stickman Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Yeah they did Fix It on air last night. Those were my first thoughts regarding the amp - Rust Never Sleeps and Stop Making Sense. Link to post Share on other sites
Kalle Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 while i hate Pfork too, this is not a great record by Ryan's standards, i'm sorry. it's a very average one by his own standards. they got it right w/ the new Blitzen Trapper (even though it's closer to a 9 than an 8.5 imo), just lame that it took them over a month to review it I completely agree with you solace on both Ryan and Blitzen Trapper, I really disliked the newest Blitzen Trapper album because I thought they were playing it safe with the lack of wacky songs but now I am pretty convinced it's my favorite this year. Link to post Share on other sites
nodep5 Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 while i hate Pfork too, this is not a great record by Ryan's standards, i'm sorry. it's a very average one by his own standards. they got it right w/ the new Blitzen Trapper (even though it's closer to a 9 than an 8.5 imo), just lame that it took them over a month to review it Ok I have now read the Pitchfork review and I need to get some things off my chest. This is not to defend Ryan or this album, but to just speak to stupid record reviews. First of all, I hate when a reviewer generalizes things like Ryan has "consistently disappointed". I have never felt "disappointed" by a Ryan Adams release and I know people who think Cold Roses is his best album and I personally think Love is Hell is his best album and enjoy every record he has put out there. So please don't speak on behalf of me or anyone else by generalizing your own opinion. Secondly, since when do we hold a musicians cranky ass attitude against them. It seems to me that if a musician is an ass they usually get reinforced, but for Ryan it somehow reflects on his music. I'm not saying that I agree with Ryan and the way he chooses to act or be (I don't know the man), just judge the music and stop getting caught up in tabloid crap. I don't care who he dates and I never once listened to a song and thought "Is that about Winona?" Third, this whole review is based on the premise that he is overly self involved to the point that his music doesn't connect. If there is one thing that has never been a struggle for me personally (and just speaking for myself) is to connect with a Ryan Adams song. Afterall how many musicians are out there truly speaking for the masses and not just projecting their own crap. For what it is worth Bruce Springsteen is suppose to speak for "us" and his music rarely touches me on a personal level. Once again don't generalise your own opinion on everyone and base an entire review off of a faulty generalization. Anyway, is Cardinology the greatest thing ever? No, but does it make me happy, feel optimisitic and have some tunes I rank up there with Ryan's best? Yes. It unforuntaetly also has two songs "sink ships" and "natural ghost" that I can't really listen to and that has never happened on a Ryan Adams album for me. Once again, I'm not defending this album, I just hate pompous lazy reviews. Ok Ryan Adams can be difficult............are the songs any good? That is all I want! Link to post Share on other sites
solace Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 I'm seeing Blitzen Trapper open for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks tonight in Madison. Great lineup. This is the most excited I've been for an opening act since Andrew Bird/Wilco. luckyyyyyyyy BT + Horse Feathers here a week from this Sat should be great too tho! Ok I have now read the Pitchfork review and I need to get some things off my chest. This is not to defend Ryan or this album, but to just speak to stupid record reviews. First of all, I hate when a reviewer generalizes things like Ryan has "consistently disappointed". I have never felt "disappointed" by a Ryan Adams release and I know people who think Cold Roses is his best album and I personally think Love is Hell is his best album and enjoy every record he has put out there. So please don't speak on behalf of me or anyone else by generalizing your own opinion. Secondly, since when do we hold a musicians cranky ass attitude against them. It seems to me that if a musician is an ass they usually get reinforced, but for Ryan it somehow reflects on his music. I'm not saying that I agree with Ryan and the way he chooses to act or be (I don't know the man), just judge the music and stop getting caught up in tabloid crap. I don't care who he dates and I never once listened to a song and thought "Is that about Winona?" Third, this whole review is based on the premise that he is overly self involved to the point that his music doesn't connect. If there is one thing that has never been a struggle for me personally (and just speaking for myself) is to connect with a Ryan Adams song. Afterall how many musicians are out there truly speaking for the masses and not just projecting their own crap. For what it is worth Bruce Springsteen is suppose to speak for "us" and his music rarely touches me on a personal level. Once again don't generalise your own opinion on everyone and base an entire review off of a faulty generalization. Anyway, is Cardinology the greatest thing ever? No, but does it make me happy, feel optimisitic and have some tunes I rank up there with Ryan's best? Yes. It unforuntaetly also has two songs "sink ships" and "natural ghost" that I can't really listen to and that has never happened on a Ryan Adams album for me. Once again, I'm not defending this album, I just hate pompous lazy reviews. Ok Ryan Adams can be difficult............are the songs any good? That is all I want!blah blah blah (a lot of shit i don't care about, Winona, tabloids, Crank Ass, etc.). i've said above i don't like Pitchfork. i wasn't generalizing, it came out of my mouth (err fingers), therefore it's just simply my own personal opinion... do i need to post a disclaimer? i'd think that's obvious for anyone who has ever posted on a web forum in their life... i personally love Cold Roses too, and even Easy Tiger to a lesser extent. now i do think he's yet to put out an album as consistently great as Heartbreaker, but if you trim 3-4 songs off Cold Roses, it'd probably be up there for me. the only truly bad album he's made for me would be 29. and that one isn't bad music, just very very dull (yet beautiful at times) and hard to listen to all the way through. Link to post Share on other sites
