K's Choice - Almost Happy

Remember back in the summer of '96 there was a song called Not An Addict that was played on seemingly every radio station? Do you remember the name of the band that performed the song? Can you name the album the track appeared on? Does any of this sound familiar to you?

Probably not... in Canada, K's Choice were something of a one-hit wonder, however, in Europe this brother-sister duo went on to release a total of five albums including their 2010 reunion release, Echo Mountain. Almost Happy was the band's fourth album which, in North America, was released as a two-CD set: a studio album plus a live album.

The studio album is a bit more laid-back than their previous two LPs, but still has it's more rockin' moments. I've always been a fan of Sarah Bettens' vocals and they're just as strong on this album as they were on the other albums. The lyrics are personal and emotional, talking about love and loss, regret and hope, making "Almost Happy" a very appropriate title for the album. As a studio album, it's perhaps not their best, but it's a solid three-stars.

The live album shows them as more upbeat, featuring most (if not all) of their singles/big hits from their previous albums: Cocoon Crash, Not an Addict, Mr. Freeze, Everything for Free, Butterflies Instead, etc.  It's quite a good live album on the whole, even if you're not a long-time fan of the band.

Recommended track(s):	Almost Happy; Live for Real; Always Everywhere
Worth another listen?	Yes!
Overall rating:	Three Stars

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - Cold Roses

I should preface any review I do for Ryan Adams, with or without the Cardinals, with this statement: I freakin' love Ryan and everything he's done (including his work with his previous band, Whiskeytown). This is a biased review, to be sure... but what can I do?

Cold Roses is a double album, but more in theory and execution than running time; the whole work clocks in at one hour, sixteen minutes. That said, casual fans and those new to Ryan's work should also realize that this was one of three (3) albums that he released that year (Jacksonville City Nights and 29 being the other two) and that the total running time does nothing to depreciate the impact this package has as a double album. It plays like a double album and between the packaging and the track order, I think it's essential that it be a double album like this.

Compared to his previous works at this time (e.g., Love is Hell, parts one and two, Rock n Roll) this album was a (welcome) return to a much more 'country' sound for the band. The highlights are many, the lyrics are brilliant, the music is fantastic and I got to see him tour shortly after these albums were released and they translate beautifully to the stage; I have the bootleg (Ryan is 'taper friendly') from the show I saw and listen to it all the time still.

If you're new to Ryan, I'd still probably suggest starting with something like Gold or even Whiskeytown's Strangers Almanac. And, please don't let the "country" tag scare you away: this isn't Shania-esque new country, nor is it 'your fathers' country music; yes, there is some twang, but Ryan has an incredible voice and there is enough of a 'rock' vibe underlying everything to interest anyone. Also, even if you don't know it, you've probably heard his music previously, either in a movie or on tv or something... but maybe I just notice it everywhere because I love it so much; yes, I'm that annoying person who will stop people in the middle of a conversation over dinner or whatever to point out that he's playing on the radio somewhere.

Recommended track(s):	Magnolia Mountain; Sweet Illusions; Easy Plateau; Cold Roses; Dance All Night
Worth another listen?	Yes!
Overall rating:	Four-and-a-Half Stars