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, including the three below. 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.
Wow!
Posted by: Sean Murphy | March 22, 2010 at 10:47 AM
Double Wow!! Where can i find more tracks? Keshukoran is bananas!
Posted by: Frip | March 22, 2010 at 11:34 AM
These are amazing songs. Please post more!
Posted by: Zach M | March 22, 2010 at 01:08 PM
great original stuff here.
and i've heard it all
Posted by: will rodgers | March 22, 2010 at 03:32 PM
If Anton LaVey ever vacationed in Cambodia & had a love child ...Sister Irene O'Conner?
Posted by: Holly | March 22, 2010 at 03:48 PM
"I wonder how far Sister Irene's O'Connor's seeming solipsism extended beyond music."
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Trumpets! I can hear trumpets!
Posted by: Urizel | March 22, 2010 at 03:55 PM
Great music!
I'd love to hear more :)
Posted by: Aphrica | March 22, 2010 at 04:44 PM
Please make a copy of this available for downloafd. Amazing stuff.
Posted by: HSP | March 22, 2010 at 05:18 PM
amazing find. god bless electronics.
Posted by: twig harper | March 22, 2010 at 05:57 PM
Nice post Jason...a couple nitpicky things:
- Alba House Communications is actually in Canfield OH, the Australian pressing was on Philips(!) & has a slightly different cover, check out the (already sold) copy here: http://www.votarydisk.com/second.php
- Sister Marimil Lobregat is the nun responsible for the "unusual engineering techniques". Love the back cover photo with all the reel-to-reel tape decks in the background...
Posted by: Jeremy Pisani | March 22, 2010 at 06:47 PM
Spirit ignited. pplz post more.
Posted by: Adam | March 22, 2010 at 07:12 PM
Amazing: my life will be meaningless (or at least un-God-ignited) if this isn't available for download.
Posted by: Jim | March 23, 2010 at 12:46 AM
Please upload all of the songs. I desperately want more.
Posted by: Luke | March 23, 2010 at 09:32 AM
My understanding is that when Peter Baumann briefly split the Tangerine Dream on his voyage of self discovery during the '76 tour, Sister Irene filled in on the farfisa and effects.
Posted by: K. | March 23, 2010 at 12:26 PM
This is actually some of the coziest tunes I have ever heard. I need this for my pad when I'm slippin' around, sippin' drinks and dancin' smoothly in my robe.
MAKE THIS AVAILABLE!!! It's great!
Posted by: Hefty McWingman | March 23, 2010 at 05:39 PM
if i didn't read first id've thunk it was some hipster chick from brooklyn or san fran doing these songs. great stuff. i 153rd the motion to up all the tunes.
Posted by: Chris | March 23, 2010 at 08:07 PM
"mass-emmanuel" bears a striking resemblance to Blind Melon's "Car Seat (God's Presents)"
Posted by: iggy | March 23, 2010 at 09:19 PM
moremoremoremoremoremore
Posted by: pizza gratis | March 24, 2010 at 01:59 AM
...if Joe Meek made a religious record...
Posted by: em2 | March 24, 2010 at 02:23 AM
great day with Flannery O'Connor and Kraftwerk in the studio...
Posted by: Theblurrystomp.blogspot.com | March 24, 2010 at 03:06 AM
This is just amazing! Pls upload them somewhere!
Posted by: Elias | March 24, 2010 at 11:23 AM
yes please upload!!!! this is amazing. if church were like this growing up, i may have actually not fallen.
Posted by: Gina | March 25, 2010 at 11:40 AM
mOAR!
Posted by: Anon | March 26, 2010 at 05:11 PM
These tracks could be the demos for the next Broadcast album. The fact that it's nuns trying to ignite our spirits for the Lord makes it way cooler.
Seriously, if Broadcast has not heard this, they should do so immediately.
Posted by: Mark | March 26, 2010 at 08:09 PM
Ya know, I'm generally not on-board with all the oddball/outsider/bad music for bad music's sake that inhabits (certain sections of) FMU, but this is genuinely good. Really nice find.
Posted by: MikeII | March 28, 2010 at 02:46 PM