 Ryan Adams was the brilliant creator of the solo album Gold . The album- will only heighten the artist's current role as one of the most revered songwriter-performers of his generation. But like all great art, Gold should also serve to surprise and confuse the expectations of those who've been quick to place labels on the extremely talented and prolific former leader of the now-legendary Whiskeytown, arguably the greatest post-Gram alt-country band to come down the musical pike. Gold, was the result of Ryan Adams having spent some time in Hollywood. He entered Hollywood's Sound Factory late last spring with friend and Heartbreaker producer Ethan Johns (who also drums and plays rhythm guitar - "I want people to come up with their own ideas and interpretations," he says. "It's too personal for me to talk about what they mean. I'm luckily in a situation where as soon as I'm done creating something, I'm usually onto making something else. So I'm not spending that much time self-analyzing these days.
"I do think the process of forgiving myself is really evident on this one. The songs aren't self-loathing or self-destructive. This record is more about making amends with things and really facing them. And it's more upbeat because I think I'm giving myself some air to breathe. I'm giving myself a chance to look at everything around me and not just be the victim. "But I do have two new rules. One is not to analyze what I write. The second is not to read my own press. I just want to make it and not fuss about it. No excuses for it. Just make it and there it is. That way, the process is more pure. And even if people hate it, well, it doesn't matter. Because I'm just doing it to do it."
And creating musical gold in the process.
|
