Damien Rice
My Favourite Faded Fantasy
WARNER
4/10
When it comes to long-awaited albums, there’s a chance that they will either meet all of over-zealous fans’ grand expectations, or they will sorely disappoint. After eight years of radio silence from singer-songwriter Damien Rice, My Favourite Faded Fantasy comes with the kind of self-reflection that only time can provide, but doesn’t have the musical innovation that the time away should have provided. From the balladic opener to the gradual build-up of ender “Long Long Away,” each overwrought track delves into the depths of Rice’s mind in a way that differs from his previous works. Instead, songs look back on specific moments within the musician’s life, using strings, percussion, and keys to emphasize the melancholy of those stories—but the raw emotion and confessional quality of O and 9 are sorely missing. Fantasy is every experience of Rice’s lost love, the time in between, and what comes after everything is said and done, but the LP doesn’t make us feel like we are actually sharing these experiences with him.
