Heartbreaker

I agree with all the great things that have been said about this album. It is amazing. I've had it for two days now and I still haven't listened to the entire CD. The songs here are unlike Adams' Whiskeytown material, but they are still tremendous. I like the first nine songs so much that I still haven't listened to tracks 10-15! I get to "Come Pick Me Up" and just start over. My favorite album of not only 2000, but of the last few years. It's really, really, good. Buy it!

People knock Ryan Adams for so many reasons. "He's moody". "His concerts are inconsistent." "He does too many drugs". "He's pretentious". "His albums now aren't as good as his old ones". "He was better with Whiskeytown". "He Wears his influences on his sleeve". "He's self-aware and his albums are self-indulgent". People can say what they like to say, but I think that some music fans are far too picky with Adams; he is what he is.
Adams has released three albums with Whiskeytown, and a grand total of seven solo releases, each with its own borderline-genius qualities. And Heartbreaker is the amazing album that started all of this.
Adams is commonly quoted as saying that Whiskeytown was a "creative prison" for him; it's easy to tell in the music. Whiskeytown albums, which are all fantastic, have a produced, romantic quality about them. The lyrics, which are great, are not up to par of what Adams is capable of writing, as we've seen from his seven post-Whiskeytown releases. Although I think Whiskeytown is great, I always hear people say they're better than Ryan Adams on his own, and I don't see how something that even Adams himself says was stifling for him can be considered so much greater than Post-releases.
And so here is Heartbreaker, a STELLAR, widely overlooked debut alt-country album. From the first track, To Be Young, it is clear that Adams is capable of something truly amazing. The uptempo songs are fun and fierce, the slower-tempo songs are deep, introspective, and highly romantic but not in a shallow, one-dimensional way. They express something much greater, much more thoughtful, and much more saddening and thought-provoking than many artists who release 'heartbreak' albums.
Adams' aim, unlike many artists, is not to get political, or preach meaningful values. His aim is to make music. And not for the fans, but for himself. He makes songs that he finds interesting or that he finds funny and ironic. And that is what real artistry is all about. And with a gritty, soulful voice with a great range, virtuosity with many instruments (a standout in 'Heartbreaker' is the harmonica), and clever lyrics, Adams is full of talent. And I challenge anyone to deny that.

This album, along with Pneumonia, are Ryan Adams' two best accomplishments. Heartbreaker is one of the reasons alternative country is so popular today. The album does run a little long, and his best work is on the first half of the album. However, this barely takes away from its quality. My favorite songs on the album (if you're interested) are "Winding Wheel" and "Come Pick Me Up."

It's unfortunate that Ryan Adams' new albums are such rubbish. I guess some artists who "have it" can just "lose it."