“You could be my favorite taste to touch my tongue, I know someone who could serve me love but it wouldn’t fill me up”

The opening lyric sets the mood for Damien Rice’s new album;  My Favourite Faded Fantasy.

A lot has happened in the 8 years since his previous album was released, especially in Damien’s personal life. His collaborator and lover, Lisa Hannigan left after a big falling-out during their tour in support of  9. Damien claims that this breakup caused the worst writer’s block of his career. Luckily, despite all the time spent away, Damien’s genius was never forgotten.

Is it worth the wait? Yes. In every way possible. it’s an emotional epic put to song and lyric the way only Damien could do it.

At only 8 tracks, and clocking in at 51 minutes, not a single track is wasted. From the opening song to the final note, the listener is taken on an emotional, and melancholic journey depicting a love lost, and the questions brought up in finding oneself again along the way.

Damien Rice is a master of his craft in putting his introspection, and emotions into musical form for us to all experience and thus making us able to relate and feel what he felt. All the while filling in the cracks and crevices with notes and melodies to bring us back to listen and absorb every last note.

All in all. This album is what his fans have been waiting for, and the album that could very well give Damien Rice the commercial success that he is deserving of.

Rating: 4.5/5

Key Tracks: “My Favourite Faded Fantasy”, “I Don’t Want to Change You”, “Long Long Way”

Recommended if you like:  Joshua Ritter, Jeff Buckley, Elliot Smith

You can pick the album up on iTunes or Amazon or if you prefer the physical copy.