Damien Rice - My Favourite Faded Fantasy

Damien Rice is a bit of an enigma. Having established himself as one of the world’s finest singer-songwriters, selling millions of records worldwide and winning awards to boot - after only two albums, he disappeared and to most, he was expected never to be seen again.

That all changed earlier this year when it was announced that his third effort – this, ‘My Favourite Faded Fantasy’ – would be released before 2014 drew to a close. What hasn’t changed is Rice’s innate ability to write love songs that make the listener ache inside. From the swelling strings of ‘Colour Me In’, to the almost whispered introduction of ‘Long Long Way’, each and every tracks bears its own heavy weight.

This time however, there are more layers than his previous sparse efforts: the crashing crescendo of the the title track, the luscious piano beginning ‘It Takes A Lot To Know A Man’. This record still feels raw, it still feels intimate, but a little more bold in its sentiments. It’s in those moments of bravery and risk that Rice still stands worthy of his heart-wrenching troubadour title.