Ryan Adams writes freely on Prisoner

We’ve seen a variety of outfits from singer/songwriter Ryan Adams throughout his expansive career. Never shy of being experimental, if you are able to get past the dismay of his Taylor Swift cover album, we can focus on what Adams does best. His songwriting.

On Prisoner, there is plenty of emotion to go around. On “Shiver and Shake,” Adams struggles with the absence of companionship: ”I miss your loving touch, I miss your embrace/ But if I wait here any longer, I’m gonna fade away.” Leadoff track “Do you Still Love Me?” brinks on the edge of a corny ’80s “big-hair” tune you’d find on the Mannequin soundtrack — however, it ends up becoming a perfect setting for the rest of the album. The ’80s guitar sound lingers on “Breakdown” and the exceptional “Anything I Say to You Now.” The implication of the 12 tracks on Prisoner may be a soundtrack for the heartaches we have experienced; however, it is up to each listener to decide how they’re affected.

“Outbound Train” is just that. A lonely depiction of life yet the upbeat Springsteen-esque sound creates a satisfying number. Proving there is more than one way to appreciate a song.

• Record: Prisoner
• Artist: Ryan Adams
• Label: PaxAmericana
• Songs: (1) Do You Still Love Me? (2) Prisoner (3) Doomsday (4) Haunted House (5) Shiver and Shake (6) To Be Without You (7) Anything I Say To You Now (8) Breakdown (9) Outbound Train (10) Broken Anyway (11) Tightrope (12) We Disappear