My Review of O

[Iwasatabarwiththis,lady]

OK whoever re-edited this with nasty comments about the kid: c'mon now, we aren't really the callous jerks that he portrayed us to be, are we? Totally uncool taking advantage of him like that.

Please don't do that again just because you can.

I protest once again that I'm not a cruel person yet you know exactly who the blame would have gone to for such a message being placed in this thread...

Thank you for understanding.

Spam

[rosey]

so where can I get some of that Thai hash...........

[Iwasatabarwiththis,lady]

Ha...

you like it?

[ruthie]

well i don't care how stoned/drunk you were, that was a f***ing great review!

[Iwasatabarwiththis,lady]

cheers.


had to get it out of my system.

[rosey]

Originally Posted by Iwasatabarwiththis,lady

Ha...

you like it?

To be honest, no. I don't like the way you constantly put-down the 'casual' listener. As in all art forms, everyone gets something different out of music and just because someone hears 'O' differently to you doesn't make them some sort of inferior listener.....but that's what came over most in what you've written. You should just write about what you get from it and not try to guess what everyone else is hearing.

[ruthie]

]"He makes no effort to conform to the mainstream and make lyrics accesable to listeners. Incredible lyrics like ‘Come all ye lost and dive into moss I hope that my sanity covers the cost’ make no sense at all to the casual listener, who simply wants to feel, chilled out for his buck. If you can take time to really ‘zone in’ and appreciate the lyrics, you can feel fascinated by this persons closely guarded pain. "[/COLOR]

This bit i especially i love. Unlike other musicians, you actually have to put in a bit of time to understand/feel his lyrics. He doesn't explain them for you in his songs like lesser musicians (who said james blunt?!) Totally agree with you on that one

[Iwasatabarwiththis,lady]

rosey, well, ill write about what i like in my own review, but thanks for constructive input.

I assure you i didnt mean the casual listener was inferior, just missing out. And i point out i am arragont

[rosey]

Originally Posted by Iwasatabarwiththis,lady

I assure you i didnt mean the casual listener was inferior, just missing out.

How do you know that they are missing out?........oh yeah, that'll be the arrogance.

[Iwasatabarwiththis,lady]

i know, i admit im arragont.

Sorry, but thats what i strongly believe in them missing out.Maybe im wrong, but thats what i believe.

[Gatsby]

its more your opinion on the album rather than a review..

its nice all the same

[Cali]

Originally Posted by rosey

so where can I get some of that Thai hash...........

you still haven't answered

[Iwasatabarwiththis,lady]

Thai hash located in my lecturers pockets

[Spamlet]

What u guys think ? Good?badf?

One would think to be so blissfully arrogant you'd have a modicum of skill to back it up.

In short: Don't quit your day job, home skillet.





Edit: I'm not even remotely mean: all I said was you're an arrogant prick who sucks at writing record reviews (you basically admitted as much yourself)! Kinda like how you said all those other artists suck at songwriting. Did that make you mean or did you "strongly believe" it to be the case?

If you're gonna dish it out, be prepared to take it. Don't ask or, better yet, beg for criticism if you can't handle it.

I wouldn't have said "that was one of the worst reviews I've ever read" if you hadn't bugged us repeatedly for our HONEST opinions. Come to think of it I didn't even say that much. All I said was that based on those bizarre ramblings, you hopefully aren't dreaming of being a professional reviewer, so I'd say you got off pretty easy.

Your 'King of Drama Queens' (over)reaction, however, has me wondering if you're bi-polar or 9 years old or something.

Think about it.

You are actually sulking because of a little cartoon smiley face pointing his thumb Southward?

Which followed the playful term "home skillet"?

I couldn't have really broken the bad news to ya, much softer than that, could I?

Jesus, mate right back atcha.

Trade-in your petulant, passive-aggressive and insipid attempts at stinging sarcasm for an actual sense of humor: you'll get much better mileage. Then again, you seem to only be interested in going on guilt trips, so you'll probably be riding solo.

[Iwasatabarwiththis,lady]

thanks spamlet. Maybe one day i will see a review of something you love done in a peaceful and loving way.

I am not backing it up because that was my opinion of a great album and for fu.cks sake, write your own review if you think i should 'not give up my day job'.

Some of the people on this board are really mean. Spamlet, all i did was vent a feeling, and you become more arragont than ME. Jesus. a downward thumbed person. thanks mate. you are so much better than me.

All i did was write about something i loved. Crying out loud.

