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Rating: When it comes to audacity, I believe Ryan Adams has few rivals. So arrogant that he titled one of his albums "Rock N Roll," so presumptuous that he threw the Whiskeytown project to the dogs after just a few albums because it didn't suit his artistic urgencies. Not to mention the super stylish pose of a cursed and lived rocker that looms over this album. But that's not all. He’s unbelievably surly with journalists who aren't inclined to understand his whims, so much so that he doesn't delegate anyone to tell them to go to hell without mercy.
And then there’s this crazy name he insisted on keeping, when there had already been a Bryan Adams around for over a decade, who initially started well but soon descended into a syrupy, radio-friendly pop-rock with no artistic pretensions. It’s as if someone decided to call themselves Lara Pausini or Ivan Fossati. An unfortunate choice, no doubt.
Gifted with significant abilities, he churns out albums one after another as if he were a baker busy with loaves of bread.
The result in these cases can only be inconsistent. Some good albums, others somewhat less so, and never anything that truly screams masterpiece. In short, it's a back-and-forth love-hate relationship. A repressed talent, like Recoba for those who understand, or like Cassano if you prefer (though the latter tends much more towards being disliked).
With this album, Ryan Adams has chosen to be loved. Polite, measured, inspired, and never over the top, he delivers a work that is indeed derivative, but exceedingly fresh and graceful in its soft melodic lines. In many tracks, the alt-country vein that has characterized him thus far is toned down, and he ventures into poignant melodic moments like in "Oh My God, Whatever, Etc." and even more in the concluding "I Taught Myself How To Grow Old." Thirteen rather short tracks (averaging around three minutes) testify to an innate songwriting talent graced with a purity not otherwise found in his previous works. There's also room for a few classy pop diversions, in "Two Hearts", for example, or in the sunny "Rip Off." and "Two." To remind us of his roots, there's the minimalist country of "Pearls On A String", and classic West-Coast style ballads, "Goodnight Rose" and "Tears Of Gold" halfway between Jackson Browne and Neil Young. The chosen single, "Halloweenhead," which echoes Bon Jovi and winks at some FM American road rock, is instead unconvincing.
We only ask for the time to fully enjoy this exquisite fruit, but we already know there isn't time, as good Ryan is knocking on the doors with new CDs of unreleased tracks, discards, B-sides, and various others.
Uncontainable!
Tracklist and Lyrics
02 Two (02:34)
If you take me back
Back to your place
I'll try not to bother you I promise
'Cause it's cold in here
And I wish it was hot
The sink's broke, it's leaking from the faucet
And I'm fractured from the fall
And I wanna go home
But it takes two when it used to take one
It takes two when it used to take only one
Well, my money's no good
When I'm up to no good
No good ever comes from it, honest
I got a really good heart
I just can't catch a break
If I could I'd treat you like you wanted me to I promise
But I'm fractured from the fall
And I wanna go home
I'm fractured from the fall
And I wanna go home
But it takes two when it used to take one
It takes two when it used to take one
It takes two when it used to take one
It takes two when it used to take only one
03 Everybody Knows (02:22)
You come for me in the worst of places
You come for me, you come and try to take me home
I'm always in need and it's hard to be reciprocating
The fabric of our life gets torn
And everything's changing so how i am to know
How i'm going to hold on to you when i'm spinning out of control
You an i together
But only one of us in love
And everybody knows
He says her name, it echoes in my head like it was a canyon
He says her name, he says it and i know what's up
You come to me sometimes when i'm thinking like a cannonball shooting out a cannon
And i forget whatever it was i was thinking about
With everything changing how am i to know
How i'm going to hold on to you when i'm spinning out of control
You and I together
But only one of us in love
And everybody knows
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Other reviews
By GrantNicholas
Ryan Adams is one of the most prolific artists of the current musical era.
Easy Tiger remains a good effort and proof of a clearly innate talent and class.
