83 / 95
Heartbreaker
(2000)
His Whiskeytown albums marked Adams as a talent to
watch, but his stunning solo debut confirmed that he was
something special. From irrepressible stompers like
To
Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High)
and
Shakedown
On 9th Street
to haunting country tearjerkers such as
Come Pick Me Up
and
Oh My Sweet Carolina
(featuring
Emmylou Harris),
Heartbreaker
remains one of the best
Americana albums of all time.
Gold
(2001)
This is the one that should have made him a mainstream
star. The country influences are still discernible, but
there's an almost Springsteen-ish swagger to tracks such
as
NewYork, NewYork,
Firecracker
and
Nobody Girl
,
while
When The Stars Go Blue
,
Wild Flowers
and
Sylvia
Plath
are among the most affecting ballads Adams has written. If you’re
wary of country music, then this is the Adams album to own.
Easy Tiger
(2008)
After a maddeningly eclectic trio of albums in 2005,
Adams wisely reined in his more extreme creative
impulses for this accomplished set, which recalls the
more mainstream sounds of
Gold
.
Easy Tiger
strikes a
neat balance between country – stand-outs include the
Sheryl Crow duet
Two
and the bluegrass-flavoured
Pearls
On A String
– and blue collar rock (
Goodnight Rose
,
Halloweenhead
).
Live At Carnegie Hall
(2016)
In the absence of a Greatest Hits set, this laidback
collection offers the best introduction to the wonders
of Ryan’s catalogue (although note that it’s an entirely
acoustic affair). If possible, seek out the 40-track plus
deluxe edition, which includes a lovely take on
Avenues
from his Whiskeytown days, and a cover of Bob Mould’s
Black Sheets Of
Rain
; his in-between banter is very funny, too.
RYAN ADAMS
And also...
If you want to go back to Ryan’s roots, check out his Whiskeytown
albums:
Stranger’s Almanac
(1997) made his name but
Pneumonia
(2001) is even better, despite a troubled release history. If you prefer
him in rock mode, look for new wave-ish
Rock N Roll
(2003) or his
bizarre metal/punk hybrid
Orion
(2010), while
Jacksonville City Nights
(2005) – recorded with his band The Cardinals – is a trad country delight.
His affectionate track-by-track remake of Taylor Swift’s blockbuster
1989
(2015) is also well worth a listen.
Words
John Ferguson
Although he has slowed down a little of late, Ryan Adams is still so
prolific that this month’s
Prisoner
will be his 16th album since his
debut in 2000 – and that’s what makes it so tricky to compile a shortlist
of essentials. Although he’s never made a truly bad album, even Adams’
very best LPs could have benefited from a little judicious editing.Then
there is eclecticism: Americana fans will naturally gravitate to his more
overtly country albums, while others will prefer his more recent rock/
pop outings. Either way, every home should have at least one Ryan
Adams album, so here’s where we think you should start...
19
REVIEWS
MUSIC
Rag'n'Bone Man
Human
Even if you don't recognise
his name, this fella has been
permeating your radio waves ever
since he dropped this release's
titular single late last year. No, it’s
not The Killers, it’s Rory Graham –
better known as Rag’n’Bone Man.
Human
is his debut album, and is
jam-packed full of reverberating
soul. From the beloved title track
down to the sultry beats in
Love
You Any Less
, Rag’n’Bone Man’s
debut release is a genuine journey
of self, and one that you’ll want
to take with him. You can’t say no
to a voice as beautifully soothing
as this Englishman’s, especially
when he’s belting truths like “Don’t
ask my opinion, don’t ask me to
lie, then beg for forgiveness for
making you cry.”
(Sony) Alesha Kolbe
Son Volt
Notes Of Blue
Son Volt were a band at the
forefront of the alt-country
explosion of the ’90s, born from
the break-up of Uncle Tupelo
(from which Jeff Tweedy went
on to form the beloved Wilco).
On this, their eighth album,
frontman and songwriterJay
Farrar explores the blues
–
more
specifically, traditional folk blues
and in particular the unique and
haunting tunings of Mississippi
Fred McDowell, Skip James and
Nick Drake. Farrar’s distinctive,
spellbinding vocals and poetic
lyrics are the essence of this
band, along with their country-rock
sounds. Coupled with this newly-
travelled direction, it doesn’t get
much better.
(ThirtyTigers/CookingVinyl)
Denise Hylands
The Franklin Electric
Blue Ceilings
Blue Ceilings
has taken The
Franklin Electric’s bittersweet but
undecorated Mumford & Sons
vibe and eagerly pushed it into
a wistful, melancholy territory
–
their soundscape has grown to
enormous proportions. To use an
electrical comparison: their first
album is simple, not unlike the
exercise in primary school where
you power a light bulb with a single
battery. The newest addition to
their catalogue however resembles
the complex arrangement of a
circuit board, powering something
agonisingly beautiful and
sophisticated. The band still hold
their folk-pop roots close to their
hearts, but this ambient new spin
gives them a smoother, more
vibrant edge.
(Indica) Savannah Douglas
Holy Holy
Paint
Paint
feels especially
appropriate as the title for
Holy Holy's second album.
It's an artful collection of
songs that draw from the
everyday to create compelling
portraits and landscapes.
Quiet reveries of quotidian
bliss, the silent struggles and
victories of our internal lives,
and the contradictions of our
fragmentary identities are all
captured in vivid tones. Holy
Holy are skilled lyricists and
musicians, exploring universal
questions of how we relate
to ourselves and others; their
blues, rock, and electronic-
imbued tracks are layered with
poetic detail, revealing more
with each listen.
(Sony) SimonWinkler