Brightest Young Things

all words by: Andy Johnson

Despite being known for writing so many sad songs – we’re talking about a man whose best albums are titled Heartbreaker and Love Is Hell -- I was impressed by how funny Ryan Adams is. During a two hour performance at Baltimore’s Lyric Opera House, Adams chastised fans for yelling about football teams during his show (specifically if the Steelers do or do not suck), performed an impromptu Kenny Loggins cover with made-up-lyrics (“I can’t believe how many chords from ‘Footloose’ I remember!”), and espoused his unironic love for heavy metal, hyping the soundman’s Kiss cover band, Ssik.

Oh, and those depressing songs? Amazing. Performing solo with several acoustic guitars, a harmonica, and a piano, Adams played songs from throughout his prolific career – 13 albums in 11 years – focusing mostly on his latest album, Ashes & Fire. Highlights include a rousing performance “My Winding Wheel,” Ashes & Fire standout “Chains of Love” stripped of its wall-of-sound production, and beautiful renditions of “New York, New York” and “The Rescue Blues” on piano. He even managed to slip in some older songs from his Whiskeytown days to the crowd’s delight: “Houses on The Hill” and “Avenues.”

After knocking out “English Girls Approximately” from 2004’s Love Is Hell (specifically Love Is Hell pt. 2 if you’re a devout fan), Adams informed the crowd that this is the part of the show (tongue firmly planted in cheek) where’d he walk off stage and the crowd would applaud and say to one another “I hope he plays more songs,” asking if they’d be willing to acquiesce the whole fake-“encore”-bullshit. Of course we obliged, and of course he “returned” and played “La Cienega Just Smiled,” Whiskeytown’s “16 Days,” a cover of DC native Bob Mould’s “Black Sheets of Rain,” and concluded the evening with Heartbreaker’s “Come Pick Me Up.”

Due to the show’s intimate setting, there was no photography allowed. While it’s a bummer this review couldn’t have been appended with some shots of Adams’ signature bedhead, I’d like to fill this space with a list of his top ten songs. Let me be crystal that he has many great songs – “Hotel Chelsea Nights,” “Love Is Hell,” “Nobody Girl,” “Conversation With Jim DeRogatis's Answering Machine” – but these are my personal favorites, purposefully omitting Whiskeytown songs and everything off the “full-realized sci-fi metal concept album” Orion. Feel free to castigate my feeble opinion in the comment section.

10. Burning Photographs –  Rock ‘N’ Roll

Adams’ literally-titled Rock ‘N’ Roll had it share of clunkers, but “Burning Photographs” hits the mark, as he sings, “I used to be sad / Now I'm just bored with you.”

9. Two – Easy Tiger

As crazy as it is to write that Adams was inspired by Kid Rock (!), the addition of Sheryl Crow’s backing vocals does wonders to “Two,” moderating Adams’ loneliness as he sings, “It takes two when it used to take one.”

8. Ashes & Fire – Ashes & Fire

His first solo album since suffering hearing loss due to Ménière's disease and getting hitched to Mandy “Don’t-think-I-Forgot-about-‘Candy’” Moore, Ashes & Fire is Adams’ most mature LP to date, noting the obvious reference to rebirth and redemption.

7. When The Stars Go Blue – Gold

It’s no wonder that this is one of Adams’ most popular and most covered songs (see: Bono, Tim McGraw), considering lyrics as universal as, “Where do you go when you're lonely? / Where do you go when you're blue?”

6. City Rain, City Streets – Love Is Hell

I’m in the agreement that heartache can make for beautiful art. Case in point: my favorite Dylan album is Blood On The Tracks, an album lauded for his confessional lyrics. This is why I’ve always been impressed with Love Is Hell’s centerpiece “City Rain, City Streets,” as Adams sings, “Is it snowing in space? / God I wish I could talk to you.”

5. Magnolia Mountain – Cold Roses

The first song off his first album with backing band The Cardinals, Adams waxes melancholic, “And If the morning don't come/ Will you lie to me?/ Will you take me to your bed and will you lay me down?"

4. Come Pick Me Up – Heartbreaker

It’s fitting that Adams ended the night with one of his top songs, lamenting, “Come pick me up / Take me out / Fuck me up/ Steal my records.”

3. Oh My Sweet Carolina – Heartbreaker

Adams remarked that upon hearing Laura Marling’s I Speak Because I Can, he threw out most of his material for Ashes & Fire, citing a desire to be “competitive” in his song writing. Kudos to Miss Marling for the motivation as the new album has been favorably compared to Heartbeaker.  Adams repaid his debt by inviting Marling (she’s cited her love for Adams in song), to replace Emmylou Harris during a performance of “Oh My Sweet Carolina” last month at Abbey Road studios.

2. Firecracker – Gold

Who says Adams can’t write happy songs? On this, one of his most upbeat tunes, Adams sings, “I just wanna burn up hard and bright / I just wanna be your firecracker / And maybe be your baby tonight.”

1. To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To be High) – Heartbreaker

In the eleven years since Heartbreaker’s release, Adams has lost his hearing, gone though high profile break-ups, married a pop star, started and dissolved a band, experimented with a plethora of drugs, covered the third best Oasis song, and released a dozen albums of varying quality. As his performance on Sunday proved, even the old, the happy, and the sober can still put on a hell of a show.

Previously in listening party:

• 5/18: Listening Party: The Barr Brothers
• 5/7: Listening Party: We Are Serenades @ Black Cat
• 4/26: Listening Party: Avan Lava
• 4/20: Record That Changed My Life
• 4/19: Listening Party: Jill Barber
• 4/9: Listening Party: Hundred Visions
• 4/5: Listening Party: Cymbals Eat Guitars
• 4/3: Listening Party: The Tender Thrill
• 3/26: Listening Party: EXITMUSIC
• 3/23: Listening Parties: Alex Vans and The Makes tonight at The Dunes