Theology

iTunes Review

Divided in two: acoustic sessions in Dublin, full band with strings, horns and harp in London, Theology offers two takes on Sinead O’Connor’s latest material. Ten of the tracks are repeated with “Hosanna Filio David” only presented acoustically and Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” from Jesus Christ Superstar only offered in full band format. This repetition of tracks isn’t a matter of indecisiveness on O’Connor’s part, but a determined way to offer these spiritually-inspired tunes, her “attempt to create a place of peace in a time of war,” as both solemn hymnals (on the Dublin Sessions) and as dramatic, festive readings (on the London Sessions). But no matter the setting, O’Connor’s vocals never lose their divine intimacy. She sings straight from the heartbreak in her voice, assigning notes bittersweet triumph and regret. Whether it’s Curtis Mayfield’s “We People Who Are Darker Than Blue,” the traditional reggae spiritual “Rivers of Babylon” or one of her own recent compositions (“Something Beautiful,” “Out of the Depths,” “33”), O’Connor establishes a deep, concentrated mood that makes every song sound — as the album’s title implies — a deeply soulful, religious experience.