[niallo]

Originally Posted by Iwasatabarwiththis,lady

Hey, couldnt sleep last night, so wrote this EDIT: Opinion(revelate to thank for this). I had the idea Emmett could make a page were you added your reviews of the album, or make a sticky but yeah, ok. Its long, and im sad yes i know. Tell me what you think, add your own. maybe this could be a new thing.

*Damien Rice's 'O'
There’re few greater gifts than feeling like the one and only being listening to music. Watching a movie, or being with a girl.
Damien Rice’s music is perhaps the king of this feeling. With bands that can play music very well, but in my opinion, overplayed and overrated (Coldplay and U2) can give the impression of having music simply blasted out on top of a mountain, possibly in a monsoon, while Damien is in his bedroom, his kitchen, sitting on a toilet, or doing a crap.
Perhaps this is why people perceive me to be arrogant when ‘protecting’ this album.
Few things enrage me more than to see it illegally downloaded off the Internet or put on a pirated CD consisting the ’40 greatest albums of 2005’.The appalling cannonball remix made me into a complete bastard with it being offered to the CD: UK generation.
Perhaps I get so enraged because the album is easy to skip over.
It is easy to slide it into the CD player, sit back and zone out feeling very chilled in your conservatory. This is probably why the CD has flourished and become so critically acclaimed, because you need a ‘lifestyle’ CD that fits a certain genre. It just so happened that a mellow CD like O was around when it was. On the television adverts you have a soft mans voice advertising the CD, which makes it obvious the record companies want it to appeal to a stressed out generation.
Therefore, the real shame comes from people ‘listening’ but not really to lyrics that are completely honest but completely guarded in secrecy. With bands like Coldplay and James Blunt that hand you lyrics on a plate, Damien fails to. In a way, I think it would be nice to go back to the time when I didn’t have a clue what the ‘blowers daughter’ was. He makes no effort to conform to the mainstream and make lyrics accesable to listeners. Incredible lyrics like ‘Come all ye lost and dive into moss I hope that my sanity covers the cost’ make no sense at all to the casual listener, who simply wants to feel, chilled out for his buck. If you can take time to really ‘zone in’ and appreciate the lyrics, you can feel fascinated by this persons closely guarded pain. ‘Cheers Darlin’ can skipped over into he casual listeners mind, especially the intensely intimate and bizarre lines such as ‘I’ve got a ribbon of green on my guitar’. All this gives the impression Damien Rice is one of the only musicians who does this for him, and enjoys giving complete honesty but guarding it in secrecy. The booklet that comes with the CD is again probably one of the greatest booklets ever made, with lyrics not full and easy to read like in most but tucked away not in order of the order they are played in. The whole booklet is another track on his album, and is an intimate thing to read, especially when you come across an explanation for one of the songs if you only take the time...
If you listen to something like the technically brilliant Wu-Tang Clang, then put on O it can feel a bit ‘meh’ in comparison of musical ability and probably why music buffs give ita slagging off. But this is where my theory comes in of Damien Rice not really being a musician, but more of a full round artist. The CD is the outlet of a deeply dark soul who expresses his pain through song rather than other means. Seeing him live (which ive never in the flesh) may give more insight into this, with him seeing at times not really caring whether this is ‘good music’ but doing it for himself. The Paridiso gig in Amsterdam is probably an example of this were he ‘plays’ an absent cello with his voice to volcano and adds a bass beat to the ending. Perhaps he further amplifies this, in a BBC4 interview replying to a question about whether he considers himself part of the music industry. ‘No’, he simply replies.
I wont say that all the tracks are too my taste, but I compare this to a film a saw called ‘Night on Earth’ which takes place in five separate cities in five separate taxis. Two of these I dislike, one with Winona Ryder and another with Roberto Benigni. But at the end of the film a full round, strong feeling comes in.
The first track on O is a casual affair, and it is easy to see why it was chosen as first, as it eases you into the format of the album. Live, this seems to be a sweeping and intense ballad, but on the album I feel it to be more a prologue to the rest.
