Ryan Adams – Demolition (2002)

Demolition is the third album by one of the most productive songwriters ever, Ryan Adams. His first album had just been released two years earlier and his second album Gold had become a massive hit at least in the US. Compared to the first two albums, Demolition is perhaps a slightly disappointing, since it doesn't have as many amazing hit songs, but still, as a standalone effort, it's a fantastic album. Adams himself thought afterwards this album as something of a compilation of leftover songs, but I do think there are numerous fantastic songs that deserved to be published on a record. Demolition seems still has some proper country songs, but it also features some rockier songs that seem to lay the ground for Adams' following album Rock n' Roll. This was one of my first Ryan Adams albums which I bought quite soon after its release.



Ryan Adams intended to make Gold as a double album, but the record company forced him to just stick to one album, only releasing a bonus CD with it. Some of the songs intended for Gold were finally released on this album. According to Adams, it's a disservice to those songs, because he thinks they should've deserved to be on a better album. I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with this album, but I can see what he means when I compare it to Gold and Heartbreaker.

The album starts with quite a pop-oriented song Nuclear that has some country slide guitars to bring that country feeling on it, but essentially, it's a pop rock song. The chorus has some proper overdriven guitars that seem quite similar to some songs on Rock n' Roll. Hallelujah on the other hand is a proper country song with amazing harmonicas. Adams' vocals sound absolutely beautiful in this song. It's one of the greatest songs on the album. You Will Always Be the Same sounds a lot like the first two albums. It's mostly quiet and folky with sensitive trembling vocals. Desire always gets me a bit emotional. I guess I've listened to this song in the difficult moments in my life and it makes me return to those hurtful memories. I love how the song grows. Cry On Demand has a very similar effect on me. The minimalist pianos in this song make it sound amazing. Starting to Hurt is a proper stadium rock song. It's similar to the music Adams makes nowadays. She Wants to Play Hearts is a slow folky country song where Adams is usually at his best. This song, however, is missing some of that intimate feeling and as a result it sounds a bit bland. Tennessee Sucks is obviously beautifully named song, but also the laid back Southern country rock of the song really hits the spot. Dear Chicago has nice echoey acoustic guitars that remind me of the new folk revival of the 00's. The guitars sound quite remarkable. Gimme a Sign is a proper rock song again. it actually reminds me of Bruce Springsteen a little bit. This is one of the first times we hear Adams' rock vocals in their full force. Tomorrow is a beautiful folk ballad which is quite similar to some of my favourite songs on the album 29. The female vocals in the song sound beautiful. Chin Up, Cheer Up is one of my favourite songs on this album. It's unapologetically country and that's partly why I like it. It took me a bit of effort to start appreciating country sounds, but now I really adore proper well-made country. The album ends with a strangely ambient-style Jesus (Don't Touch My Baby). The title sounds a bit strange in the lyrics. I'm not sure what Adams meant with it.

I wasn't able to find any music videos from this album. I don't know if they exist. Anyway, I wanted to link something, so I'm linking this acoustic version of Chin Up, Cheer Up, which sounds great as just a man and a guitar version. It gives a nice example of how great a musician Adams is. Few artists could sound as good with just a guitar in a song that on the album is accompanied by a full band.

Looking back at this album, it might not be among the best Ryan Adams albums, but there are some songs on it that mean to me a great deal on the personal level. For that reason, Demolition is and remains an important early Ryan Adams album that I will return to every now and then.

Listen to the album on Spotify.