I like your reivew of the album. I am planning on doing one myself. I agree with you about the way this set slowly grows on you. I have not listened to all of his albums but what I have listened to rarely packs an immediate punch. That's part of why I haven't gotten my review written yet... I need a few more listens before I offer an opinion.

Good review.

Mark,

I promoted this review to Advance.net. That means I put it here (and these places) where it could potentially be read by another few hundred thousand readers.

- Thank you for the post. Temple Stark

definately a slow-burner. but well worth the time. Stuff like Let It Ride hits you on first listen, but the record as a whole is a just far too dense to shine on first spin. But it's remarkable. like a cross between his Stangers Almanac-era stuff with Whiskeytown and his Love Is Hell.

Thanks guys. This is much more complex than his previous works that hook you easier on that first listen. I remember not thinking much of it the first time I queued it up, but it had that intangible something that kept me going back to it. Of the dozen or so disks I'm listening to right now, this is the one I kept going back to over and over again not really even knowing why. It takes a lot of thought and numerous listens to really get at what Ryan is doing here. That's quite the artist that can add this level of depth to an unconventional piece.

I agree, for the most part, with your review.

I am a Ryan Adams fan but I can't figure the guy out. Why does he put out so much material, when one third of it is not very good?

The critics have spent the last 8 years harping on this issue and still Ran Adams seems determined to release everything he writes whether it's good or horrible.

This album, though it is pretty good, still has a lot of filler on it. And how will he justify releasing 2 other albums this year, if they are similarly spiked with filler material?

You see what this all does? It detracts from the great music that he does release. I feel more frustration listening to Ryan Adams than I do enjoyment anymore. I've never had such conflicting feelings about a band or artist.

I hate the fact that I have to make mix tapes of Ryan Adams if I'm gonna enjoy him, because his post whiskey town albums are just not good all the way through.

sydney, i hear this a lot, but i always say something along the lines of "what would those nirvana fans'd given for a couple more records a year?" Being a ryan adams fan is something close to the best a fella could hope for. always new stuff, man. and i can't get behind the notion that the albums aren't good the whole way through. the critical fury unleashed on Rock N Roll was totally insane to me.

But i see where you're coming from. he is certainly awfully prolific. But maybe it's just cause these days folks are used to an album every two years or whatever. Look at Dylan or the beatles. records every year AT LEAST.

if a fella makes his livin from writing songs and singin them, then i wanna hear em. Provided i dig the fella or lass in question. To be honest, justin timberlake could release a dozen albums a fortnight an i doubt i'd hear any of them.

Ya I fluctuate between being really frustrated and excited to hear the new release.

I for one like 3 or 4 songs on "Rock n'Roll" but thought the rest of it was throw away stuff.

I liked the "love is hell" cd's better.

In any case I just think that he could save his b-sides up and release them as a compilation every 3 years or somthing, instead of putting them on the full length albums.

Anwyay , like I said, I am a fan and he seems to have a rare, rare, raw talent. Though it may be frustrating at times, its never dull being a Ryan Adams fan. Lots of debate...

syd, this is very true. never dull. and despite all the stuff in the record stores, i still feel a chill like you wouldn't believe when stumblin across a bootleg disc of The Suicide Handbook as i did a while back. Ha, never too much, man.

Hey I dug your review and I agree with just about every aspect. However this is the second revie that I have read that makes no mention to The Grateful Dead. If you are not faminliar with the Dead you should know that this record is in many ways a tribute. From the songwrting all the way down to the artwork, adams is wearing his devotion on his sleave. The song Rosebud is a tribute to Jerry Garcia(Rosebud is the name of one of his guitars). If you are unfamiliar with The Dead I would suggest checking out Europe 72, which features some of their best songs and tightest playing. Thanks for the review. sincerely, Ian Alexy

I wasn't aware there was a Grateful Dead connection to this work. Adams did have some Dead-esque art featured on his web site so it's starting to make more sense now. I can't say I've ever really had a proper exposure to the Dead. I guess those Phish/Widespread Panic stereotypes have always stood in my way of giving them a proper look. I'll cure my ignorance by checking out that album you recommended. Thanks for the insight Ian.

He doesn't put out everything he records, there are twice as many bootlegs of unreleased material as there are official albums.