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Jan 3, 2011This two-CD set consists of 21 others from those sessions--lovably motley, classic-rock-riffing tunes about Star Wars, rats, crystals, and ninjas. Yes, it's kinda random, but whose random thoughts are more fun?
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Jan 10, 2011With music from the nerdy recesses of his mind, to a triumphant release that happily displays some of his more off-center offerings, Adams continues to be a presence in music, this year and beyond.
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Dec 14, 2010Adams touches upon rainy-day English rock and atmospheric anthems custom-made for arenas, but his touchstone remains American rock, specifically the Replacements.
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Dec 14, 2010As is often the case with double albums, III/IV could easily be whittled down to a single excellent disc, but instead offers two pretty good ones.
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Jan 31, 2011There is still plenty to cherish here, and no Ryan Adams devotee is going to feel disappointed. In reality, this is likely just another detour in the ever evolving and confusing career of Ryan Adams.
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Jan 27, 2011It's got a great tonality and texture to it that gives Adams' voice just enough room to rise above it. There are some songs that are right to be outtakes here, they toil that middle ground that Adams can on occasion slip into, and it's when he's at his 'nicest' sounding that often leads to the most uninteresting work.
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Jan 3, 2011Most of III/IV come off as what you'd expect; a massive talent messing around in the studio and crafting some perfectly serviceable rock tunes.
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Dec 23, 2010In the end III/IV may be of interest more for therapeutic than aesthetic reasons, especially when Mr. Adams complicates the issue, as on "P.S.," a postpunk churner: "Don't ask someone to change again/'Til you know what you want them to change into."
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Dec 14, 2010Adams could still use a good editor to separate the wheat from the chaff, but the good thing about a demos compilation is that it doesn't have to be well-edited, and III/IV is better than most.
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Dec 14, 2010III/IV is 21 songs from 2007's Easy Tiger sessions, supplanting that album's wired folk rock with a blend of punk head rush, New Wave twitch, metal crunch and hippie noodling.
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Dec 14, 2010It lands in the same general ballpark as 2003's new-wave homage Rock N Roll, loose-limbed and manic, with Adams indulging his riff-rock-and-holler side.
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Jan 4, 2011III/IV is a fine collection of outtakes, but chances are Adams' magnum opus is still forthcoming.
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Dec 14, 2010While Adams comes off like a prodigiously talented melodicist coasting on his ability to sneeze out hooks whenever he steps into the studio, there are enough pleasures on III/IV to satisfy fans desperate for new product.
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UncutApr 13, 2011Alas, it often sounds like hollow noise--but improves when he warms down. [May 2011, p.92]
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Jan 18, 2011There's plenty here to compare to his unfairly criticized Rock N Roll record: new wave influences, contemporary alt-rock. The difference is that Adams sounds comfortable rather than out to prove a point.
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Dec 21, 2010III/IV is the director's cut of a moment in Ryan Adams' all-too-prolific career. It adds dimension in some areas, but may be too much information for causal fans of the singer/songwriter.
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Dec 16, 2010Cardinals III & IV is not a bad album. If you are willing to put a little bit of time and effort into the listening experience, it might be better than not bad.
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Jan 4, 2011Until he learns to translate the raw, confessional edge of his music to his work in the genre, the results will always be as unsatisfying as III/IV.
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Jan 28, 2011While it's fun to hear some new (old) material from Ryan Adams and his fantastic band, The Cardinals, it's pretty easy to see why this stuff wasn't released and while the jury is still out on whether or not retirement was a good idea for Adams, III/IV does indicate that it was time for an extended vacation.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 14 out of 19
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Mixed: 3 out of 19
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Negative: 2 out of 19
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Dec 17, 2010
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Jul 16, 2011
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Feb 21, 2011