Viva La Vinyl: Ryan Adams Set

Thanks to the power of eBay, I recently completed my Ryan Adams full-album collection on Vinyl.

Love Is Hell was the final missing piece; I won an auction for it a week or two ago. I coughed up a pretty penny, but it was worth it for completion's sake. Love Is Hell was the only Lost Highway Adams album that didn't see a vinyl reissue a couple years ago. I don't know the exact reason for this, but Ryan may have made the decision himself to keep things interesting. When his label offered this reissue, MusicDirect.com, a great source for records, put together a Ryan Adams vinyl package - Gold, Demolition, R N R, Cold Roses, 29, JCN - for a mere $75. Sweet deal.

I ordered the newest releases as they came out, save for Follow The Lights. I was about to pick one up at Cactus Music last month until I found this:

The Cardinals' Everybody Knows [EP] was a UK-only release. The 12" is essentially Follow The Lights, but with 'Everybody Knows' from ET leading off, thus pushing each track back one spot. I figured why not pay a little more for that extra track and get the bonus of having a far more rare disc.

Sometime last year, Bloodshot Records got with the picture and reissued Heartbreaker on a 12" gatefold double vinyl. I only learned of this while browsing the site with the intention of purchasing Midnight At The Movies earlier this year. So I snagged Ryan's debut LP about a month before the elusive LIH 10" gatefold showed up on eBay.

As you probably know, Love Is Hell was originally issued as two EPs - parts 1 & 2 - in late 2003. The collections were later combined and released as a double 10" containing 15 tracks. Five months later, the album was released in CD form and an alternate version of 'Anybody Wanna Take Me Home' was added. The extra track, clocking in at nearly a full minute longer than the original form, was a strange addition, but being one of the softer tracks on Rock N Roll, it does feel in place here.

In my ongoing Ryan Adams spotlight, I try to approach each album/session with open mind and ears. We all know the best way to get the feel of an album is to hear it in its intented form - high fidelity analog. So the aquisition of this last disc comes at a perfect time as Love Is Hell is next in line. Until then, I'll wet your ears with that mysterious extended track added to the LIH CD.

Anybody Wanna Take Me Home (extended version)

My quest will continue for as many 7" Vinyl Singles as I can get my hands on. I already own this Whiskeytown EP and the bonus 7" from Cardinology. En route via eBay is the 'Hey Parker It's Christmas' 7" and the 'Wonderwall' 7" single.

If anyone wants to begin a collection of their own, check out this eBay auction for a great start. You get:

• Demolition
• Cold Roses
• Jacksonville City Nights
• Easy Tiger (orange vinyl)
• Cardinology (with 7" single)
• Hey Parker It's Christmas 7" Single
  

With under 4 days left, the bidding is only up to $10.49!!!