“O”, the sophomore release of Irish singer/songwriter Damien Rice is, all at once, reflective, wistful, intimate, conspiratorial, exhilarating, melancholy and cathartic, and one of the most remarkable CDs released last year.
A self-styled folk rock artist, Rice’s deft songwriting ability and his plaintive, bittersweet vocals — accompanied often by a truly transcendent Lisa Hannigan — all given depth by a musical palate grounded in emotional intimacy, make “O” a must add to your CD collection.
