Ryan Adams

Weaned on classic country (Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, George Jones) in North Carolina, singer/songwriter Ryan Adams not only became alt-country’s poster boy, he also showed a master’s touch over a range of styles. Pared-down stunners like “Desire,” and melancholy country-rockers like “To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High)” more than justified the hype that followed him like fog, and his nuanced, gently acoustic cover of Oasis’s “Wonderwall” — from fifth studio album Love Is Hell (2004) — remains a standout. Whether solo, cutting his teeth with Whiskeytown, or backed by the Cardinals, Adams’ natural songwriting talent shines through.

Adams mixes fire and ice with the tempo changes of his brilliant Next Steps.

For 2005’s beautifully melancholic Cold Roses, Adams called on the services of backing band the Cardinals, put together by the artist in 2004 following duo work with cofounder J.P. Bowersock — guitars and support vocals intertwine to tremendous effect on “Magnolia Mountain” and “Sweet Illusions.” Even as Adams continued to deliver solo material over the course of the ’00s, the Cardinals (in one reshuffled form or another) were never far behind: 2007’s country-rockin’ Easy Tiger delivered full, hard-hitting cuts like “Halloweenhead” (which even provides an excuse for Adams to holler “Guitar solo!”).

Adams’ demos sound polished, as you’ll discover in Deep Cuts.

Ryan Adams emerged unscathed from the shards of Whiskeytown’s breakup, if the evidence of his solo debut, Heartbreaker, is anything to go by. The album received a notable thumbs-up from Elton John and boosted interest in the “insurgent country” movement. 2002’s Demolition — essentially a selection of demos — contains the uptempo rocker “Starting to Hurt,” while “Happy Birthday” and “Dear Candy” are highlights on the Cardinals’ double-album III/IV, recorded in 2007, but not released until 2010, after Adams announced a hiatus occasioned by his marriage to teen pop star Mandy Moore.

Maverick genius, shrewd re-inventor, calculating poseur: Ryan Adams is possibly all of these things. Regardless, he’s an astonishing musician whether he delights, irritates, or simply entertains. From his art-punk beginnings with teenage band the Patty Duke Syndrome to his alt-country pioneering with Whiskeytown, and from his many solo projects (some of which have not yet seen the light of day) to his leadership of the Cardinals, Adams has kept us all hooked, eagerly awaiting his next move. Here’s an artist whose second solo album — 2001’s Gold — leaned away from the alternative country on which he’d built up his name, and edged towards a retro-’70s style of songwriting and delivery, and who has also flirted with ’80s arena rock and prog-metal. Wherever Adams’ muse leads him, we’re more than happy to follow.