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microphones in the trees: sister irene o´connor


sister irene o´connor sister irene o´connor - fire of god´s love / songs to ignite the spirit (alba house, 1976)


"among the sea of sound-a-like private-pressed catholic lps that came out in the 1960's and 1970's, sister irene o'connor's 1976 album stands out with its primitive drum machine and spooky, echo-laden vocals. released in 1976 on the 'alba house' label, the dual-titled fire of god's love/songs to ignite the spirit lp features several haunting and remarkable songs. in particular, the title track "fire of god's love" strikes me as so otherwordly and uniquely eerie that i wonder how far sister irene's o'connor's seeming solipsism extended beyond music." wfmu

fotola: lauren treece

Posted by el nejo at 7/01/2011 09:30:00 pm Labels: alba house, cabinet of curiosities, lauren treece, sister irene o'connor dfbm said...

wow, thanks. I never thought it would completely surfaced. awesome!

7/02/2011 12:04 pm 
bienvenico :*

this is so very special, i loved 'fire' but the whole album is amazing! i can hear vashti bunyan and virginia astley, and don't ask me why but sometimes it makes me think about open-air festivals in thailand :) my new favorite song: 'nature is a song'

7/02/2011 2:31 pm kosmikino said...

I have been listening to a lot of Father Yod/Ya Ho Wah and the Trees Community lately and it made me wonder about what other strange and beautiful music emerged in the seventies made by those wacky Christians.

A short, hop, skip and jump later and here I land after reading Sister Irene O'Conner's album is the "dope shit" of Christian outsider music as I believe the young people used to say.

And 23 listens later I still can't believe how wonderful it is: the missing link between the psychedelic folk of artists like Susan Christie and Pentangle and 4AD Records (as the previous comment notes, definitely reminds me of Virginia Astley who I used to devour as a teenager back in the 80s).

Interestingly I also found an Australian podcast which features an interview with the two nuns, who are still kicking heretical ass!


You got this on actual vinyl? I am envious beyond belief while eternally grateful for sharing this cosmic gem!

7/27/2014 10:19 pm