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Track Listings
| Disc: 1 |
|---|
| 1. Magnolia Mountain |
| 2. Sweet Illusions |
| 3. Meadowlake Street |
| 4. When Will You Come Back Home? |
| 5. Beautiful Sorta |
| 6. Now That You're Gone |
| 7. Cherry Lane |
| 8. Mockingbirdsing |
| 9. How Do You Keep Love Alive |
| Disc: 2 |
| 1. Easy Plateau |
| 2. Let It Ride |
| 3. Rosebud |
| 4. Cold Roses |
| 5. If I Am A Stranger |
| 6. Dance All Night |
| 7. Blossom |
| 8. Life Is Beautiful |
| 9. Friends |
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Sent reeling by the one-two punch Conor Oberst's Bright Eyes delivered with I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning and Digital Ash In A Digital Urn, Ryan Adams vowed to strike back in 2005 with three of his own releases. The first--a double album, no less--sees the attention-seeking former Whiskeytown singer casting off both the raucous guitars of 2003's Rock N Roll and the rainy-day ballads of the same year's Love Is Hell in favor of the more introspective moments and rustic textures of 2000's Heartbreaker. He's snuck in at least one epic with "Meadowlake Street" and one potential radio hit with the twangy "Let It Ride," while the rest of the set is mostly packed with bleary-eyed laments that feel all too mannered after spending the last few years revealing his naked pop ambition in full. No doubt Adams will make up for it with the next one. --Aidin Vaziri
Recommended Ryan Adams Discography
 Heartbreaker |  Gold |  Love Is Hell |
 Whiskeytown, Pneumonia |  Whiskeytown, Stranger's Almanac |  Whiskeytown, Faithless Street |
Product Description
'Cold Roses' is the first of three Ryan Adams releases this year on Lost Highway Records.This new release, a double CD/LP, features Ryan's new band The Cardinals and was produced by Tom Schick. Ryan & The Cardinals recorded Cold Roses in two different sessions at Loho Studios. 2005.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
111 of 117 people found the following review helpful
By face02
Format:Audio CD
This is a difficult review to write, because I still haven't been able to wrap up all my thoughts about this amazing effort. I will do my best to sum up exactly what makes this album the best work of his career.
If Ryan Adams has been knocked for something most often on his albums, it is that he seems to keep changing his sound. Personally, I'm not sure how it can be negative to continually grow and not dwell in one particular niche - but I'm not paid to write reviews. On this album, Adams hits to all fields - and sends out more than enough to keep all his fans happy.
There are those who want him to do an album more like Whiskeytown - for them he has written Sweet Illusions, When Will You Come Back Home, Dance All Night, Cherry Lane, and the first single Let It Ride. There are fans that want him to go back to the intimate acoustic sound of Heartbreaker - for them he has written Meadowlake Street, Now That You're Gone, How Do You Keep Love Alive, and Rosebud. There are fans that wanted something more like the almost British sounding Love Is Hell from last year - for them he has written Life Is Beautiful and Friends. Some fans want the vintage sound that Gold had to it - for them he has written Beautiful Sorta. Somehow, he has also found room to grow and put out great songs like Magnolia Mountain, Mockingbird, Easy Plateau, and Cold Roses - all of which sound like nothing Adams has done before.
Somehow, all these different Adams sounds come together perfectly into something that should not be dismissed as a prolific artist putting out too much. It is absolutely jaw-dropping to hear so much quantity and quality at the same time. Being his first double-album, one might expect some filler material. There is simply none to be found here. While there may be a song or two that you may not care for (Blossom comes to mind for me), odds are you'll find several other fans that have that track pegged as their favorite. To me, that is the reason I would consider this Ryan Adams' strongest album to date.
If Ryan Adams has been knocked for something most often on his albums, it is that he seems to keep changing his sound. Personally, I'm not sure how it can be negative to continually grow and not dwell in one particular niche - but I'm not paid to write reviews. On this album, Adams hits to all fields - and sends out more than enough to keep all his fans happy.
There are those who want him to do an album more like Whiskeytown - for them he has written Sweet Illusions, When Will You Come Back Home, Dance All Night, Cherry Lane, and the first single Let It Ride. There are fans that want him to go back to the intimate acoustic sound of Heartbreaker - for them he has written Meadowlake Street, Now That You're Gone, How Do You Keep Love Alive, and Rosebud. There are fans that wanted something more like the almost British sounding Love Is Hell from last year - for them he has written Life Is Beautiful and Friends. Some fans want the vintage sound that Gold had to it - for them he has written Beautiful Sorta. Somehow, he has also found room to grow and put out great songs like Magnolia Mountain, Mockingbird, Easy Plateau, and Cold Roses - all of which sound like nothing Adams has done before.
