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06/10/2003 5:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Rob O'Connor
Another Irishman likely to captivate young minds like old David Gray, with much of the same wanderlust in his songwriting and much of the same homegrown simplicity that sneaks up on you when you're least expecting it, Damien Rice is a welcome addition to a growing stable of formidable songwriters. Like Gray, Rice has a touch of Van Morrison's epic grandeur in him and he isn't afraid to chase a song into the mystic and stretch a sentiment with massive dynamics (which coming from these humble environs is quite a stretch). The cello's become an instant indicator of dark mood and deep sentiment and balances out Rice's soft acoustic guitar. Recorded in homes with mobile recording units, the intimate sound perfectly mirrors Rice's songwriterly intentions. It's a modern blues where the form is broken but the emotion plays out the same. One listen to "Volcano" immediately opens up this world and suggests you join it before it passes you by.
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