Gold - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
Torrential creativity has fast-forwarded the artistic evolution of former Whiskeytown frontman Ryan Adams from country-rock boy wonder (see Faithless Street) to despondent troubadour with a 1960s fixation (his solo debut Heartbreaker), but it may also explain why listeners often need to wade through some pedestrian material just to find a few pearls of poetic excellence. Gold is no exception to that trend, a sometimes engaging middle-of-the-road roots-pop album that's both overlong (70 minutes) and at times overindulgent. There are high spots--such as the bouncy, breezy opener "New York, New York" and the plaintive ballad "When the Stars Go Blue" (which features a vocal turn reminiscent of Morrissey)--but much of the disc gets lost in forests of indistinct guitars and plodding percussion that never nudges Adams into actually rocking. Gold is the work of a notoriously prolific songwriter who hasn't yet learned to play to his strengths, one whose execution doesn't yet match his vision. --Anders Smith Lindall

Album Description
UK pressing of the second solo album from the American Alt-Roots star (and former Whiskeytown frontman) includes one bonus track: 'Rosalie Come & Go'. Originally released in 2001, Gold was a musical triumph for the young singer/songwriter and received more press attention and critical acclaim than anything he has released, both before and after. 17 tracks. Universal.

Album Details
Includes the Bonus Track "Rosalie Come and Go" Previously Available on a Now Deleted USA

Customer Reviews: Read 264 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

A Modern Classic August 23, 2005
38 out of 39 found this review helpful

Gold came out in the late summer of 2001. The opening track, "New York New York," became something of a rallying cry for me (and other New Yorkers and Americans) after 9/11, even though the song-- as one colleague described it, "Tangled Up in Blue" played fast-- is about a girl, not a city. (Adams sometimes writes about a girl by using the name of a city he associates with her; see also, "Dear Chicago.") But the very fact that this tune evoked the familiar Dylan song is precisely what makes this work so compelling and timeless.

OK, so given the timing, that tune sucked me into the record, in a very visceral way. But the whole thing had masterpiece written all over it from the very first spin at my home in September of 2001. As my wife so aptly said, "It has that sweet familliar ring of every album you ever loved as a kid." Which, if you are our age, means it feels like Van Morrison, Neil Young, Dylan, Exile-era Stones, like that. It hits you in that "Into the Mystic," "Brown Sugar," "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere" place. Do you like that place? Yeah, me too.

Adams is so prolific an artist that he is generally an album or two ahead of his fans; by February of 2001 he was playing these rockers to rooms full of alt.country romantics who wanted to moon with him over the Heartbreaker songs. But now, four years on, "New York New York," "Answering Bell," "Stars Go Blue," and "Rescue Blues" sound like songs you've known all your life, and are warmly greeted in concert as the masterworks they are.

Adams is a polarizing figure; people tend to have strong opinions toward him, either way. I obviously lean toward the "love everything he touches" camp. But divorced from the public persona, the music on this disc stands up to the closest scrutiny, taps into a classic vein defined by the artists listed above (and more recently, by Lucinda Williams and Counting Crows). I hate to compare one artist to others, but I find it a helpful construct in providing buying advice; its the "recommended if you like..." concept. If you've read this far, I think you know whether you want to buy this or not.

If not, I'll add that if I were to suggest a single title to someone interested in getting their ears wet with Adams, this would be the one. I think you can find traces of every direction he's gone in, before and since, on this album. It is long (70 minutes or so), but in a sweeping sort of way; I can listen to it all the way through and not find a single song I want to cut.

3 out of 5 stars

Lots Of Talent, but....... December 1, 2001
19 out of 27 found this review helpful

Ryan Adams' newest album "Gold" shows many signs of unpresidented genius. There are songs on this album that will touch your heart, raise your eyebrows and have you coming back for seconds and thirds. There is a addictive element inherent in his music that is almost hypnotic, but the album as a whole is entirely inconsistant.
There are 16 songs on this album and it is about 7 songs to many. I like an album to flow, I like to be able to listen to an album in its entirety without skipping song after song. Unfortunately, this is not possible on "Gold." In many of his anthems, song lyrics become redundant, whiney, and drag on far to long.
If Adams were to eliminate 7 tracks from this album(8-12 & 14-15), it would surely be a 4 star album and a worthy choice for album of the year. I just find it strange how sometimes talented singers dont know when to stop. Instead of polishing albums off, Adams is pounding albums out. Over the course of two years he has made 3 albums(One with Whiskeytown). At some point you would think quality would be more important then quantity and until Ryan Adams learns this lesson, he will never be among the elite.
Overall, I would purchase this album for its masterpieces, such as, "Firecracker", "La Cienega Just Smiled", "When the Stars Go Blue", and "Harder Now That Its Over."

