Images of fire, darkness and entrapment artfully produce subtle undertones of angst.

Artists often create self-titled records to illustrate a new phase in their career. Although Ryan Adams has insisted that he christened ÔÇÿRyan AdamsÔÇÖ with an eponymous title because he simply┬ácouldn’t┬ádecide on an alternative, it is evident that ÔÇÿRyan AdamsÔÇÖ is a┬áproduct of renewal. Born in a haze of pot and pinball games in the depths of his recording studio in L.A, ÔÇÿRyan AdamsÔÇÖ is arguably his best and most consistent album since 2004, which saw the release of ÔÇÿLove is Hell.ÔÇÖ After years of battling with drug use and alcoholism, it seems that his Self-Titled marks his personal transformation, which began in 2009 when a sober Adams married Mandy Moore. However, this sense of domestic bliss has no place on his new record. Instead, Adams sings of desire, absence and restlessness whilst simultaneously sketching repeated images of fire, darkness and entrapment.

Adams is an artist that refuses to be defined by genre. His latest record sees a culmination of the alt-country, punk and 80s rock that he has toyed with in the past. Tracks such as ÔÇÿMy Wrecking Ball,ÔÇÖ where grit-folk marries sentimentality with violence and ÔÇÿI Just Might,ÔÇÖ where Adams channels Bruce Springsteen with his moody alt-rock vocals and guitar illustrate this experimentation. Restlessness is an ongoing and re-occurring theme throughout the record, but it also appears to occur throughout AdamsÔÇÖ musical career as well. After flitting between and experimenting with so many different genres, there can be only one question: whatÔÇÖs next for Ryan Adams?