited as co-producer on seven, and Tim Simenon on three tracks. Track #5 (a 20 seconds recording of Jake) is credited then six-year-old Jake Reynolds (son of O'Connor and John Reynolds), and the first track is un-credited being an excerpt of a recorded speech by Germaine Greer.
The album follows more directly into a sequence from the 1990-album with the actual '92-predecessor as more of a side-step - a project-release of sorts. Universal Mother once again showcases O'Connor's personal life in writings. She apparently puts everything into lyrics and into songs - she has openly admitted that her music has been therapy for her, and it's quite obvious that she has chosen to use her own lived life as source to her lyrics. Stylistically, there are huge differences between these three albums, and the progress is near extreme. The debut was unpolished, raw, and full of energy, and it was proof of an upcoming mega-star. The gigantic follow-up was held in mainstream pop / rock-territory -embrasing both uptempo bangers and heartfelt ballads but held together in majestic arrangements, and it already showed a huge artistic leap presenting a much more mature side to her talent. To that, Universal Mother extends the musical scope by being more of a quiet, simple, and introvert outing. Of all of her albums so far, this is her most obvious not mainstream-dedicated release - as if stating: this is my personal album - this is for me, my family, and for my son (alone), and it's almost like an album delivered from a seasoned artist, who has delivered so much over the years and now choose to concentrate on what first and foremost really matters in her life. And effectively, it's only been seven years since her debut!
It's no secret that O'Connor has found much inspiration in reggae and in the Rastafari culture - this has been apparent on B-side tracks and ouutakes from her second album, and she has often cited the Bob Marley-popularised song "War" as an anti-war / anti-racism declaration of sorts when performing live.
I didn't pay much attention to Universal Mother when it arrived. I had grown tired from O'Connor's mainstream pop / rock, as well as seing her on par with e.g. Sting, Bono, and other prominent celebrities acting as victims, eager to show their stand with the surpressed wherever they were fighting their own causes against injustice or inequality. Their mutual message and position was by no means wrong, it's just that their obvious personal wealth somehow made it easy to reject them as geniune representatives.
The album isn't a bad one. It's full of sincerity and some downright great songs but it's also obvious that O'Connor has chosen a new strategy in her artistic journey. There's no longer a naive desire to reach out to as many as possible by shouting loud and energetic. Instead, it's more of a personal diary containing reflections on life as a mother, life in the media mill, her own role with relationships, and a life with as well as alongside religion. There are strip-naked songs about her personal love affairs: some directed at John Reynolds as an ex-husband, the father of their son, a poorly-hidden message to one-night stand Peter Gabriel (track #14), the strong hommage to Kurt Cobain, and interspersed: songs of love and protection to her son, Jake. It's an album filled with hope and despair and ultimately, it also reveals her position as a most fragile individual. It's crammed up with emotion and tension, and it appears like she comes better through with her messages when holding back on the fire, which so obviously burns within.
I think, the album has matured rather well over the years, and when looking back on her life, and apart from her first two great albums, this is one of her more solid releases of her entire career. Personally, I list the album as O'Connor's fourth best overall.
Recommended and definitely worth checking out.
O'Connor is herself credited the front cover painting.
