Whip-John-Will

It looks like the long awaited album from producer Ethan Johns.  A video for a song called 'Whip-John-Will' surfaced on the internet recently and is rather addictive!  According to his Three Crows Music website the album is due this July and this first track has been mastered by his Dad, Glyn Johns.  The track features Ryan Adams and Laura Marling on backing vocals.  From the sounds of this track, the albums is going to be something special and I really can't wait to hear more from him!

Ashes & Fire

Ryan Adams unleashed his new solo album earlier this month and it's everything that I was expecting and more! Anyone who frequents here often will know of my love of all thing Ryan and how devastated I was when he announced he was quitting music in 2009. Thankfully, as we all expected that didn't last for long!

He's been in the studio with the legendary Glyn Johns on production duties, whose son Ethan Johns has worked with Ryan on Heartbreaker, Gold and 29. The new album, 'Ashes & Fire' is up there with his best work and is certainly his most focused and consistent album to date.

There's even an official music video, a first since 'So Alive' from 2003's 'Rock N Roll'. The video is for 'Lucky Now':

And here's an awesome acoustic take on the title track:

Oh, Ryan

This pre-sale got me up at 3am this morning, when I snagged a copy of the new Ryan Adams LP, Orion, his first fully-realized sci-fi metal concept album, through the PAX-AM store over at Ryanada.ms.  The extremely sexy looking clear vinyl ships next week and I really couldn't be more excited, anything new from Ryan always gets me giddy with excitement.  Now just gotta wait for it to get through customs and to me in the UK and give it a spin.

New York, New York

Tomorrow my girlfriend and I are heading off to New York for five nights.  It'll be our first trip to America and we can't wait!

We're celebrating my Birthday out there and as well as all the usual touristy things, we'll be seeing Joseph Arthur at the City Winery and checking out some cool record stores and other places that people have recommended to us.

I'm sure that I'll blabber on about the trip on here when we get back, but for now I'll leave you with the music video for 'New York, New York' by Ryan Adams.

Orion

Ryan Adams will begin the vinyl pressing of his "most legit METAL record" next week, according to his (finally updated) website. 

Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm a bit Ryan crazy, but I was slightly worried about the metal aspect of this record.  But from listening to the song below (Electrosnake), I actually think it could be pretty good.  I know that I'll be buying a copy and probably end up paying a stupid amount of postage to get it to the UK, but a new LP by Ryan, metal or not, still gets me really excited.  

Here's what Ryan had to say about the album, posting as wolfhunter at the RAA:

"DUDE>.....It's a badass album srsly ruff ruff. Jamie Candiloro ( yes your FAVORITE PRODUCER OF ALL TIME FOLKS ) produced it ( we started it after ET but it's been in the works for about two years for realz. The joke about it never shipping is just that... and that nice man who say's that it doesn't sound good prolly never heard COC Animosity but we aren't all perfect. the art inside is CRAZY awesome!!! I can't tell ya'll anymore than that but it's R.A.D.
As a few people said, RAA style jams, it really wasn't meant to be anything other than a brutally badass thrash/ metal record. ESnake is disco compared to the speed and riff damage on the rest of the tracks and all I can say for the whole thing is two years is a long time to work on a badass album of riffs and this is the one for me. ESNake is the "Sailing"CCRoss song on the record. The rest is like the metal equivalent of "Doin the Neutron Dance" yall. RUFF!
A lot of folks who dig the sadbastardjams will NOT dig. No it isn't "Heartbreaker" because I already did that and frankly there is no reason to jump the grand canyon full of whiskey and misery soaked wet eared lullicakes twice. Besides, I don't have those pearl snaps anymore, they smelled like smoke ; )

Have a badass weekend. The poll already exceeded my numbers for a first pressing so far so that's awesome. Also for non vinyl folks don't sweat it- we will work that out... It's on vinyl because there is all this badass art in der.
Ruff ruff bark like a dog. Love yall.
X"

You can still vote in the poll mentioned above here and listen to Electrosnake below.

ORION . ELECTROSNAKE by ryanadams

Caballeros

Ethan Johns has produced albums by Ryan Adams, Kings Of Leon, Ben Kweller and Ray LaMontagne, amongst many others. He also runs the Third Crows Music studio and is a multi-instrumentalist, but until last September he'd never stepped out into the spotlight.

During Ray LaMontagne's UK tour last September, Ethan Johns opened the show with just an acoustic guitar, under the guise of Caballeros. Three tracks have surfaced from this support slot, 'Hello Sunshine', 'Long Way Around' and '21st Century Paranoid Blues'.

The tracks are live cuts, but almost sound like studio quality recordings. The only tell-tale sign is the applause at the end. I really like the sound of these tunes, with 'Hello Sunshine' probably being my favorite and really hope we see some materiel from this project at some point this year.

