In early 2003, Lost Highway Records left the often precarious Ryan Adams clueless by turning down his poetic, textured, mature and ultimately dark Love Is Hell album, leaving Adams to question his own abilities and integrity. After a few rock star fits and breakdowns, Adams began recording again, this time with one goal: make a radio-friendly followup to his breakthrough album Gold.

Rock N Roll (spelled backwards on the album cover) is a dumb record. It has big guitars, minimal textures, clichÈd lyrics and themes and, most of all, confidence, something Adams has always fought off. Typically self aware, Adams uses Rock N Roll as a slap in the face to Lost Highway, basically saying, "here's your rock n' roll cash cow."

Seemingly uninspired and full of swagger, Rock N Roll gives Adams the opportunity to put forth an audacious look into his glittery New York life, a look that, no matter how textbook, still manages to somehow be very entertaining. Where Love is Hell is pretty and poetic, Rock N Roll is ugly and sloppy, telling stories of drug use, girl problems and fame and essentially painting a perfect picture of what it is to be a rock star. Sounds annoying, doesn't it?

Adams has done the impossible, maintaining his integrity by using the weapon of irony against his label and in the process putting out an enjoyable album that, despite its own asininity, should succeed to satisfy his fans as well as accommodate his record label.

From the album's opening joke, "Let me sing a song to you that's never been sung before," on the excellent "This Is It," it's obvious that Adams is holding nothing back. "Shallow" continues the hard rocking, Paul Westerberg-inspired sound of "This is It," And Adams's only getting started. "1974" hints at the up-tempo songs on Goats Head Soup while "Wish You Were Here" sounds almost exactly like a classic-era Replacements song. Tracks like "So Alive," "Burning Photographs" and "Anyone Wanna Take Me Home" are all some of Adams's best moments to date. While they expand upon the hook heavy, radio-centric theme, they manage to get beneath the skin, a place Adams is very used to going with his listeners. The title track hints at the album's spoofing motif, singing "everybody's cool playing rock n' roll, I don't feel cool at all."

Rock N Roll has no real filler tracks. Every song is easily enjoyable and discrete. Sure, the inspired lyrics and pretty vocals are missed, but the all-important followup album is a success, and it only cost Adams a few breakdowns and a million guitar strings. Rock N Roll should end up satisfying both Adams and his label, Most importantly, it should refuel Lost Highway's faith in their young troubadour. The fans? Well, we get the most cocky, blaring, rock album of the year. Get out your Ray Bans until our wimpy Smiths fan comes back.

Copyright 2003 Ad Media Inc.