The uber geeks

Damien Rice - 9 review

The Grade:

9: A-

Recommendation:

An oddly paced, frustrating yet compelling album - full of bitterness, sleaze, quirkiness, and genius that we have come to expect from singer/songwriter Damien Rice. While it’s not perfect - nor was it’s predecessor, “O” - the material that does stick is worthy of praise.

The Review:

Admittedly, the first time through this almost slap-dash seeming album, my head was spinning. What has Mr. Rice been smoking for the past couple of years? After this long of a wait we get an album that has a split-personality, 50 percent “O” and 50 percent “B-Sides” and live performances. I can guess that anyone who hadn’t heard any of Damien’s B-sides or live performances may have been hyperventilating because their beloved “Delicate” crooner sounds more like a drunken, bitter Irishman on a good amount of the record.

To fully appreciate “9,” one must base their conceptions solely on the new material presented and not on what they thought or assumed it would sound like. Forget that “Rootless Trees” has a expletive, repetitive rant as a chorus. Forget that “Coconut Trees” sounds as if it was a folk song written by a mad man rambling off the top of his head.

What are we really hearing? A man that has been granted a voice to say what he wants to say, not what seems palatable to listeners. Damien seems confident in his skin after the worldwide popularity and acclaim of “O.” He has been granted amnesty from the constraints of formula, and he seems compelled to run with it. Good for him.

Not all of it works. “Rootless Trees” is close to a great song, but the repetitiveness drag it down and makes it become forgetful in the closing minute. “Me, My Yoke, And I” has been on plenty of his live material and has never been one of my favorite songs (I would have much rather “The Professor and La Fille Danse” been re-released). It was only given minor tweaks for a studio recording and it doesn’t justify it’s 6 minute running time. “Sleep Don’t Weep” is unnecessarily long.

The live song, or should I say the live song that has been gloriously unleashed from his concert recordings is “Elephant” a.k.a “The Blower’s Daughter Part II.” This is perhaps the finest achievement on the record. A spell binding song that beautifully builds to an aching crescendo, this is one of the most heartfelt songs on the entire album.

Up along with it there are some other standouts. “Dogs” is a light and breezy sounding song with a heavy heart. “Coconut Skins” is a brilliantly written tune with a catchy folk sound. “Grey Room” has really grown on me as time goes by, and the ending alone is enough to justify a daily listen.

There are also a couple love to hate / hate to like type songs. The primary being the heavy handed, strangely penned “Accidental Babies.” It’s so literal in it’s approach and the word play is almost embarrassing to listen to. The sad part is I listen to it every time wanting to love it, but by the end I wave it off as being silly but slightly entertaining.

Nearly every song is well above 4 minutes and yet not a single one would I consider boring - a compliment that I cannot say about “O.”

With all that I mentioned that I dislike about this album, the exceptional lyrics, beauty and pain, and three or four songs that are sure to remain in my “favorites” category, push it far above average. Damien Rice is in the higher class of singer/songwriters, and while he may not reach all his ambitions, he has the guts to attempt them. Even when he is a little off, his raw energy sells it. And when he finally does hit all the right notes, it’s so good that it’ll make you forget the so-so times.

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