Backstage Pass

For fans of Damien Rice's stunning debut "O" (Vector), the follow-up album brings good news and bad news.

The good news: Rice seems far more emotionally stable than he did on "O," where he alternately sounded fragile, manic and depressed, like he could crack at any moment. The bad news: That edginess helped make "O" an unexpected delight.

There is nothing on "9" (Heffa/Vector/Warner Bros.) that matches the gorgeous desperation of "The Blower's Daughter" or the wounded venom of "Cheers Darlin'" or the triumphant ache of "Cannonball."

Instead, "9" is filled with more traditional-sounding songs -- the alterna-folk midpoint between Jeff Buckley and James Blunt -- that Rice gives his own unique lyrical spin. On "Accidental Babies," he uses a piano ballad to ask a sequence of jealous lover questions ("Is he dark enough, enough to see your light? Do you brush your teeth before you kiss?" before ending with "What about me?"). The first single, "9 Crimes," comes closest to the "O" songs, a haunting tale of mystery that unfolds with the help of Lisa Hannigan's lovely vocals ("Is that all right? Give my gun away when it's loaded," Hannigan and Rice sing, their voices intertwined), as the strings swell and retreat.

Much of "9" is built on pushing forward and pulling back. "Rootless Tree" starts as a folk charmer before flying off into an expletive-fueled rage and then mellowing out again. "Me, My Yoke & I" builds toward a grunge-rock explosion, with Rice's vocals climbing keys and jumping in intensity before guitars roar and he starts to scream over them.

It's these dynamics that keep Rice interesting, even as his music becomes less emotionally shocking and more conventionally poignant. The flurry of hit-and-miss EPs that came between "O" and "9" served as a good way to experiment, giving Rice a guide to what worked and what didn't. There are plenty of good songs on "9," but given the lightning storms of brilliance Rice previously unleashed, a few flashes just make you want more. ("9," in stores today; Grade: B+)

Listen to "9" here
PHOTO: Damien Rice by Robbie Fry/Warner Bros.