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Ryan Adams-more than hype

Just a few notes about Ryan Adams an artist I think many Audiogoners would enjoy but might avoid due to the hype surrounding him and indeed the adverse publicity.
Indeed one member told me he avoided him due to this name being too similar to Bryan Adams!

Who is he?
He's thirty this year, born in Jacksonville,NC was the main man in alt-country band Whiskeytown and has been an acclaimed solo artist since 1999.

Is he good?
He's the real deal but more of that later.

Why the bum rap?
He is something of a wonder kid,songs seem to pour out of him at an amazing rate in a wide range of styles so part of the negativity to me is jealousy.
However he has a self-destructive streak, problems with drugs an alcohol have featured in his life at times.
Occassionally on stage he's been an idiot but I do believe he is 100% genuine,his gig recently in Glasgow was a joy to watch,it's easy to see he's a little misunderstood.
If occassional bad behaviour(and it's minor) was a barrier in chossing music to listen to our collections would be mostly empty.

The music?
Awesome in places,he's the closet to a modern day (younger)song writing genius we have.Part of his problem is he creates so much music that he must find it difficult to find the right presentation for it.
Who does he sound like?
He has country roots (he did a spectacular To Miss Someone in Glasgow,he has an amazing voice when he goes plaintive)with an occassional rockier edge-he can evoke memories of everybody from Dylan,Van Morrisson, The Band,Gram Parsons,Cash, and his new record The Smiths and U2.
He can sound like a magpie at times but what saves him,makes him special is the quality of the songs.

What should I buy?
Probably Gold is the place to start-arguably his most mainstream record,listen to it and don't dismiss it because of the influences,let it breathe and you will hear a very very special talent.
I would also state I'm no expert,like any artist there is an underground network of bootlegs,unreleased songs etc.-I'm sure if the rumours are true some of his best stuff is still in the can.
If you can try to hear some of his most beautiful songs like La Cienga Just Smiled from Gold or indeed Dear Chicago from the otherwise poor Demolition and tell me I'm wrong.
ben_campbell

Showing 4 responses by ben_campbell

ben_campbell OP
1,169 posts
 
Laz-arguably Heartbreaker is better than Gold but perhaps Gold is a better starting point for a wider audience,maybe,maybe not.
The main point of the thread is that I'm sure many Audiogoners will have missed this guy.
I love Strangers Almanac too and agree about Rock and Roll not brilliant but a decent record which has 4 maybe 5 excellent tracks.
ben_campbell OP
1,169 posts
 
Zaikesman-I know very well where you are coming from.
I allude to that in my original post.
There is not an awful lot of originality per se in his work (when was the last time anybody did anything original in their work for that matter?)but the quality is there in abundance and indeed the songwriting is of a quality and quantity that beats the likes of Alex Chilton. Chilton's standing in my book is way overrated,I like Westerberg a lot but neither would win prizes for originality.
Adams comes from the same chain of songwriting/rock and roll but imho he has more scope and more versatility than they did-the 5 full records he has produced since 2000 are a pretty eclectic bunch.
Try to hear So Alive from Rock and Roll,La Cienga from Gold,Political Scientist from Love Is Hell,Dear Chicago from Demolition and To Be Young from Heartbreaker and tell me most of the names you mentioned could fit that range (Costello would be the exception).
Better still try to catch him live he was/is the equal of both Westerberg and Costello both of whom I've seen live and enjoyed greatly (although Costello stunk once).
I think part of the problem is us- we are so aware of the influences indeed the history of music that we automatically make the connections-Adams work is good enough to survive that if you listen ENOUGH because the quality and the spirit of his music comes through,it is music with roots and I believe it to come from a pretty honest guy with a good heart whatever his flaws and yes he is human.
I've been following muisic for 25 years and longer and I've seen plenty of hyped acts who to varying degrees struggled to live up to their labels.
I stand by every word Ryan Adams does have "it" and in abundance.
ben_campbell OP
1,169 posts
 
Zaikesman I think he is original in spirit which is what I tried to explain badly.I think we take a similar view to artists and I think Adams is honest which is how I'd put.
I agree about quantity in those terms (Nick Drake for me) and I again maybe put it badly however he does seem to have that thing Dylan had in the 60's where the music almost seems to explode out of him.
ben_campbell OP
1,169 posts
 
Judasmac-Demolition wasn't particularly demos-the material on that record was taken from several different sessions and recordings-if I remember right he had three albums worth of material in the can.He didn't think any were finished and under a bit of pressure decided to realise a compilation of tracks on a single CD.

Ryan was true to form in the UK this week,during the second gig of the tour (which has been getting rave reviews)in Liverpool he terrorised the audience by climbing his PA stacks and performing a version of Sylvia Plath,he looked unsteady on the way up and unsteady on the way down.
Safely placed back on stage half way through the next song he slipped fell off stage and broke his wrist.
End of gig,tour and six weeks in plater for Ryan.
Rock and Roll.
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