9 - Not quite as endearing as his raw and seductive...

Not quite as endearing as his raw and seductive 2002 debut, O, the second full-length album by Irish troubadour Damien Rice finds him taking a more slapdash approach to his lyrics and arrangements, with balmy tracks like "Rootless Tree," "Coconut Skins," and "Me, My Yoke, and I" seemingly made up and recorded on the spot. Strange then that it took so long for 9 to actually arrive, with just a handful of odd collaborations (Tori Amos, Herbie Hancock) and one promising benefit single ("Unplayed Piano") to hold fans over during the four-year delay. Nothing here quite achieves the lush poetry on display there, although Rice and his singing companion Lisa Hannigan come close with the creepy opening track "9 Crimes" and the damaged whisper-to-a-scream ballad, "Elephant." --Aidin Vaziri

9 is the extraordinary follow-up to young Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice's critically acclaimed 2003 debut album O-which sold more than 2 million copies worldwide, including more than one million in the U.K. The single "9 Crimes" will have its network television debut on the hit ABC show Grey's Anatomy in the November 23rd episode.

Customer Reviews:

Stunning poetry
Yet another beautiful album from the amazing singer/songwriter. His lyrics and vocals are breathtaking. There are many great songs on this album, but, my personal favorite is "accidental babies". Chilling in its beauty, poignancy and poetry.

I can't wait to see him in concert again... he gave the best concert I have ever been to in my life.

I look forward to his music with bated breath!
--2006-12-16

damien rice sucking wind
I would have rather given it a half of a star but Amazon does not allow this appropriate rating. I loved O; he blew a gale but on this one he is just sucking wind.
--2006-12-12

Another mixed bag
I didn't love Damien Rice's first album but decided to give him another chance when I heard the beautiful '9 crimes' on one of the late night shows, and another song I liked in my friend's car. But upon listening to the whole album, I'm again disappointed. Once again there are a few great songs buried in a pile of dull, listless tracks that don't add up to a complete album. And even when he does upbeat songs, it doesn't always work. (See 'Rootless Tree', with its irritating chorus of shouted lines repeated to poor effect.) Rice is obviously a talented musician and his voice is nice, but I think the majority of his music is boring. And honestly, I love Lisa Hannigan's vocals far more than his own.

I wish I could listen to these albums and hear what the "five star reviewers" are hearing! There are artists like Adem whose downtempo folk/pop I really like, but for me Damien Rice just isn't able to pull it off very well.
--2006-12-09

Worth the Wait
Ever since I bought this album, I have been unable to stop listening to it, especially at night alone in my apartment. I agree that this is quite different from 'O', but this only proves Rice's incredible talent.

The album is sparser, with less operatic background from his debut, but I can always turn to the earlier CD when I want that. Here, everything is in the lyrics - there is much more emotional distress in this album, and the 'explicit lyrics' only makes it that more genuine. While there are a few lighter tracks (Dogs, Sleep Don't Weep), the obsidian (shining black gems lol) of the CD (and this is where I disagree with the Amazon reviewer wholeheartedly) are 'Rootless Tree' and 'Me, My Yoke, and I', which are the perfect break-up songs.

If this album had come out a couple of years earlier, I am almost certain that it would be in its entirety the soundtrack for 'Closer', more so than 'Blower's Daughter' and 'Cold Water' from O.

Smart, sassy, and socially incorrect - Damien Rice has a (too unique) genius that I've still not found anywhere else.
--2006-12-07

Ethereal Alt-Folk!!
I first heard Irish singer/songwriter Damien Rice (duetting with Lisa Hannigan) on Herbie Hancock's 2005 CD `Possibilities' on the brilliant song `Don't explain'.

`9' is his sophomore disc, and as I haven't listened to his debut `O', I'll judge this on its own.

His style is alternative/folk with cryptic/poetic lyrics, and opening cut, the dreamy piano duet with Lisa Hannigan `9 crimes' is a perfect way to open the CD. `The animals were gone' is a lush, string laden ballad with gently shuffling percussion building up to a violin crescendo and haunting harmonies. Brilliant!

`Elephant' is one of my favourites. Starting off as a tender forlorn acoustic ballad, which gradually builds up, musically and vocally to a raging rocker.

Raising the tempo is the catchy, angry `Rootless tree', followed by the lovely acoustic ballad `Dogs'. In a similar vein is the ballad `Grey room'.

`Coconut skins' is a sing-a-long folk song which sounds like something Simon & Garfunkel would do (complete with la la la la la la la). `Me, my yoke and I' is a surging semi distorted rocker with repetitive lyrics. Catchy and great!!!

Another simply outstanding track is the heartbreaking piano ballad `Accidental babies' with Damien wondering in a lamenting voice if she brushes her teeth before kissing her new boyfriend, and `do you miss my smell?'. Stunning!!!

Closing the CD is the acoustic lullaby-like ballad `Sleep, don't sleep' about the teary end of a relationship, with a soothing vocal delivery from Damien.

This is one of my favourite albums of the year.

--2006-12-06

9

- Heffa/Vector/Warner Bros.