Ok, this
has Nothing Compares 2 U on it; I know that's the first thing you were
thinking. It was also the first thing that I thought too.
When
O'Connor's political statements hit the mark, they really are powerful. Her
anti-Police 'Black Boys on Mopeds' hasn't aged at all over the last twenty nine
years, with a chorus that deserves to be better known, and a remarkably well
structured tone to the lyrics. The Prince-penned classic is clearly a stand out
on the album, and deservedly so; it's a track that really doesn't diminish even
after multiple listens. Indeed, the only issue I have with the song is the
bizarre use of abbreviations in the title.
Released
in 1990, the album combines some rather 'of their time' sound effects alongside
O'Connor's timeless voice. The overwhelming reverb and quiet-loud-quiet
structure of The Last Days of our Acquaintance are absolute staples of the era.
Whilst this generally works better than I would have anticipated, there are
definitely some misses here; Jump in the River is a poor Blondie pastiche, and
The Emperor's New Clothes doesn't do enough with what sounds like a tasty
guitar line; presumably the focus is on keeping O'Connor's voice very high in
the mix.
Overall,
this album was pretty good, but doesn't take O'Connor much higher in my
estimation, as it lacks the consistency of a really great album.
Chloe's
album rating: 7
Chloe's
favourite track: 6. Nothing Compares 2 U
Olly's
album rating: 7
Olly's
favourite track: 6. Nothing Compares 2 U
Next week is 74. The
Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators by the 13th Floor Elevators.
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