ChunkyGlasses Weekly Roundup: 1/30 - 2/4

Here's a breakdown of all of the goodness you may have missed this week on ChunkyGlasses.

• Kevin took Ryan Adams to task...sort of
• Aubrey ended her Jeff Mangum drought...twice
• Ethan discovered that there is actually such a thing as "Danish Funk"
• Sweden checked in not once but TWICE in their bid for "Ultimate John Hughes soundtrack makers"

Click to read more ...

LIVE MUSIC: RYAN ADAMS @ The Strathmore - 1/24/1

Ladies swoon, and dudes shout “DUDE”; it’s all par for the course when Ryan Adams comes to town. Performing to a sold out crowd, Adams visited the Strathmore in Bethesda, MD last week, and for the most part it was business as usual. Delivering a show full of all the heartbreaking ballads, nervous tics and the the recurring feeling that you’re seeing one talented son-of-a-bitch pour his heart out right in front of you Adams set generally satisfied even if it rarely rose to the Olympian heights that the adoring crowd might have showed up expecting

Perched on a spartan (but gorgeous) stage with nothing but a guitar, a piano and a few microphones, Adams crooned and caroused his way into the hearts of  his assembled fans by simply giving them what they want. Yes, this time out for Adams it was a “greatest hits” tour to be sure, a concept that may tend to leave some concertgoers (read: me) with the unpleasant taste of “cashing-in” in their mouths. Luckily though, Adams has proven to be a savvy (and fussy) enough performer to never simply stick to the plan. In fact on this night he even wrote a song about his plan (you can listen to it here), and for the most part it was moments like these that made the evening what it was.

Click to read more ...

Review: Ashes and Fire - Ryan Adams

Ashes and Fire is Ryan Adams 12th album in only 11 years as a “solo” artist. Known for being one of the greatest, if not most troubled, song writers of this 21st century, Adams has been at the forefront of country-rock/alt-country for the entirety of his career, and as such any release that bears his name is subject to as much hype as it is critical analysis.

Adams struck gold on his 2000 release Heartbreaker. His collaboration with David Rawlings and Gillian Welch on his first solo record, and first post-Whiskeytown record, hit that sweet spot of sentimentality and rabble rousing that makes the difference between good country rock and just great damn music. The bar that he set for himself with that record was impossibly high. And while he was amazingly prolific in the years that followed (releasing the albums Gold in 2001, Demolition in 2002, Rock N Roll  in 2003, and Love Is Hell in 2004) it wouldn’t be until 2005’s Cold Roses that Adams would reach those lofty heights that he decended from.

Click to read more ...