In the early 21st century, Great Britain was the base for a boom of 'new Nick Drakes' such as Ed Harcourt, Badly Drawn Boy, Tom McRae etc. At first glance Damien Rice is with his intense singing style, candid lyrics and sparse , acoustic guitar-based arrangements not far from them. But upon closer inspection of his debut album O, it turns out that he is more akin to someone like David Gray, not
… because he mixes folk and electronics, but because he also uses old-style singer-songrwriter influences to make something new. O has a hushed and intimate feel, and most of the songs are performed in a delicate, vulnerable way, perfectly supported by the production stripped down to the bone. Tasteful strings and other elements have been added here and there, but only if they are strictly necessary. The closing track Eskimo ends in a (literally) opera-like climax, and the extra song comes close to rock. For the rest, O offers perfect music for fans of Leonard Cohen.more
