Top Artists – Sinead O’Connor

Listening in Depth to Sinead O’Connor’s Brilliant Second Album

Hot Stamper Pressings of the Music of Sinead O’Connor Available Now

Presenting another entry in our extensive Listening in Depth series with advice on what to listen for as you critically evaluate your copy of I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got.

This is widely considered one of the best albums of the ’90s, a brilliant and unique piece of work. I positively love this album. The emotion is every bit as naked and compelling as that found on Joni’s Blue, and I do not say that lightly. I know the power of Blue, and this album has that kind of power. This is some heavy heavy stuff. Hearing it sound as good as it does on the right UK pressings is a thrill I won’t soon forget.

Side One

Feel So Different
I Am Stretched on Your Grave

This track has some of the wildest instrumentation I’ve ever heard. The rhythm is provided by a looped sample of the beat from James Brown’s “Funky Drummer,” with Sinead’s reverb-laden vocals carrying the droning melody. At the apex of the track, some crazy-ass violins come in, making for a haunting celtic/hip-hop hybrid. I think there’s even some Persian in there. This one just knocks me out every time I hear it.

The average bad sounding pressing of side one just plain ruins this track. The sound will lack extension on the top and reek of blubbery bass. The hot copies have solid low end, lots of air around the vocals, and texture on the violins. The good copies let the song work its magic; the bad ones don’t.

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Sinead O’Connor – I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got

More Sinead O’Connor

  • A vintage copy of Sinead O’Connor’s brilliant sophomore release with outstanding Double Plus (A++) sound from first note to last
  • This early import pressing is big and rich with superb clarity and three-dimensional space that most pressings barely hint at
  • You won’t believe how good “Nothing Compares 2 U” sounds here – it’s surely one of the best torch songs ever written, and her performance of it (as well as the arrangement) is perfection
  • 4 1/2 stars: “…the album plays like a tour de force in its demonstration of everything O’Connor can do… it’s evidence that, when on top of her game, O’Connor was a singular talent.”

I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, a brilliant and unique piece of work, is widely considered one of the best albums of the ’90s.

I positively adore the album. The emotion is every bit as naked and compelling as that found on Joni’s Blue, and I do not say that lightly. I know the power of Blue, and this album has that kind of power. This is some heavy heavy stuff. Hearing it sound right is a thrill you won’t soon forget.

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Letter of the Week – “FINALLY, a copy that does this brilliant, impassioned music justice.”

More of the Music of Sinead O’Connor

One of our good customers had this to say about some Hot Stampers he purchased recently:

Hey Tom, 

Man, you guys did it again!!! You NEVER disappoint. 🙂

I just got done spinning Sinead’s “Lion & the Cobra.” OMG. This is an album that almost never sounds good. But the copy you sold me sounds INCREDIBLE. FINALLY, a copy that does this brilliant, impassioned music justice. I sat there (not kidding – embarrassingly) with tears streaming. Ridiculous.

Perhaps even more of a testimony, my 14-year-old son heard it from upstairs, came downstairs to check it out – and actually ended up staying through both sides! We both looked at each other when it was done, and shook our heads in disbelief. AMAZING.

Can’t thank you guys enough – for your dedication to quality in sound reproduction, and for allowing music of incredible quality to be well represented – as it SHOULD be.

Steve M.

Steve,

Thanks so much for your letter!

Further Reading

Geoff Edgers on Sinéad O’Connor

Sinéad O’Connor is still in one piece

“She tore up a picture of the pope. Then her life came
apart. These days, she just wants to make music.”

This was true as of 2020, when Geoff Edgers wrote his touching and insightful story about her.

To give you the flavor of the piece, a series of text messages she sent him can be seen below.

I do feel like I was a monster. I feel awful. I do beat the living s- - - out of myself. Am full of grief about it would be a better way of describing it

Was Not my purpose on the planet to have hurt anyone …

But no one ever minded if they hurt me

Is the thing

That’s part of the code also

All artists have one dream that will never come true

If you can figure that out you know them

They teach that in acting school. Key to finding a character is what dream does he or she have that will never come true

Mine is a mom

Rest in peace.

Sinead O’Connor / The Lion and the Cobra – Our Shootout Winner from 2014

More Sinead O’Connor

 

Big and lively on both sides, and that’s the sound you want. All her early records are hard to find in clean condition these days. 

Side Two

A++, big, open and clear, with breathy vocals. So spacious! A little more weight would have earned this one a White Hot Stamper grade!

Side One

A+ to A++, big and lively, but a bit of smear and congestion compared to side two. (more…)