Throw Down Your Arms

iTunes Review

With all her notoriety, it’s easy to forget that Sinéad O’Connor is at heart a singer possessed with a singularly expressive voice, one that carries with it a sense of weeping in its tremulous brilliance. This is never more in evidence than with Throw Down Your Arms, her collection of roots reggae classics by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Lee “Scratch” Perry, and others. Recorded in Jamaica during the spring of 2005 with the legendary Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare producing, this album also features an all-star line-up of reggae greats lending instrumental expertise. Sly & Robbie bring out O’Connor’s emotive strengths, settling for minimal arrangements that allow her to reach that rare solemnity that informs her strongest work. O’Connor is, after all, that rare vocalist who can perform a cappella and still be completely captivating. The opening track, Winston Rodney’s “Jah Nuh Dead,” is nearly bare, while Perry’s “Curly Locks” is nicely accented with a sympathetic harmony vocal ensemble. A fine album, and especially welcome from an artist who’s already proclaimed her retirement more than once.