Somehow, all these different Adams sounds come together perfectly into something that should not be dismissed as a prolific artist putting out too much. It is absolutely jaw-dropping to hear so much quantity and quality at the same time. Being his first double-album, one might expect some filler material. There is simply none to be found here. While there may be a song or two that you may not care for (Blossom comes to mind for me), odds are you'll find several other fans that have that track pegged as their favorite. To me, that is the reason I would consider this Ryan Adams' strongest album to date.
190 of 206 people found the following review helpful
By C. Goodwin
Format:Audio CD
First, to get something off my chest just because it's tarnishing my enjoyment of this CD:
Most Ryan Adams reviews can be divided into two camps: those who deride him as an egomaniacal poseur and those who herald him as a genius. We toss about "our generation's Dylan" for any twenty-something singer/songwriter (e.g. Conor Oberst), until they gain too much success; then we label them a sell out and complain that they mimic all the great bands we once compared them to. It's become as trendy to hate Ryan Adams as it is to like him. So, enough with ragging on him because he acts like a rock star and please, for the love of god, stop comparing him to Dylan. He's fantastic, but there will never be another Dylan and you only set yourself up for derision when you make that comparison.
Critiques of his music often center on one of three points: 1) he's "copying" off of other (presumably better) musicians; 2) there are many other more "innovative" artists out there (followed by a list of said artists); and 3) his lyrics are trite/full of cliches.
My response to those critics is:
1) since when did emulating the sound of other artists (particularly those that we like) become some sort of sin? I appreciate the fact that Ryan Adams' albums have a touch of the "Byrds and Tom Petty" (to quote another review for this album). According to these critics, music is supposed to be life-changing and, when it happens to influence another musician, they are supposed to forget the influence music has had on them. I don't get it.
2) "Innovation" is highly overrated (e.g. the Fiery Furnaces). I didn't anticipate the release of Cold Roses wondering what magic Adams was going to create using only a Fisher Price xylophone and a hubcap. And seriously, how much innovation can we really have? We're reaching a critical moment wherein everything's been said and every note has been matched up with every other note and the only way to be "innovative" will be to be nonsensical and out of tune (e.g. the Fiery Furnaces). (That being said, I do like Rilo Kiley and the Decemberists, although I would argue that there's a distinction to be made between "original" and "innovative", or at least in the way they are bandied about by music critics.)
3) I don't look to lyrics for some sort of life-affirmation or lesson. It's nice if it happens, but it's not something I demand of a CD. Occasionally, something happens in my life and I happen to listen to a particular song and the song clicks with me. Sometimes it just makes good driving music. If every song was filled with huge, heavy lyrics, all I would do is sit in my car and cry. As appealing as that sounds, I have things to do and places to go. And I will be listening to Cold Roses as I go about my merry way.
Sorry for the rant, but now on to the review:
After Rock N Roll (which I hated), I was concerned that he'd fallen over his own ego. Whether or not he's the monster people make him out to be, the new album is great. The Cardinals are a fantastic band, as spectacular on the album as they are live. I would agree with the reviewer who said the album's a mix of Pneumonia and Heartbreaker. If you liked either of those albums, you'll probably like this one. I haven't listened to it enough to say it's my favorite, but it is full of great tunes. If I was forced to put three songs on repeat for the rest of the day, I'd pick "When Will You Come Back Home", "Easy Plateau" and "Dance All Night." I've omitted "Let It Ride" only because I've already listened to it 1,000 times in the last few weeks.
Listen to it. If you like it, buy it. If not, buy something else. There's hardly any excuse these days to accidentally buy something that you think sucks.
Most Ryan Adams reviews can be divided into two camps: those who deride him as an egomaniacal poseur and those who herald him as a genius. We toss about "our generation's Dylan" for any twenty-something singer/songwriter (e.g. Conor Oberst), until they gain too much success; then we label them a sell out and complain that they mimic all the great bands we once compared them to. It's become as trendy to hate Ryan Adams as it is to like him. So, enough with ragging on him because he acts like a rock star and please, for the love of god, stop comparing him to Dylan. He's fantastic, but there will never be another Dylan and you only set yourself up for derision when you make that comparison.
Critiques of his music often center on one of three points: 1) he's "copying" off of other (presumably better) musicians; 2) there are many other more "innovative" artists out there (followed by a list of said artists); and 3) his lyrics are trite/full of cliches.
My response to those critics is:
1) since when did emulating the sound of other artists (particularly those that we like) become some sort of sin? I appreciate the fact that Ryan Adams' albums have a touch of the "Byrds and Tom Petty" (to quote another review for this album). According to these critics, music is supposed to be life-changing and, when it happens to influence another musician, they are supposed to forget the influence music has had on them. I don't get it.
