| Ryan Adams | Primary Artist, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Piano, Electric Guitar, Vocals |
| Cindy Cashdollar | Steel Guitar, Vocals, Lap Steel Guitar, Guitar (Resonator) |
| J.P. Bowersock | Guitar, Electric Guitar |
| Catherine Popper | Bass, Piano, Bass Guitar, Vocals |
| Rachael Yamagata | Piano, Vocals |
| Brett Pemberton | Drums, Vocals |
| Brad Pemberton | Drums, Vocals |
| Cindy Cashdollar | Composer |
| Fred Kevorkian | Mastering |
| Tom Schick | Producer, Engineer, Audio Production |
| Ryan Adams | Composer |
| J.P. Bowersock | Composer |
| Catherine Popper | Composer |
| Tom Gloadly | Engineer |
| Andy West | Art Direction |
| Brad Pemberton | Composer |
Anonymous
Posted October 1, 2010
This album is a sprawling double disc set that covers stunning acoustic and rock tracks that get better with repeated listenings. Adams is a prolific singer/songwriter who continues to be under-rated, and one of the diamonds in the rough of modern music. A great mood piece, and a great record!!
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Posted October 1, 2010
Here we have the first of Ryan Adams' three albums this year. I've been a fan of Ryan Adams since the hype surrounding "New York, New York." I've since bought Heartbreaker, Gold, Rock & Roll, and Love is Hell. The packaging was cleverly done, and the first disk's liner notes have pictures that are reminiscent of the day and daytime, while the second disk's liner notes have a nighttime feel. It's somewhat like the packaging on "Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness." I bought this album somewhat expecting him to build on the sounds of Rock & Roll and Love is Hell (two very different excellent albums apropos). What I found was a gorgeous departure from the modern rock and alt sounds he had embraced. The album's opener "Magnolia Mountain" is a very bittersweet love song, that starts out with a fairly sparse background and then builds up with wonderful guitar work by his new backing band, the Cardinals. The Cardinals are without a doubt a terrific band, i saw them live last spring with Ryan and was totally blown away. The second song, "Sweet Illusion," contains some of his most beautiful and soulful singing, the verses are about a love falling apart with the chorus building up to Ryan almost yelling a cappella the line "and I ain't got nothing but love for you now." Very excellent song. My one complaint is that there is an unnecessary section of the song "love for you, I can't use and lonely nights multiplied by the blues, that I can't resolve." It just doesn't fit and sounds like he had it in another song and tacked it on. Besides that I love the song. May I note that the chord progressions to the first two songs are almost identical, but it's part of his new sound. The third song, "Meadowlake Street," sounds like it could have gone on "Heartbreaker." It has an absolutely wonderful chorus that builds up wonderfully towards the end of the song. The rest of the first disk is great with the main highlight for me being "Beautiful Sorta." He says an intro that is both reminiscent of John Lennon in what he says and Bob Dylan in how he says it. The song is a classic rocker. Disk two begins with my least favorite song on either disk "Easy Plateau." The song's a bit repetitive and banal and he should have left it off. Mr. Adams & Co. redeem themselves with the rest of this disk, which I found to be superior to disk one. Song two- "Let It Ride" absolutely wonderful. This song has some really wonderful guitar work. You can hear the acoustic rhythm throughout and there is wonderful riffing by an electric six-string during the instrumental breaks and the lap steel slide during the verses and chorus. His new band also provides some wonderful harmonizing reminiscent of "Oh My Sweet Carolina." Lovely little ditty with clever lyrics. Song four on this disk, "Cold Roses" is amazing. The song has more wonderful guitar work and a more rock feel. During the verses Ryan sings in a somewhat gravely voice about a girl in an abusive relationship. The chorus on this song was what really got me. There is soaring, sweet, beautiful, cresendo country harmonies at the end of it. Perfect chorus in this song. The girl in the Cardinals has a truly gifted voice. Right after "Cold Roses" is the wonderful song "If I Am A Stranger" about a confusing love that sounds doubtful, yet optimistic. Wonderful song, with wonderful backing and instrumentation. Another fine example of the perfect arrangements on this album. Following "If I Am a Stranger" is "Dance All Night." This song is very upbeat with very soulful singing by Mr. Adams. Also, it has him doing what could be his finest harmonica work, i think it's him and not one of the cardinals. Check it out sometime. "Life
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Posted October 1, 2010
Ryan Adams delivers again with Cold Roses. Most people either love or hate Mr. Adams. If you love him, you will love this album. He is a musical chameleon. Ryan is often guilty of wearing his influences on his sleeve. Here lies a Grateful Dead soaked double disk that gives homage to the Dead without sounding like a cheesy copycat like Phish or Moe. The highlight for me, as a long time Dead Head (46 shows from 89 to 94), is the track Rosebud. Here Adams uses his “I'm so sad, why did you leave me” formula to lament Garcia's guitar. It’s really quite touching. There is nothing jammy about this disk, and Adams doesn’t waste your time with endless pointless noodleing, however if you like the Dead’s song shapes, this may very well become you favorite Ryan Adams CD.
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Posted February 10, 2011
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Posted November 22, 2009
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Posted November 9, 2008
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Editorial Reviews
Barnes & Noble - David Sprague
In an age where cockiness seems to be the deadliest sin for a rock performer, Ryan Adams takes great joy in boasting of his titanic talent -- a habit that might be annoying if he didn't also follow the path of Muhammad Ali, who once noted, "It ain't bragging if you can back it up." This two-disc set -- the first of three planned 2005 releases -- readily affirms the singer-songwriter's high self-esteem, seeing how much he stretches his stylistic wings. In contrast to his previous album, an electrically charged homage to Rock N Roll, Cold Roses, could be dubbed Adams's "hippie" album, rife as it is with languid melodies, loping guitar lines, and mellowed-out delivery. ...