Check out the Caballeros page on the Three Crows Music website to listen to the tunes and for a bit of background information on them.

The Return Of Foggy

Ryan Adams will digitally release two new, unreleased songs today via his website. I really can't wait! Ryan said he was taking a step back from the music business at the beginning of the year and disbanded his band 'The Cardinals'. It now looks like he's delving into his immense archives though and releasing music on his own Pax-AM record label for the fans.

I think this DIY approach will really benefit him as he can do what he wants, when he wants and not have to fight a record label to release anything. He has also re-launched his blog Foggy as a more video based affair, even calling it Foggy TV now. Hopefully we'll still get some of his poetry and random thoughts on there too at some point.

Here's What Ryan has to say about the new venture:

"Thanks for making Pax Am the number one Ryan Adams merch site online. We would hunt anyone else down though.
Did you have a rad summer? Good. If you said no, never worry, Pax Am is here. We are gonna fill your fall and winter up with vinyl, digital singles, and t shirts you don’t need.

Stay tuned for videos, free tracks, and our digi-singles. Subscribers get first dibs on rare vinyl.

Remember, purchasing the buck 49 singles is a way to keep FOGGY TV on the air, but it is not necessary to view the weekly content.

This is my label and my internet disco dream.
Make it real you jerks.
Worship me."

Loving the sound of the rare vinyl! He also has an old school video game blog at the Awl, where he has been showing us and reviewing titles from his retro games arcade consoles. Here's a video homage to Tron that was posted yesterday:

Long Player with D.R. Adams: TRON from The Awl on Vimeo

New Turntable :-)

Let me introduce you to my new Sony PSLX300USB turntable I got from Richer Sounds today. I've been looking around for a new turntable for a while now and finally stumbled across this one last week, which fits into my price range and had great reviews everywhere I looked. My old Aiwa turntable has lasted me for years and years, but it needed to be replaced.

So far I've played 'Heartbreaker' by Ryan Adams and 'Our Shadows Will Remain' by Joseph Arthur on the new turntable and both sound lovely, warm and rich. Just like records should. I'm extremely pleased with the purchase and look forward to trying the USB feature out at some point in the future on some of my rarer LPs.

Now what should I spin next. . .

Transitions

"There's a million chances and every single one of them is called hope."

I wish I could create something this real and beautiful. So many truths, told with such grace and humour, with imagery to stir the soul. Ryan Adams at his most poignant.

Mayo On The Side

Since Ryan Adams disbanded the Cardinals and married a certain Mandy Moore earlier this year, things have been quiet on the music front.

He's been rubbing mayonnaise on his poorly knee and considered braiding his chest hair (well, according to his Tweets he has).

But, now two of his crazy side projects have re-surfaced with new tunes and new sites. Don't expect your usual Ryan material here, if you're familiar with his other side projects The Shits or DJ Reggie, you'll know what to expect. Let the madness commence. . .



Werewolph

The satanic pizza eating band. All pretty good tunes, with 'Mega Wizards' even sounding like it's Ryan singing it.

Tracklisting:

1. Dead People Unite
2. Evil Weekend
3. Mega Wizards

Head on over to the Werewolph website to hear the tunes.

Sleazy Handshake

The band with the cat with pizza eyes as their mascot. Loving the Egyptian theme of the picture. Tunes sound as sleazy as you'd expect.

Tracklisting:

1. Brain Fart Wind Tunnel
2. Lick Me
3. Mr Smartypants
4. Oops Who Farted
5. Yes

Head on over to the Sleazy Handshake website to hear the tunes.

It's good to hear Ryan kicking back and writing some crazy jams again. Catch up with him at his new website Ryanada.ms.

Halloweenhead

Happy Halloween!

The Patty Duke Syndrome

Before the Cardinals and Whiskeytown, Ryan Adams was in a band called The Patty Duke Syndrome. He'd previously perfomed in a few other local bands, but it was with The Patty Duke Syndrome that he released his first record in 1994. It was a split 7" with 'Texas' & 'History' by the band on one side and two songs by GlamourPuss on the flipside. Since then a collection of demos have surfaced on the internet, you can easily find if you look in the right places.

In August this year, someone uploaded two live videos of The Patty Duke Syndrome that were recorded February 4, 1994 at the Brewery in Raleigh, NC. The videos feature a very young Ryan Adams along with Jere McIlwean on bass and Brian Walsby on drums. The sound of the band was quite raw and draws comparism to Husker DU.

'Maybe I':

'Texas':

Rocking The Cradle

I've never been a huge Dead Head, but the new live album from The Grateful Dead sure looks tempting to me, just look at that packaging! It was recorded in Egypt in September 1978, when the band played a three night stand at the Sound & Light Theater, outside Cairo, nestled in the dunes just a short mummy-walk from the Great Pyramid and the mysterious Sphinx.