Volcano is an incredibly sexy song with Lisa ‘s voice coming in to play, adding more secrecy and promoting the question that no-one has ever found the answer too. She seems to be the definition of a muse and Volcano is another track that creates an element of secrecy. The real treat is the ending, which keeps on going, and keeps on looping, around and around. I was happy when someone I knew listened to this ending and just ‘wished it would end’. That’s the point. This reinforces my opinion O never hands anything to you on a plate.
The Blowers Daughter is probably most peoples favorate, and the most commercially selling tune, what with the rather clichéd line ‘I cant take my eyes off you’. Jokes on them, Damien seems to mock all love songs ever written ending the song with the quietly tucked away line not heard by the casual listener. ‘Till I find somebody new’. A man in Prague told me this is were he realised this guy was good. I agree.
Never been a fan of cannonball, maybe its because Damien said it wasn’t sure about it on the album, maybe its because it sounds better live, but the main reason is because of the horrific version that was re-mixed for ‘commercial’ radio, (that Damien ‘didn’t really like’. I think he was probably being polite) I cant deny thinking of an album with either the probable original choices ‘Moody Mooday’ or ‘Lonielly’ on it, but cannonball is great in its reversal of the typical ‘happy’ song by signing that ‘stones taught me to fly’, which is in sharp contrast to ‘uplifting’ songs with lines probably like ‘love taught me to fly’ for example.
Older Chests is good, purely because you’d like to see it written on paper, or in book, because of the philosophy on it.
I’ve often felt like Damien feels in Amie, so that maybe what makes me identify with it. It has a great line that i feel close to. ‘Tell it like you still believe, at the end of a century, brings change for you and me’. The great moment is when the strings asend higher and higher at the end and dissolve into misery with my favorate track on the album, my favorate ever song, and what i think is one of the greatest unrequinted love songs ever, ‘Cheers Darlin’ which is sexy,dark and simply brilliant. Adding the fact that Damienwas hammered when signing it, adding the fact that it was 2am in the morning, and adding that it was written a few hours after being abondened when out in a bar with this lady, and adding that you have him signing in a kitchen banging wine glasses that were just sitting around, and you have one of the greatest pieces of soul ever made. Beat that Chris Martin, with you signing on your damn mountain. Lisas voice just gets me again, humming in the backround, taunting a drunk Rice. I was very happy when a dinner guest winged about a ‘man signing off cue’ in the backround. Yes, thats the point. I could write a book on Cheers Darlin, but ill just end with a fan-bloody tastic song.
Cold water is a great song to get lost in, but another favorate is ‘I remember’ which is an explosion of pain, and has the best lyrics on the album with the second half. ‘God will forgive me but i whip myself with scorn, scorn.’ The crossover guitar part in the middle from happy to sad is superb, and a great bit is that it has some ‘fun’ with happy love songs when lisa signs ‘Nothing is taking me down’ and adds gently ‘cept you my love’ which is a stark irony, and we discover more in the second half. Live, this is breathtaking, but on the album it is brilliant too.
Id like to drag all peoples ears who simply listened to the cannonball remix to the opea in Eskimo, but there we are, another great song.
But the album gets really special at the very end, and Damien defeats todays throwaway culture by adding in a secret, hidden track you can only hear by accident, or just by waiting. You cant skip to it, and ‘Prague’ is were the intimacy of the album is defined. Nothing can prepare you for the open sixth string at the beginning of Prague, shokingly breaking into the dark. This is truley a moment were you can feel like the only person in the world listening to this song, and it is a fantastic one too. The lyric ‘Im trying to let it all go.. but how can i when you still dont know’ gets me every time. Prague is a completly flawless song and perfect in every single ****ing way. Nothing though can end the album quite like ‘silent night’, and it is great how once positive,uplifting lyrics are turned into depressing,cynical words. And with the last breath fades way, ‘O’ is over.

