Damien Rice ~ 9
In his sophomore effort, 9 carries the same raw intensity as O with a few surprisingly upbeat tracks like Dogs and Coconut Skins to keep you awake and give you time to dry any tears. It’s honest yet tragically poignant. As with Elephant, Rice’s pleading in a screaming cry at the end (This has got to stop). Lisa Hannigan serves as the angel on this album saving Rice from his own anger. She adds tenderness and when paired with violin and piano, makes for climatic points. Her delicate, melodic whisper is the perfect overlay to every track she appears on, especially the first, 9 Crimes, where the pair go back and forth lyrically (Give my gun away when it’s loaded/ Is that alright? / If you don’t shoot it how am I supposed to hold it) and it’s as through your watching a verbal exchange between Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes.
Rice just can’t seem to let go of the women that tortured his heart in O. Slightly more upbeat but still packed with whine, 9 is worth a listen. Rice has carved a signature niche in the hearts of broken-hearted men everywhere.