Damien Rice - 9 Review

All weekend I've been listening to Damien Rice's sophomore release, on repeat. As most of you are well aware, all 3 of us sluts are big fans of the Irish songbird, and were blown away with O. It took us by surprise and stopped us in our tracks; we fell sucker for his delicate songs instantaneously.

From the opening strums of '9 Crimes' and the first few lines of Lisa's glorious vocal, it's painfully obvious to hear that 9 is just as stunning as its predecessor. By the time Damien and the gang break into 'Rootless Tree', the tone of the album goes from fragile to passionate within a few short minutes. The album's centerpieces, 'Dogs' & 'Coconut Skins', are classic Damien tracks sure to go down as some of his best tunes. Closing track, 'Sleep Don't Weep', closes the album like a lullaby putting a baby to bed.

9's ten tracks run the gamut of delicate and fierce, simple and complex, pretty and haggard. It's why we loved Damien in the first place, and it's why we will continue to love him as 9 keeps our ears happy for the next few months, or, given Damien's track record for taking his precious time between releases, the next few years.

MP3: 'Rootless Tree'