The trouble with Damien Rice these days is there isn’t just enough of him to go around. As each new part of the world has fallen for his remarkable talents, his travels have taken him further away from making the record that will ultimately follow the all-conquering O.
Given that his debut album was released here first, his Irish fans have had the longest wait, a state of affairs that B-Sides is no doubt intended to address. The most die-hard among his following (and there’s a lot of ‘em out there) will already be in possession of much if not all of what’s on this latest offering – but there is an undoubted benefit to having them collected onto the one record, making this addition to the canon more than worthwhile.
The album also gives anyone who might have been by-passed by the whole Rice phenomenon, a useful opportunity to approach his work in a fresh light – doubtless many will find it a revelation. Live versions of ‘The Professor & La Fille Danse’ and ‘Delicate’, for example, show him to be a genuinely sensitive solo artist, capable of delivering intelligent readings of songs. The version of ‘Woman Like A Man’ recorded for Jon Richard’s Galway Bay FM radio show, meanwhile, is more upbeat, underlining why this is such a live favourite.
‘Lonelily’ is a similarly full-bodied affair, despite having been recorded by Rice alone, on a mobile studio. By way of contrast, the instrumental version of ‘Volcano’ is funky enough to drop in any left of field DJ set and sits interestingly next to the original rough and ready 1997 demo recording, which is also included.
The smooth edges of the ‘Cannonball’ radio remix round the package off superbly, with the sole glimpse of the more familiar public face that has captured a mainstream audience for Rice. When all is said and done, then, B-Sides offers an intriguing angle on the music of Damien Rice – and the fascinating journey he has taken over the past couple of years.
One suspects that the next chapter could be even more arresting. In the meantime, there’s eating and drinking in this, to be going on with.

To win a signed copy of Damien Rice's new album, click here