By By Mike Fordham

It’s already been an exhausting year for Ryan Adams. The double album Cold Roses was released by Adams and his current backing band The Cardinals in the spring. The group has toured the U.S. several times. Adams himself has been performing with ex-Grateful Dead member Phil Lesh as well (including a memorable performance at this year’s Jammys award show). Not content with taking it easy, Adams and The Cardinals have another album out, Jacksonville City Nights.

Cold Roses had a country-rock atmosphere to it (similar to Adams’ old group Whiskeytown). Jacksonville City Nights finds the Adams and the Cardinals taking a much more laid-back country approach, accented with touches of folk. This particular sound fits Adams perfectly, as his voice radiates with emotion and maturity (the stark lament of “Silver Bullets” and “The Hardest Part”). Adams’ duet with Norah Jones, “Dear John,” is a high point not only on the album, but in Adams’ career. This achingly beautiful ballad is a testament of the mastery that Adams is capable of.

It’s a shame the rest of Jacksonville City Nights can’t live up to such heights. Many tracks ultimately blend together with a similar sound (“A Kiss Before I Go,” “My Heart Is Broken,” “The End”). Such songs are well-crafted, but fail to stand out in a listener’s mind. Still, a few cuts are worth mentioning, like the upbeat “Trains” and the somber “September.”

The Cardinals are a great fit for Adams. His solo material was scattershot and Adams needs the stability of a solid backing band. It’s even better now that Adams returned to his country roots. The group has yet another album, 29, scheduled for release in December. Perhaps Adams and The Cardinals can finish out 2005 even stronger. While Jacksonville City Nights is not a misstep by any means, the band surely can conjure up more memorable material. n

The Chronicle gives “Jacksonville City Nights,” by Ryan Adams and The Cardinals three 1/2 out of five stars.