Your life changed yet?*

me thinks you are very clever in what you are doing,you are not here in the best interest of Damiens music although you try to make us believe it,you say something good then something bad hoping we only remember the good,are you from the other site???found out???nowhere else to go????me thinks you BAD

[Iwasatabarwiththis,lady]

this forum has gone to the dogs. A person posts a review of something they love and gets shouted down for it. To be honest, if you cant appreciate that, and think im playing some 'mind game' then i can say you are not a fan of Damien Rice.

'Eskimo Friends'? You're having a laugh..

bye.
This thread will probably be deleted, but before i go, get rid of Spamlet for his 'EDIT' above Emmett. Doesnt really deserve to be here.


sheesh...

[eamo_rice]

I thought this forum was for fans of Damien Rice to talk and share their thoughts about said artist. Why then is this poor guy being castigated for expressing his love of the album in the only way he knows how. he admits to being arrogant etc etc, and im sure hes not claiming that it is the most eloquent or professional review ever written - but thats not the point, he had something to say so he said it. If the fans are not free to express their love of Damien's music without fear of rebuke then i fail to see the point of this forum's existence.

[Iwasatabarwiththis,lady]

have fun burying your heads in the ground

[Cali]

^ ok, thanks

[dizzy cannon]

Originally Posted by Iwasatabarwiththis,lady

this forum has gone to the dogs. A person posts a review of something they love and gets shouted down for it. To be honest, if you cant appreciate that, and think im playing some 'mind game' then i can say you are not a fan of Damien Rice.

'Eskimo Friends'? You're having a laugh..

bye.
This thread will probably be deleted, but before i go, get rid of Spamlet for his 'EDIT' above Emmett. Doesnt really deserve to be here.
if anyone wants my account, passwords gandhi.

sheesh...

why cant people have an opinion on here? just because you wrote a review or rather your opinion of the album on here we can only praise it or not post at all?

and trust me this forum is way nicer then alot of others out there

[SisterMidnight]

i like it

[Iwasatabarwiththis,lady]

yea, sure, spamlet has a very open minded 'opinion' doesn't he?

Id like to see your own reviews spamlet, you ****ing vacuous tosser.

[Mankman]

Ahhh, vacuous, what a delightfully meilfluous word.

but, yeh, no, O is great. Thats my "review" as it were.

[Stipe]

I think its unfair the way the guys been treated. He gave a review, and no you don't have to agree with it but give him a break. He admits to being 'arrogant' which i don't even know if he truly is, so lay off.

Review of O: Brilliant!

[Spamlet]

3 days ago:

bye.
This thread will probably be deleted, but before i go, get rid of Spamlet for his 'EDIT' above Emmett. Doesnt really deserve to be here.

2 days ago:

have fun burying your heads in the ground

today:

yea, sure, spamlet has a very open minded 'opinion' doesn't he?

Aren't you gone yet?

Did you forget to turn off the stove or something?

Id like to see your own reviews spamlet, you ****ing vacuous tosser

Aw, how cute it is when you get all angry! Regardless of the entertainment factor though, it's my obligation to inform you that your insult is a misnomer. Neither I nor my post could, by definition, have been "vacuous" since you were so offended by what I said.

By taking such umbrage with me, you validate my comments as being anything but devoid of matter, intelligence, meaning or expression.

Anywho: Hmm. I've been here awhile now (quite a bit before I was even registered) and have over 270 posts. Most of those contain in-depth analyses of different aspects of Mr. Rice's artistry and work. Although I wouldn't call those samples of my writing formal reviews, if you really are all that interested you can just start searching.

It is true that I used to write reviews (during various phases of my career I wrote album reviews, theatre reviews and film reviews) while working for several newspapers as well as being featured on radio. That was before the internet was popularized so I can't help you there either.


Edit: Oh yes, and for Eamon, Stipe and all the others who think I'm some a-hole who's been unfair to "Iwas..." for no good reason. What you don't seem to realize is that he's been editing his posts since my first one to make it seem as though I suddenly attacked him without provocation. Gentlemen, I would not do that. He didn't just write a review. He BEGGED us REPEATEDLY for our honest opinions "good or bad" of it and then got insanely melodramatic and called me mean simply because mine was: "Don't quit your day job, home skillet" followed by a smiley.

Now, if you still call that a mean review that merited everything far nastier that he's said about me since then: yup, I admit it. I'm the meanest man in the world and you severely need to lighten up.

[dizzy cannon]

Originally Posted by Spamlet

yup, I admit it. I'm the meanest man in the world and you severely need to lighten up.

this made me giggle and i totally agree with you

[SisterMidnight]

Originally Posted by Iwasatabarwiththis,lady

OK whoever re-edited this with nasty comments about the kid: c'mon now, we aren't really the callous jerks that he portrayed us to be, are we? Totally uncool taking advantage of him like that.

Please don't do that again just because you can.

I protest once again that I'm not a cruel person yet you know exactly who the blame would have gone to for such a message being placed in this thread...

Thank you for understanding.

Spam

wow that's gotta be so weird posting under someone else's screen name... like walking around in their skin or something...
i saw what was written doug i never would have thought that was you

ah c'mon back dudelookslikea,lady.. spamlet's all right he just has a smart mouth (sound familiar?)
or if not we'll just look forward to seeing you around in your next incarnation

madness... hehe i love it

[PenguinBoy]

bla bla bla, a little less conversation a little more action please.

i reckon there should be a

spamplet Vs iwasupurbumwiththis,lady

webcam dance off

[Beevers_uk]

Originally Posted by PenguinBoy

bla bla bla, a little less conversation a little more action please.

i reckon there should be a

spamplet Vs iwasupurbumwiththis,lady

webcam dance off