O
(2/100 The People's Choice)

Lorraine Keane on O
"Damien Rice’s O is a timeless record. Like Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks (or Moondance or St. Dominic’s Preview for that matter) it will still be featuring in ‘all-time best record’ polls in twenty years. The placement of ‘Blower’s Daughter’ in Closer does more for the film than the film does for the song. Very few people can get away with singing the most simplistic lyric (e.g. “I can’t take my eyes of you”), but Damien Rice gives the words a whole new meaning because he sings with more soul and conviction than an entire album’s worth of ‘heartfelt’ lyrics. It’s beautifully produced – lots of quiet moments and space, which suits both the songs and his voice perfectly. It’s almost impossible to choose between the U2 albums, but I would have to put Achtung Baby at number one, mainly because of ‘One' and ‘Love Is Blindness’. When watching Lost In Translation recently I was so impressed by the soundtrack that I had to dig out MBV’s Loveless again and listen to it. For an album that was so influential with hordes of ‘flavour of the month’ guitar bands, it hasn’t dated at all and still sounds as atmospheric and epic as ever."

Margaret Gordon, hotpress.com
"The quality of the lyrics is the most important aspect of any song. They should tell you something you want to hear, over and over again, and Damien Rice whispers, narrates, colludes and remembers for us all stories and memories that we can share."

Deirdre Coy, hotpress.com
"From the softness of ‘Delicate’, the full-blown extravagence of ‘Eskimo’ to the strange and enthralling drunkenness of ‘Cheers Darlin'’, it’s a diverse and wonderful record. The tracklisting, artwork and Lisa’s beautiful vocals only add extra greatness to a truly fantastic record that I think is the best album of all time."

Shane O’Driscoll, hotpress.com
"O was one of those albums that completely changed the way I listened to music. His voice and lyrics revealed someone with no fear of speaking his mind, letting everyone delve into his most personal, painful or private memories and experiences. The sheer beauty and unpretentious nature of the songs makes them easily accessible and personal from the first to the last. Lisa Hannigan’s beautiful voice perfectly complements Damien’s, and the accompanying chilling strings, wonderfully understated drums and backing vocals throughout the album make for a truly enlightening experience. A stunning debut album, a truly unique and wonderful voice, a reason to listen to music..."