Big Colors

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Big Colors
A black cat licking its nose against a red background.
Studio album by
Ryan Adams
ReleasedJune 11, 2021
Recorded2018
Length38:57
LabelPAX AM
Producer
Ryan Adams chronology
Wednesdays
(2020) 		Big Colors
(2021)
Singles from Big Colors
  1. "Do Not Disturb"
    Released: April 23, 2021
  2. "Big Colors"
    Released: May 14, 2021

Big Colors is the eighteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Ryan Adams. Originally slated for release on April 19, 2019, it was delayed following emotional abuse allegations against Adams. It was eventually released on June 11, 2021 through Adams's label PAX AM.

Background and release[]

In January 2019, Adams announced his plans to release three albums that calendar year.[1] The first, Big Colors, was due to be released on April 19 and feature 15 tracks. The second, Wednesdays, was to feature 17 tracks and did not yet have a confirmed release date. Adams did not disclose the name of the third album.[1][2] To promote Big Colors, Adams premiered the tracks "Doylestown Girl" and "Manchester" on radio and released "Fuck the Rain" as the official lead single from the album. He also announced a UK tour.[2]

The release of all three albums was put on hold after The New York Times published an article in February 2019 in which several women, including Adams's ex-wife Mandy Moore, Phoebe Bridgers, and an underage fan, accused him of abuse and sexual misconduct.[3] "Fuck the Rain" was removed from streaming services and the UK tour was cancelled.[4][5] Adams has denied the allegations.[6]

On December 11, 2020, Adams eventually surprise-released Wednesdays with a revised track listing, including several tracks originally announced for inclusion on Big Colors.[7] The YouTube description of the music video to the Wednesdays track "I'm Sorry and I Love You" mentioned that Wednesdays was to be the first in a trilogy of albums, including the previously mentioned Big Colors and a third album called Chris.[8] On April 23, 2021, Adams surprise-released "Do Not Disturb" as the lead single from the revised edition of Big Colors on digital services. A release date of June 11 was later announced in May along with a statement from Adams: "Big Colors was created as a 1980s soundtrack to a movie that never existed. Wednesdays was a study of decline and morality; Big Colors is meant to feel like a daydream. New York, where this album was written, always propels me into new, unexpected creative spaces and this album happened to me, more than I can say I happened to it."[9]

Critical reception[]

Jakob Biazza wrote for the Süddeutsche Zeitung that Big Colors had a "bigger rock pose and a lighter disposition" than Wednesdays. He found that, compared to its predecessor, Big Colors was "more of a rebellion against suffering than wallowing in it". He noted that "the guitars have more twang and more biting colors" and the singing "[is] more piercing and upright", describing this sound as "colder, harder".[10] Writing for Aftonbladet, Håkan Steen called Big Colors "another very solid Ryan Adams record". He opined that the "guitars and arrangements undeniably sound like" the 1980s soundtrack described by Adams and found Big Colors "much more pop" in comparison to Wednesdays. Steen cited "It's So Quiet, It's Loud", "Manchester", and "Showtime" as album highlights, writing that they "could probably have become hits in another reality". However, he described "Power" as "silly".[11]

Track listing[]

All tracks are written by Ryan Adams. All tracks are produced by Don Was, Beatriz Artola, and Adams.

Big Colors track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Big Colors"3:05
2."Do Not Disturb"3:00
3."It's So Quiet, It's Loud"3:19
4."Fuck the Rain"3:33
5."Manchester"2:52
6."What Am I"2:48
7."Power"2:42
8."I Surrender"2:39
9."Showtime"4:06
10."In It for the Pleasure"4:20
11."Middle of the Line"2:49
12."Summer Rain"3:45
Total length:38:57
"Anybody Evil" – bonus 7" disc[12]
No.TitleLength
1."Anybody Evil" 
2."The Opposite of Love" 

Personnel[]

  • Ryan Adams – vocals, guitar, bass, piano, synthesizer, percussion
  • Johnny T Yerington - drums and percussion (1-4, 6-7, 9, 12)
  • Benmont Tench - organ and piano (4, 7)
  • John Mayer - guitar (4)
  • Aaron Ficca - drums and percussion (5, 8, 11)
  • Charlie Stavish - bass (5, 8, 11)
  • Tod Wisenbaker - guitar (5, 8, 11)
  • Bob Mould - guitar (12)
  • The Section Quartet - strings (3, 5, 6, 9)
  • Don Was - producer
  • – producer, engineer
  • Gabriel Sganga – assistant engineer
  • Jeff Fitzpatrick – assistant engineer
  • Matthew Scatchell – assistant engineer
  • Brendan McCusker – assistant engineer
  • Joe LaPorta – mastering

Charts[]

Chart performance for Big Colors
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[13] 58
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[14] 22
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[15] 38
Scottish Albums (OCC)[16] 31
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[17] 91
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[18] 20

References[]

  1. ^ a b Russell, Scott. "Ryan Adams Details Big Colors and Wednesdays, Debuts New Single (Updated)". Paste. Archived from the original on January 10, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Skinner, Tom (January 23, 2019). "Check out Ryan Adams' new track 'Fuck The Rain', featuring John Mayer". NME. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  3. ^ Bloom, Madison; Minsker, Evan (February 15, 2019). "Ryan Adams' New Album Big Colors Pulled From Release After Abuse Allegations". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on February 15, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  4. ^ Marshall, Alex (March 1, 2019). "Ryan Adams Tour Is Canceled Weeks After Allegations Emerge". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 1, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
  5. ^ Kreps, Daniel (July 20, 2019). "Ryan Adams Breaks Silence After Sexual Misconduct Allegations". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  6. ^ Yoo, Noah (February 13, 2019). "Ryan Adams Accused of Abuse by Phoebe Bridgers, Mandy Moore, Underage Fan, More; Adams Denies It". Pitchfork. Chicago, Illinois: Condé Nast. Archived from the original on February 14, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  7. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Wednesdays - Ryan Adams | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  8. ^ Neumann, Sarah (December 16, 2020). "Ryan Adams: nach Missbrauchsvorwürfen nun neues Album" [Ryan Adams: a new album after abuse allegations]. Rolling Stone Germany (in German). Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  9. ^ Boche, Sophie (May 6, 2021). "Ryan Adams: neues Album "Big Colors"" [Ryan Adams: new album "Big Colors"]. Rolling Stone Germany (in German). Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  10. ^ Biazza, Jakob (June 11, 2021). "Alben der Woche: Neues von Ryan Adams, Maroon 5, Sleater-Kinney" [Albums of the week: New [music] from Ryan Adams, Maroon 5, Sleater-Kinney]. Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Archived from the original on June 12, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  11. ^ Steen, Håkan (June 11, 2021). "Ryan Adams: "Big Colors" - Låtar som kunde blivit hits i annan verklighet" [Ryan Adams: "Big Colors" - Songs that could have been hits in another reality]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on June 12, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  12. ^ "Big Colors - Vinyl with exclusive bonus 7"". Official Ryan Adams store. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  13. ^ "Ultratop.be – Ryan Adams – Big Colors" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  14. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Ryan Adams – Big Colors" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  15. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Ryan Adams – Big Colors" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  16. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  17. ^ "Top 100 Albums: Week 44 (2021)". El portal de Música (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  18. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
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