Move down, fellow cool kids. Ryan Adams is a victim and I say we let him sit at our table.
Maybe it’s different for you, reader. But as I see it, Ryan gets unnecessarily bullied for his more than frequent, alcohol-induced, regret-love pondering. Sure, no one’s gone to lunch-money-stealing extremes in their criticism, but that doesn’t mean that we couldn’t make his life a little easier.
June 26 marks the release of his ninth full-length album, Easy Tiger (Lost Highway Records), which boasts guest vocals from Sheryl Crow on the appropriately placed second track, “Two.”
Oh! Sheryl Crow?!?
Okay, I’m not going to pull a holier-than-thou, music bullies. I’m just as bad to Ryan, a musician that I, on the record, don’t mind and, off the record, like. Ryan is (at times) an easy enough target (i.e., a simple man’s fight for work and love on Jacksonville City Nights’ “The Hardest Part”). Truth is, though we mean well in our commitment to irreverence, sometimes our exclusivity leaves little breathing room for men with guitars and –- gasp -- unironic, discernable messages.
Point blank: We can’t stand to see something plain through the impeccable side-swooping hair in our eyes. Remember, Ryan -– he too has an enviably side-swooping haircut. Plus, he’s making music; which is the point of our banter.
Listen, cool kids table, I’m not saying he needs to come with us when we cut last period, hop in Johnny’s convertible, and drive to Make-out Point, but doesn’t Mindy need some friends to help sew Todd, Buck and [insert 1950s cool kid name here]’s football letters onto their sweet leather-sleeved athletic jackets?
There’s room by me, Ryan. I may even share my cafeteria jello with you. Seriously.
Tracklisting:
