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Product details
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Track Listings
| 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. Mockingbird |
| 9. How Do You Keep Love Alive |
| 10. Easy Plateau |
| 11. Let It Ride |
| 12. Rosebud |
| 13. Cold Roses |
| 14. If I Am A Stranger |
| 15. Dance All Night |
| 16. Blossom |
| 17. Life Is Beautiful |
| 18. Friends |
| 19. Tonight (Bonus Track) |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Ryan Adams has had a bumpy ride since going solo, so it’s a rather bold move for the American singer/songwriter to release a double album. But, on the whole, it’s a move that works. Cold Roses is admirably consistent, an impressive feat over 19 songs. At his best, as on Disc One’s "Sweet Illusions" and Disc Two’s "Life is Beautiful", Adams invokes the spirit of Jeff Buckley in both sound and spirit, resulting in the album’s two strongest tracks. Elsewhere, it’s pretty much business as usual for Adams--a mellow and melancholy blend of country and low-key rock, sure to please fans of Gold more than people hoping for a harking back to his days with Whiskeytown. It’s only on "Beautiful Sorta" that Adams really puts a foot wrong, with its chorus ready made as a too-obvious singalong for barefoot American college girls. Though its overall relaxed pace won’t appeal to everyone, fans who first discovered Adams with Gold will find that Cold Roses has much to offer. --Robert Burrow
Review
Mr. Adams has a new band and he's going to keep them busy with three albums releases due this year alone. As if that wasn't enough material already, the prolific Adams is also fond of double albums with the nineteen track Cold Roses being the second consecutive two-disc release.
As you might expect the songs are guitar-heavy with Adams playing a Tal Farlow, Barney Kessel and a Valdez Snowtiger Custom, presumably not all at the same time. Add to the mix an electric guitarist and a steel/lap steel/resonator guitar. This simple but rich sound is then completed with drums, a bit of bass, occasional piano and harmonica.
On some tracks this results in a twanging country style, especially when paired with stereoptypical lyrics. "When Will You Come Back Home" already sounds like a country classic but tracks like "Rosebud" sound very atmospheric. Despite their sentimentality I prefer the down-tempo tracks like the poignantly pretty "Friends"-hear the pain in his voice! "Sweet Illusions" is another case in point, although this song is ballsier. Following on, "Meadowlake Street" is a real builder and one of his most anthemic tracks to date.
Part of the beauty of Cold Roses lies in the effortless free-flowing rhythm of the words coupled with bittersweet lyrics. As the title suggests life ain't a bed of perfumed flowers but it is gritty and full of passion. Adams' voice is as strong and versatile as ever on this album: soft and gentle in places but more strident in others. Despite this full range his voice still manages to sound distinctive throughout.
Interestingly, the songs are credited to the whole band, but they are no real departure from his previous works. It's a wonder how he manages to turn out so much decent material so quickly, but whilst the records are as good as this, you should grab them while you can. --Niky Daley
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
If you think Ryan Adams couldn't better himself after 'love is hell' then think again. Cold Roses is truely a brilliant record. Joined by his backing group the Cardinals, Adams manages to compose an double album which could easily hold it's own if it was simply released as a single album. While disc one could be refered to as 'the sombre disc', disc two is more upbeat, more musically than lyrically at times. Thats not to say that the Downbeat songs aren't worth listening to. The album opener 'Magnolia Moutain' gives an intoxicating taste of what disc one contains. Possibly the best on the first disc is the superb medowlake street which combines the world-wearyness evoked in track two: 'sweet illusions' with an epic build-up. The track also features Adams' most delacate vocal delivery since 'wild flowers' on the album, gold. While Disc two contains the usual songs about lost loves and failed relationships featured on disc one and all his albums. Adams offers a decent selection of regularly consistant and refreshing compositions. With the first track 'Easy Plateau' we find out singer needing to find a place of beauty and seclusion with a companion. Track two: 'Let it Ride' shows a much different side to Adams, one of self-presevation well expressed in the lyrics 'I wasn't ready to go, i'm never ready to go'. The best track on disc two is by far the album title track. It's a tremendous compostion with an stunning riff that sounds, at times like it's two people playing against one another, and Adams' raw vocals back the track up nicely. The song slowly lurches along with a slow to medium tempo, that combined with an impressively technical bridge at the end of the track adds up to make the track one of Adams' most addictive.
Fans of Gold and Love is hell would be the ones who this album appeals most to, however i would recommend it if you're a fan of Ryan, also to people who haven't heard his music. It will blow you away.