The band had to set up in 110 degree heat and even managed to max out the local power grid. The final show on September 16th was played during a total lunar eclipse. A live album was orignially going to be put out soon after the dates were played, but upon return to the States they found that due to technical issues pretty much all of the first night and some of the second were unusable. The project got put on the backburner while they completed their Shakedown Street album, which was released in November of the same year. That is until now...

I think that this release appeals to me even more as I fell in love with Egypt this year when I went on holiday there with my girlfriend. I would go back there in a heartbeat and the combination of one of my favourite places on the planet and great music seems irresistable.

My links to the Grateful Dead's music are through Ryan Adams who has played with Phil Lesh (founding member and bass played of the Dead) on many occasions and the Counting Crows who covered 'Friend Of The Devil' for their Films About Ghosts compilation. Both Bob Dylan (who also released a live album called 'Dylan And The Dead' with the band) and Tom Petty have covered the band's songs many times.

The album is released on October 31th and can be pre-ordered here or here.

Infinity Blues

I've just preordered my copy of Infinity Blues, the first book to be published by Ryan Adams. Infinity Blues is a collection of poems and short fiction and is according to Adams "the jewel of my life's work."

The preorder includes a signed HARDCOVER edition of Infinity Blues, with a BONUS poetry chapbook by Ryan Adams titled Sad American Mythology. The chapbooks will all be signed and numbered; Sad American Mythology is a limited edition available ONLY here as part of this preorder. The official publication date for the book is April 2009, but these pre-orders will be sent out on or before the 19th December.

I'm really looking forward to getting my teeth into this. You can preorder the book here.

“Ryan Adams, one of America’s most consistently interesting singer-songwriters, has written a passionate, arresting, and entertaining book of verse. Fans are going to love it, and newcomers will be pleased and startled by his intensity and originality. The images are vivid and the voice is honest and powerful.”—Stephen King.

Brooklyn

Since I seem to have a bit of an obsession with the music scene in Brooklyn of late after blogging about Joseph Arthur, Scary Mansion and Creaky Boards who are all from there, I thought I'd post a pretty cool live video of the song 'Brooklyn' by Jesse Malin, that was recorded at the Mercury Lounge in 2007.

There's a great story at the beginning of the video about Jesse and his 'man with a van' business, where they moved a bed for Barbra Streisand. It's always great to catch Jesse at his solo shows as he's not only a gifted musican, but also a great story teller. Check it out:

'Brooklyn' is featured on Jesse's debut album, which was produced by Ryan Adams.

Jesse is playing a three night stint at the Bowery Electric, NYC this weekend. It's called 'Almost Grown - An evening of songs and stories with Jesse Malin'. I'd love to go to the show, it's been too long since I've caught Jesse live.

You can check out more Jesse goodness at his MySpaz page. I'm off to check out some more music from Brooklyn. Feel free to post a comment if you know of any good Brooklyn based bands I should check out.

Every Joke Is A Half Truth

I've been addicted to the Scary Mansion album 'Every Joke Is A Half Truth' for about a month now. They are Brooklyn based Leah Hayes' musical project. I discovered them through a blog post on Foggy when Ryan Adams was talking about her awesome graphic novel 'Funeral Of The Heart'. Much like her graphic novel work, the album is intense and sweeping, creating a very haunting landscape. The vocal and instrumental delivery throughout the album is very unique, which adds to it's charm.

Here's a 'live in the dark' video for 'Go To Hell':

It also turns out that Leah has done the cover and lyric book for the limited edition vinyl of the new (Ryan Adams &) The Cardinals album 'Cardinology', which comes out on October 27th.

Check out the Scary Mansion MySpaz page for more songs (try 'Sorry We Took All Yr Money' first) and buy the album here if you like what you hear.

Cardinology

Cardinology, the new album from Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, will be released on the 27th October in the UK. The cover art and tracklisting has been confirmed as:

Born Into A Light
Go Easy
Fix It
Magick
Cobwebs
Let Us Down Easy
Crossed Out Name
Natural Ghost
Sink Ships
Evergreen
Like Yesterday
Stop



The first single from the album will be 'Fix It', which was released digitally to radio stations today. You can listen to a clip of 'Fix It' at the Cardinal Cave.

The Cardinals are touring America and the UK from September 25th. Check out the official site for full dates.

Here's a video of an early demo version of 'Crossed Out Name' that Ryan posted on his blog Foggy earlier this year, as introduced by Wilson & Barnabus.

I absolutely love this song and can't wait to hear the album version. You can also download a live version of 'Crossed Out Name' from the September 4th show in Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, ON. Check out the full set at Archive.org.