Until quite recently, “sobriety” was not a word one used much when discussing Ryan Adams’ music. While his albums were always successful, the artist’s well-known struggles with drugs and alcohol were apparent in his work. Last year’s Easy Tiger was the first time Adams hit the studio after a successful trip to rehab.
Both Easy Tiger and the latest Cardinology reflect some of the advantages of Adams’ newfound sobriety, like cohesion and focus. The Cardinals’ musicianship is tighter than ever, Adams’s lyrics are introspective and insightful, and the tunes are rootsy and intimate. The album resonates as classic rock more than any of the group’s previous work and a Ryan Adams/Gram Parsons comparison would not be a stretch.
However, both albums lack some of the edge that set Ryan Adams & the Cardinals apart from the rest of the alt-country singer/songwriter groups. Hopefully substance abuse was not what allowed Adams to show the ridiculous amount of ambition in his previous work, but one can’t help but think some of that drive is missing here.
The album opens with a strong set of four songs that set the bar high for the rest of the tracks. “Born Into the Light” weaves perfectly between harmony and twang, and immediately after it is the poignant “Go Easy,” where we get a peek at the turmoil in Adams’ love life.
Next comes “Fix It,” the album’s first single, where Ryan Adams novices and experts alike will be able to appreciate the musician’s genius. Lyrically, Adams shows off his almost uncanny ability to weave sentiment with swagger (“I know it’s not a game / but it feels like losing / when somebody you love throws you away / I’d fix it / I’d fix it if I could / And I’d always win”). Paired with a killer soul groove, “Fix It” is clearly to Cardinology what “Let It Ride” was for Cold Roses — a centerpiece.
But after the first five tracks, some of the downsides of Adams’ new sense of focus become apparent. “Let Us Down Easy,” while easily one of the album’s prettiest cuts, isn’t anything remotely groundbreaking. “Sink Ships” stretches the nautical metaphors just a hair too far and strangely ends with Adams chanting “war is over” à la John Lennon.
Like Easy Tiger, Cardinology should make Ryan Adams fans rest easy about the fact that — even without the aid of narcotics — his remarkable ability to translate angst into lyrics and superior musicianship easily makes him one of the most relevant artists of our time.
But while sobriety has allowed Adams to create tighter albums, some of the crazy hits and misses of Adams’ less-than-sober music was exactly part of its appeal; it was ambitious, and you never quite knew when his gambles would pay off.
While still a well-crafted, quality album, the spontaneity of previous Ryan Adams albums is simply not there. Cardinology makes it seem like Adams has begun to take a slightly formulaic approach to his music, and here’s hoping that his next effort will show some of the sky-high ambition Adams had earlier in his career.
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