First album since spectacularly snapping his wrist at Liverpool’s Royal Court back in January 2004 and probably the longest lay-off experienced in his somewhat prolific recording career but one that has been rewarded by a double album of outstanding quality, once again showing his amazing ability to create music that is never predictable, refuses to be bracketed and, is amongst the best being produced today.
You get 19 tracks, backed by ‘The Cardinals’ – current musical compadres who accompany him through a range of feelings and styles most of which hang on the central core of acoustic guitar, pedal steel and a country lilt that brings to mind prime time Whiskeytown.
CD1 is overall a very mellow affair, ‘Magnolia Mountain’ starting things off nicely enough but developing into a slightly overblown ballad that initially appears as a strange choice for an opening track. However, it provides the perfect run-in to ‘Sweet Illusion’ another ballad (one that wouldn’t sound out of place on Strangers Almanac), and where the album really kicks off. Graced by great guitar and a fantastic lead vocal that sounds dry and brittle like it was recorded late at night after a couple of shots of whiskey and a days worth of cigarettes – perfect for the feel of the song.
‘Meadowlake Street’ again starts off gentle and sparse, a gorgeous melody until half way through when the drums begin a subtle build up that cruises the song through to its conclusion. ‘When Will You Come Back Home’, ‘Now That You’re Gone’ (with a simple but lovely chorus that perfectly captures the sense of loss the song relates) and ‘Mockingbird’ are further low-key ballads that add to the overall down-beat feel.
The jury is still out on ‘Beautiful Sorta’, the first up-beat track that kicks off like a combination of The Beatles’ ‘Got To Get You Into My Life’ and ‘Down Down’ by Status Quo – very strange! The mid-paced ‘Cherry Lane’ is an almost hokum country song that has a lyric far blacker than the music would suggest, “Stare into her eyes and then try and explain it / try and explain it / but the shit just fucks you up /and I can never get close enough”. ‘How Do You Keep Love Alive’, closing CD1, is Ryan Adams, balladeer, at his best – gorgeous melody, full of regret and longing with a warm and smoky vocal performance.
It’s on CD2 however, a wholly different kettle of fish, where the magic really begins to happen. ‘Easy Plateau’ is fantastic, a shuffling, acoustic guitar led drift of a song with a great combination of rhythm, vocals, and guitar lines. One of the album's highlights is ‘Let It Ride’, gliding along on an upbeat chug with twanging guitar and neat lyrics - “I’m never ready to go / 27 years of nothing but failures / and promises that I couldn’t keep / oh Lord and I wasn’t ready to go”.
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‘Rosebud’ is another sumptuous, sparse ballad. Title track ‘Cold Roses’ is brilliant, vocals that recall Heartbreaker-era material and a twisting guitar line that probably shouldn’t work but does, to great effect (dare I suggest Wishbone Ash? Anyone?). ‘If I Am A Stranger’ has some fantastic electric guitar and a similar feel and pace to ‘Let It Ride’, sounding almost like a live band performance.
Throughout, the production does have a very live feel and reminds me of how Neil Young has preferred to record through the years, ie, bringing a group of musicians together and trying to capture early takes before people get too comfortable, too clever and the music becomes stiff and lifeless.
Harmonica heralds the start of ‘Dance All Night’, mid-paced and another great band piece. The pace falls again as piano introduces ‘Blossom’ which has terrific verses and instrumental break but a chorus that I can’t quite get to grips with. ‘Life Is Beautiful’ sounds like another example of The Cardinals’ great backing until, on closer inspection of the sleeve notes, you realise it’s the man himself playing all instruments – believe me, the line between admiration and envy is sooooo fine.
And so to the last ‘official’ track, ‘Friends’, back to slow and gentle, drifting and dreamy and with the great line, “This afternoon with you was something like a letter / the kind that someone writes but never sends”. Reminiscent of ‘La Cienaga’ it would be a lovely way to end the album but, before you have time to cough in a manly fashion while pretending to have something in your eye, in charges bonus track ‘Tonight’ that takes proceedings to a somewhat melodramatic conclusion and, in all honesty, sounds like an outtake from Love Is Hell.
But, what the Hell, a great album and, if you have tickets for the upcoming live shows then... bully for you, you jammy bastard!
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