Ryan Adams and the Cardinals: Cardinology


Cardinology takes a little time to appreciate. At first listen, it seems all too familiar, yet unsatisfying. Not dissimilar from Easy Tiger, the songs are pure pop songs yet they are more complex than those found on Easy Tiger incorporating more of Adam's love for the Grateful Dead with more dead-influenced guitar work. The power of Easy Tiger lay in its familiarity coupled with Adam's seemingly newfound direction and lauded consistency, yet after ten or so songs each song began to blend together leaving the listener appreciating the album, but remembering little of it. A few songs stood out, particularly the personal call-to-arms song, “Halloweenhead,” but overall the surprise element, the where will he go next element so integral to Adams varied songwriting, was missing. Cardinology may not be as consistent an album (there are a few misses, particularly the arena rock U2-aping song, “Magick”), but it does an amazing job showcasing Adam's songwriting, and more important is able to prove Adam's staying power as an artist. He has released two consistent albums in a row that effectively showcase him an important artist and not just a rock n' roll bad boy. This seeming lack of consistency was one of the pitfalls in Adams' earlier albums. No one was sure just what he was going to do with each new album. His method of throwing a song against the wall to see what would stick did little more than show off his prolificness.

For as prolific of a songwriter as Adams, creating a consistent yet varied album must be a problem. He spent much of his early solo career escaping the shadows of Whiskeytown, while trying to create a new identity far removed from his past. He tried to escape the alternative country label by creating pop albums, but they were often too encompassing (Gold) or fell into near fan boy recreations of his favorite musical genres (Love is Hell). With Cardinology, he is more sure of himself and is able to forge a new direction that utilizes many of his favorite tropes. It still feels like a singer-songwriter album that could fit into the alternative country genre, but is more definable as an impressive rock album, one that has consistency not just stylistically, but emotionally. Adam's newfound surety in direction opens the door for more accomplished efforts. With the Cardinals, he has found a situation that allows great artistic freedom, but also ensures a set direction. He also seems more confident in his arrangements. The Cardinals have full songwriting credit on the album and they tend to focus Adams' obsessive-compulsive tendencies. For sure, they are the most significant group of musicians he has worked with since Whiskeytown and their input provides the grounding for a remarkably cohesive album that never fails to get better on repeated listen.

While Easy Tiger was a great starting point for music fans new to Ryan Adams obsessive world, Cardinology may be a little harder for newer fans to grasp. Yet the album is truly worth it. It takes a little while to sink in, but any rock music fan will find something to appreciate. Adams has finally made a record that seems true to himself, a record that escapes the shadows of Whiskeytown and the uneasy genre flipping he has been busy doing in recent years There is a certain country-fried easiness in the proceedings, but the overall quality is high. While not a masterpiece like Cold Roses, Cardinology is a great step towards the future. One where Adams can hold his head high as not only a great singer songwriter, but a great album artist as well. An artist who can stand next to his influences and not stand in their shadows.

(I originally started this review in 2008 when Cardinology came out. I found it when I was deleting files from my hard drive. I thought I would share my updates.)

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