Damien Rice (Official Thread)

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

Vyvienne Long


This other gorgeous creature played Cello on the O album and has performed during some of Damien's most powerful moments live and in the studio. She's a big name in her own right as she's had her own albums released:

Here's a sample of her material:

Never Leave You
(reminds me of Nellie McKay which is a good thing)


Seven Nation Army (White Stripes Cover)


Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots (Flaming Lips Cover)
(also talented at piano)

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

The final piece of the original band is bassist:

Shane Fitzsimmons
(pictured right)


Shane who currently plays with Lisa Hannigan has an impressive resume of bands he's played with. On top of bass guitar he's played everything from the upright bass to double bass to doing some producing and engineering work for both Damien and Lisa! Other bands he's worked with include:

Decadence
Dragonfly
Mundy
Nina Hynes
The Cookers
Label

Albums/EP's Featured On:

Jellylegs-Mundy
Creation-Nina Hynes,
O-Damien Rice
Living-Paddy Casey
Coming Home-Dr Millar
Live From the Union Chapel-Damien Rice
B-Sides-Damien Rice
9-Damien Rice
Possibilities-Herbie Hancock
The Carnival Saloon are Going to Hell-Carnival Saloon
Then and Now-The Definitive Herbie Hancock
Sea Sew-Lisa Hannigan
Moving On-Mundy
The Cookers-The Cookers
Win, Lose or Draw-Label
Tailspin-Label
Songs-Terry Sutton

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

"In Dedication To Mic Christopher"



The album O was dedicated to Dublin musician and street busker Mic Christopher. During his street busking days he met up with many musicians in the Dublin music scene, notably including Glen Hansard. Chris formed a band in 1990, The Mary Janes, and had one album released before going solo. Mic would release one solo album,

"Skylarkin'"


posthumously as he would have a tragic fatal accident in 2001 that would result from a head injury against the steps in the area in which he fell. Glen Hansard has dedicated every album of his in his memory as well and Lisa Hannigan released this tribute to him on her solo album:

Splishy Splashy


Surface slowly at your own speed waiting for some sky. We're all laughing, we're all faking just to see you smile.

She waits her turn she waits her time, And all her love it sings it shines

Have your coffee, splishy splashy frozen up the stairs. Hollow but so normal when she needs a piece of care.

She waits her turn she waits her time, And all her love It sings it shines.


Here are two performances by Mic Christopher which will show you why he's worth the tribute and the writeup here:

Heyday (w/ Glen Hansard)


The Mary Janes-Queen of Hearts


Great musicians inspire and respect great musicians!

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

.........and the album begins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Delicate



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 sorrow
With the words you've borrowed
From the only place you've know
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 you've know
And why do you sing Hallelujah
If it means nothing to you
Why do you sing with me at all?

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

The album starts off on a "delicate" note as the song is aptly titled. Most of Damien's songs are about sex to be honest and infidelity is also a theme as well. In this song the lyrics seem to be about two lovers in which the other is connected to someone else so they can never truly be together. The song picks up the drama with the strings which I love and Damien picks up the intensity perfectly as a storyteller with his vocals. Damien makes infidelity sound so noble with this track and as wrong as that is he makes you root for him. Damien from a technical standpoint is not a great vocalist but as you'll notice throughout this album he's a great singer in that he knows what to use to tell the story and make you feel what he's conveying!

As with everything Damien does it's live that you need to see his music to witness a singer send his work jettisoning into the stratosphere of it's potential:

Live @ AOL
(an even softer performance in the AOL Studios)


BBC Sessions
(a more layered sonic performance)


Live Lowlands
(the most intimate performance)

​

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

Volcano

​

Don't hold yourself like that
You'll hurt your knees
I kissed your mouth and back
But that's all I need
Don't build your world around volcanoes melt you down

What I am to you is not real
What I am to you you do not need
What I am to you is not what you mean to me
You give me miles and miles of mountains
And I'll ask for the sea

Don't throw yourself like that
In front of me
I kissed your mouth your back
Is that all you need?
Don't drag my love around volcanoes melt me down

What I am to you is not real
What I am to you you do not need
What I am to you is not what you mean to me
You give me miles and miles of mountains
And I'll ask for what I give to you
Is just what I'm going through
This is nothing new
No no just another phase of finding what I really need
Is what makes me bleed
And like a new disease she's still too young to treat
Volcanoes melt me down
She's still too young
I kissed your mouth
You do not need me​

Volcano was the third single of off "O" and picks up the energy from "Delicate"! It's got a great steady bass line and cello. It's also the first track you hear off of the album with Lisa Hannigan's vocal. It's where the band comes in full and shows all the elements that made Damien special. Lisa and Damien bounce off each other perfectly. There harmonies are great. On top of the usual sexual layers of Damiens music this song actually sounds sexy. Lisa's smoldering sexy voice is the sexiest thing ever. Supposedly their is a level of reality to this song as this is said to be written about Lisa's and Damien's actual romantic involvement and dragging a relationship past where it should have gone. That level of truth makes for a level of awkward intimacy that aids in explaining how once again their songs aren't just sung but sincerely felt and performed!

