How About I Be Me (and You Be You)?


How About I Be Me ? is the ninth full-length album by Irish singer-songwriter Sinéad O'Connor, released in Ireland on 2 March 2012 on Shamrock Solutions and 5 March 2012 in the United Kingdom on One Little Indian. The first single "The Wolf Is Getting Married" was released on 24 February in Ireland and got to number 40 for one week, accompanied by a video directed by Roman Rappak, lead singer of Breton.
The second single "4th and Vine" was released on 18 February 2013, accompanied by a video directed by Kathryn Ferguson. In 2013 O'Connor announced a European tour in support for the album, called The Crazy Baldhead Tour. Marco Pirroni of Rema Rema and Adam and the Ants plays guitar on the album.
As of 2014, sales in the United States have exceeded 18,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Critical reception

Will Hermes of the magazine Rolling Stone graded the album with three out of five stars and found, "empathy, wit and beauty on... focused LP".
Kitty Empire of The Guardian also graded the album with three out of five stars and declared the album, "feels effervescent, even when the breezy love songs give way to more complex concerns… O'Connor thunders, and the hairs on your arms stand up, electrified… an album that restores O'Connor's reputation as an artist.".

Track listing

Live album – limited special edition
This live album was recorded in three different concerts. Songs 1 to 4 at Dublin Olympia Theatre, 18 December 2011; songs 5 to 8 at Frikirkjan Church, 14 October 2011 ; songs 9 to 12 at St. John at Hackney, 2 November 2011.

Personnel

Live album

  • Sinéad O'Connor – vocals, guitar
  • Kieran Kiely – musical director, keyboards, guitar, accordion, low whistle
  • Ash Soan – drums
  • Yolanda Charles – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Dave Randall – guitar
  • Rachael Wood – guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Barney – drums
  • Bill Shanley – guitar
  • Rachael Dawson – cello on track 10, backing vocals on track 9
  • Roisin Waters – backing vocals