Personnel: Ethan Johns, Jennifer Condos, John P. Bowersock.
Ryan Adams's third album of 2005, 29, is his only outing of the year not co-billed to his band, the Cardinals. The distinction is important--while Adams's Cardinals-backed outings allowed the North Carolina-born singer/songwriter to get in touch with his alt-country roots, 29 is a more minimalist offering that features gritty blues (the simmering title track), spare ballads (the lovely "Starlite Diner"), and emotive pop/rock (the delicate "Blue Sky Blues"). Although this disc is closest in spirit to Adams's LOVE IS HELL releases, it's a much more eclectic affair, leading the listener down many of the performer's subtler musical paths and back to one lonely intersection on the edge of town.
- Format: Vinyl
- Genre: Pop
