South China Morning Post September 16, 1994 BELINDA WALLIS FROM the outset, Sinead O'Connor makes it clear that Universal Mother is an album of songs from a woman's point of view. Released yesterday in Hong Kong, the 14-track CD opens with a snippet from a Germaine Greer radio interview recorded in 1970 in which she talks about the overturning of patriarchal rule. And the first track is titled She, a haunting melody damning ''she'' for all her destruction. Is ''she'' her mother? With a brief, but shocking insight in our story today, Sinead reveals that she was brutalised by this woman. Or is ''she'' Britain, the divider of fiercely patriotic Sinead's country? Sinead dedicates Universal Mother as ''a prayer from Ireland'' and there is much about this album which is Celtic in sound. There are blatant political statement songs here, especially the track Famine which is the first to lift the album out of its eerie moodiness into something approaching rock. ''I see the Irish as a race like a child that got itself bashed in the face,'' states Sinead, who also says that the lack of the ''truth'' has turned many of her countrymen into abusers of drugs and alcohol - and even killers. But for the most part, Universal Mother is a poignant, gentle album which relies on her soaring, soft voice to gently deliver her still-strong messages of love and hate, regret and repentance. The songs are little stories, and she does not often repeat lines. They are ''look, listen, learn'' message songs. As the title implies, Sinead has been deeply affected by motherhood, and her son Jake even makes a brief appearance. There is also a sweet, simple lullaby called My Darling Child which is very touching. Overall, this is an album for life's mellower moments, though it would be great to hear and see her perform the tracks in a little dark and smoky bar.