Ryan Adams & The Cardinals Cold Roses Release Date: 05/03/05 Score: 8.3 out of 10.0

Five albums after the quintessential alternative country-rock staple Heartbreaker , Ryan Adams has finally provided us with the proper follow-up in his newest effort, Cold Roses…solid song-writing and key instrumental/vocal additions that equal let-loose, gratifying rock and roll. Quite the personality of the rock industry, one never knows what’s in store for this rebellious individual (dismal boozehound, lovesick crooner, brutish alt-country rocker). With each release a noticeable demeanor appears. Which persona is he inclined to stick with? The answer lies in a precise combination of all three, which is what we find on the latest album with his new backing band, The Cardinals.

Pumping out new material like it‘s nobody‘s business, the double-disc Cold Roses is the first of a triad of full length releases due from Adams this year. September will come out in the summer, and 29 in the fall. So, that’s four discs worth of music, but I mean, is there really a need for this overabundance? Recently hearing a preview of the upcoming tunes at his live show, it does sound promising, but we’ll have to see the finished products. Until then, we should be appreciative of someone with such expressiveness, and his copious efforts leading to such inspired results.

This album shows a mixture of everything from his days with Whiskeytown to bits of the passable Love Is Hell. It is an amiable collection of songs that every Ryan Adams fan can certainly enjoy. The heartfelt southern twang of “Sweet Illusions” and the pieces of harmonica on “Dance All Night” are reminiscent of Whiskeytown, especially their last album Pneumonia. “Beautiful Sorta” is unlike most of its company here, rather more harmonious with the pop-rock tracks that are on Gold, like his semi-hit “New York, New York” or “Answering Bell.” Being a hopeless romantic, or at least partially, there’s a few ballads at the end of the second disc a la Love is Hell -- “Blossom” and “Friends” which have his beautiful, heartfelt words as always (“These things inside me, they repeat like broken records/ Spinning pretty somethings behind my eyes/ And when I can’t look at you/ I can paint your picture perfectly in my mind”) Lovely.

Most of the record, however is a return to form for Adams, with the folk-rock, bluesy introspections heard on Heartbreaker only with added maturity and a sharpening of elements. The piano number “How Do You Keep Love Alive” and the haunting steel guitar on “Rosebud” are much like the softer pieces on his first solo record.

Then there’s the standout songs, the ones that can’t be categorized because they are something new and fresh, referencing the past, but adding modernization and more enticing qualities. The first single “Let It Ride,” with backing vocals by Rachel Yamagata, is a sweet song for the long, open road. The openers to both discs, “Magnolia Mountain” with its perfect harmonies, and “Easy Plateau” with its catchy beats, are easily some favorites. The title track has striking electric riffs and strange yet alluring scratchy vocals. Whether it was on purpose or perhaps he was just caught on a rough day doesn’t matter, because it adds completion with that raw, cutting-edge factor.

“Meadowlake Street” is hands down the highlight of the record. It has this illustrative intense build-up of sound and emotion, going from sweet acoustic lulling to a full blown rockin’ tune. Definitely a shining moment, and one of his all time best.

Not one to repress growth, and experimentation, but Cold Roses seems to be an album where he feels more “at home.” Adams has come full circle from Heartbreaker, settling back into his roots of rock ‘n’ roll, adding his own musings and interpretations, along with a new supporting band to ease the tension in his music and overall aura. The unnecessary reverb, and the hint of expiation from previous albums is gone, now replaced with rustic, unfeigned melodies, sincere lyrics, and the unaffected passion of a candid singer/songwriter whom we have come to know and love.

-Marissa Logue
May 18, 2005