Pop/Folk - In 2007, Damien Rice ended his ongoing artistic collaboration with Lisa Hannigan, who sang in his band for six years, announcing that the relationship had "run its creative course." After one listen to Sea Sew, it's easy to see why: the tender, intimate chamber pop therein sounds worlds away from Rice's harsh lyrical vision. It's a testament to Hannigan's acting abilities that she was able to sing Rice's songs so convincingly, knowing that all the while she was assembling this lovely scrapbook somewhere within herself.

Sea Sew, as a whole, is as warm and comforting as Hannigan's husky, whispered brogue. "Cello, violin, piano, and harmonium paint delicate pastel colors, but the arrangements rarely sound wimpy or morose." (Entertainment Weekly) The packaging has a home-made appearance, featuring a patch-work cover knitted by Hannigan's mother, and a needle-pointed lyric book that looks like pages from a diary. The songs share this intimacy, alluding frequently to personal details and private thoughts. On "I Don't Know," Hannigan muses "You don't know if I can draw at all / or what records I am into / if I sleep like a spoon or rarely at all." In short, Sea Sew is like a thoughtful gift from a best friend you haven't made yet.

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