Live @Abbey Road


Live @BBC
(Lisa is sooo sexy in this *Swoooon*, the best overall performance)


Live @Rolling Stone Sessions
(I love how the cello by Vivian is more prominent here)
​

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

The Blowers Daughter

And so it is
Just like you said it would be
Life goes easy on me
Most of the time
And so it is
The shorter story
No love, no glory
No hero in her skies

I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes...

And so it is
Just like you said it should be
We'll both forget the breeze
Most of the time
And so it is
The colder water
The blower's daughter
The pupil in denial

I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes...

Did I say that I loathe you?
Did I say that I want to
Leave it all behind?

I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off you...
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind...
My mind...my mind...
'Til I find somebody new
​

This is the song that introduced me to Damien! Not like a calm handshake but by that sort of introductory handshake one gets where the grip is strong and doesn't let up it's grip until that introduction is over. Then afterward you are left stunned by the energy of the encounter. This was my experience and it came from a most unlikely source........

I was living as a trio with a couple who I became really good friends with I had worked with one of them. It was my first living experience outside side of family once I started settling back in NH and started working at Wal-Mart. Through them I had gotten to know this other couple. The couples would get together and I got to now the new pair better. That couple were engaged to be married and while living there I got interspersed into a lot of the activity of wedding talk and planning, etc. Of course it's a short time before anyone finds that I'm the music guy and I talked to the male about music. I found us to be very different especially since he was a Deadhead and he was sarcastically critical towards anything he didn't like. He was kind of a knowitall or that's how he came off until you got toknow him. We didn't hit it off musically at the time at all. The only saving grace perhaps was that we both liked (he LOVED) Pearl Jam.

So anyway, when he was picking out wedding songs I wasn't overly intrigued. The most amazing thing happened though one of those days. I was on the computer and they were all gathering around skipping through the mix they had made and I had heard "The Blowers Daughter" on it. I was stunned and shocked at the same time. Not only by the sheer pure beauty of the song but also by the unlikely source. Not only did this guy with "Hippy" taste find a great track up my alley but it was one I hadn't ever discovered on my own. It taught me a lesson.

Music can come from anywhere, from anyone and at anytime and it can always find a thread to bond anybody together. Music is the great uniter!!! Never take it for granted!!!!1

So for the song itself, it starts with a whisper! The perfect opening words! Damien is the folk bard in his telling of his obsession with his muse. He treads that fine line between love and obsession between what you can have and what's not to be. He swoops perfect between loud declarations and hushed phrasings. Then enters musics one true angel Lisa Hannigan for the first time to my ears and she's gorgeous in every way. This along with the sorrowful lilting orchestration makes my eyes well up with the greatest of ease! I LOVE that song!

The movie was used brilliantly for the movie:

Closer

​

Here's the scene which it's used in:

​

....and lastly here's the live versions:

@BBC 4 Sessions
(Great vocal here)


Sessions@AOL


CD:UK
​

 

[Sunny]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

"The Blower's Daughter" such a beautiful song Sooty

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

"The Blower's Daughter" such a beautiful song Sooty

Yes it is Sunny! Thanks for stopping by again! I promise the beautiful moments of Damien's career are far from over!

 

[Tray73]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

"There is music that is enjoyable and then there is music that cuts through you to the bones and gives you chills! There is music and then there is music that stops time, burrows itself into every fiber of your being, hits every nerve, gets your heart racing, gets your skin raised with goosebumps and makes your spirit feel like it's elevating to a greater beyond."

Wow! What an intro! Just this alone has made me want to look into his work!

I know I said I'd not heard anything by Damien Rice, but actually I'm an absolute numbskull, because I do know the song The Blower's Daughter, but I thought it was James Blunt I also thought Damien Rice was American

I haven't listened to all the songs that you've posted yet, but of the ones I have I like 9 Crimes, oh and I really like the Juniper track Weatherman

 

[Soot and Stars]

Re: "The Official" Damien Rice Thread

Thanks for looking Tray and the complement on my intro which really represents how I feel! The real magic really starts with "O" but the prior stuff is important for perspective. I hope you continue to enjoy what you hear but regardless I appreciate your presence here!