2) "Innovation" is highly overrated (e.g. the Fiery Furnaces). I didn't anticipate the release of Cold Roses wondering what magic Adams was going to create using only a Fisher Price xylophone and a hubcap. And seriously, how much innovation can we really have? We're reaching a critical moment wherein everything's been said and every note has been matched up with every other note and the only way to be "innovative" will be to be nonsensical and out of tune (e.g. the Fiery Furnaces). (That being said, I do like Rilo Kiley and the Decemberists, although I would argue that there's a distinction to be made between "original" and "innovative", or at least in the way they are bandied about by music critics.)
3) I don't look to lyrics for some sort of life-affirmation or lesson. It's nice if it happens, but it's not something I demand of a CD. Occasionally, something happens in my life and I happen to listen to a particular song and the song clicks with me. Sometimes it just makes good driving music. If every song was filled with huge, heavy lyrics, all I would do is sit in my car and cry. As appealing as that sounds, I have things to do and places to go. And I will be listening to Cold Roses as I go about my merry way.
Sorry for the rant, but now on to the review:
After Rock N Roll (which I hated), I was concerned that he'd fallen over his own ego. Whether or not he's the monster people make him out to be, the new album is great. The Cardinals are a fantastic band, as spectacular on the album as they are live. I would agree with the reviewer who said the album's a mix of Pneumonia and Heartbreaker. If you liked either of those albums, you'll probably like this one. I haven't listened to it enough to say it's my favorite, but it is full of great tunes. If I was forced to put three songs on repeat for the rest of the day, I'd pick "When Will You Come Back Home", "Easy Plateau" and "Dance All Night." I've omitted "Let It Ride" only because I've already listened to it 1,000 times in the last few weeks.
Listen to it. If you like it, buy it. If not, buy something else. There's hardly any excuse these days to accidentally buy something that you think sucks.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By Greg Locke
Format:Audio CD
In the closing months of 2003, one of music's most prominent young songwriters released two drastically different, highly accredited albums before falling off stage and breaking his wrist while playing a show. At the height of his fame, the continually prolific, (and self-proclaimed "firecracker") Adams withdrew from the public eye for much of 2004 in order to get healthy, both physically and mentally.
At the end of a much needed year or so of peace, Adams' began touring with his new band, The Cardinals; playing moody, jam-oriented shows to sold out crowds hungry for new songs. Word began spreading in early 2005 that Adams had completed three new studio albums during his absence that would see release before the end of the year on Lost Highway records; the first of which was to be a criminally under-promoted double album entitled Cold Roses.
Before becoming a bona fide rock star in 2003, Adams' split his time playing county songs in old bars, busting band-mates heads, and writing candidly emotional songs with the proficiency of a sixties Bob Dylan. Although he did focus on diversifying his sound as his career progressed, Adams continued to be a childish ball of fire up until his (nearly) career-ending injury. With Cold Roses, Adams' reemerges as a thoughtful, mature songwriter; and for the first time in his career, a critical underdog.
Rather than writing a batch of songs and arranging them in the studio as per his usual methods, Adams and his touring band spent exhausting amounts of time perfecting their eighteen new compositions while on the road. The result is a timeless album saturated with subtle themes ranging from the vast American landscape, to death, loss, and of course, old time values and beliefs. Taking a less personal, more universal approach with his writing than usual, Adams and his band pay musical tribute to the distinct sounds of The Grateful Dead, Neil Young, ,and The Band while still maintaining their own brand of sun-drenched folk rock.
Spanning nearly eighty minutes over two discs, nearly all of Cold Roses is indispensable. From the dark epic of the highly visual "Magnolia Mountain," to the catchy (yet uncommonly eloquent) Carolina-country swagger of "Let It Ride," Adams has found more modes than ever to utilize his natural propensity for old-time rock music. "Easy Plateau," "If I Am A Stranger," "Dance All Night," and at least half a dozen more are all high points in Adams' ever-swelling catalog, thus making Roses conceivably his most accomplished compilation of songs to date.
With each new album he releases, you can always expect to also see a new manifestation of Ryan Adams: the ever-morphing rock n' roll eccentric. For allegiant fans who have long put up with him despite years of humiliating stunts and scandals, Roses is the ultimate pay-off. Seemingly matured and (finally) responsible for his tremendous talent, Adams has at long last released a complete masterpiece.
An album with peaks as high as Cold Roses only hits a few times in any given decade. Ryan Adams is right where he needs to be artistically; commercially underrated, yet without doubt, a top notch songwriter at the top of his game. While Roses might lose a chunk of the younger audience his last few albums have established, it should do it's part in winning back original fans and finally convince a good number of his older, skeptical critics that he's the real deal. Give Cold Roses a few unbiased listens-it might help you remember why you love music so much. I recommend this album over anything I've come across since Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album.
