From The Vault: Ryan Adams & The Cardinals Cold Roses

Spellbinding and engrossing, this is the kind of album that Ryan Adams needed to make.

As mentioned in the previous article, Ryan Adams is quite familiar with criticism, both in regards to his albums and his performances. Even the harshest critic though will have a hard time finding fault in this sprawling two-disc album, as Ryan Adams' haunting vocals and genuine lyrics take you to a place rearely visited this constantly (on a single album) since he was the frontman of Whiskeytown. Each of the songs are very stripped and intimate, making Ryan Adams appear to be both vulnerable and as such there's a deep emotional connection felt through his music. A perfect example of this is on the bare "Meadowlake Street," which is primarily Adams singing along to his very subdued guitar playing. Yet another amazing feat is that among its nearly twenty tracks, there is hardly any filler at all, as the only outright tossable song is the seemingly half-baked rocker of "Beautiful Sorta," which feels mostly out of place, not only that, but Ryan Adams has done the same style of song much better. It's also refreshing that Ryan Adams has been able to make a complete album, one that takes you on a journey from beginning to end, something that can be rarely said about not only any of his previous albums, but really anyone's music today. Sure, the songs sound good individually as well, but you'll find a much greater appreciation for the crafting of each of the songs after repeated listenings and after hearing the entire CD through. The addition of a backing band in the Cardinals add a great amount of depth and contrast nicely to Ryan Adams style, particularly in the backing vocals provided by Cindy Cashdollar, Catherine Popper, and on two tracks Rachael Yamagata. While this is definitely a band effort (the entire band is given writing credits on every track), it still appears to be more of a Ryan Adams vehicle, though in a different sense. Instead of the incessant bravado that occasionally overbears the rest of the track, Adams instead sounds much more relaxed and comfortable in working with the rest of the band. This can be seen on tracks such as "When Will You Come Back Home," the powerful "Mockingbird," and the beautiful "Dance All Night" where the entire group really clicks and you can feel another element has been founded within Ryan Adams. Hopefully the band will continue to gel and if this album is any indication, the upcoming Jacksonville City Nights should be another great album for the year 2005.

★★★★¾