Stripped-back Irish solo shows from Ryan Adams

THE 'Prince' of alternative country music, Ryan Adams, is set to return to Ireland on his latest European tour in support of his new and 13th studio album, Ashes & Fire. After two sold-out shows here last summer and on the back of a Top Ten album in both the US and UK he will play two fully seated shows, one in Dublin and one in Belfast. Released on October 11 of last year through his own label PAX-AM and EMI's Capitol, the album was recorded at Sunset Sound Factory in Hollywood and produced by Glyn Johns, renowned for his work with the likes of The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Clash, The Who and the Rolling Stones. Ryan had also previously worked with Glyn's son Ethan, who produced his albums Heartbreaker, Gold and 29. Ashes & Fire also features guest turns from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' keyboardist Benmont Tench, as well as the amazing Norah Jones, who contributes piano and backing vocals on several of the 11 new tracks. A native of Jacksonville, North Carolina, Ryan Adams is among the most skilful, admired and prolific song-writers of his generation, having released an album nearly every year since 2000 and releasing an outstanding three records in 2005. Since splitting from his original band Whiskeytown (1994 -2000), he has released eight solo albums and a further five with his band the Cardinals, with a large portion of these receiving critical acclaim and favourable reviews as well as a huge number of artists going on to cover his songs. Released in 2000, Heartbreaker, his first solo record, set the bar unreachably high you would think, with exquisitely crafted songs like To Be Young, My Winding Wheel and Come Pick Me Up. The following year Adams had out-done his first solo record by releasing his best-selling album to date, Gold, which in turn was nominated for three Grammy Awards in 2002 and became an instant classic. Gold charted highly world-wide and included the hit When Skies Go Blue, a song that has been covered five times. Between then and now his creativity never wavered and he has put something out almost annually, including his work as Ryan Adams and The Cardinals, with which a heavier and rockier full band sound was created. In 2006 he found time to produce Willy Nelson's album Songbird and has continued to tour extensively. The latest tour has been a series of stripped-back acoustic shows, a perfect setting to show off the new batch of songs, which are consistently gentle and melodious affairs dealing with love, loss and curiosity. It is a return to where he was on his first solo records as regards the song craft, full of hooks, accessible lyrics and catchy choruses. Opening track Dirty Rain and first single Lucky Now are immediate examples of the quality and beauty within the album. Ryan Adams' two intimate and intriguing Irish shows take place on April 19 at the Olympia Theatre, Dublin and April 20 at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast. - Darragh O'Dea