Like Yesterday February 8, 2009

I’ve always really enjoyed “Like Yesterday” more than most people seem to.  I feel like it is the best reflection of who the Cardinals are on the album.  When they hit that instrumental break at 1:15, it sounds like something that could have come from a 1960s country rock record, before the harmony laden chorus falls into place.  Really, it seems like it should be one of their best live songs, since it’s so open-ended.  I expected Cardinology to feature a lot of the jams and space that you get when you see them in concert, but felt a little disappointed.  Sure, there are some cool instrumental breaks, but it’s different when they’re written in as a bridge. 

While “Like Yesterday” has the right sound, I feel like the band could have launched right into the stratosphere.  There’s just so much sonic ground to cover following the pre-chorus…  I’m not sure why they didn’t extend it, since it seems like they can’t help themselves from doing it during live performances of other songs.  Still, even without the potential for awesome jams, “Like Yesterday” is a favorite of mine from the album.

Cobwebs January 9, 2009

This fall, I made it a goal to avoid listening to the new songs before the shows I went to in Indianapolis and St. Louis.  There were times I was tempted by YouTube and the abundance of bootlegs out there, but I managed to hold out.  When the band went onstage in Indianapolis and started playing something unfamiliar, I immediately started paying close attention.  The song didn’t have any elements of country or folk…  It had a bit of a U2 vibe…  Somehow, the Cardinals managed to jump right out of the alt-country genre and not sound out of place. 

The inconsitency is one of the things I admire about Cardinology, though.  There are elements of funk (“Fix It”), garage rock (“Magick”) and whatever you’d like to categorize  “Cobwebs” as.  (It’s my second-favorite track on the album, by the way) It starts off with Brad Pemberton’s killer floor tom pulse with some synthesizer chirps in the background.  That’s when the minimalistic guitars find their way to the front of the mix.  Add a really great vocal performance (my favorite part is at the end, “The cobweb-ee-ebs…”), and you’ve got a modern classic.  It made for a really strong opener, and I feel like it should have come first on the album, too.  (I made a thread about the sequencing on RAA, to the dismay of several users)

The lyrics discuss a recurring theme in Ryan Adams’ recent work: New York City.  It’s obviously a city he feels strongly about, since he describes it so romantically. (“I always pause if I can on Fifth Avenue/Look uptown with my head in the stars/Somewhere the buildings give way to sunlight/Give way to East and West Central Park”)  I’ve never been, but after he put it so poetically, maybe it’s worth checking out.  I guess I always thought it would be dirty and dangerous…  Velvet Underground style…

Anyway, I think “Cobwebs” shows the right direction for Ryan and the Cards to move in.  It seems like they’re slowly but steadily leaving country behind, so I wouldn’t be entirely surprised if they end up writing more songs with this powerful sound.

If I Am A Stranger December 29, 2008

“If I Am A Stranger” is one of my favorite Ryan Adams songs for several reasons.  Apart from the great recorded versions on Cold Roses and the Follow The Lights EP (there’s a similar version that appears as a B-Side to “Now That You’re Gone”), its lyrics perfectly describe feelings of doubt.  The song’s hook is an open question that never gets answered: “I will try to be there for you if I can/What if I can’t?” 

There are several other questions that come up throughout the song, none of them being answered.  It’s difficult to know if love is real, especially if the relationship is suffering from feelings of fear and doubt.  One thing you have to know is why you’re in the relationship.  If its only purpose is preserving itself, what’s the point?  (“If we’re only scared of losing it/How will it ever last?”)  Then there’s the fact that you may not actually know the person.  Everyone has their secrets, some more than others.  But what if the secret was a big part of the other persons life?  The narrator is hiding what he calls his “darkness” from his lover.  He’s worried that she’ll leave him if she finds out.  He knows that keeping this secret means she doesn’t truly know him, and that he’s actually a stranger to her.   Once she realizes he isn’t what she had thought, it’s going to be difficult for her to ever feel like she really knows him.  (“If I am a stranger now to you/I will always be”)

While I love the song, I don’t think it fits well on the album.  Most of Cold Roses has a very 1960s San Francisco-rock tone, with elements of folk and classic rock.  “If I Am A Stranger” would have fit on another Ryan Adams album much better.

Magick December 21, 2008

The first time I listened to Easy Tiger, I was shocked (pleasantly, I might add) that “Halloweenhead” made the cut.  It didn’t fit in with the rest of the songs, it was kind of dumb, and sort of messed up the momentum the first few tracks had built up.  Before I heard it, I read that “Magick” was another big, dumb rock song and I got scared.  However, when I heard it in St. Louis back in October, my feelings changed. 

Cardinology has some pretty solid rock songs.  I can’t think of many Ryan Adams albums where a song like “Cobwebs” or “Fix It” would fit, since they aren’t a thing like the folky/acoustic alternative style he had been perfecting.  However, the newfound sense of confidence the Cardinals have brought to this album is really shining through.  “Magick” is loud, cocky, and dangerous.  How many good songs can you think of that reference a George A. Romero movie?  Exactly…

There are killer harmonies between Ryan and Neal on this one, particularly in the pre-chorus and the “zombies running all around” line.  I didn’t actually pay any attention to the lyrics until I had listened to the album a few times, mostly because I didn’t have a chance to.  It hit the crowd in St. Louis like a…  Well…  Like a warhead (on legs)…  It barely lasted two minutes, and completely blasted everyone in that theater away.  (To hear it, the quality of the recording on Archive.org is amazing)

So this song that serves as an ode to the power of rock is way better than the previous big, dumb rocker and keeps up the live feel of the album.  Hopefully he’ll keep up this tradition on the next album(s).

Born Into A Light December 10, 2008

One of the things I’ve always enjoyed about Ryan Adams’ writing is the fact that it feels like he’s speaking directly to you.   Really, I think it’s a joint effort between the artist and the fans.  A lot of people who listen to Ryan Adams connect with the feelings he’s talking about, and since he has experienced all of this firsthand, it isn’t hard for him to express those emotions and situations in an honest way.    His lyrics can make you feel guilt, heartbreak and, in this case, comfort. 

He addresses the fears that we, as humans, naturally have.  “There is a reason why/And we don’t understand, but will/You gotta keep the faith”: is an interesting line.  As many of his fans know, Ryan Adams isn’t particularly religious.  (On his blog, he mentions celebrating Chanukah with his Jewish friends, however)  This faith he’s talking about is a faith in yourself.  If there’s something you need to recover from, you have the strength to do it.  Coming from him, and considering what he’s been through, it’s encouraging that he would want to spread this message.  This is that honesty I mentioned in the first paragraph…  While other artists might sound preachy, this song sounds like a friend comforting you.

The pre-chorus is an attempt to motivate the listner by explaining that the present is more important than the past.  After all “The past is just a memory”…  He then promises that you’ll “heal inside eventually” before the gospel-like chorus kicks in.  “We were born into a light/We were born of light” reflects just how special and important we are as individuals. 

The second verse is my favorite:

“For everyone alone, I wish you faith and hope
 And all the strength to cope
 To be your own best friend
 Have confidence and keep the faith”

This furthers the message that each individual has the strength to change his or her life however they feel.  However, he knows it isn’t easy. (Especially if you’re alone)  That’s why he offers this support and strength.  One of the most important things you have to do is be able to count on yourself (‘be your own best friend”) before you can be stable again. 

For an artist whose songs typically revolve around feelings of loneliness and sadness, it’s surprising how natural a song like “Born Into A Light” sounds.  I know I said it already, but the reason it sounds so honest is because it is.  He’s been to the bottom and recovered and so can you…

Keep the faith,

br