Rice delivers masterpiece in sophomore album

Like many music fans, I was curious to check out Damien Rice's debut, O, back in 2003, having heard some good things about it. After giving Rice a chance and understanding what type of music he is attempting to create, I liked what I was hearing. \nSo it was an automatic decision to pick up his latest effort, 9, when it was released. Upon the first listen, I found myself slightly surprised at how effectively he stayed true to his "sound," while continuing to impress my ears. Rice uses back-up vocalist Lisa Hannigan to perfection on the first track, "9 Crimes," also the album's first single. On "Elephant," he titles a previously untitled track that had been played live for a few years. By analogizing love, death and loss, Rice once again proves he's one of the hottest new songwriters out today. \nHe even finds a way to bring the subject of yoga to the forefront on "Dogs," the album's fifth track, "She lives with an orange tree/The girl that does yoga." Cellist Vyvienne Long adds a fulfilling wall of sound on "The Animals Were Gone." Rice continually laments what may be a recent break-up or hardship, or perhaps it's all fiction. On 9, it doesn't seem to matter because he does it so well that you have to believe him. \nRice's lyrics bleed sincerity. They seep into your heart and force you to hear what they are saying. Only great lyrics jump out of the speakers with such force, and truly great writers who can create them are rare. When one such rare songwriter compounds his prose with an exotic lineup of talented musicians, words like masterpiece and perfection find themselves in the discussion. \nI can't possibly recommend this album more strongly. It will not leave any listener disappointed, unless you were looking for the latest Ryan Cabrera-style artist.