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“9″ And “O”

January 15th, 2007 by epoyz

been quite a while now, so let’s do this.

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i’ve given "9", damien rice’s new album, a few months to "breathe" and a chance to grow on me before i dared compare it to his first album "O". after all, "O" has been on constant rotation in most of my playlists for over two years now, and most of the tracks are still there because i’ve grown to like it too much.it’s right up there with Pearl Jam’s "Ten", U2’s "Achtung Baby", Counting Crows’ "August and Everything After", PM Dawn’s  "The Bliss Album", albums na ika nga e "walang tapon"… well, you know what i mean.

so, popping "9" into the cd player, the very first song grabs you by the throat, chokes you till you cry, makes your arm hairs stand on end and dares you to bear the pain of hearing the song end in 3 minutes and 39 seconds. "9 Crimes" is very beautiful in its simplicity, the most basic of words in the simplest of melodies with its four chords playing over and over, vivienne long’s cello and tomo’s percussion bringing damien and lisa’s voices home to crush your heart to a snotty pulp. it also didn’t help that the song premiered in grey’s anatomy, making it more potent.

with that being said, it was extremely tragic for me to learn that the next 9 songs in the album underwhelmed me more than anything ever did in my 31 years here on earth (shet, ang OA..)..

"The Animals Were Gone" was excusable as it was pretty acceptable in its charming Don McLean-esque way, being the follow-up to such a strong first song. "Elephant", however, instilled doubts in me. i had quite a grasp of what he was trying to sing about, but damn, it was hard indeed to live up to that first song. yes, i’m still on the first song, and the album is slipping down fast because the spell is already breaking.

"Rootless Tree", for me one of the most beautiful breakup songs ever, helped save "9" and kept hold of the magic. you should check out the Live On KCRW version, where he did it on piano minus all the swearing.very very moving. after "Rootless Tree", "Dogs" managed to limp the whole album to the finish line for it to be good enough. "Coconut Skins", another Don McLean-sounding song, was pretty good, but only because Lisa Hannigan was more active on it. after that, "Grey Room" was the best sounding of all the remaining tracks. pwede na, pwede, but not damn near good enough.

now, comparing "9" to "0", i guess the best way to accurately describe how the 2nd album fares against the 1st child, is to allow me to apply an oft-used, all-encompassing technical term employed to pass judgment on almost any other "next-best-thing" through the ages:

panis.

panis ngang talaga ang "9" compared to "O". anyways, wag nyo ako masyado intindihin. the only reason why i was so disappointed with "9" is because  there was so much less of Lisa Hannigan in this one. after her gripping  half in "9 Crimes", Lisa faded away and got reduced to staying in the background. Damien messed up this album, i say, by limiting Lisa’s exposure. the very first time i heard her voice (she rocked my world in "Volcano" and reduced me to a babbling, smitten fool in "I Remember"), she has captivated me ever since. knowing that i’d definitely get in trouble for saying that, i said it anyway because she is that good, man. ganito lang yan: si damien rice, pag kumakanta, para kang nakikinig in stereo sound. pag bumanat na si lisa ng backing vocals at sinabayan si damien, nagiging 5.1 channels yung pinapakinggan mo. word.

pero yun. when i gave "O" my ear, the songs have been haunting me ever since. i mean, come on, just listen to "Delicate" (ginamit din sa House yun, lufet..), and you’re on way to being a fan. "Volcano"? it’s over. now you’re sucked in. siyempre, "The Blower’s Daughter", which was the theme in Closer, was what kickstarted Damien’s foray into the mainstream, tapos sinundan pa ng "Cannonball". speaking of which, i turned on the radio earlier this evening and this dude on 88.3 aired his "acoustic version" of Cannonball… i almost crashed the car on purpose just to end the pain, man. di ko na rin inalam kung sino siya, baka kuyugin, e, kawawa naman..

balik tayo sa "O".. even "Older Chests" and "Amie" will carry you easily to breeze through the whole album, right smack into "Cheers Darlin’" (may kilala ako na pareho sila ng istorya, in love din sa bespren..).

the song "Cold Water" made me break down once. a while back i learned of the untimely death of someone i knew and worked with, and it really came as a shock. i was already driving to work before i turned on the player and there it was, "Cold Water" playing in the car as if it was a prayer. man, i had to slow down on the expressway and gather myself. it was that powerful, holmes.

ok, ok… the album’s onslaught virtually ends with "I Remember". nothing i can write here can do it justice, so you’re better off listening to it instead of finding out what i have to say. "Eskimo" and the two hidden tracks give the album a "tapering off" feel, releasing its death grip but still having you chilling out to go and finish the album right until the credits start rolling. and of course, leave it to Lisa Hannigan to re-hash Silent Night and make it come back out as a completely different soul-baring song.  "I should be stronger than weeping alone. You should be weaker than sending me home…". what the f-? ha-nep.

so, if you’re not down with Damien Rice yet, you better come get some. also look for their "Live Unreleased" set (I heard 9 Crimes here first, pero si Damien pa lang bumabanat nun kaya di pa maganda. ganda din ng mga cover ni Lisa ng Astrud Gilberto songs dito..), the "B-Sides" album, they have a "BBC Sessions" joint, and you can also check out a number of live performances on YouTube. Lisa also did a mean number of Nina Simone’s "Be My Husband" when Damien broke a string during a radio show and was forced to tap on his guitar instead to finish the show off. they also have their version of Kristin Hersh’s "Your Ghost" and The White Stripes’ "Seven Nation Army". also look for "Unplayed Piano" and "Don’t Explain"  from Herbie Hancock’s compilation album.

would’ve been rad if they were paying me for this shit.

———

We might kiss when we are alone
When nobody’s watching
We might take it home.
We might make out when nobody’s there
It’s not that we’re scared
It’s just that it’s delicate.

So why do you fill my sorrows
With the words you’ve borrowed
From the only place you’ve known?
And why do you sing Hallelujah
If it means nothing to you?
Why do you sing with me at all?

We might live like never before
When there’s nothing to give
Well how can we ask for more?
We might make love in some sacred place
The look on your face is delicate.

So why do you fill my sorrow
With the words you’ve borrowed
From the only place that you’ve known?
And why do you sing Hallelujah
If it means nothing to you?
Why do you sing with me at all?

          - "Delicate", Damien Rice from "O"

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