Spawn's dad Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 4.7 on Pitchfork today... while i'd prolly give it a 6.5, the review is pretty spot on for the most part out of what, 15? Link to post Share on other sites
solace Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 out of what, 15? Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 do i need to post a disclaimer? i'd think that's obvious for anyone who has ever posted on a web forum in their life... I thought that post was directed at PFork, not you, but maybe I am wrong. Anyway, I do think it's lame for a reviewer to project an artist's personal drama onto the art. We talk a lot around here about separating the art from the artist, and the record/art should be able to stand on its own without someone who has probably never met the artist coming up with conspiracy theories about why he can't connect with the music. It may be because you just don't like the music -- not because Adams was dating Winona Ryder. That all being said, Ryan brings a lot of this on himself. EDIT: and like I said earlier in the thread, if this record is his "dream come true" I worry about how he will react to these negative reviews. These aren't fans booing him in his bus for ending a show early. This is a polished piece of art that he has released into the world. Link to post Share on other sites
nodep5 Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 luckyyyyyyyy BT + Horse Feathers here a week from this Sat should be great too tho! blah blah blah (a lot of shit i don't care about, Winona, tabloids, Crank Ass, etc.). i've said above i don't like Pitchfork. i wasn't generalizing, it came out of my mouth (err fingers), therefore it's just simply my own personal opinion... do i need to post a disclaimer? i'd think that's obvious for anyone who has ever posted on a web forum in their life... i personally love Cold Roses too, and even Easy Tiger to a lesser extent. now i do think he's yet to put out an album as consistently great as Heartbreaker, but if you trim 3-4 songs off Cold Roses, it'd probably be up there for me. the only truly bad album he's made for me would be 29. and that one isn't bad music, just very very dull (yet beautiful at times) and hard to listen to all the way through. I was responding to pitchfork, not you, I just used your post as the place to do so. I thought that may get confused. Sorry! But you do bring up another issue that critics always throw out there about Ryan. This whole idea of he should trim his stuff down. Ya know, i never understood that until Cardinology. It was the first time I truly thought 10 songs rather than 12 with two awful songs. Anyway, I can't think of a song on Cold Roses I wouldn't want. But this is nothing new, go back and listen to early Byrds records. I always wish they would have left David Crosby's crap off the record. Almost everyone puts out some songs on each record that we probably could have lived without, so why does Ryan take that hit? Because he's willing to put more out in a short time span. That sucks! I love waiting 3 years between albums. Link to post Share on other sites
nodep5 Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 I had a few other thoughts that no once cares about. 29 is also probably one record of Ryan's that I find challenging. It strikes me as a concept album with the focus on the whole and not individual tracks. I think Ryan is so good at individual tracks that sometimes I don't always want to hear a long story song like Carolina Rain. I appreciate the attempt and really enjoy 29 on vinyl when I have the time and mood and patience, but it is not a get in the car and drive to work album. I mentioned earlier that Cardinology had a few songs I'd rank up with some of his best and for me those songs are "let us Down Easy" and "Like Yesterday" I really dig these two and have played them over and over. Link to post Share on other sites
solace Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 ah... sorry, wasn't apparent from the quoted portion Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Carolina Rain is one of my favorite Ryan songs. Link to post Share on other sites
stickman Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 "And I'm still there in the banqueeeeet hall where the gunnnnn went off in the Carolina Rain" Gets me every time. Bummmmmmer. I just found out my copies of 29 and Easy Tiger are no longer on my computer/ipod. I guess I'll have to rip the vinyl. Link to post Share on other sites
nodep5 Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 "And I'm still there in the banqueeeeet hall where the gunnnnn went off in the Carolina Rain" Gets me every time. Bummmmmmer. I just found out my copies of 29 and Easy Tiger are no longer on my computer/ipod. I guess I'll have to rip the vinyl. You know what gets me every time? The first few notes of Jacksonville City Nights. It is like this is the country record I've always wanted. Also while i'm in the mood the verse in Magnolia Mountain : "They burned the cotton fields down in the valley, and ended up with nothing but scars, scars became the lessons they gave to their children after the war" Chills Link to post Share on other sites
