within the first paragraph it seemed as though this writer wanted an exact replicate of the album?
Adams’ weathered vocals can’t generate the same exhilaration (tellingly, he blanches at the high notes of the “New York” chorus), and the now-40-year-old’s world-weariness proves an interesting but inappropriate fit for the songs. At this point, it strikes you that this is Ryan Adams covering a Taylor Swift
Umm, yea its Ryan Adams. Thats the beauty of this...he brings this darker sadness to some of these songs.
Re: Ryan Adams
Posted: Thu September 24, 2015 1:09 pm
by Kevin Davis
I don't hear any of that "darker sadness" -- I think he sounds completely emotionally detached from all these songs. I agree with pretty much every word of that Spin review. "Leaden" is a great word for his interpretations here.
Re: Ryan Adams
Posted: Thu September 24, 2015 4:08 pm
by Strat
Kevin Davis wrote:I don't hear any of that "darker sadness" -- I think he sounds completely emotionally detached from all these songs. I agree with pretty much every word of that Spin review. "Leaden" is a great word for his interpretations here.
i think that sadness comes through in his vocals and his natural voice.
Re: Ryan Adams
Posted: Thu September 24, 2015 7:47 pm
by BurtReynolds
The concept of Ryan Adams singing Bad Blood is pretty stupid, but after I hear it, I realize it's far worse than I imagined. He should have left this in the karaoke bar where it belonged.
Re: Ryan Adams
Posted: Thu September 24, 2015 9:26 pm
by psychobain
Kevin Davis wrote:I don't hear any of that "darker sadness" -- I think he sounds completely emotionally detached from all these songs.
Re: Ryan Adams
Posted: Thu September 24, 2015 9:37 pm
by BurtReynolds
psychobain wrote:
Kevin Davis wrote:I don't hear any of that "darker sadness" -- I think he sounds completely emotionally detached from all these songs.
For me, I don't think he's really transformed the songs into something new. He sounds sad and dark or whatever, but the songs still sound light and fluffy. They still feel like Taylor Swift songs. It comes across as detached at best, comical at worst. The songs themselves have no gravity, so it sounds silly hearing someone try to give them some.
But I only listened to it once, and only really concentrated on the big songs. Maybe some of the lesser known sad songs work better. Whatevs.
Re: Ryan Adams
Posted: Thu September 24, 2015 9:53 pm
by psychobain
Re: Ryan Adams
Posted: Thu September 24, 2015 10:03 pm
by zeb
I feel fortunate that I haven't previously heard any of these songs (except for the chorus of Shake It Off) so I can approach them without any bias.
Re: Ryan Adams
Posted: Thu September 24, 2015 10:17 pm
by psychobain
zeb wrote:I feel fortunate that I haven't previously heard any of these songs (except for the chorus of Shake It Off) so I can approach them without any bias.
maybe thats the reason i enjoy this release so much
This is an absolutely bizarre and confounding album. I find myself enjoying moments but not whole songs. The melodies occasionally seem rushed or laboured. The lyrics don't always fit the metre (this coming from a Dylan fan is odd to say). It feels claustrophobic, airless and contained. Yet strangely I keep putting it on.
I haven't heard the TS album (only a few hits) and I'm not sure if that would improve or detract. That Pitchfork article sort of nails it. It's a marketing tool and a fantastic one because ultimately it matters not to either TS or RA or even the fans. Tomorrow this album could cease to exist and it wouldn't matter.
Re: Ryan Adams
Posted: Sun September 27, 2015 8:24 pm
by Kevin Davis
LetMeSleep wrote:This is an absolutely bizarre and confounding album. I find myself enjoying moments but not whole songs. The melodies occasionally seem rushed or laboured. The lyrics don't always fit the metre (this coming from a Dylan fan is odd to say).
Dylan is a master of lyrical rhythm -- even when the lines don't fit the meter, he can manipulate them to make them work impactfully. What's happening here, to my ears, is more that Ryan is just altering the melodies in less-than-compelling ways -- it's less that the lines don't fit the meter and more that they lose their musicality when removed from Swift's framework and put into his.
Re: Ryan Adams
Posted: Tue October 20, 2015 10:10 pm
by psychobain
Re: Ryan Adams
Posted: Tue October 27, 2015 4:34 pm
by Teeeeeekay
I honestly can't get into Adams because he looks like a fucking Jonny Depp character.
Re: Ryan Adams
Posted: Tue October 27, 2015 5:37 pm
by gardenparty
coming from a mostly non fan, he was the highlight of Bridge School Benefit this weekend. No Taylor Swift songs though.