Gold - Ryan Adams

Firstly, let's make one thing absolutely clear. Crystal preferably. This is not an album by Bryan Adams. I've done one of those and that's enough of that thank you very much. No this album is definitely not one of the Canadian ballad-meister's suspect latter releases. Phew! Never in the history of rock music has a single letter meant so much. It may be a humble 'B' but it makes the world of difference.

The other thing that needs to be be cleared up, before we go any further, is whether this is a rock album or an alt-country one. It's difficult to tell. Certainly it has the energy of a rock album but then again in it's tenderer moments it has a definite sadness to it - a country twang that would make Hank Williams proud. So what it it? Maybe it's alt-rock-country? Or for that matter alt-country-rock. Either way it's a cracker.

Destined to be a double album, the record company in their infinite wisdom, disagreed and chopped five songs from the running order. Adams was insenced. Well you would be wouldn't you. Whether this was the right thing to do or not, what remains is one of alt-country's (or alt-rock's) great albums. The electric opening track 'New York, New York' sets a high standard, it's lyrics delivered like bullets from a machine gun. The song sets a high standard for the rest of the album to live up to. And it does. There is everything you could want on here. Rock anthems to tender ballads and everything in between, the fanatastic 'Rescue Blues' having one foot in both camps. Fantastic stuff. It really is.

So if in the future you ever enquire about a potential gift, perhaps for a misguided sister or uncle, and get the reply "oh, anything by Bryan Adams" do them a favour and buy this instead. You can claim it as an innocent mistake and retreat knowing that you have done them a huge favour.