Dear Chicago February 11, 2009

I’d put this one in my top three Ryan Adams songs.  I love the heavy reverb on the guitar and vocals, the way he hammers-on the third fret of the high E string during the “I’m sorry about the every kiss” part…  I just feel this recording perfectly captured the moment.  Everything about it is so open and empty, it’s stirring to hear it.  Just the way he sounds weak when he’s admitting all of these things to someone who has left him is enough to move you.  And you get the impression that she either:

A) Isn’t listening
or
B) Isn’t there at all

He tries to make it sound like he’s moving on, seeing other girls, etc.  But eventually just gives in and admits to her that he’s been thinking about suicide and how desperate he really is.  Of course, at the end he goes back to being defensive by saying “I think I’m falling out of love with you.”  Whether or not he really means it is up for debate, though. 

Such a brilliant, haunting song…

You Will Always Be The Same January 31, 2009

It seems like sometimes the quieter songs are the ones that have the greatest impact on the listener.  Songs like “You Will Always Be The Same” will always mean more to me than a song by a band like Radiohead who try to fit a jillion different sounds in one song.  Is it because the focus is on the songwriting and leaves the artist much more vulnerable and honest?  I think that’s a big part of it…  But it’s also like my love for short songs, it says everything that needs to be said without anything extra or excessive. 

“You Will Always Be The Same” is right up there with “Dear Chicago” for my favorite song on Demolition.  I like the idea of these unfinished songs being released, just because you get to see them in their raw, natural, beautiful form. 

Demolition 4 Life!

Jesus (Don’t Touch My Baby) January 27, 2009

While there are some Ryan Adams songs that I’ve never really cared for, I think this is the only one I actively dislike.  A lot of the songs on Demolition are of great quality and wouldn’t have been out of place on an album or EP.  This one should have been left as an outtake, though.  It was obviously left off of the record for a reason… 

While the song is obviously quite deep, I really don’t feel it.  I mean, the lyrics simply aren’t that good (“You’re in my arms and I kiss your heart”) and are sung in a really creepy low voice that just doesn’t sound natural.  The music is tiring and sounds like something anyone could put together on Garageband, with the occasional drum/guitar backing a long, slow synth line.  Really, I think I just prefer my Ryan Adams songs being performed using acoustic guitar and no keyboards/computer effects.

Starting To Hurt January 18, 2009

This song is one of several from the time period that feature some very strained singing.  You can hear it on a lot of the tracks from Rock n Roll and Love Is Hell as well as a few on Demolition.  This song sonically and thematically fits in really well with the opening track on the album, “Nuclear.”  Besides the painful-sounding vocals, there’s the topic of death.  (In this case, jumping off of a building)  There’s a big difference, though.  While the death in “Nuclear” happens in a “flash of pure destruction”, this one is prolonged and painful. 

Really, you’d think that falling off of a building would end it all pretty fast, but I guess that’s not the case.  Of course, this song probably isn’t referring to the physical pain.  The narrator says “It’s a long way down/But I feel alright” before acknowleding that it’s “Starting to hurt.”  I think he’s realizing what he’s doing as he falls, and decides that maybe it wasn’t such a good idea after all.

Now, I heard a story somewhere about how this was supposedly inspired by a true case of someone jumping off of a rooftop.  Any truth?

Hallelujah January 12, 2009

When I first learned how to play harmonica, I made sure to get one in the key of A so I’d be able to play this song.  I spent an afternoon listening to the track over and over (bothering the people in the rooms around me) so I could get it down.  Really, it isn’t that hard, and is a really great song for beginners who want to play guitar and harmonica at the same time. 

The song’s about another one of those troubled relationships that neither party can stand to break.  The narrator of the song is the root of the trouble, admitting that he used her “like I used ‘em all.”  He’s constantly throwing her out of his place and is starting to lose his sense of self, which makes him come to his senses and realize that it’s best for both of them if he just ends it.  He then wonders what it would be like if he could be in a normal relationship without any fighting or deception.  Would it be something he could handle, or will he just go ahead and screw it up again?  Either way, this girl’s gone, and things can go back to normal. (For now…)

Desire December 18, 2008

When I saw Ryan and the Cards in St. Louis earlier this year, he remarked that he wrote this song when he was trying to “suck face” with Alanis Morrissette.  I feel like that kind of cheapens the song, but he likes being dismissive about his solo work, for some reason.  Personally, while some of the lyrics can come off a little cliched, I really like this song…

This is a very different kind of love song.  While a lot of them are about how great the woman is, this is about how she sees the man.  She found him.  She sees him.  But is this a good thing?  I think this is about the woman actually seeing the flaws in the man and finally bringing an end to their relationship.  Their hearts are fading, and he says they’re “sinking slowly/waters higher/desire.”  Is one of them longing for the end to this relationship?  If so, it’s odd that they would do it in such a romantic fashion…

While it’s strange and a little uncomfortable, “Desire” is still a killer song and one of my favorites on the album.  And, let’s be honest, nothing in the world beats that harmonica part…

Tennessee Sucks December 9, 2008

“Tennessee Sucks” has a really nice relaxed vibe to it that makes you feel like you’re lounging around at a bar on a hot summer day.  There’s a loose, echoing piano in the background that sounds like it plays whatever and whenever it wants…  There are bluesy guitar fills that interject occasionally and a simple hi-hat/rim shot drum part that doesn’t take up much space but keeps the song bustling along.  When the chorus starts up, there’s a nice snare pop that makes you think that song is about to pick up.  Really, it’s just a false alarm…  The chilled out instrumentation keeps up through the end. 

Lyrically, the song is about as charming as you can possibly get.  Lines like “There goes Johnny B./Weird and tall” and “Hey Brad, Let’s go down to The Bound’ry” are both references to musicians who were playing with Ryan at the time this song was written/recorded. (John Paul Keith and Brad Pemberton, respectively)  I imagine them hanging out after doing some recording, looking for something (anything!) to do in boring old Tennessee…  (The line about it being “4:30 A.M. at night” makes me think this, since recording leads to some long nights)

I like to think the opening lines “There you go/Waving your arms like a girl/Sucking down your cloves/Don’t worry/Nobody knows” are conservative-minded Tennesseans looking at these garage rockers who are in their town.  So when people are just staring at you, trying to figure out what your deal is, what else is there to do but get drunk?  Regarding the song, Ryan actually said in an interview: “[Tennessee] is not only hot, but really humid.  Even the beer doesn’t help you.”  So that means Tennessee REALLY sucks… 

So when it’s hot outside, people are giving you weird looks, and you’re just trying to drink yourself out to sea (“What do you got that can put us under?”), this is the perfect song to throw on. 

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