Fans of Gold and Love is hell would be the ones who this album appeals most to, however i would recommend it if you're a fan of Ryan, also to people who haven't heard his music. It will blow you away.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I've been with Adams ( musically speaking ) since his Whiskeytown days and have always championed his cause. I actually thought Rock 'n' Roll was a fun album! Love Is Hell & Heartbreaker were classics, and Demolition had its moments. Only Gold didn't do anything for me, too much polish for my liking. Cold Roses is a fine album, possibly his best. It takes a good few listens for the songs to start jumping out at you, but when they do ( and they will) you will be drawn in. It's wonderfully produced and The Cardinals give Adams excellent backing. No doubt that this is the most Whiskeytown sounding album he's done since he split that group. Hard to pick out individual moments, but "Sweet Illusions", "Dance All Night", Meadowlake St" & "Rosebud" are all absolutely top drawer. Only "Beautiful Sorta" lets the side down, but it wouldn't be Ryan Adams if he didn't stick a throwaway song on the album. Great stuff, and I'm waiting for "September" now.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Ok, so I'm biased. Rock'N'Roll wasn't the best but I love the fact that he does just what he wants to do and still manages to write great songs. Someone tell me So Alive isn't a great song.
Anyway, whatever you thought of RnR Mr Adams has returned to wonderful form with Cold Roses. Echoes of Heartbreaker and Whiskeytown Pneumonia, these days I judge his albums by how much they make me cry. Sounds overly sentimental I know but Cold Roses contains some of the best things he's ever done. Songs like Friends and Now That You're Gone will break your heart. His tendency to change vocal stylings annoys some people but it works. Can't wait for the next album and I hope he'll just continue to do just what the hell he wants.
Anyway, whatever you thought of RnR Mr Adams has returned to wonderful form with Cold Roses. Echoes of Heartbreaker and Whiskeytown Pneumonia, these days I judge his albums by how much they make me cry. Sounds overly sentimental I know but Cold Roses contains some of the best things he's ever done. Songs like Friends and Now That You're Gone will break your heart. His tendency to change vocal stylings annoys some people but it works. Can't wait for the next album and I hope he'll just continue to do just what the hell he wants.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Too good to overlook
Not being a massive RA fan (I bought Gold and thought it was fabulous, heard Rock n Roll and thought it wasn't),I've been a bit skeptical about his reputation. Read more
Published on 29 Dec 2008 by Andy Clare
Be Grateful it's Ryan
Someone asked why is this CD is brokes comparison with the Grateful Dead.
The answer is ridiculously simple - some of the songs sit comfortably alongside the best the Dead had... Read more
The answer is ridiculously simple - some of the songs sit comfortably alongside the best the Dead had... Read more
Published on 29 Jun 2008 by Ianham
Cold Roses is hot
To be honest, I think you could listen to any Ryan Adams album and not be disappointed, but Cold Roses stands out for me because it's a double album, and they are usually... Read more
Published on 2 Jun 2008 by le chic le freak
Middling.
Announcing that he was going to release three albums in one year in 2005, Ryan Adams opened his trilogy with this double album, Cold Roses. Read more
Published on 1 Dec 2007 by dynamitekid156
Cold Roses: Great, but lacking something
Cold Roses is a very easy album to listen to, it is a great one to buy if you are just getting into Ryan Adams. Read more
Published on 23 Oct 2007 by F. Cairns
Ryan Adams keeps on Trucking
Cold Roses, Magnolia Mountain, "heading down the Cumberland River"in Let it Ride....the clues are all there .. Read more
Published on 24 Jun 2007 by Herr Doktor
Throw away your bland balladeer cd's
So why is this man not a superstar when James Blunt/Morrison or whatever he is called these days can top the charts week in week out? Read more
Published on 27 Aug 2006 by R. B. Holloway
Like an old shoe
I think this is Adams' best record. It was rather ambitious and well a bit "oh really" of him to put out three records in a year when this stunner would have sufficed. Read more
Published on 11 Aug 2006 by Matthew Richardson
not as good/bad as everyone says !
First off, why were so many reviewers comparing this to the Grateful Dead ?? It's standard Ryan Adams fayre, I can only imagine the double concept album/similar title to a Grateful... Read more
Published on 1 April 2006
Cold and sweet
Ryan Adams is an overblown egomaniac. Ryan Adams is an underrated musical genius. Most listeners of his music fall into those camps, and the debate lives on. Read more
Published on 25 July 2005 by E. A Solinas
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