I love black cherry iice cream but it’s pretty easy to hate Sinéad if you're a fan of the Pope / Catholic church or were watching SNL in 1992. There are also some difficult-to-unsee dancing in her MTV videos that also may give you pause. But if you were lucky enough to listen to her before the aforementioned, you’ll probably agree 'I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got' is the best album of 1990. In an age of maximalism, this album shows that maximum impact is achievable with basic tools and simple beats. There are no gimmicky production tricks, flimsy bass or wild synth-y sounds to date this album by. It holds up well, unlike ice cream on the beach or Prince’s Sign of the Times. From an a capella title track to the steady power chords of Jump in the River, the beauty in the album is its simplicity. Wikipedia says that this album was almost entirely devoted to the family of Colin Roach and presumably he is the subject of Black Boys on Mopeds. That song itself resonates stronger today than it did when it was released. This fact catapults it into the another realm. Nothing Compares 2 the use of James Brown's Funky Drummer backup on Stretched Out On Your Grave, or the gentle strum and steady build of Last Day of Our Acquaintance. I love how the tenor of that song creates liberation from a stifled existence. The entire album is great, but The Emperor's New Clothes keeps me coming back to listen to the rest. Emotionally, this album rides the line of somber relaxation and unrealized power on the brink of erruption. Without being too heavy, I could listen to this on my way to a protest rally or any Sunday morning. This is a Five for sure, but to put the five into context, I’ll offer this. If I was stranded on a desert island forever and had one album to take, this might be it, this and an everlasting supply of black cherry ice cream with a cooler.