I thought part II of the 'Love is Hell' shiot was more like his somber lonely-in-love stuff from Heartbreaker, but it for some reason reminded me of Faithless Streets due to the style. Without the slide geetar and fiddles of course. I think its great.
If you hate the videos, you wont necessarily hate the Love is Hell.
Rock and Roll can rot in hell as far as im concerned though.
― El Spinktor (El Spinktor), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 15:13 (twenty-two years ago)
When I spoke to Adams a coupla weeks ago, he dissed the musicians (inc. Ian McLagen, Ricky Fataar, John Porter, etc.) for playing too slick, too professional, as if he was the original rock 'n roll rough-houser there. Hm. Actually, he's right -- the record is kinda dull and MOR, but then Rock N Roll is kinda dull and MOR too. Gimme a ropey retread like "Silver Naked Ladies" anyday.
― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 16:55 (twenty-two years ago)
from the star-tribune:
Lambasting everything from the sound system to music journalists to local rock legend Paul Westerberg,
young Americana rocker Ryan Adams gave an unwieldy, erratic performance that turned into a personal
meltdown Sunday night at First Avenue.
The 29-year-old former Whiskeytown singer's reputation as a bratty, gabby rock star had added to the charm
of past concerts, but he was anything but likeable Sunday.
His two-hour show started as a clumsy deluge of uncharacteristically fast and furious rock noise, and it turned
into a disheveled acoustic set when the electricity didn't work in Adams' favor. As the music got worse, so did
the singer's diva-like behavior.
Before his second of two stormy huffs off stage, he stood by himself, holding a cocktail and whining, "I just
want to go home for Christmas."
Make no mistake, Adams is one of rock's most gifted modern songwriters. His prolific proficiency -- he releases
at least one album a year -- impresses as much as his knack for turning old formulas like heartache and hard
living into fresh inspiration.
However, that musical genius was buried Sunday beneath three or four blaring guitars and overeager
rhythms. Even the best songs off his loud new album "lloR 'n kcoR" fell flat, including "This Is It" and "Wish
You Were Here" -- each of which he played twice, not satisfied the first time.
The first clue to his off mood was the fact that Adams barely spoke for the first hour. After a snide, uninspired
version of "To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High)," the floodgates opened, and fans probably would've
paid a second cover charge to shut him up.
Apparently, three things set Adams off: problems with the amplifiers, which likely stemmed from his
inexperience with so many guitars; a bad review for opening band the Stills in the local weekly City Pages,
and a York, Pa., newspaper article in which former Replacements singer Westerberg said Adams "needs to
get his teeth kicked in."
Admitting that the Replacements "dominated my record collection," Adams went on and on about how
Westerberg had dealt him a cheap shot.
"You don't trash the people you inspired," he said.
Westerberg and the Stills review kept coming up even after the sound problems were averted by temporarily
ditching electric guitars. The ensuing acoustic set was an improvised disaster, with Adams making up lyrics
about the Replacements and his own public image, including, "Yeah, so I dated an actress . . you would,
too." (His current girlfriend is film star Parker Posey, plus he dated Winona Ryder.)
"This is one of my worst shows ever, but I like it," he said defiantly near the end.
By then, half of the sellout crowd had left. Of the ones who stayed, some were no doubt hoping Westerberg
would show up and meet Adams' needs.
― teeny (teeny), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 20:52 (twenty-two years ago)