Tuesday, January 22, 2008

live vs. studio: Ryan Adams - My Love for You is Real



I've heard the argument that Ryan Adams' problem is that he produces too much music, and as a result, he ends up having some sub-par releases. While I'd disagree with that assessment, my problem is that it is easy to miss a really high-quality song or two in the shuffle of all of Adams' albums. One of my favorite new discoveries is the song "My Love for You is Real," off of his latest EP, Follow the Lights. The song's first official studio release can be found there, although earlier live versions exist. The version below is actually from a show back in 2001, and it rivals the studio track in terms of likability. I think this song is a perfect example of a track for which a case can be made as being better live or better in-studio. The studio version has a much fuller, produced sound (with the aid of Adams' backing band The Cardinals), while the live version is bare bones but lets you have a truly authentic, sincere performance.

All said, the Follow the Lights EP is definitely worth picking up, which you can do right here.

Mp3: Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - My Love for You is Real
Mp3: Ryan Adams - My Love for You is Real (live)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

ha! I've been thinking about the same question lately, and I vastly prefer the 2001 (live) version! I think there is an argument that his large output, has actaully made some of these songs better, if he worked on them any longer they'd loose some of the raw and genuine quality so many of RA's songs have...anyway, cheers.