A Keen Sense of Comfort : Sinead O’Connor balances new warmth with old edge.

One of the most difficult transitions in contemporary pop-rock is to go from being a frisky, confrontational artist to a mature, comforting one. What’s often lost is a compelling musical edge.

Not so with Sinead O’Connor, which is why her first Los Angeles concert in more than five years was such a gratifying affair on Saturday at the Greek Theatre.

In her concerts in the early ‘90s, the Irish singer-songwriter seemed to be struggling just to maintain her emotional balance. She stood isolated at the microphone, shutting out at times both the band and the audience. It was masterful high drama--art as public therapy.

On Saturday, O’Connor was far more comfortable, both in her interaction with her classy six-piece band and four backup singers and in her relationship with the audience. Her art has become warm and giving.

“Good evening,” O’Connor said, smiling shyly as she stepped to the microphone, her auburn hair at collar length rather than shaved off as in the past.

The 90-minute set still featured songs of anger and betrayal, including “The Last Day of Our Acquaintance” and “Fire on Babylon.”

O’Connor, who once tore up a photo of the pope on national television, also showed that she hasn’t lost her desire to provoke. In her version of “This Is a Rebel Song,” a tale of imperialism and aggression that was directed at England in its recorded version, she changed the lead character from English to American.

Mostly, however, the anger seemed softened by time. O’Connor’s message is now one of cleansing wounds rather than reopening them. It was a theme of hope and moving on, as illustrated in her versions of two songs from her recent EP “Gospel Oak”: the tender “This Is to Mother You,” a lullaby to the child in us all, and “Petit Poulet,” a song of reassurance that she dedicated to her two children.

Ever since O’Connor became a sensation in 1990 with her version of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” there have been two elements to her appeal.

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For the casual fan, O’Connor was simply a superb singer whose music has a convincing and highly accessible emotional punch. But there has also been a more challenging side to her music, a confessional aspect that has made her a bridge between the landmark female songwriters before her--Joni Mitchell and Patti Smith--and such gifted ‘90s figures as PJ Harvey, Courtney Love, Ani DiFranco and Alanis Morissette.

O’Connor has also been greatly influenced by male writers, including Bob Dylan and Bob Marley, but it’s impossible to ignore gender when talking about her musical vision. There’s a strong feminine presence in the shadows, and spirits of mothers and children run through her songs.

These subjects aren’t exclusive to women, but O’Connor commits herself to them more freely and fully than any male pop-rock writer has yet attempted.

She no longer sings “Nothing Compares 2 U,” because of the pain she associates with that period in her life, but at the Greek she delivered a version of Marley’s “Redemption Song” that was so heartfelt and consuming that it was more than a fair trade.

O’Connor remains at the forefront of modern pop, a valuable and unique voice that, best of all, has the talent and courage to evolve.