There can hardly be a more disappointing career in the decade than that of Ryan Adams, a country singer who started out by recording one of the best debut albums in the history of the genre and followed it up with album after album of second-rate, whatever-pops-into-his-head stuff. That shouldn't take away from the greatness of this one, though; what's best about this is how well Adams is able to get away with reconciling the two sides of the "country outlaw" character: the wild outlaw and the sensitive outlaw. There are far more ballads on this album than uptempo numbers, certainly, but those that are here are so powerful they come close to redeeming the entire genre. "To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High)" is certainly one of the greatest country stompers ever written or performed by anyone, a monstrous explosion of excitement that seems connected by lightning directly to the greatest folk performers of the 20s and 30s--Uncle Dave Macon, Dock Boggs. The ballads are no less good--the only one of them that approaches generic is "Oh My Sweet Carolina", and Adams saves it with his stunning arrangement and vocal performance. The songwriting is impeccable, the lyrics fantastic, the highlights so many it's easier to list the songs that aren't than those that are--this is a classic. I fully believe that.
MY RATING:
9.5
Ryan Adams - "Bartering Lines"
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