For some reason, Ryan Adams is great

Easy Tiger just might be my favorite Ryan Adams album yet, and that's saying a lot since I'm a strong believer in Cold Roses, Heartbreaker and Gold. The problem is, I can never quite describe why I like Ryan Adams. It's hard to explain why this album is the perfect version of alt. country, country rock, rock-infused country or whatever you'd like to call it--maybe all of the above. This is somewhat emabarrassing for me to admit since I'd like to think I can always describe (on paper, not verbally) why I like or dislike an album or an artist. But here's what I've decided so far for this record. I think.

1. The Cardinals are a superb backing band. (Easy Tiger should actually be a "and the Cardinals" album, but the label decided it didn't want that tag.) Adams is good on his own, but with the Cardinals he's terrific.

2. I've never heard Adams sing as well as he does on these tracks. He has a whole range of vocal tones, and this one sounds like the true voice with which he was meant to sing.

3. It's widely acknowledged that Ryan Adams is a jerk, and that very well may be true, but that's OK-- I can be quite a jerk, too. And, being a jerk also means he has no problem being completely honest in his lyrics. On "Rip Off," he admits his shortcomings, but he also doesn't apologize for his bluntness:

I make these promises but all my promises hurt
It's like they never get a lift off
So if I'm being honest with you and it seems like I'm being cruel
At least you didn't get a rip off, a rip off

I also think he's fully aware of the tragedy of his own behavior, and he relates it in a way that's all too familiar on "I Taught Myself How to Grow Old":

Most of the time I got nothing to say
When I do it's nothing and nobody's there to listen anyway
I know I'm probably better off this way
I just listen to the voices on the TV till I'm tired
My eyes grow heavy and I fade away

4. Before the guitar solo on "Halloweenhead" he yells out, "Guitar solo!"

At the risk of revealing how few people actually read this blog, feel free to leave your opinions of Easy Tiger and/or Ryan Adams, dissenting or otherwise.