O - Damien Rice
O Image
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 72 Ratings

  • Summary: This full-length debut for the Irish singer/songwriter has moved beyond his home country (where it was a massive hit) to attract critical praise and strong sales worldwide. Mostly self-produced and recorded, the disc also comes in specially-designed packaging including text, artwork and photographs.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 16
  2. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. Rice is both vulnerable and seductive. [18 Jul 2003, p.76]
  2. 80
    This free-wheeling debut has the potential to run and run, carried aloft on the shoulders of the overly emotional. [#18, p.131]
  3. 80
    Rice establishes an extraordinary intimacy here. [Oct 2003, p.107]
  4. You can actually hear the moment when the album turns sour.

See all 16 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 46
  2. Negative: 2 out of 46
  1. 10
    Spectacular debut from the Irish troubadour. Tracks 1-6 are beautifully delicate love songs that are just the soundtrack to falling/being blindly in love. Things turn bitter and dark on Cheers Darling which is one of the highlights for me. I Remember is a good snapshot of what this album is all about - soft, gentle and adoring on one side, angry, bitter and jilted on the other. Lisa Hannigan's vocals compliment Rice fantastically throughout and their harmonies and arrangements are the soul of the record. Eskimo brings things to an operatic end - absolute genius. If you take that to be the end of the album then it's perfect. I'm not sure how much value the hidden tracks Prague and Silent Night add to the record. Prague gives a taste of what was to come on his follow up 9 and Silent Night is just a showcase of Hanigans solo vocals. Expand
  2. ScottM
    8
    What an upper.....
  3. LesterD
    6
    I agree with the Pitchfork review. While this album is certainly pleasant enough, it's nothing special, just typical coffeehouse fare. I can think of a handful of local folk musicians whose music is up to par with the songs on O. Next year, some new folk troubadour will be introduced with all the same hoopla. Expand
  4. JamesC
    1
    An admirable effort, but this album is clearly geared towards middle aged, liberal, corduroy wearing Drama teachers. I'd be amazed if their's any longevity with Rice's initial offering. Collapse

See all 46 User Reviews