As the 16th solo album under his own steam, Prisoner’s omens were pretty good given his excellent 2014 self-titled release. There is also the fact of his recent relationship breakdown (how good was Heartbreaker?).
I might touch on approaches that reflect the span of Adams’ career, yet it still sounds fresh, although it does occasionally lean a little too heavily on the twangy reverb-delay synonymous with Adams’ recent guitar work. Still, the album (produced by Don Was) brims with tasty songwriting.
• Ryan Adams. Prisoner. Blue Note.
• Four Stars (out of five)
Single download: Breakdown
For those who like: Jesse Malin, Tom Petty, Paul Westerberg, Bruce Springsteen
— Mark Orton
