Sinead Chants Down Babylon

So what does a 38-year-old Irish woman know about Jamaican roots music anyway?

I had an opportunity to attend this past weekend's Sinead O'Connor concert at the Kool Haus, but a bad experience during last week's Damian Marley concert at the same venue (a long-azz delay to get in, tighter-than-tight security, and then to be refused entry...some mix-up with the guestlist) soured me from going.

Her latest, Throw Down Your Arms is a disc of reggae covers and, startlingly enough, a good listen. It drips of authenticity (you tend to get that once associated with legendary reggae producers Sly & Robbie). While some may claim that "she's too reverential and deferential," I more get the vibe that she "gets it" and is totally in tune with the Rastafarian steelo. (I get a chuckle thinking about clueless people that probably went down to the Kool Haus expecting to hear Nothing Compares 2 U-era songs. LOL.)

During my bad experience at the Damian Marley concert, I overheard some dudes passionately talking about O'Connor and how she is really humble, isn't just a Reggae wannabe, and has managed to get the utmost respect from most in the Reggae community, particularly in light of the infamous SNL Pope picture burning incident awhile back.

Chant down Babylon indeed.