In the SPOTLIGHT: Damien Rice

 Damien Rice is an Irish acoustic pop/rock artist. What everyone generally knows about him is that, his music is widely used in TV shows like Greys Anatomy, Misfits, One Tree Hill and even several movies. I came across his songs on one of the Grey’s episodes that featured 9 crimes in the climax sequence. I was taken aback immediately by the bare boned structure of the songs: male vocals, female vocals and piano. It simply made the scene that was being depicted; honestly it was an OK one. But the song got the right chord struck to make me as an audience feel for that moment.

As always my musical curiosity led me to look into the episode on the website and I came to know about Mr. Rice. I savoured a few of his single and loved every bit of music the man put out. At the time, about 2007, he had just two albums out. After which he took a musical sabbatical up until now, coming out with My Favourite Faded Fantasy in 2014 end.

His music is at the surface of it all, laid back and relaxing on the ears, something that puts you into the perpetual mood that comes about on an evening in monsoon in the city. It makes for great driving or travelling music, perfect for evening walks and night time listening. His lyrical honesty and ability to make the music reciprocate the sentiment is remarkable. This is not to write his material off as simple vanilla acoustic rock; Damien Rice creates a grand atmosphere with his music and emotionally vulnerable sounding vocals. Today, we’ll showcase each of the three albums and two best tracks from them, so that you truly can savor Damien’s music and connect with his musical evolution with each LP.

O (2003)

The album is Damien’s first venture into solo recording and by far most powerful album of the three. Its music so unassuming, yet such intensity is laced in each number. It is something that caught my attention right away, way more than any other acoustic/indie artist ever did in 2000’s at least. These are the two numbers in this album you definitely need to check out:

  Cold Water:

 

This one is the most simplistic, in terms of lyrics, of all tracks on the album. It’s about a situation in love where being in love is as good as being lost. But then being lost with someone whom you don’t mind losing yourself for eternity. The icing on this cake is the dual vocals with Lisa Hannigan, his then love interest.

Amie:

 This track talks about the one person we find in life with whom we can be utterly open with, allow them to know that you need a particular kind of comforting and who see’s hope for you despite your weakness and present condition. Amie has beautiful violin accompaniment for most of the song other than the earthy sounds of Damien’s acoustic guitar and acoustic drums. A wonderfully serenading number

 9 (2006)

 This album marked the end of his collaboration with Lisa Hannigan as they parted ways as a couple. The LP has a lot more to offer in terms of genre variety ranging from alternate rock, folk rock, acoustic rock/pop, indie and plain alternative. This mix was viewed as a possible unexpected turn for Damien from O, which had the right one formula all across. The variation did bring about the different shades in him as a musician and is quite interesting in its variety, if not thoroughly engaging.

9 Crimes:

 This song is what initially got me listening to Damien, as I earlier mentioned. The track is about the fear of committing to a person despite having a bond so very strong. It is incredibly mellifluous with its bare piano and vocal combination, later accompanied by string and chord ascendancies. The core of the songs power lies in the dialogue between Damien and Lisa across the verses. It is nothing short of mesmerizing.

Grey Room:

 This is about the depressive state in which he is in while writing he piece. He keeps stating the cube he’s living in but he thinks his love is the remedy to his situation that will alleviate his present rut. It’s a wonderful music here, simply given to be acoustic. The song has a made wonderful use of pauses and tensions created by small pauses.

My Favourite Faded Fantasy (2014)

The latest offering by Damien is back to the technique he used in O but a little more refined and fluid. This album offers further insights into his journey after his relationship with Lisa and also spiritually. The album is extremely grand in its minimal use of strings and pianos that give it translucent walls of sound.  Here are the two picks from the album

Long Long Way:

 This track is about ones fixation on one person or option in life and the blocking out of any other avenue that could work, possibly to a happier ending. It ends saying it always feels the options don’t seem enough. It has a sweet mix of instruments lending themselves to hushed vocals with subtle piano drops.

The Greatest Bastard:

This number again is about the lost love of his life. Soothing altogether, the track has a wonderful last verse and interlude ascendency that uplifts, contrary to what the lyrics indicate. Wonderful in its dichotomy this song is clearly the pick of the album for me, with its back to basics style for Damien, albeit with minimal guitars this time.

I really hope you guys check out Damien Rice’s entire discography of 3 albums. Each of them is a joy to explore and just makes for the perfect accompaniment in a day, especially post a long hard day. I say this because consciously or unconsciously it is the predominant setting or mood we are in makes use enjoy a particular type of music all the more. 

  As a musician he has received quite some critical acclaim but I sincerely feel, he is yet to be discovered by a lot of people around the world and not just the UK, (to a small degree) US or Ireland. He is the youngest artist I have chosen for 'In the SPOTLIGHT' yet. Damien is a staple on my playlist along with the other artists I’ve showcased here and I believe he’s going to reach the same degree of acclaim in the future.

 

PS: You guys watch a lot of TV Shows I’m sure. Do take a little effort to go a step ahead and find out the various tracks that you love in an episode. Doing this only, has made me come across so many artists who I never would’ve dreamt of finding. And Boy has it been rewarding!