So a certain red headed somebody (I’ll allow her to suffer her shame in anonymity) and I have been going around and around about Ryan Adams. While we both agree that Heartbreaker was genius, I feel like his work has been uneven but at times inspired. She of the auburn tresses, feels that (because of a stupid Pitchfork article) that his work has been insincere.
First I’m not sure what that really has to do with anything. Does anybody really think Van Halen was Hot for Teacher? Second, much of the work that has been slandered as insincere was written at the same time as Heartbreaker, so what, did he only put the sincere stuff on Heartbreaker?
But I think the best piece of evidence against this idea is Demolition, his third solo release. A compilation of demos and songs that didn’t make his first two releases its been panned as inconsistent (what album isn’t), and too diverse; its often overlooked. But why is it inconsistent and too diverse?
Because Demolition is a collection of Carrie Hamilton’s favorite songs. Carrie was Carol Burnett’s daughter, and Adams’ girlfriend when she died from cancer in 2002. Nothing says insincere like taking your third album, coming off of the constant airplay of New York, New York after 9/11, and devoting it to songs you dead girlfriend liked.
Thus endeth my rant.
