By Deandra Hoppe
Since its November release, Damien Rice’s latest album has been met with mixed reviews from critics.
Some listeners may have found the songs to have metaphors so lonely they only give the impression of sincerity. No matter how heartfelt the guitar or piano in the background sounds, they find the lyrics lack substance.
Others find that artists grouped in the same genre like David Gray, Jack Johnson, or James Blunt, for example, cannot even rival the writing abilities of Rice. Q magazine gave the album a four out of five, calling Rice the “king of pain,” while The Sunday Times made it album of the week
The first single from the album, titled “9 Crimes,” which also doubles as the first track, starts with a delicate melody followed by strong vocals.
The lyrics are a bit redundant, but that seems to be the point. The listener is not quite sure what Rice has done wrong, but cheating is implied.
Rice continually asks, “Is that alright with you?” And finally ends the song with a resolute, “No.” The song generates different emotions depending on the listener rather than representing a single narrative.
The next two tracks continue the theme of regret and melancholy until suddenly Rice drops a bomb on us. “Rootless Tree,” vacillates between anger, regret and sadness.
The abrupt mood swings result in him finally lashing out at the other person. Most of the lyrics are repetitive, but still have a purpose.
“Grey Room,” the most despairing of all the tracks, is saved towards the end for what can be assumed to be Rice’s last cry for help.
This single seems to be most reminiscent of songs from his last album, “O.”
The listeners’ hearts cannot help but break when he sings, “I’m all alone again, crawling back home again, just stuck by the phone again.”
The album ends with two almost equally sad, yet enchanting tracks and sixteen minutes of wine glasses and a Tibetan singing bowl, an instrument known for its supposed healing powers.
The instrument strumming with Rice saying, “It’s over… it’s over,” in Czech, which no one really wants to listen to even if the idea sounds calming in theory.
Some people may not like the album as much as his first album.
Although some of the tracks on the album are sincere and beautiful, many may linger in the memory days after being heard. If “9” is taken at face value, the album succeeds on all levels.
-DeAndra Hoppe
