Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams

With 14 records behind him, Ryan Adams is a certifiable shape-shifter— though some of his incarnations prove more dubious than others. On this self-titled record, Adams showcases some finely honed songwriting abilities, punctuated by a few facile moments. The album opens with “Gimme Something Good”—a big-chorus, Tom Petty style ballad that finds a forlorn Adams pleading for a serendipitous turn of fate. It is obvious that Adams still has a flair for the alt-country styling that launched his career in the first place, but some of his downtrodden sentiments can quickly fall flat. On “Trouble”, Adams presents us with a characteristic lament: “Oh, we might as well be dead and be gone/If we don’t belong here”. The man is clearly emoting, and nothing about his expression feels false—the songs themselves just aren’t particularly galvanising. Adams’ songwriting practices are time-tested; every tone on the record sounds pristine. However, when you consider that his 13 other albums showcase a spectrum of sonic gifts, Ryan Adams starts to look a little middle-of-the-road.“My Wrecking Ball” is a gentle reprieve. A bit of acoustic guitar lends some tenderness and resonance to Adams’ words. In its finest moments (see also: “Am I Safe”) Ryan Adams is a Springsteen-tinged taste of Americana. Even Adams’ guitar lines manage to evoke something bittersweet. Granted, you don’t always need lyrical melancholia layered over minor chords. That sort of sadness-without-subtlety is best left to North America’s contemporary country hitmakers.