If an artist tends towards the prolific, it can be more difficult to gauge a dip in form. If you fire a hundred shots, after all, a few will hit their intended targets. But, with this self-titled effort, it’s clear that Ryan Adams is in good shape; confident and exhibiting the sort of swagger we haven’t seen around these parts in a while.
Occupied day-to-day with a steady drip of singles, his Pax-Am studio duties and label responsibilities, Adams is as busy as ever, but he hasn’t put out a solo album since 2011’s ‘Ashes & Fire’. With its drivetime pacing and Tom Petty strut, his return has justified the wait, also serving as a neat companion piece to Jenny Lewis’ ‘The Voyager’, on which he served as producer.
Adams’ guitar playing is loose and expressive throughout, his vocal melodies dipping into nimble ‘Heartbreaker’ territory and, at times, borrowing some spit and sawdust from Paul Westerberg. When combined with the brilliant ‘1984’ and ‘The Voyager’, ‘Ryan Adams’ completes a sharp one-two-three.
From the opening lick of Gimme Something Good this is an assured statement, with Adams’ love of his source material fleshed out by his understanding of its nuances.
Kim, Stay With Me and Feels Like Fire are similarly muscular in their approach, blending lovelorn sentiments with west coast hooks, while My Wrecking Ball hits a well-timed sombre note at the record’s core.
Where Lewis’s record wins out - if we’re going as far as to compare the two - is in her mastery of the art of storytelling. Adams is certainly no slouch in the lyrics department, but here his words are a little too vague at times, a little over-reliant on imagery being spun out.
It’s a fairly minor complaint in the grand scheme of Adams’ return, but still one that prevents this album from reaching heights that, at times, it appeared destined for. Still, chalk it up as a very welcome comeback.
Ryan Adams Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Thu September 18 2014 - LONDON O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire
Fri September 19 2014 - LONDON O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire
Wed September 24 2014 - MANCHESTER Albert Hall
Thu September 25 2014 - GLASGOW Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Click here to compare & buy Ryan Adams Tickets at Stereoboard.com.
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
.jpg)
