Ryan Adams - Rock N Roll
I know I am a bit late to this party, but with a good friend’s recommendation, I bought a copy of “Rock N Roll” by Ryan Adams. This album has done pretty well with the critics, but for whatever reason, I had never given Adams much of a chance. As it turns out, Adams is not only good, but he forces me to break my own rules. He has a song on “Rock N Roll” called “Wish You Were Here” which I had officially put a moratorium on as a title after Incubus called one of their songs that a couple years ago. The fact is the only “Wish You Were Here” is by Pink Floyd. Strangely enough, after hearing Adams’ unoriginally titled song, I don’t feel too bad about the name.
This album is just straight up rock, reminiscent of Paul Westerberg solo stuff, but it definitely has more of an emotional edge, and never reaches the pop heights that Westerberg did. “This is It” is a good opener, and has a Foo Fighter-esque ending, in my opinion. I don’t know if that is appropriate in the chicken or the egg sense, but to me it makes the most sense. Adams gets playful with songs like “Note to Self: Don’t Die” and “Do Miss America” but the album is made with the less sarcastic tracks.
The highlights of the album are “So Alive” which reaches the greatest melodic and emotional heights on the album and the title track “Rock N Roll.” On “So Alive” Adams voice is possibly reminiscent of Joshua Tree era Bono. The thing is that it doesn’t sound forced or like an impression or anything. “Rock N Roll” is a two-minute low-fi track, which catalogs all the various lows, which might be felt. It doesn’t come off like a laundry list, and at two minutes with a sample of a girl saying the same thing over and over to finish the track, I can’t figure out quite why it is so powerful to me.
Anyway, check out this album. It is solid from beginning to end, and has made me a Ryan Adams fan. I will be checking out the Love is Hell EP’s shortly.
To be continued…
Chris Said,
January 28, 2004 @ 11:26 am
I love that song about how he got his first real six-string at the five and dime.
FilteringCraig Said,
January 28, 2004 @ 12:48 pm
Yeah and the theme from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Yeah, I know. This guy is significantly less cheesy and not from Canada, eh.
CB Said,
January 28, 2004 @ 2:12 pm
Interesting you bring him up. One of my best friends down here, who is a musician and is probably on par with your tastes as far as “pop sensability” played in a band with him in high school. When he first told me about his brush with fame I kept saying “Who? Do you mean Brian Adams?”
Even with his poppy tastes however, he doesn’t think much of his music. Craig, I’m sure you can guess what I think of it. He’s sponsored by Heineken though (or was at least) so I can’t knock him for that!
FilteringCraig Said,
January 28, 2004 @ 3:29 pm
Well, CB maybe you should check it out. If you would get some high-speed internet, I could help you with that. It really is a pretty good display of songwriting. Even if you don’t like it, you would probably appreciate his attention to detail.
Ed Said,
January 28, 2004 @ 5:59 pm
Song writing is good. He crafts songs and I prefer to have them rock a little more.
I tend toward the …Trail of Dead and Death Cab for Cutie vein, personally.
Ryan is good with a shrug of shoulders and a “so what”
Lawrence Welk was great musician, don’t listen to his shit either.
Filtering Craig Said,
January 28, 2004 @ 6:28 pm
I can’t help but agree with you Ed about Trail of Dead and Death Cab, but everyone here knew I was going to say that already.