Damien Rice, B-Sides

After the sublime and affecting 'O' of 2003, 'b-sides' seems at first glance to be a collection of off-cuts compiled by a cynical record company in order to cash in on Damien Rice's ever-growing following and cannot constitute a bona-fide follow-up.

However, half a dozen close listens actually reveals 'b-sides' to be an album that, although very short at 32 minutes and 42 seconds, does pretty much stand up. This view however can only be held after an amount a time because Rice's output, like a lot of the best music is a slow-burner. His music creeps into your head slowly and over time. When he's in there however, he sticks. There was a period of about three months last year when I had to listen to Rice's album 'O' every day.

The tracks 'the professor & la fille danse', 'volcano ('97 demo)'

and 'delicate (live in dublin)' on 'b-sides' prove how Rice is able to hold you using just his voice and a guitar. This music is much more than the sum of its parts. Rice has been compared to David Gray but I think he tops Gray in that he's closer to the ground; the emotion he expresses is more felt, more genuine and more affecting.

To me, the only downside to this album apart from its diminutive length is that Rice had to include the sanitised and accelerated radio remix of 'Cannonball'. The insipidity and accessibility of this made-for-radio version gives a false impression of an artist who begs much more time than 3 minutes and is much more hard-won.