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What more can I say. It belongs right next to the production of Neil Young and Lucinda Williams. If I had to pick 2 Ryan Adams albums along the best 100 albums ever made I would pick Heartbreaker and Gold, with easy Tiger as close third. I wish more recordings had the sound, presence and dynamics just like this one. Great songs, arrangements, musicians, performance, feel, recording and production. Come lift me up is one of my all time favourites when it comes to alt country drum sound when I work in my studio. Heartbreaker is probably Ryan Adams' finest album. Very well done.
Yes, there is usually an air of disingenuous sincerity present in Adams' aesthetic pursuits of gritty country-rock, but that does not take away from his unique pop songwriting talents to help raise the songs higher. In fact, it is when Adams completely abandons any preconceived notions of "authenticity" and simply follows the melody with conviction that he often records his best work. With Heartbreaker, the overworking artist is nearly in full-on Dylan acoustic mode though, mainly drawing generically unimpressive results, with truly memorable passages such as the chorus of "Come Pick Me Up" being a rarity.
They should be reserved for superlative, historically-emblematic, best-of-the-best albums such as Joni Mitchell's BLUE, Dusty Springfield's DUSTY IN MEMPHIS or Gram Parsons' G.P./GRIEVOUS ANGEL, to name a few. Those interested in exploring his discography would be better served by the slick but musically diverse GOLD or the beautiful, stripped-down JACKSONVILLE CITY NIGHTS.
The remaining half of the album is pleasant but forgettable filler, plain and simple. Reduce HEARTBREAKER into its basic components and what you have is one outstanding song (Come Pick Me Up) and five good songs (To Be Young -- Amy -- Oh My Sweet Carolina -- Damn, Sam -- Shakedown on 9th Street).
Even the most ardent Ryan Adams fan, in good conscience, cannot possibly award this inexplicably overrated album more than 4 stars. Come on, folks.
This is a 2.5 star or 3 star album, at best. 5 star reviews shouldn't be tossed around like candy.
HEARTBREAKER is nowhere near 5 star league.
It remains to be seen if Adams will ever be able to surpass this monster of a record, even though a testament is more a likely and suiting word. Never again would Adam's lyrics feel so damn honest and pure.
Think Wilco by way of Black Flag. Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams *****Heartbreaker, Ryan Adams very first solo album a alternative country album, Adams' all time best work.
Imagery of broken hearts, one night stands, and drug fueled affairs haunt this album like a bottle of Jack haunted Hank Williams Sr. Oddly enough the comparison isn't too far off, as Adams' chosen genre is one that feels open enough to bridge the extremely hallow gap between that of country western music, and good ol' fashioned punk n' roll.
Lyrically we get the since that Heartbreaker is an album of well.heartbreak (as many of Adams' albums would be during his career. Never again would they feel so true and open, as if telling a story or better yet sitting as a voyeur watching the magic unfold right there before your very own eyes.Tracks like 'Amy' and 'My Winding Wheel' haunt and creep along like the memory of a past love, while ever contrasting those is 'Too Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High) and the powerhouse of slide guitar 'Shakedown On 9th Street.'Rivaling even his best work with the fabulous Whiskey Town, and ever his work with newer backing band the Cardinals.
Often does he come close, but no closer has he come than that of Easy Tiger which even after a listen to and a comparison to Heartbreaker falls flat.
Heartbreaker comes off as the most honest and organic sounding album I have listened to. This album has grown to be my favorite album in my collection. I own this both on CD and Vinyl and it is in rotation at least twice a week since the first time I made the purchase. In many ways it reminds me alot of the feeling you can get from a Dylan "Blood on the tracks/ Blonde on Blonde" listen but with a modern touch. Its a genuine Record that hopefully becomes a classic.
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