"And It's A Hard Way To Fall..."

I've been in a Ryan Adams mood lately (not to be confused with our Canadian friend Bryan Adams. Who always makes me think of the South Park movie when the Prime Minister of Canada says "we have apologized many times for Bryan Adams"). To be honest one of the contestants of American Idol performed Come Pick Me Up a couple of weeks back and I've been playing Ryan Adams in steady rotation since (yes I am aware that this is a mild confession to the fact that I watch American Idol but (1) it's a discussion for another day and (2) get off my ass it's fun).

The first time I was introduced to the music of Ryan Adams happened to be at the end of the movie Behind Enemy Lines. A weird and random place to discover an artist but it's the Gods honest truth. Just as a side note Behind Enemy Lines came out shortly after 9/11 and I think it was exactly what people needed action movie wise. As a matter of fact when it ended the people in the theater actually started to applaud. It was very surreal but also felt very appropriate. I don't know how to explain it but it just felt like a good moment. Like everyone in the theater was thinking about 9/11 in the back of their heads and when the movie ended there was this collective sigh. I don't know, like I said it was very surreal. I do suggest you watch it now and try and think of it coming out only a few months after 9/11... I bet you walk away from it differently. It's not the greatest movie ever made but it certainly came out at the right time.

Any way the song that was playing during the credits was Rescue Blues and I went home and downloaded it off of Kaaza or whatever downloading site I was using at the time (this was before the U.S. Government cracked down and started suing people for illegal downloads). I liked the song and would listen to it often (I think in the back of my head it reminded me of the people applauding at the end of Behind Enemy Lines), for me it was just a good song to throw on from time to time. On top of that I liked to sing a long to it. But that's where my relationship with Ryan Adams kind of went. It was like a really nice first date with a pretty girl. You know one where you have a nice time at dinner maybe make out a little afterwards but know nothing is going to come of this so you just part ways after a couple of more phone calls and a bunch of botched plans?

Shea has opened a bunch of new music windows for me (helped expand me from a casual Killers fan to becoming a fan) and Ryan Adams was one of those artists who Shea helped expand my knowledge on. Songs like So Alive, Two, and Halloweenhead quickly found homes on my ipod. I was also able to learn more about the volatile nature of Ryan Adams and how he's pretty much psychotic. No matter how much I like his music I don't think I could go see him in concert, it would be like seeing Oasis during the height of their 90's glory. If he suddenly doesn't like the sound of something or feels like the crowd isn't responding to the music well enough he's likely to bug out and walk off stage, but only after he curses someone out. Concerts are too expensive to have to go in worrying if that artist is going to have a shit fit and bounce. I'll take my Ryan Adams records, please and thank you.

	Ryan Adams - Hard Way To Fall .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

The song of the day comes from the album Jacksonville City Nights. It's a pretty good record, very chill. I like how Hard Way To Fall has a bit of a country touch. Actually if you think about it a lot of Ryan Adams's music has that bit of country to it. It may not always be at the front of the song but it's usually there on the back burner. Maybe what makes him so angry is that he's a country artist afraid to embrace his inner cowboy? I also fear if he read that sentence he's find me and kick the crap out of me. Seriously.

This song is very pretty and almost reminds me of Neil Young. No it doesn't sound like a Neil Young song but picture Uncle Neil with just an acoustic guitar singing Hard Way To Fall. That's nice isn't it? I think the song would come across a little more heartbreaking. Although for some reason I hear a touch of humor in this song. No that's not right either. It's a smile. When I hear this song I hear a smile behind the words. He's not angry about the situation, he's just reflecting on the situation of a relationship lost. There is no bitterness in the voice. I like that. There are too many post relationship songs where the person singing is angry and bitter. It's nice to hear one where maybe the singer is just like "eh, these things happen. It sucks but what you are going to do?" Or you can do the opposite and write a break-up song like Eamon's Fuck It (that dude was pissed!).

As a matter of fact I think I'm going to put Hard Way To Fall on my Want To Hear It Now playlist. It's just so pleasant to listen to. The Ryan Adams kick continues.