In The iPod: Ryan Adams (and the Cardinals)

I’ve been listening to Ryan Adams a lot recently, so when his new album with a band (the Cardinals), Cold Roses , came out. I got it and Love Is Hell from a couple of years ago. They are tow very different CDs. The first is a return to alt country rock sound that Adams started with as a member of the now defunct Whiskytown. It seems cliché to complain about his prolific output and lack of editing, but it’s true. This is a 2 CD disk set, which would be more impressive as a one CD volume of the best material. My favorite tunes seem to be on the first disk (“Cherry Lane”/”Sweet Illusions”/”When Will You Come Back Here”). However, the second disk has the melodic “Easy Plateau.” Aside from those tracks, the collection of songs hasn’t grabbed me as much as those on his mope rock opus produced by former Smiths producer John Porter. Incidently, his knowledge and love of Morrissey is chronicle in a discussion that preceeds the first track on the album heartbreaker. The songs here are more introspective since they are about heartache and heartbreak, which leads to mellower and more dramatic songs than usual-hence the mope rock moniker. I think about half of the tracks are standouts in my opinion, I know he put out an EP of outtakes from this record as well-it just might be worth getting if there’s anything as good as: “Avalanche”/World War 24”/”Anybody Want To Take Me Home”/”English Girls Approximately”/”City Rain, City Streets”/ “Hotel Chelsea Nights”/”This House Is Not For Sale.”