Is Ryan Adams too prolific?

Apologies for the title; it's written in the accusatory way that some critics talk about Ryan Adam's muse.

There are 12 albums spanning 12 years.  The enigmatic alt-country songster once released 3 albums within a year, Jacksonville City Nights, 29 and Cold Roses, the latter being a double album.  He put out two albums in 2010 through his own Pax Am label, one of which was a metal concept album. He also found time to get married, suffer various medical ailments and go through several 'backlashes' in the press.

How can an artist's creativity be used as a stick to beat him with? It's a lazy viewpoint from journalists used to the notion of musicians releasing an album every couple of years or so, rolling out the PR machine and plotting the usual, tedious route through promo appearances and tours. Ryan Adams hearks back to a more traditional notion of the singer songwriter and musician.  There is something honest and old-fashioned about his prolific nature:  It's his job, after all, his vocation, his inspiration. Maybe he just works hard and takes his art seriously.  A lot of the great bands and artists have been similarly productive: the Smiths, The Beatles, The Stones.

Ryan is so brilliant that there are heart-searing classics such as "Like The Twilight', aka 'Drunk and Fucked Up, which is part of the unreleased '48 Hours' sessions, that surpass most artists' entire discographies.





The success of Ashes and Fire, which again invokes that feel of the traditional, honest singer songwriter, laid bare, has possibly felt like due acclaim has finally arrived.  Ryan also talks of further releases in the pipeline:

"...there’s also a live box-set thing. It sounds so brutal and old-school and great. People were good enough to not bootleg the shows. We asked them not to. I’ve always let my fans tape all the shows. I was like, “Just let me do it right.” So we did this really cool set list, and did that, so that’s sort of waiting. And Blackhole is badass, man. I fucking love it. It’s like Love Is Hell, but more up. It has that same feeling and texture, the way Love Is Hell sounds." (AV Club)


For the committed fans, following the output, collecting the records, absorbing the mix of styles, it is a real gift.  keep the inspiration rolling Ryan.