Follow The Lights

Excellent EP - These songs are great, and this EP is even better than Easy Tiger, which was released not too long before this. I'm a big Alice in Chains fan, so the cover of Down in a Hole was great for me.

Every other song on the album is excellent, highly recommended.

I am a huge Ryan Adams fan, so lets get that out of the way.

Follow The Lights is less a Ryan Adams album and more of a Cardinals project. Previously released Ryan Adams songs such as "This is It", "If I am a Stranger", and "Dear John" have all been re-arranged to fit in with the band.

The songs are tighter, sound better, but I have to say that I kind of like the original takes just because they captured a state of mind. If this is your first experience with the tunes, I am going to guess you will prefer these versions.

Adams has a gem with the Cardinals and hopes he keeps the band personnel stable and stays with the concept of having a backing band. It suits him.

Like many fans, I was awaiting the box set release of Ryan's records recorded between the records and was surprised to find just an EP. I was also worried when I saw the music's tie to October Road, having never seen the show I wondered how it may effect the music. The end result, however, is a great one. With several new recordings, a couple covers and reworkings of Ryan's original work, it is enough to tie both casual and hardcore fans over until the next full release. I especially enjoy the new versions of This Is It and If I Am A Stranger. The band is hitting a real stride and if you haven't been a long time fan this is the perfect place to start and wet your appetite for one of today's most prolific singer/songwriters.

A biased review because of my long time fanship of Ryan but he has put together a wonderful EP. It mixes new with restructured old and another fantastic cover. I am not a huge cover fan but when an artist takes a song and turns it on its head then it is worth it. I usually decry most of Hollywood and the modern music scene for not being original and remaking everything that has been done before but his renditions are so different. Buy it, it is great.

I love the music of Ryan Adams but this little CD is more or less a side dish compared to the main entrees of his other works. "Dear John" without Norah Jones and "If I am a Stranger" are highlights (I don't mind ol' Norah but it's nice to hear how the song might be without her).

For the price, well, it's a good price. If you're a fan, definitely pick it up. I did. I don't regret it but of all his CDs I have, it's the one I put on at rare times - which is not bad, comparatively speaking, I don't own Rock N'Roll and don't plan to purchase it in the near future. ("If I Am Stranger" - I think is my favourite track...I love the acoustic rendering...)

If you're new to Ryan Adams, start with Gold and work your way around, feel it out, if you prefer the alt-country (Cold Roses, Jacksonville City Lights) aspects or the folk-rock n'roller (Heartbreaker, 29, Love is Hell). This CD is not the best place to start. It's the kind of CD you want because you are a fan but if you could live without it, you would.