Ryan Adams just can’t win. According to last year’s Gummys vote, 42% of you wanted Adams to disappear for a year, while 28% wanted at least three records from him. Alas Ry’s ’07 release schedule will only please 20% of the voting public, as he’s put all of his over Easy eggs in but one basket. And the record’s frontloaded; no coincidence Ryan’s provided advance listens of the LP’s first four tunes, they are its best. But it isn’t ’til “Off Broadway” and then “These Girls” that we get a break from the MOR he’s injected into the Tiger. People expecting the second coming of Heartbreaker, now’s the time to stop. This is safety-mode Gold-lite, without a song calling for a Bono/Corrs cover (though that, at least, is a good thing). But, hey, he’s not dead, and we’re all for that. Have a listen to the whole album Much Music.
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Technically, he’s releasing, like, 10 albums this year. That box set is finally coming out Q4.
FIRST!
Weird. I was just checking in to see if you’d posted anything about Easy Tiger. I agree about the album being front loaded, but I’m digging the entire thing. All the haters still waiting for Heartbreaker should get lives. I almost wish that album had never been released because it’s going to haunt Adams forever.
Wrt MOR, please. That’s a low blow. How ‘alternative’ are The National, CYHSY etc. It’s all music for 30yr olds.
Count me in the 28%. More!
FIRST!!!!1
I’ve listened to it twice and so far I don’t like it much, but I’ll give it more of a chance.
The cd is a grower. It’s not heartbreaker, but it’s his best since gold. Give it a few more spins before you judge it.
Easy Tiger is amazing, I love every single song on it.
Love it. Ry rules.
I’m a big fan of Mr. Adams, it’s great he’s not dead. But right off the bat I’m not much impressed by this. I’ll give it some more listens though – a couple of his others have been slow bloomers for me.
Before all the inevitable bitching and moaning love-him hate-him back and forth starts, Let me just be the first to say … HEY chill everybody, it’s just music.
Diggity.
I like how he shouts “guitar solo!” on halloween head. Ha… fun song.
Definitely give it a few listens prior to making your judgment. I don’t know if he has released an album since “Gold” that didn’t disappoint me on first listen. “Easy Tiger,” like most of his other work, takes a few spins. It’s a great record. Probably one of his best.
I agree with Kev. It is just music. That being said, I’m a huge fan of Whiskeytown and some of Ryan’s solo material and this one did nothing for me. Sorry. I know Adams fans are so die hard that they are a with us or against us bunch, but this is just quite weak. How anyone (ahem, Steven King) can call this Ryan’s best disc is beyond me. Maybe the label was breathing down his throat to get more commercial. Whatever. I’ll listen more but it’ll probably just make me want to play Faithless Street, Pneumonia, Heartbreaker or Cold Roses again.
i expected more. i didn’t enjoy ’29′ and i don’t like this one.
and none of the songs are very commercial, just bland sounding. he’s not gonna have a radio hit with anything from this batch.
Better than Steel Train!
“oh my god, whatever, etc.” is a great tune.
its good stuff. good songwriting. good production. fun listen.
Highline ballroom next week?
http://www.highroadtouring.com/artists/ryanadams
Fri Jun 22 ’07 (8pm)
Enwave Theate
Toronto, ONT
Sun Jun 24 ’07 (TBA)
Higher Ground
South Burlington, VT
Tue Jun 26 ’07 (8:00PM)
Hiro Ballroom
New York, NY
Why do people still think it’s fashionable to hate Ryan Adams?
Most bands on here are flavors of the month (or day), but I’ve followed this guy ever since I discovered Gold. That’s right, I came after Heartbreaker.
I still think Cold Roses is his best. But how could you not like this entire album?
So…I’m a huge fan…and I’m in a pretty bad mood today, so I’m guessing this could be tainting my view of the album…as of yet I’m not in love with it, but by no means is it as awful as you (Stereogum) make it out to be. It clearly has quite a few gems.
29 is my favorite of the most recent releases, it took me a couple plays to really get into J.C.N. and C.R., so I’m guessing this one may just be the same, or it may just be the funk of a mood I’m in.
Still very excited about the new release and sure it will sound much better once I buy it than on my puny computer speakers.
i think it needs a few rockers on it. not full out stuff like he had on rnr, but stuff like that albums b-sides like don’t even know her name and closer when she goes. halloween head is close, even that song lovely & blue that leaked last year would work nicely.