5 out of 5 stars

One of the best albums I own. May 21, 2002
13 out of 20 found this review helpful

First, just a note: "New York, New York" was written, recorded, and the video shot before the WTC disaster. Ryan did not jump on the band wagon. It is just coinsidence. A sad one, at that.

I bought this record because Adam Duritz of Counting Crows (I love this guy!!!) sings on it and has been quoted as saying Ryan Adams is one of the greatest songwriters he has ever heard. If you have every analyzed and listened to Counting Crows lyrics, you will understand what a compliment that is! I fell in love with this album after a few turns on the player and now, I find it in most of the time. Ryan Adams may remind you of others; but I think he has a style and a presence all his own. "Answering Bell" is my favorite for it's differentness (Oh, and Adam Duritz sings a little back ground vocals!) I also think it is quite a compliment to hear the Coors & Bono singing "When the Stars Go Blue" on the radio. How cool is it to have Bono sing a song from an album you released just 8 months ago? When the big boys realize what a great songwriter Ryan Adams is, I think we should all stand up and pay attention. Check him out. Buy this album now. You will not be disappointed.

2 out of 5 stars SACD merely a 4.0 mix - a Lost Opportunity for Lost Highway! December 31, 2002
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

I was very much looking forward to this Ryan Adams multichannel SACD release - supposedly one of the first ones from Lost Highway Records, expecting this to be a true surround feast with all the layers of instruments in the original stereo mix.

Imagine my surprise when I popped it into my SACD player and the center channel stayed mute for the duration of the whole album, I simply could not believe my eyes (i.e. ears)!

Folks beware, this is a 4.0 quad mix as opposed to the more common 5.1. SACD mix (which usually provides a much richer sound stage especially in the front) and that's not even credited anywhere in the liner notes or CD inserts, yikes!

Essentially there is not much of a difference between the stereo mix and this quad mix, the front image is very similar, the only difference being that some overdubbed multitracks (e.g. piano, strings) have now gone to the rear channels, and that's about it!

The voice could have been expanded much more (especially into the center) but this way it stays muddied in the front speakers - just like in the stereo mix. Very sad indeed, such a missed opportunity, it's hard to believe!

Why people would still produce quad mixes (a relict of the 70's) when they could have a much richer surround mix is simply beyond me. Unfortunately there is now little to recommend this SACD release over the original stereo album...

3 out of 5 stars A Typically Frustrating Ryan Adams Project September 30, 2001
10 out of 18 found this review helpful

If Ryan Adams could ever develop some self-discipline in his creativity, he could be remembered as one of the best rock and rollers of all time. This amazing thing is that as Adams grows more versitile, he is also getting sloppier. On "Gold," virtually all traces of Adams's original incarnation as "Alternative Country" troubador, which he established with the band Whiskeytown, is gone. Instead Adams has become the guy who seems to want to singlehandedly maintain and expand the legacy of the great rock artists on the late 60s and early seventies, particularly Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones. The style of the individual songs, and even his own vocals vary widely from track to track.

The album starts off in chilling fashion, with the song "New York, New York" and the refrain, "I still love you, New York." Recorded before 9/11/01, it now has an additional meaning Adams never intended. Other excellent cuts include "The Rescue Blues," the nine minute Neil Young-esque epic "Nobody Girl," "Somehow Someday" and "Harder Now that its Over." The "Side 4" bonus disc includes "The Bar is a Beautiful Place," which could be a Lou Reed tribute, particularly with the horn flavored instrumental at the end.

The problem is that there is WAY too much filler material in between the good stuff. Including the bonus disc, Adams includes 21 songs here; close to an hour and a half of music. Pair it down to the best dozen, and you've got a very strong album on your hands. If you're a fan of Adams, this album is worth it because of the good songs. If you're just getting to know him, start with his superior debut, "Heartbreaker" instead.

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