9. III/IV (2010): III/IV was recorded during the same sessions that produced the quiet, introspective Easy Tiger, although the only track on Easy Tiger that would have fit here is that album's lone rocker, "Halloweenhead." And where Easy Tiger feels like the album Ryan Adams fans wanted from the man, III/IV feels the like the album Ryan Adams himself wanted to make -- not that he'd dare release another "rock" album after Rock N Roll. (NB: Adams's concept of "rock" is curious at best -- it's kind of like Replacements tunes as played by the Killers; not a bad thing by any means but definitely a weird one.) In fairness, III/IV is better than Rock N Roll, largely because it doesn't attempt to be some grand pronouncement on the state of the genre. A double album of what are essentially outtakes then, it's simply too damn long to sustain its running time, and casual fans will ignore it completely, but it's a treasure chest of gorgeous melodies, crisp rhythms, and crunching guitars.













































