This is really happening

Dear friends,

1. Remember this guy?

Photo by Mark Abrahams
2. Ryan Adam sings This Is It OR Bedroom scene circa 2003:

J: What do you think? Do you like it?

D: I don't know. It's good...I guess. But it's like he wants to be The Strokes or something. It sounds a little weird. Why can't he be himself? Doesn't he know he rocks?

J: I love this.

D: You do?

J: Yeah.

(J falls asleep, D reads a book about Mapuches which she returns several months late and winds up owing many dollars in fines to the Brooklyn Public Library.)

This Is It/Ryan Adams (mp3)

Purchase Rock N Roll by Ryan Adams

3. Ryan Adam sings This Is It OR Bedroom scene circa 1 week ago:

(D presses play, dawning realization comes over J's face. He smiles.)

D: It's take two from his new EP with The Cardinals.

(They listen.)

D: The vocals are great. But...I prefer the original. You know what I mean? The guitars, the build at the end like a muffled chainsaw, the desperation*. Now it's a little too clean, too neat.

J: Yeah, the first one was better.

D: It's such a good song though.

J: Sounds just like Metallica-rrrr.

D: Yes.

(D tries to sleep but mostly stares at imaginary mosquitoes. J reads a book about "a couple of guys who start a comic book empire during WWII and a million other things". He owns it, there will be no late fees.)

This Is It/Ryan Adams and The Cardinals (mp3)

Purchase Follow The Lights by Ryan Adams and The Cardinals

Love, D

* Of course I never said this sentence out loud. I thought it though. It's true, I came to love that song way more than I did during my first initial listen. Isn't that the way it always goes?