Ryan Adams

Easy Tiger

[3.5/5] In the press release that comes with this album, famed author Stephen King calls Easy Tiger “the best Ryan Adams CD ever,” but that old man is out of his mind. This is not the best Ryan Adams CD ever. Sure, it’s good, but if King would’ve just come out and said “this sounds like all the best Ryan Adams CDs,” well, then he would have been onto something. Because as it turns out, Adams often finds himself revisiting his past glories on Easy Tiger, whether it’s the Greatful Dead tributes from Cold Roses (“Goodnight Rose”), the acoustic laments from Heartbreaker (“These Girls”) or the country hoedowns from Jacksonville City Nights (“Pearls On A String”). As is often the case with Adams, this combination makes for a rather pleasing listen, but Easy Tiger also suggests that after years of switching things up, our boy may finally be running short on new ideas. (LOST HIGHWAY) Trevor Kelley