New Ryan Adams: “Shine Through The Dark”

A short while back,  Under The Radar premiered the latest gorgeous folk track from Ryan Adams. “Shine Through The Dark,” a previously unreleased song that Adams refers to as “the first track I wrote after my retirement,” is featured on Live From Nowhere Near You: Volume Two. Released today, the album is a three-disc compilation of rare and/or unreleased songs from both street and professional musicians – including Wilco, Elliott Smith, Sleater-Kinney, Conor Oberst, Pearl Jam, The Shins, Modest Mouse, and The Strokes – and proceeds are donated to homeless and street youth programs.

“Shine Through The Dark” was penned post-meltdown while the artist was in bed with the flu. What came out of the dark in that situation is an unadorned folk number much in the style of Heartbreaker that has been performed live only a couple of times. Adams’ voice is hushed and insistent, singing of moons shining and wheels turning fast. “Whatever happened to the old me/whatever happened to us,” the song opens, and continues on as if Adams is trying to recover a lost memory. It sounds heavy and forlorn, and yet still sparkles with an acoustic pop. Such is the way of Mr. Adams.

Listen to the track here.