Ryan Adams - Wednesdays (Dec 11th 2020)

Ordered via Jpc with the nice cat sleeve 7inch

 

I added three songs to my Ryan Adams playlist (that I put together maybe a couple of years ago). The three additions bring it to a whopping 60 songs/3 hours and 55 minutes!

 

Down for the vinyl. Adams' vinyl are almost always well-mastered and pressed.
I hope that hasn't changed.

 

The plan was to release 3 albums in 2019, so it could still be those same 3 albums.

Ryan Adams to Release 3 New Albums in 2019 | Pitchfork

 

Considering that the first and last songs on this version of Wednesdays were on the track list for Big Colors, I don't think this is much of a possibility.

 

Yet to hear the album but If someone has stopped listening to his music because of something he did in his private life than more fool them. From what I know of the situation he didn’t actually commit a crime.

The guy is a songwriting genius. Love his work.

 

Limbo. That’s what a Wednesday is sometimes. Maybe a portal. Maybe a bridge across. It can hang there like a forever unless maybe you’re out to sea and everything is just another token of the blue.

This record hasn’t been doing any good gathering dust over there in the stacks of blue with the other records I’ve crafted out of these broken parts of myself. It felt to me like it wanted to, no, maybe it ‘needed to’ get out for some air. Its meaning changed as it was written and, even now, I’m not so sure what it might be. But it’s time to let it go.

I know for me, music is the tunnel through. It’s the passage to connect dreams and reality. It heals as it draws the map to our souls in these tracks of memory and meaning. Of love and loss.

Pain can be the teacher to only those with the strength to listen. In these songs, I know my eyes were open to the color of the sounds, in every shade of blue and every drop of rain.



Wednesdays is that to me. It’s a map to days now gone. Like a wish, it’s here for anyone who needs it and it answers to its own creation. A narrow path across these waters it describes.



As my pen sits here on the page writing new chapters of my story, I know these songs can do some good in these weary times.



I release it to anyone who needs it, with love and humility, in hopes everyone is finding some shelter in these stormy times.



Godspeed.

DRA 2020

 

This probably was mentioned, sorry, didn't read every entry so far, but nice to see that first song title; says it all: I'm Sorry And I Love You.

A clear focus on lyrics, and storytelling in pointillism rather than abstraction.

Three full listens in, sounds like his most pensive album since 29. Not a bad thing.

Many shades of Love is Hell. I love Ashes and Fire. This album sits between both of those in style and feel.

 

Where is this from?

 

To Email subscribers announcing the album.

 

Gotcha, was wondering why I couldn't find it on social media. Weird, I thought I was subscribed, guess I need to do that.

 

I’m a big fan of Ryan, though not a fawning sycophant (I thought his last two albums were average though the Prisoner b sides was very good), but I think this album is stunningly good. Played it through 3 times to make sure.

It seems heartfelt and genuine, and has a remorseful feel all the way through it.

To start the album with the line ‘I remember you before you hated me’ is a brave move, the first song is beautiful.

Had a look a Twitter and while there are the usual cancel culture enthusiasts there are a ton of positive messages and posts which I hope RA is encouraged by.

 

I think it’s interesting he didn’t include it with his Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter posts. Guess he didn’t want it used against him on social media and kept it only for the die hards.

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/RyanAdams/videos



Really beautiful videos, fun to listen the whole album with this.

 

I took a look on Twitter also and the feedback is overwhelmingly positive, which I was happy to see.

 

I'm happy to see Ryan putting out new music. After the NYT article I didn't feel a real want to listen to his stuff for a while.....time has passed and while I can't ignore his recent past I do feel more comfortable hearing his voice again. Im a pretty big fan and his music has helped guide me through some difficult times, I hate that he caused so much pain in other's lives but I can't ignore how much his music has added to mine.

Its interested that his new album and Pheobe Bridgers' Copycat Killer EP are what I've been listening to most today on this rainy Texas evening

 

gave it a listen on a new free trial of Qobuz because it's in hi-res there and not on Tidal, but on both versions what struck me is that it sounds like he's using a different mic for his vocals than he has of late, or there is some unusual filter I've not heard him use before. Whatever, it gives this record some odd 'sharpness'(?) - not really sibilance - to his vocal tracks. Anyone else hearing this, or just me? On the hi-rez it's slightly more noticeable.

 

What an album, what a comeback.

 

Qobuz is so much better than Tidal. I was a Tidal member for years. Then realized 24/96 or 192 is as good as MQA, probably more accurate. The big difference is with normal 16/44 tracks ... Qobuz is noticeably better in midrange, voices fuller, more realistic.

And Ryan’s collection is all Hi-Res ... no brainer!

 

Awesome, looking forward to hearing this.

 

I’m playing it over Qobuz, sounds fantastic.
According to the credits, Don Was is the producer.

 

Thrilled to have some new Ryan Adams.

It's good, might be a grower. I need to give it more focused listens. Birmingham and Dreaming You Backwards seems like the standouts so far.

Despite the Ashes @ Fire and 29 comparisons there isn't a oh my god I am getting goose bumps moment like I did with Dirty Rain, Invisible Riverside or Nightbirds. Hopefully that doesn't sound harsh but when you have a back catalog as strong as his I think it's fair.

 

When You Cross Over is one of those songs for me too! Agree with you on Dreaming You Backwards. I thought Ryan had lost a certain spark after Ashes and Fire, but here it is again, in full bloom.

 

Listened all the way through. I think this album would have got him the best reviews of his career.

The songs are about his brother are among the best songs he’s ever written.

It’s a shame about the ham-fisted lyrics in I’m Sorry and I Love You because the melody is really great.

It sounds like Emmylou is on Momma and maybe When You Cross Over.

It seems Jason Isbells parts have been removed from Birmingham. I never understood all the hate towards Chaos and Clothes as I didn’t see it is a particularly negative track towards Ryan, and Jason Isbell was obviously fine with Birmingham’s lyrical content otherwise he wouldn’t have played on it in the first place.

 

I think the 29 comparisons are mainly based on the use of his voice (like Strawberry Wine), the songs are very different from 29 in my opinion. I think the changes in his voice (or the recording of his voice) and the variety of his singing voice is what makes this album very interesting and different from the rest of his catalogue. Musically he really has grown once again (The guitar work on "Who is going to love me now..." is very reduced/simple but absolutely beautiful), it amazes me how he is getting better and better. I really think there are not a lot of songwriters where you can feel that they are trying to evolve muscially without trying to hard and succeeding like Ryan Adams. I think the quality of the songs is much higher than on Ashes & Fire and I think this definitely is a grower, to that point that it might be one of his best albums, musically and lyrically.