We’ve suffered eight long Damien-less years, but now, he has finally resurfaced and is leaving us speechless all over again. His gorgeous new triumph My Favourite Faded Fantasy, available November 11, is reminiscent of older material off O and 9, but there is a newfound depth to his lyrical content, and almost a decade of absence has darkened his classic handsome Irish rasp.

Although it is evident that this album was not recorded in a kitchen the way O was, it is far from over-produced and the rawness shines through. Weepy strings on “It Takes a Lot To Know a Man” provoke immediate chills and they simply don’t go away for the duration of the entire album. “The Greatest Bastard,” in which he sings about opening a girl’s legs, among other things, reminds of his erotic side: how he continuously manages to make vulgar lyrics sound so tender. At one point during “Colour Me In,” Rice yells, “Come let me love you” over and over again in a plea that is almost exhausting. Note: If this album doesn’t rip your heart open, you must not have one. If there’s one thing to take from it all, it’s that Rice still has the uncanny ability to floor us with his polished simplicity. Oh, and he’s maybe/probably/definitely still in love with Lisa Hannigan.