I somewhat agree with you on this point. I think Heartbreaker is a bit overrated and not so much better than a lot of Adams' other stuff like people seem to think. I do think it's really good but the slow songs make the album drag a little for me. I wish he'd rock out a little more often.

Having said that, it is one of my favorite of his mainly due to 'Come Pick Me Up,' 'Shakedown on 9th Street,' 'Oh My Sweet Carolina,' and 'Be My Winding Wheel.' I think those are four of his best songs period and they're all on the same album.

The Senator is a very thoughtful, reflective, caring, self-absorbed, alcoholic bastard.

Yeah, but there are levels of alcoholic bastard. Some are great, some aren't.

If the alcoholic bastard doesn't spend his time screeching about what a great guy he is if you fucking people would just fucking listen and fucking realize what a fucking genuis he fucking am, it doesn't bother me much.

You forgot "impeccably dressed".

I think that's contrived.

yes it is indeed

Adams does expend a lot of energy bitching at people for minor things and percieved slights, though.

Thanks Corey, you should see my newest ensemble. Most all would vomit.

And, it is readily apparent that Phil has never met me, because if he had, he would know that i am a fucking genius, who if everyone would just listen to they would know how mich of a genius I really am.

I stand fucking corrected and hand you the goddamn Scepter of Tight.

After a few listens, I'm finding Cold Rosesto be pretty high on his solo list. I think Love is Hell was a pretty attempt at production slickery. I find myself listening to it often. Except for a few songs Gold has dwindled a bit for me. I agree with the fair Senator that Heartbreaker becomes ponderous with exception of a few good songs.

All that being said, Whiskeytown's catalog sticks with me most. However, as a solo artist and based on my own above brief analysis I guess I personally think Ryan Adams is improving over time. But I really hated RnR.

Is this like The King Harley Race's scepter, some kind of Marlin Spike, or just some fucking stick you picked up off the side of the road out there in BFE?

(It's cool either way...I just wanna know what I am dealing with)

It's one of them conceptual abstract dealies, with the philosophy and what not.

But I can go get a poplar switch and ram a Skeletor head on top of it if you want.

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Heh Heh.

I changed mine to one of my favorite Cramps songs.

Hey, let's recap this thread so far:

Cold Roses is better than Heartbreaker, which wasn't as good as Rock'n'Roll, which was a tad better than Love Is Hell, which was a step sideways from Pneumonia, which didn't hold a candle to Stranger's Almanac, which was nowhere near as good as Faithless Street, which is head and shoulders better than Gold, which is his greatest album, with the exception, maybe, of Demolition, which pales in comparison to Rock'n'Roll, which is 100x better than Cold Roses but not as good as Heartbreaker, even though The Finger is obviously the true hallmark of Adams' genius.

Oh, and the Senator is now armed with a stick.

sounds about right. aren't you sold yet, radcliffe?

The only thing pertinent in this thread.

Keep it in mind kids

I'll help with the ECW perspective. Adams acts like a jackass 99% of the time which may be contrived (as if that matters), he has one really good solo record, Heartbreaker, one good EP Side 4 and one passable album , Cold Roses.

He also has reams of bullshit he has released and three more records on tap for this year alone!!!

anybody wanna revisit their thoughts on cold roses?

i dont listen to it much - not sure if its because i am tired of it or because my ipod seems to prefer love is hell.

I still like it alot.

Love it...made my Top 5.

that little bastard.

Fucking love it. Gets better and better. Solid, if a little sparse and moody sometimes.

Got better w/time... "Jacksonville" not coming close to this one helped a lot, too...

I think just about any album with a Norah Jones Duet gets a -1 off the bat - you have to come up with some masterful sh-t to get away with that one...