By Pete Donahue

So Ryan Adams and his gang of Cardinals have a new album? Indeed, and it was just last year when he dropped the excellent full-length Easy Tiger and EP Follow the Lights. On top of a busy 2007, we’re talking about a group of musicians who released three full albums (Cold Roses, 29 and Jacksonville City Nights) in 2005 and backed Willie Nelson on 2006′s Songbird. Hence, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this week the busy bees released their newest album, Cardinology.

The first four tracks, “Born Into A Light,” “Go Easy,” “Fit It” and “Magick” are all rocking, upbeat cuts that display the more band-oriented sound I love from Ryan Adams & The Cardinals. “Go Easy” is so warm lyrically and features more piano than electric guitar. Personally, I consider it one of the best songs off the album (along with “Fix It,” but more on that later). “I will love you still/And I always will/If only to say this to you myself/I will always love you/So go easy on yourself” is not really a unique grouping of words in Ryan Adams’ music, but something about hearing him say it in that beaten-down, unlucky-sounding plea makes it a classic Adams line.

“Fix It,” another personal favorite, sees the band chart new waters with a slower, 70′s r&b rock groove. “I know it’s not a game/but it feels like losin’ when someone you love throws you away.” Consider “Fix It” Cardinology’s “Everything Changes” from Easy Tiger.

With “Magick,” Rock ‘n’ Roll fans will likely perk up, as the guitars are louder and fuzzier, blasting out some power chord pop with a hint of lap steel in the bridge and outro to make it a legit Cardinals track. In this song, Adams lets his words flow from apparently anywhere, but it works: “Zombies runnin’ all around/Eventually we hit the mall/Lock it down at nightfall,” he snarls. Ryan Adams: Dawn of the Dead fan? Quite possibly.

Now, as we’ve heard in his music before, Adams considers artists like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Gram Parsons, Grateful Dead and Emmy Lou Harris major influences. They are all present here in some form of another, but Cardinology sees Adams expanding his influences. Case in point, the spacial “Cobwebs” sounds like it could have been backed by U2 circa All That You Can’t Leave Behind instead of The Cardinals. Lyrically, it isn’t a Bono song, but more the traditional self-loathing Adams: “If I fall would you pity me?/Would you confuse my love for the cobwebs?” he continually asks. Towards the end, the electric guitars slowly build up and shimmer and then Ryan is howling in and out in his falsetto voice to seemingly anybody who will listen.

Musically, “Sink Ships” sounds nothing like an Elvis Costello & The Attractions song, but more along the line of country rock Ryan Adams fans are used to. Lyrically, however, it seems Adams has borrowed a few pages from Mr. Costello’s book, as there a few clever quips in the words: “This position is not open now/The application forms got shredded/There was faulty wording in the documents,” he sings in the chorus.

“Like Yesterday” is breezy little laid back number with Adams and Cardinals guitarist Neil Casal sounding like they’re channeling their Allman Brothers influences throughout the song. “Let Us Down Easy” and “Natural Ghost” sound not far off from Cold Roses songs, whereas “Evergreen,” a pretty rustic little shuffle, could have gone on Jacksonville City Nights. Album closer, “Stop,” is definitely worth the wait (provided you listen to all 12 tracks in order). It’s mostly Adams solo on piano with his vulnerable, shaky voice letting out a few confessions before an unexpected yet pretty string section kicks in before the Cardinals join in and quietly bring the track to a close. “Slow down, you don’t have to talk/Lie down, breathe, stop, slow down/It’s not your fault/Look around, there’s so many of us/It’s not your fault, ever,” he says. Is this Adams coming to terms with apparently being sober? “There is a darkness and there is a light and there is a choice/For a balance to be made every night/For a weakness must be found if you want it to stop.” Perhaps, and if such is the case, “Stop” certainly makes for an interesting choice of Cardinology’s last song. Does it mean closure?

I would like to mention that Casal’s high harmonies have never worked so well with Adams’ voice than on this album. His inclusion in the band a few years ago really makes Adams’ voice soar in all the right places in all the right ways. Lap steel player John Graboff’s voice remains warm and soothing quietly in the back round of Cardinal harmonizers.

I feel the best way to sum up the album is to say it draws on the “traditional” Adams sound, flexes a few more influences, but more importantly: it has great songs. Who knew a guy that down on his luck could write about the same feelings so much and still sound fresh. The album may win over some new fans, but I feel people who hate Ryan Adams will probably hate this album. And Cardinology will keep Ryan Adams fans happy until his next release…which might come out, what, in a few months? Hey, it’s not that farfetched.

Previously: Review: Ryan Adams & The Cardinals – Overture Hall
Previously: Review: Ryan Adams – Barrymore Theatre, Madison
Previously: Ryan Adams :: Riverside Theater, Milwaukee

Myspace: Ryan Adams

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