Easy Tiger
Ryan Adams
The only territory broken by Ryan Adams with his Easy Tiger release is that he has decided to put out a finished, solid effort. Don’t misunderstand, Adams will end up as one of the most important artists of his generation, but his inconsistency has been legendary. From the drunk fest that was Whiskeytown to the three full length CDs released in 2005 he has insisted on just putting his music out there and letting the audience decide whether they want to sift through the fodder. You want to hear my music then damn it you’re gonna have to listen to ALL of my music. With Easy Tiger he shows his maturity and craftsmanship in that each tune is finely honed.
The disc opens with the solid “Goodnight Rose” as Adams assures us that if we just trust him and hold his hand he will be there for us. He doesn’t disappoint. “Halloweenhead” is a tremendously delightful tune. It should be played loud. Not sure what the hell the song is about but I like it. The video on YouTube is also worth searching for. “Tear of Gold” would fit comfortably on most country records from the 70’s. Steel guitar bliss with words about being young and growing old. All he needs is a bit about a dog and someone losing a job.
Adams evokes the spirit of Woody Guthrie on “Pearls on a string.” The banjo, pleasant pace and subtle mandolin are a perfect mix with the whimsical lyrics. Listen hard enough and you can see the accompanying singers in front of a microphone with one hand to their ear and the other tapping their hand off their thigh. You can probably see a smile on the face of the musicians as they gently keep time.
BLUE EYES FOR MILES/ PRETTY AS A PEACH/ GLORIOUS KIND AND ALWAYS ON TIME NEVER FAR OUT OF REACH/ TOMORROW’S ON ITS WAY/ AND THERE’S ALWAYS A NEW SONG TO SING/ GLORIOUS KIND AND ALWAYS ON TIME LIKE PEARLS ON A STRING/ SOFT PRECIOUS AND EASY/ UNDER THE SEA/ IF YOU DIVE DOWN FAR ENOUGH TO THE BOTTOM AND LOOK AROUND AND YOU WILL SEE/ TOMORROW’S ON ITS WAY/ AND THERE’S ALWAYS A NEW SONG TO SING/ GLORIOUS KIND AND ALWAYS ON TIME, PEARLS ON A STRING/ GLORIOUS KIND AND ALWAYS ON TIME, PEARLS ON A STRING/ SUN SHINING DOWN/ CHILDREN LAUGH AND PLAY/ GLORIOUS KIND AND ALWAYS ON TIME OUT THERE IN THE DAY/ TOMORROW’S ON ITS WAY/ AND THERE’S ALWAYS NEW SONGS TO SING/ GLORIOUS KIND AND ALWAYS ON TIME, PEARLS ON A STRING.
Overall this is a fine effort. Adam’s voice has rarely been in better form. I wonder if he realizes how much he sounds like Neil Young sometimes. He must. He must also realize that in the end it is better to put out discs only when they have been thoroughly vetted and refined until the songs are solid. Let’s hope he continues this method for future releases because he has already released a lifetime’s supply of sloppy music.