stickman Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 I really like the final chorus/ "The Ennnnddd" part of the The End. Lyrical that song always seemed to me to be like Oh My Sweet Carolina pt. 2 (kind of) Link to post Share on other sites
nodep5 Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 I really like the final chorus/ "The Ennnnddd" part of the The End. Lyrical that song always seemed to me to be like Oh My Sweet Carolina pt. 2 (kind of) I agree with the singing on the End at the end. Sometimes Ryan goes for it vocally, there are some nice parts on the new album where he lets it fly and they fade it out with the production as the next line starts. Really cool stuff. The boy can sing, sometimes he is so good he begins singing like other people instead of letting his natural voice take over. I'm singing country, no now i'm the smiths, no now i'm paul westerberg, on an on, and he pulls it off. Link to post Share on other sites
stickman Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 The vinyl hasn't come yet so I still haven't heard Cardinology. Link to post Share on other sites
bigideas Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Oh - you have to see that. is it readily available or hard to find a la Let it Be? EDIT: and like I said earlier in the thread, if this record is his "dream come true" I worry about how he will react to these negative reviews. These aren't fans booing him in his bus for ending a show early. This is a polished piece of art that he has released into the world. as of now it's tied with Easy Tiger on metacritic.i forgot how poorly those 2005 releases got reviewed - the ones that are generally thought his best have lower averages than Easy Tiger.I'm sure Heartbreaker would be the highest, but it's not on there. Link to post Share on other sites
solace Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 both of those Letterman performances were quite good. loved the Maiden shirt Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 is it readily available or hard to find a la Let it Be? The 2002 release. I don't know why the newer release is out of print. Link to post Share on other sites
aricandover Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 both of those Letterman performances were quite good. loved the Maiden shirt I agree on both counts. it's funny though, a few years back when I'd see a Sum 41 video and all those guys were wearing Maiden shirts, I didn't think it was cool. I wanted to punch them. Link to post Share on other sites
MattZ Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 I agree on both counts. it's funny though, a few years back when I'd see a Sum 41 video and all those guys were wearing Maiden shirts, I didn't think it was cool. I wanted to punch them. I had the same reaction -- I thought it was cool and then I admitted to myself that if I didn't like Ryan Adams, that I'd probably hate it. Link to post Share on other sites
Orkie Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 4.7 on Pitchfork today... while i'd prolly give it a 6.5, the review is pretty spot on for the most part PF sucks, but they are right about Cardinology. It's a stinky pile of wombat dung. Link to post Share on other sites
Orkie Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 i have a hard time with 99% of indie rock for that exact reason. When you start getting into your upper 20's, you realize a lot of indie rock is just hollow posturing, and the straightforward rock becomes absolutely refreshing. Bands like AC/DC become like some triumphant razor that slices through the bloated indie pretentiousness. Link to post Share on other sites
thecanuck Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 4.7 on Pitchfork today... while i'd prolly give it a 6.5, the review is pretty spot on for the most part Every reviewer is entitled to their opinion about the quality of the music, but it seems to me that this review in particular barely said anything about the album itself. There was about one paragraph of substance and the rest seemed like filler. It seemed to be more a critique of Ryan Adams, the human being, than Cardinology itself. As for me, I like the album. It isn't his best record, but there are definitely some keepers. "Sink Ships", is the one song that I have trouble getting into lyrically. The whole job application thing just seems so out of place. Link to post Share on other sites
stickman Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 I always feel like Pitchfork chose Ryan to be the person that they would just get in their crosshairs and take down. Take this classic review of Ryan's awesome hip hop song from his website a couple of years back. "Look Who's Got A Website" Review titled: "Hey Ryan Adams STFU" You guys, the internet is so terrible. Today comes word that Ryan Adams has relaunched his website with a comical new Battlestar Galactica-style interface, soundtracked entirely by the tousled-haired singer/songwriter's own horrific beats and rhymes. Yes, he is rapping. In what is without question one of thee worst aural assaults of the year, Adams subjects visitors to no less than four minutes of a novelty hip-hop track that, at its best, consists of him shouting "NEW YORK CITY!", and at worst, has him putting on his best impression of a rappin' witch. There's also a fascinating song about a drunk Santa. It's a classic Adams wtf moment, a blatent publicity stunt we imagine he feels is unassailable since it's pretty much harmless and is just him goofing off and being his usual obnoxious self. You know what? No. This is basically criminal negligence. Who knows a lawyer? Link to post Share on other sites
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