Ryan Adams: Halloween.....

i'm gonna jump a little out of order here in my Ryan Adams Spotlight - for date relevance's sake and to offer up a little treat for Halloween.

The last solo project Ryan did before his last solo project 29 (ET... whatever, the cardinals played) was this Halloween Promo EP.

Released in July of 2004, the sampler includes some great tracks that show Ryan's progression from the introspective self-medication of Love Is Hell into the type of sound The Cardinals would soon be creating.


1. Halloween

Halloween was also included as a bonus track on the UK Release of Love Is Hell, Vol. 1 in late '03. As a throwback to Gold-era Ryan, and completely disparate from most of Love Is Hell, the song offers up a positive tone as Ryan sings "it's okay, man, she's got friends. Cause we are here to help you sing your song." This hopeful little tune is perfectly augmented with a chipper, high-end piano run throughout.


2. Closer When She Goes

Simple lyrically and musically, Closer When She Goes seems as much like a filler song here as it did a month before on the This Is It Single. This one didn't make an album for a reason - failed relationship regurgitation.


3. Funeral Marching

Because the title track is deceptive in its intentions, Ryan completes the promo with a rockin' fatalistic tune.

"Oh, what's the use in trying?
Thick as thieves and packs of lies
Marching to the palaces of night.

All my life I've looked for something.
All my seas are drops of rain
Drunk as sailors drinking from your hand.
...
Now, you're swingin' like a funeral march in June.
And it's way past July."