Sinead O'Connor's debut, The Lion and the Cobra, was a sensation upon its 1987 release, and it remains a distinctive record, finding a major talent striving to achieve her own voice. Like many debuts, it's entirely possible to hear her influences, from Peter Gabriel to Prince and contemporary rap, but what's striking about the record is how she synthesizes these into her own sound — an eerie, expansive sound heavy on atmosphere and tortured passion. If the album occasionally sinks into its own atmospheric murk a little too often, she pulls everything back into focus with songs as bracing as the hard-rocking "Mandinka" or the sexy hip-hop of "I Want Your (Hands on Me)." Still, those ethereal soundscapes are every bit as enticing as the direct material, since "Troy," "Jackie," and "Jerusalem" are compelling because of their hushed, quiet intensity. It's not a perfect album, since it can succumb to uneven pacing, but it's a thoroughly impressive debut — and it's all the more impressive when you realize she only topped it with its immediate successor, before losing all focus. ~ Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine ~

Artist: Sinead O'Connor
Album: The Lion and the Cobra
Label: Ensign/Chrysalis Records
Genre: Rock
Styles: Rock, Celtic Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock
Original Release Date: October 25, 1987
Quality/Bitrate: FLAC / Mode: 8, Best Compression / 44.1 Khz / Stereo
Total Time: 42:17 Min
Website: http://www.sinead-oconnor.com/

~ Track Listing ~
01. Jackie [02:28]
02. Mandinka [03:46]
03. Jerusalem [04:20]
04. Just Like U Said It Would B [04:32]
05. Never Get Old [04:39]
06. Troy [06:34]
07. I Want Your (Hands on Me) [04:42]
08. Drink Before the War [05:22]
09. Just Call Me Joe [05:51]

Total size: 255 Mb