Damien Rice - 9

Basq

I was expecting to be disappointed but Christ... it's VERY VERY good! Almost worth a 4 year wait! *

It's actually very different in some respects - the single 'Nine Crimes' really is as Damien Rice as the album gets.

But it's songs like 'Rootless Trees' are what makes this album so different to 'O' and anything i've heard Mr Rice do before: a truly brillant quite heavy number with the chorus consisting of a number of screamed 'F*CK YOU'. And also 'Coconut Trees' which has a guitar driven Jack Johnson type feel to it.

On it's 1st listen, this album has really impressed me. Yes, it has it's typical Damien Rice stuff on it ('Elephant', 'Nine Crimes', 'Grey Room') which are all very good - 'Elephant' especially. But it's the different songs... the heavier and odder songs (as compared to the material on 'O') which

It's essentially very different.. a bit more polished than 'O' which can be expected with the acclaim the main has recieved.

But i must say i'm very impressed!

Rating: 4 / 5 **

* note i said "almost"... nothing can forgive a 4 year wait for a new album!

** Based on a first listen.. may increase or decrease after multiple listens

dazftw

I was just about to make a thread on this! It is really really really I mean really good im only on Rootless tree now!

I have to say WOW :eek:

Well worth the wait!

tywy

I think it's pretty great too...not sure how much I like Me My Yoke and I on it yet. I love Elephant, Accidental Babies and 9 Crimes. They were always gonna be my fave songs off it after hearing them live a few times.

I was worth the wait. I love The Animals Were Gone ( or whatever it's called) the ending is so cool. I like Cora Venus Lunny or whatever her name is on Rootless Tree, I think the cello sounds deadly.

It'll be 5 years in Feb since O was released and this was worth the wait. Can't wait to hear it off the CD, the copy I have is off the AOL stream, so the quality ain't great but w0w!

dazftw

I have it downloaded... Couldnt wait But I will defo be buying this when it comes out on the what? 6th?


Dogs is really good!

Basq

I feckin' love 'Me, My Yoke and I' - it's so different and rough sounding that it's fantastic.

My least favourite song is 'Accidental Babies'... but not necessarily bad. The album has just gotten better and better on each listen.

Phenomenal stuff!

dazftw

Yea its kinda like I remember... Only more stronger yea!

Im on accidental babies... now its really good! This song is a bit depressing to me tho, not that I dont like his "depressing" songs just not at this moment...

tywy

Me My Yoke and I is just so old...been hearing it at every show I've been at, not that it makes it less good...I just dunno if it fits yet...maybe another listen will change my mind *presses play again* GOD I have to stop listening to this!

SMJ

have to admit i completely gave in waiting for the album. i promised i wouldnt listen to it after loads of people offered it but im kinda glad i did

its incredible, ive been a fan for about 4-5 years and his live shows are brilliant. Electric picnic this year was great, he headlined the big tree stage as a special guest and went off on a 30-40 minute jam. mind blowing stuff

the album itself i hoped would be stronger. he always said it would be angrier but i wanted him to get away from the ballad type songs like "the blowers daughter" which has spiralled him the success

the interesting this is tom dunne said "rootless tree" will be the first single released in the USA. Im not sure how they can avoid the swearing if they want it to be radio friendly but im slightly glad he is releasing something nobody expected.

Anyways the man seems to do no wrong and he is already estimated at breaking the top 5 in the billboard charts on release.
Quite impressive

My favourite is "elephant" i didnt think it was possible to have more emotion in that song but he certainley succeeded!

Heres to the next album, hopefully the wait will be less;)

iFight

Didnt realise it was out yet, better be really good after the wait, as you were saying

ella minnow pea

SMJ wrote:

the interesting this is tom dunne said "rootless tree" will be the first single released in the USA. Im not sure how they can avoid the swearing if they want it to be radio friendly but im slightly glad he is releasing something nobody expected.

i'd say they'll just clear it from the song so the chorus will end up sound like a something from the backstreet boys:

YOU.....YOU.....YOU.....

listening to it online now, pleasantly surprised and its helping me get this essay written

Villain

Excellent Album 100% recommend it.

Attractive Nun

Is it only me who thinks 'Rootless Trees' is an awful song? The chorus is so generic, so obvious - it's almost childlike. I cringed when I heard it at first.

I was quite let down by 9, overall, not a patch on O.

Killaqueen!!!

Must get it then...

Whats with his album titles?

SMJ

its a countdown j/k

rootless tree has always been a weak song for me, and recently ive noticed how similar it is to accidental babies.

i'd say they'll just clear it from the song so the chorus will end up sound like a something from the backstreet boys:

YOU.....YOU.....YOU.....

your dead right! he played on kcrw and played rootless tree on the piano, gave the song much more depth than it has previously
well worth the look actually, let me dig up the url

SMJ

http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/mb/mb061110damien_rice

you can listen or watch it there. fantastic stuff

Kenny_D

Love the new album but still prefer O. Also I prefer an older version I have of Accidental babies. I think it was when he was playing at hmv. He plays it on the guitar. I think it sounds a lot nicer than on the piano. A lot of the stuff on the new album are songs he's been playing since he was promoting O. Whats great though is he still has so many more good songs. Next album will prob be good as well if it has the likes of Groovin, Front Door, Toffee Pop, Childish and a few others I cant think of now. Also it would be diff again as he has a lot of fun upbeat songs

ella minnow pea

SMJ wrote:

http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/mb/mb061110damien_rice

you can listen or watch it there. fantastic stuff

that's great, thanks!

~nop~

9 - I love it I love it I love it - for now anyways!

Fair play to the man!

Backtoblack

I love it. track 1 and track 3 are my favourites at the moment but overall I think it's excellent.
I over-played the 1st album (maybe because of the long wait for the second), so I'm going to try to keep it as a treat cd.
Definitely recommended! Well done Damien & co!