At the end of a much needed year or so of peace, Adams' began touring with his new band, The Cardinals; playing moody, jam-oriented shows to sold out crowds hungry for new songs. Word began spreading in early 2005 that Adams had completed three new studio albums during his absence that would see release before the end of the year on Lost Highway records; the first of which was to be a criminally under-promoted double album entitled Cold Roses.
Before becoming a bona fide rock star in 2003, Adams' split his time playing county songs in old bars, busting band-mates heads, and writing candidly emotional songs with the proficiency of a sixties Bob Dylan. Although he did focus on diversifying his sound as his career progressed, Adams continued to be a childish ball of fire up until his (nearly) career-ending injury. With Cold Roses, Adams' reemerges as a thoughtful, mature songwriter; and for the first time in his career, a critical underdog.
Rather than writing a batch of songs and arranging them in the studio as per his usual methods, Adams and his touring band spent exhausting amounts of time perfecting their eighteen new compositions while on the road. The result is a timeless album saturated with subtle themes ranging from the vast American landscape, to death, loss, and of course, old time values and beliefs. Taking a less personal, more universal approach with his writing than usual, Adams and his band pay musical tribute to the distinct sounds of The Grateful Dead, Neil Young, ,and The Band while still maintaining their own brand of sun-drenched folk rock.
Spanning nearly eighty minutes over two discs, nearly all of Cold Roses is indispensable. From the dark epic of the highly visual "Magnolia Mountain," to the catchy (yet uncommonly eloquent) Carolina-country swagger of "Let It Ride," Adams has found more modes than ever to utilize his natural propensity for old-time rock music. "Easy Plateau," "If I Am A Stranger," "Dance All Night," and at least half a dozen more are all high points in Adams' ever-swelling catalog, thus making Roses conceivably his most accomplished compilation of songs to date.
With each new album he releases, you can always expect to also see a new manifestation of Ryan Adams: the ever-morphing rock n' roll eccentric. For allegiant fans who have long put up with him despite years of humiliating stunts and scandals, Roses is the ultimate pay-off. Seemingly matured and (finally) responsible for his tremendous talent, Adams has at long last released a complete masterpiece.
An album with peaks as high as Cold Roses only hits a few times in any given decade. Ryan Adams is right where he needs to be artistically; commercially underrated, yet without doubt, a top notch songwriter at the top of his game. While Roses might lose a chunk of the younger audience his last few albums have established, it should do it's part in winning back original fans and finally convince a good number of his older, skeptical critics that he's the real deal. Give Cold Roses a few unbiased listens-it might help you remember why you love music so much. I recommend this album over anything I've come across since Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Nice Vocals
While i don't dislike this disc, it doesn't really move me either. I have heard that all of Ryan's discs are very different from each other which i appreciate in a musician. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Carol D'Amico
5.0 out of 5 stars
VINYL is mellower than CD, thankfully.
The vinyl is far more like what this excellent title is supposed to sound. It is warm and dynamic vs the digital which is loud, sharp and compressed in comparison. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Geee!
5.0 out of 5 stars
One Of His Best
I really enjoyed this album. It has a great mix of pop, classic and Southern rock, and traditional country. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Ryan M. Goldman
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Soundtrack To Your Break-Up
I discovered this album during the break-up from what I thought was my soulmate. I need to take a deep breath now just thinking about it. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Matt Syverson
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best Ever
This is the best album ever. It is as fresh on the 1000th spin as it was on the first. The quality of the composition, lyrics, creativity, musicianship, and vocals is unsurpassed... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Bill Clinton
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
Ryan Adams Rocks (For some reason you have to use twenty freakin words before you are allowed to leave your review so here you go)
Published 15 months ago by david hines
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent & Timeless
I am a late convert to the brilliance of Ryan Adams. I know there are differences to his solo work vs that with the Cardinals, but nevertheless this is an outstanding consistent... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Crunchy Groove
5.0 out of 5 stars
this is a VERY good album...
I have an enormous music collection, that spans a broad range of musical styles. Jazz, blues, rock, folk, funk, R&B, old school country and country blues etc. Read more
Published on February 15, 2011 by MTNSURF20
5.0 out of 5 stars
great tunes
Two CDs and both are great. What more do ya want? Right now one is in the motor, the other often on in my living room. Read more
Published on November 12, 2010 by jjlaw
5.0 out of 5 stars
An instant classic - a great rock album!!
Cold Roses is a raw, stripped-down set of music ranging from Rock, Folk Rock, Alt Country to Mellow Rock. Read more
Published on October 2, 2009 by A. Boyd
