(Sevens, a new feature on Aquarium Drunkard, pays tribute to the art of the individual song.)
At a brisk one minute and forty-three seconds Ryan Adams’ “Operator, Operator” is practically over before it really begins, ultimately leaving the listener wanting more. And really, isn’t that what we all want in a good pop song; something that hits the sweet spot and immediately begs you to hit the repeat button. I don’t think I’m alone when I say that sometimes in music there is such a thing as positive unsatisfaction; the short burst of perfect sound that must be heard over and over again (see: Minutemen, Guided by Voices, et al). While by no means a definitive song in Adams now massive discography (the track was a b-side to 2005’s Cold Roses LP), “Operator, Operator” is a perfect example of the artist’s seemingly boundless creative energy — and while not all of it pays off, a lot of it does. If I was a betting man I would wager this was a throwaway — something Adams and band casually banged out at the end of a session. Dig.
Related: Previous Sevens entries…
Download:
MP3: Ryan Adams :: Operator, Operator
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Actually, it was a b-side for Cold Roses (the Let it Ride single, I think).
1 | Chris June 21st, 2008 at 11:50 pm[...] Really, more Ryan Adams songs should be under 2 minutes long (Aquarium Drunkard). [...]
2 | Creative Loafing Tampa » Tampa Calling » Blog Archive » Phish reunion(?) and other Sunday music links June 22nd, 2008 at 9:03 am[...] Really, more Ryan Adams songs should be under 2 minutes long (Aquarium Drunkard). [...]
3 | Creative Loafing Tampa » Blurbex » Blog Archive » Phish reunion(?) and other Sunday music links June 22nd, 2008 at 11:07 amFor a good “hit repeat” Adams song, I prefer “France”. Not that Operator, Operator doesn’t have merits, but France is like musical crack.
4 | Hippies Are Dead June 23rd, 2008 at 12:49 pmWait, Ryan Adams followed another hipster trend with the silly glasses? I’m baffled that anyone with an inkling of taste still follows this frat boy.
5 | Not Whiskeytown June 23rd, 2008 at 5:11 pm