For Some Reason I Reviewed All Four New Ryan Adams Albums

Way back when I first started reviewing albums in full on this blog one of the first records I covered was Ryan Adams' heartland rocking Prisoner. Since then, I've been basically silent on him as an artist in almost any capacity as he's grown to be a pretty controversial figure for reasons I totally agree with but won't dig through here. In his retreat from the indie mainstream he's taken to releasing an absolute shit ton of music, far more than I could keep up with on the blog. But when he dropped four entire new albums on the first day of the year my curiosity just got the best of me and for some reason I chose to review all of them.

Heatwave - Ryan Adams

This album is absolutely ALL over the place right out of the gate. It kicks off with a short roaring classic punk rager before shifting into an 80s power ballad type cut and then hitting the title track which feels like a Spoon-inspired piece of indie rock. The only thing that ties all the songs together is the pretty awful production. I may have been known to forgive some questionable production choices in the past but the muddiness of these songs is absolutely awful and it makes it difficult to appreciate any of the energy underneath. Strangely though, the production does seem to kind of improve as the album goes on and I don't think it's just because I'm getting used to it. One of my favorite songs on the album Angel turns up around the halfway point of the record and it marks a change where a lot of the instrumentation gets easier to separate and the highs start to actually achieve more impact. While I can't say the album ever really makes up for its rough start things certainly improve as it goes on and later tracks like I'm Insane and Already Gone definitely help reinforce that. At there very least there are some things here that are probably worth checking out. 5/10

Sword & Stone - Ryan Adams

This is probably the most heartland rock Killers-ish of the four albums. The title track in particular feels like it could have been lifted straight out of Battle Born, which isn't necessarily a complaint. Even though the style is VERY familiar at this point it's something Adams is at least good at and he's able to flex his visual songwriting and reverb-heavy vocals painting compelling musical portraits. All across this album despite the fact that the Killers and Springsteen worship is so evident, Adams still can't help but conjure epic moments. The dusty riffs and triumphant soaring vocal lines are still a combination that works on me a lot more than I'd like to admit. This is honestly kind of the best case scenario I had in mind before listening to any of these albums and I'm pretty glad at least one of them pulled it off. 6.5/10

1985 - Ryan Adams

Next up is the most conceptually distinct of the four records. It's the shortest of the bunch at just 34 minutes but that's split up over 29 tracks. The songs gravitate around a minute long and are met with an appropriately vintage punk Sex Pistols and Ramones feel. As somebody reviewing four Ryan Adams albums released on the same day I appreciate the variety even if I'm not sure this type of bruising punk rock is where Ryan's strengths lie. That doesn't mean that there aren't highlights. Songs like the wiry Waste Of Time and more sentimental Bag Of Trath prove that Adams does have ideas that suit this format but the most appealing moments can sometimes be few and far between. Occasionally on songs like Rat Face and You Are The Enemy Adams sounds like the ultimate poser when both his writing and performances fail to really feel like the spirit of the material he's aiming to emulate. While this wasn't the most difficult listen of the four albums as a whole I think it had the least amount of material I actually enjoyed and provided almost all of the cringiest moments. 4/10

Star Sign - Ryan Adams

Finally, we've arrived at what appears to be the "main" album of the bunch. I don't have a whole ton of evidence to base that on other than the promotion seeming to push this album the most and the streams and reviews seemingly following that lead. Another reason I think that's the case is that this is the album that sounds the most like what I was anticipating. The project leans into some of Ryan Adams' indie folk and singer-songwriter influences, for which he's always been pretty acclaimed. While I can't say these songs have the same personality or flavor as his best work, they do still manage to be decent undertakings. What they're really missing the most is those catchy soaring hooks that he's always been so good at crafting. Plenty of songs here tell compelling stories with memorable visual motifs but not enough of them really crystalize that with meaningful high points. Another element of the album that's a bit hit or miss is the sentimentality sneaking through all of it. With the bar-rocky piano keys splashed over so many of these songs and the more anguished vocals everything gets en emotional tone that it doesn't always earn. Despite that I think the record does have some notable moments and emotional highs. While it may be the most forgettable of the bunch due to its lack of a distinct concept, it being the style that feels the most in Adams' wheelhouse does go a long way. 5.5/10