9 (Damien Rice album)
Encyclopedia
9 is the second studio album
by Irish
singer, songwriter
and producer
Damien Rice
, released in 2006. The album was released on 3 November in Ireland, 6 November in the United Kingdom and 14 November in the US. It was followed by the single "9 Crimes
", which was released on 27 November 2006. The record was certified gold in the UK.
teenager, discovering masturbation
. At one of his concerts Rice gave this explanation: "There's this guy I knew who, when he was young, discovered this thing hanging out of his body. And one day he actually found out what to do with it. He used to feel so guilty about talking to this new friend of his that he used to donate money to charity. Until he got to the point where he didn't have any money to donate anymore."
"Elephant" was originally titled "The Blower's Daughter Part 2". "The Blower's Daughter" is a song on Rice's first album O.
gave the album 4/10, describing it unflatteringly as "IKEA
Rock". On the other hand, Hot Press
said, "If Rice really was a nervous wounded-wing, there's no way he'd skirt as close to Nick Drake
comparisons as he does on 'The Animals Are Gone" and, in a reference to the 'noise' preceding the first track, "there's another noise that can be made out faintly but distinctly—the sound of the Grays
, LaMontagnes
, Johnsons
and the Blunts
of this world breaking their pencil tips on their jotters in sheer envy and frustration."
Both Mojo
and Q
gave the album 4/5, with the latter branding Rice very much in the positive as "The King Of Pain". The Sunday Times made it their 'Album of the Week'. It was People Magazine's Critic Choice in November 2006.
. In the US, it was on the Billboard 200
for 10 weeks, peaking on its debut at #22.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Damien Rice
Damien Rice
Damien Rice is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who plays guitar, piano, clarinet and percussion....
, released in 2006. The album was released on 3 November in Ireland, 6 November in the United Kingdom and 14 November in the US. It was followed by the single "9 Crimes
9 Crimes
"9 Crimes" is the first single from the album 9 by Damien Rice. This song features additional vocals from Lisa Hannigan as does the whole album. The 7" single is pressed on clear-colored vinyl and comes with a fold-out poster.-Music video:...
", which was released on 27 November 2006. The record was certified gold in the UK.
Background
"Me, My Yoke + I" is a song about Rice himself, as an Irish-based CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
teenager, discovering masturbation
Masturbation
Masturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...
. At one of his concerts Rice gave this explanation: "There's this guy I knew who, when he was young, discovered this thing hanging out of his body. And one day he actually found out what to do with it. He used to feel so guilty about talking to this new friend of his that he used to donate money to charity. Until he got to the point where he didn't have any money to donate anymore."
"Elephant" was originally titled "The Blower's Daughter Part 2". "The Blower's Daughter" is a song on Rice's first album O.
Track listing
Critical reaction
The album was released to mixed critical and fan reaction. NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
gave the album 4/10, describing it unflatteringly as "IKEA
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
Rock". On the other hand, Hot Press
Hot Press
Hot Press is a fortnightly music and political magazine based in Dublin, Ireland founded in 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it had a circulation of 19,215 during 2007...
said, "If Rice really was a nervous wounded-wing, there's no way he'd skirt as close to Nick Drake
Nick Drake
Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...
comparisons as he does on 'The Animals Are Gone" and, in a reference to the 'noise' preceding the first track, "there's another noise that can be made out faintly but distinctly—the sound of the Grays
David Gray (musician)
David Gray is an English singer-songwriter. He released his first studio album in 1993 and received worldwide attention after the release of White Ladder six years later...
, LaMontagnes
Ray LaMontagne
Raymond "Ray" Charles Jack LaMontagne is a Grammy-award winning American singer-songwriter. LaMontagne has released four studio albums, Trouble, Till the Sun Turns Black, Gossip in the Grain and God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise. He was born in New Hampshire and was inspired to create music after...
, Johnsons
Jack Johnson (musician)
Jack Johnson was born May 18, 1975 is an American folk rock singer-songwriter, surfer and musician known for his work in the soft rock and acoustic genres. In 2001, he achieved commercial success after the release of his debut album, Brushfire Fairytales. He has since released four more albums, a...
and the Blunts
James Blunt
James Hillier Blount , better known by his stage name James Blunt, is an English singer-songwriter and musician, and former army officer, whose debut album, Back to Bedlam and single releases, including "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover", brought him to fame in 2005...
of this world breaking their pencil tips on their jotters in sheer envy and frustration."
Both Mojo
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
and Q
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
gave the album 4/5, with the latter branding Rice very much in the positive as "The King Of Pain". The Sunday Times made it their 'Album of the Week'. It was People Magazine's Critic Choice in November 2006.
Sales chart performance
The album reached number 4 in the UK Albums ChartUK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. In the US, it was on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
for 10 weeks, peaking on its debut at #22.