Listen to Damien Rice (with no guilt, and much pleasure).

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and similarly, music in the ear of the listener, or something along those lines. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and to each their own.

But it has been quite shocking over the years being faced with people who dislike this particular artist with much passion.

You’ve undeniably heard Damien Rice’s sweetness and delicacy on radio hits, movies or tv shows. He’s the “Blower’s Daughter”, the “Cheers Darlin”, “9 Crimes”, and oh, so much more.

Now here’s the thing. If you only know Damien from that particular background, then you haven’t truly experienced his musical and artistic abilities.

Which brings me to the whole purpose of this article.

I’ve heard and read it all when it comes to the stigma and bad reviews towards this man.

“The same soft, overdone, and tortured acoustic ballad. The basic coffeehouse poet. Hipster music.”

And yes, on some occasions, the repetitiveness of his musical style rings true.

However, there’s a special kind of enchanting journey his songs take you on, a rollercoaster of raw emotions if you will. And there’s, even more, I like to defend and rave about on his behalf:

The evolution in Damien’s three albums “O”, “9”, and “My Favourite Faded Fantasy”.

You can see development, not only in Rice’s emotional intelligence but also in how the three albums accurately paint the picture of his and Lisa Hannigan’s relationship. She was not only part of his musical career and band (providing those fragile and ethereal vocals) but had major importance in his life, which made their fallout even more heartbreaking.

“I would give away all of the music success”, he says, “all the songs and the whole experience to still have Lisa in my life. Like that!”, he tells, snapping his fingers. “No question.” — Damien in a Hot Press interview.

So you can kind of see the album trilogy as an evolution of their affair.

The raw, angry and bittersweet “O” — Their relationship sparks and blooms. Damien and Lisa traverse together through past experiences with no judgement towards each other and embark on the beauty of making music. However, the album is fragile and juvenile. In it, Damien comes solemnly from a place of victimhood from his past relationships, with a sense only about himself.

“The record felt like a record of creativity and love, and just that whole sense of coming together with a bunch of people — and in particular with Lisa. We just worked really well together. I loved her taste. Whenever I’d do something and she’d comment on it, most of the time I’d just completely agree. We just were very, very compatible: in the studio, on the stage. But when that relationship changed it just made it very difficult because we never had space from each other, to get used to the change”.

From there on, “9” and “My Favourite Faded Fantasy” take an interesting turn.

“9” was a rushed and desperate record, with many faults that might have come as a result of band problems and management. Damien himself said he would have taken half of the songs that are on it off. And it’s no surprise that during its tour, the fallout between him and Lisa was finalised in a dramatic fight right before a concert. No reconciliation since.

8 years of introspection and growth later, we got “My Favourite Faded Fantasy”.

Damien hadn’t just changed as a musician and songwriter, but as a person as well. There’s no Lisa to be heard in it, even though the very idea of her is intensely present in each song. It’s an album about finding a way to move on, with no hate or harshness. It’s the sweetest farewell we could have gotten, and a maturity Damien owed to himself.

His adoration for music and vulnerable masculinity.

Damien wears his influences on his sleeve. Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, and even Leonard Cohen, who he wrote a whole homage to — “Back to her man”. But there’s still a sharp distinction to his style.

In Damien’s persona, it’s not about conquering women in any way. He is charming, raw, and emotional. This fierce vulnerability can almost shock the listener, especially when his songs have a tendency to explode midway through.

Rice articulates pain quite effortlessly and poetically, whilst giving expression to feelings that we usually shy away from.

The sensation of inadequacy, unfaithfulness, the agonising process of mourning love, the pureness of platonic love, jealousy and rage.

And he enjoys exploring all of that on stage as well.

Damien is notorious for making remarkable live performances.

He tells the anecdotes and stories behind his songs, plays as a multi-instrumentalist, laughs, cries, processes, feels right in front of a whole audience.

I just want to be true. I want to be… I want to serve music. I want to be honest. I want to write stuff that’s honest, that inspires, that people can take comfort from, or fuck with, or, you know, whatever.

Yeah whatever, no biggie.

Similarly to any artist, Damien has flaws and other people he draws inspiration from. I am not claiming he’s the best singer/songwriter in existence, not even remotely.

What I do admire and passionately defend, is the way his music transcends you to another dimension.

His songs are that Sunday evening melancholy and nostalgia that tighten around your chest for no particular reason. That silent, yet almost deafening sob you hold onto when experiencing loss and pain. It’s dark and unpleasant, yet beautiful and exhilarating, humanity at its finest really.

As we continue to live in a world where toxic productivity is at its highest peak, we have become so goal-focused, rushing from one achievement to another, and experience so much in such little time. Our generation has become immune to processing emotions and sitting in our discomfort.

And that’s what Damien’s music really is. Accepting yourself in that vulnerable moment, with no judgement or shame, no avoidance, no distractions, and to just experience. Even if you might have a billion more important things to attend.

P.s Here’s a link to a playlist I made with some of my favourites (faded fantasies a ha ha) from the man of the hour. Hope you enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgATXMaRdHd1Ddt11eCPhyQUUXjeB93VR