Jacksonville City

I can still recall the first time I saw Ryan Adams. This was way back in the David Ryan Adams days of Whiskeytown. The threadbare blue jean jacket, tattered cowboy boots, awkward specs, occasional mutton chops, bracelets, about 20 extra pounds and, of course, the unwavering crestfallen disposition. In the seven or so years since, Ryan has been through enough image overhauls to compete with a 70s-era Bowie. There was the Dylan phase, then the Gap ads. Next was the highly collaborative yet oh-so-wandering era, then the N.Y.C. garage rocker and of course, the desperate, lovesick, broken-wristed fool-turned-complete wacko. This year alone has already seen a couple different Ryans. As prolific as ever, his second release of the year, Jacksonville City Nights, is a brilliant companion piece to his hippie-friendly double album classic, Cold Roses. 

Now bearded and fronting the best band of his career, Adams has at last released the full-on country album his fans have been waiting for. And we’re not talking Kenny Chesney or Alan Jackson. Jacksonville City Nights, much like David Berman’s Bright Flight back in 2001, summons the seemingly forgotten ghosts of a pre-pop Nashville. You know, back when Nashville was Nashville. After falling off stage and breaking his wrist, Adams was forced to finally lay low for a period of time. Eventually he came to and. with the assistance of NYC guitar guru J.P. Bowerstock, Adams “relearned” how to play the guitar. In due time, (with film crew and an abundance of studio time on his side) he was itching to record again. He quickly gathered a new band, wrote down a few song titles, drank his share of wine and promptly began working again.

Described as a “punk approach to a county album,” Adams and his Cardinals recorded the singer-songwriters’ seventh (properly released) solo album almost by accident. Unlike the band’s previously mentioned, long-labored masterpiece Cold Roses, Jacksonville thrives on its spontaneous nature. Recorded prior to Roses, and (in fact) before they had even realized that they were an “official” band, the Jacksonville sessions not only helped Adams get his groove back but also led him back to his alt-country roots, albeit this time with an assemblage of musicians proficient enough to keep up with his brilliantly wavering spirit.

With a running time of only 46 minutes (the shortest of his career), Jacksonville is comprised of 14 catchy, lean country tunes, none of which lag behind the bunch. While the lyrics and arrangements never dig as deep as Cold Roses, the raw impact of the recordings are just as potent as anything in Adams’ catalog, a genuine paradigm of steadfast songwriting aptitude. Much of the album - including “A Kiss Before I Go,” “The End,” “The Hardest Part,” “Peaceful Valley,” “My Heart is Broken” and “Don’t Fail Me Now” - show Adams at his very best, often (and finally) living up to all those Gram Parsons comparisons. Simply put, if you are a fan of folk, country, Bob Dylan, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Rolling Stones and/or Willie Nelson, there’s a very good chance that Jacksonville will be the best album you hear all year.

On December 20th when Adams releases his third album of the year with the introspective 29, he will finally be an adult. However, it’s Jacksonville that acts as proof of such. Only an artist with vision and concrete artistic confidence gained over time can quickly record an album as unfaltering as Jacksonville City Nights. If Cold Roses is an example of Ryan’s broad musical mastery, Jacksonville is his display of natural talent.   8.5/10

Written by G. William Locke