Tag Archives: Ryan Adams

12.28.08
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A Modern Mystery Holiday Party with Brad Pemberton of The Cardinals

Another edition of a Modern Mystery Holiday Party you say? Why yes! Today we have with us, and this is certainly an honor, Brad Pemberton, drummer for Ryan Adams and the Cardinals. Brad has been a busy guy this year with The Cardinals. The band released ‘Cardinology’ this fall with a tour immediately following.  We can’t wait to see more of Brad and the Cardinals in 2009! Its going to be a huge year for them. I can feel it.

Brad Pemberton’s Top 10 Albums of 2008

1. Bob Mould-District Line
2. The Pretenders-Break Up The Concrete
3. The Clash-Live At Shea Stadium
4. Metallica-Death Magnetic
5 . The Cardinals-Cardinology (self-serving, I know, don’t care!)
6. Kings Of Leon-Only By The Night
7. Oasis-Dig Out Your Soul
8. Santogold-Santogold
9. The Raconteurs -Consolers of The Lonely
10. REM- Accelerate
11. Jesse Baylin-Firesight (Honorable Mention)
12. She and Him -Vol.1 (Honorable Mention)

Best Thing That Happened To Me This Year

My family is safe and healthy, as is my band, and we have a new president…what more could you ask for?

12.14.08
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Merry Mixmas!

Merry Christmas

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. One of the things I enjoy about the season, is Holiday music. But of course, the Modern Mystery version of Christmas music is a bit different from Lou Monte and Peggy Lee. I always find great amusement out of indie bands’ versions of Christmas songs. They just seem to put an unusual and surprising twist on Holiday tunes that get me into the Christmas spirit. Move over Perry Como, there are some new kids in town….

Below for your downloading convience, are some of my favorite indie Christmas songs. Enjoy!

Casper and the Cookies- “Kiss Me Beneath the Christmas Tree”
My First Keyboard- “Christmas Time is Good if You Are a Girl (Boy)”
Bright Eyes- “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
Phantom Planet- “Winter Wonderland”
Ryan Adams- “Hey Parker, Its Christmas”
OK Go- “Father Christmas”
The Raveonettes- “Christmas Song”
Death Cab for Cutie- “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”
Ladybug Transistor- “Holiday Extravangza”
Of Montreal- “My Favorite Christmas (in 100 Words or Less)”
Sufjan Stevens- “Come On, Lets Boogie to the Elf Dance”
Rooney – “Merry Christmas Everybody”
Essex Green- “Deck the Halls”
The Bird and the Bee- “Carol of the Bells”
The Features- “Christmas Wishbook”
Frightened Rabbit- “Its Christmas So We’ll Stop”
Matt Pond PA- “Snow Day”
Old 97’s -“Holly Jolly Christmas”
Reigning Sound-  “If Christmas Can’t Bring You Home”
Rogue Wave- “Christmas”
Reindeer Section- ” You Are My Joy”
Dressy Bessy- “All the Right Reasons”
Pete Yorn- “Do They Know Its Christmas?”

12.09.08
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Ryan Adams ‘Halloweenhead’ Live

There are two things I am especially excited about in Ryan Adamsville. The first being his returnto  writing The Cardinals blog (Thank God) and the second being his all acoustic version he recently posted on there of ‘Halloweenhead.’ This is a big deal. Ryan didn’t even play the song at the Halloween show at the Apollo. Why? Because he said he simply just doesn’t remember how to play it. Well, apparently he learned it again and its so good its insane.

Watch Ryan play ‘Halloweenhead’…from his apartment.

Check out Ryan Adams and the Cardinals at their official site

11.12.08
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Ryan Adams’ Covers the Foo Fighters and Welcomes You to His Room

To me everything that Ryan Adams does is perfect. Every note he sings and plays gives me the chills. I have been reading Ryan’s blog for quite a while (http://cave.cardinology.com/) and somehow, I often think that what he writes on the blog was taken directly out of my own head. If I ever meet Ryan Adams I would have so much to say to him, though I think it would be more like me smiling at him and saying ‘Thanks.’

If you read Ryan’s blog, you already know that he was planning on doing a cover of the Foo Fighters’ ‘Times Like These’ on BBC. He was trying to perfect it, which he did and I actually enjoy it more than the original version. The only way to describe Ryan’s take on the song is haunting, for he manages to make the song sadder than it really intended to be. Maybe its because he brings more soul into it (in my opinion).

Ryan also posted on his blog today a in-hotel room version of ‘Natural Ghost’ which is unbelievable to say the least.

Download Ryan Adams’ cover of ‘Times Like These’

Watch the video for ‘Natural Ghost’ on Vimeo

10.29.08
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Ryan Adams on Letterman Tonight

Yesterday Ryan Adams and the Cardinals released another superb album titled ‘Cardinalogy’. I almost forgot that they were appearing tonight on the Late Show with David Letterman. My guess is that they will play ‘Fix It,’ but damn do I wish they would play ‘Cobwebs’. The past couple of albums we have found Adams to be at his best. Apparenly off of all his addictions and so on. I still think the best Ryan is when he’s ‘totally with it’. I once sat through a show where he fought with an amplifier for most of the night…and by fought I mean he was screaming at it like it was a child who just drew on the freshly painted wall with a crayon.

Ryan and a few of the Cardinals (but mostly Ryan) have started a blog over at Ryan-Adams.com.
Adams shows personal pictures and shares his daily thoughts from day to day. It certainly is a good read.

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals are headed your way so be sure to check them out over at www.Ryan-Adams.com. This also includes his second annual Halloween Show in NYC this Friday.

Watch The Cardinals play ‘Fix It’ live in Boston.

ps. Yes, I have to finish all of my CMJ stuff. I know!

10.13.08
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Ryan Adams ‘Cobwebs’

This morning I was complaining (to myself) about the fact that I haven’t come across any leaked Ryan Adams’ songs for the upcoming record ‘Cardinalogy’ that is due out in two weeks. This will actually be his last record for the label Lost Highway and no one really knows what he has in store after that.

I’m not sure what to make of the new album that I previewed almost all of this afternoon. It seems to me, it some parts, it is like ‘Rock N Roll’ meets ‘Easy Tiger’ and everything in between. I’m already prepared for the Adams bashing that usually takes place whenever he releases a record, but to me, everything he touches is gold.

‘Cobwebs’ is so far my favorite, and can just be described as a beautiful song. I think that Ryan Adams is one of the most poetic songwriters of our generation. His voice the past couple of records has been incredibly smooth. He has really been in full form.

Download Cobwebs
Check out Ryan Adams tourdates at his Myspace