I was first introduced to Irish singer/songwriter Damien Rice in 2003 when I heard his amazing debut O. The ten tracks on O all carry a lot of emotion with Rice mostly only utilizing a lightly plucked acoustic guitar and a voice that goes from barely above a whisper to powerfully loud. He was complimented on a few tracks by the equally talented Lisa Hannigan on backing and sometimes lead vocals. You’ve probably heard his single “The Blower’s Daughter” as it’s appeared in various movies and TV shows. The song “Delicate” from O was featured in an episode of one my favorite shows, Lost. The anticipation for his follow up album was high and when 9 finally came out last November, it was worth the wait. For the most part, Rice delivered the kind of album that could be expected. A few of the songs rocked a little more, especially “Rootless Tree” which, aside from the nonsensical profanity, is a great tune. Rice has said that the song “Elephant” is kind of like “The Blower’s Daughter Pt. 2” and I can see the similarities, even in the song structure. The best song on the record in my opinion is today’s song “9 Crimes,” which is the lead-off track. I think it’s interesting that the first thing you hear on Rice’s album is the vocals of Hannigan. One of the few Damien Rice tracks to use piano, this song has an excellent build up and a great ending. Damien Rice - "9 Crimes"
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