Search - Music in High Places - Ryan Adams (Live in Jamaica) on DVD

Ryan Adams with a Jamaican twist (unplugged, but cultured)

wellwellwell | bog | 06/11/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you are a Ryan Adams fan, there is no doubt you will enjoy this video. Here we see Ryan not only playing his music, but traveling and mingling with the Jamaican folk. Throughout the "movie", Ryan does an excellent job putting a Jamaican feel into his popular and not-so popular songs. The most notable performance is clearly "To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High)", which if you've heard on his overlooked debut Heartbreaker, had that type of feel anyways. I won't go too in-depth with the details. And when he's not playing his music, you'll see him buying intriguing hats, talking with inhabitants, learning about their cultures, etc. Without those neat tidbits of film, this would've been nothing special.In total, I believe he plays eight songs unplugged/acoustic; some solo and some with the help of Jamaican drums and other instruments that you wouldn`t normally expect to show up on an Adams track. I particularly enjoyed when he got a group of 20 or so children together to help with the background vocals to one of his songs. Again, I won't spoil the fun. And that's just the kind of thing you'd expect from a guy like Ryan Adams. Along with "To Be Young" you'll hear (and see) presentations of "Answering Bell", "New York, New York", "The Rescue Blues", "Touch, Feel & Lose", "Firecracker", "You Will Always Be The Same", and the rarely heard "Hard Time Situation". This is the only Music In High Places episode I've seen, but would say it was certainly worth my time. Do not expect these eight songs and Ryan's trek into the musical world of Jamaica and its fascinating people to move you in the same way either Gold, Demolition or even Heartbreaker did. But rest assured, they will move you one way or another. This is an illustrious video that portrays unkempt sounds beautifully; somehow, someway. The bottom line: (again) if you enjoy Ryan Adams' music, check this out."

Everybody Wants To Get You High...

jamieca | Seattle, WA United States | 01/17/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Having never seen a Music In High Places episode, this DVD threw me for a loop. It ends up being a weird mix of travelogue and music footage which I found to be a strange mix. The footage of Ryan clowning around Jamaica and the random shots of Jamaican life and scenary are interesting and fun to watch once, but I'd gladly trade in this footage for a few extra musical tracks.Speaking of the music, the musical scenes are superb. The sound for most of the songs is excellent and getting to see this music performed outdoors in such a beautiful setting is awesome."

Excellent, open-air acoustic performances

bluebellysky | Nashville, TN USA | 06/10/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first saw this show on MTV, and hoped that it would eventually be released on DVD. The performances here seem so effortless, and convey both simplicity and depth. The footage is beautiful and shot on high-quality film (i.e. it doesn't look like a [shoddy] video job). My only complaint is that the commercial buffers ("Music In High Places" outros and intros) haven't been edited out, which is very unprofessional, but that small complaint doesn't keep me from giving this 5 stars. The interview portions are mildly interesting (though they seem to prove that Ryan isn't as big of a star as he could be because he's a dorky stoner). Fortunately, there is a "Play Just The Music" option that skips past the extraneous stuff. Highly recommended for your collection."

Great music and great insight into Ryan Adams

bluebellysky | 05/05/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As a fan of Ryan Adams most people are also fans of raw acoustic and stripped down music. This DVD provides an insight into both. As he travels he plays great tunes that he is able to adapt to the musical style of each location and the people he meets. The music is great and the sound quality is even better. It is also a nice look at the more relaxed and creative side of Ryan Adams. I recommend it to any fan."