29

29 is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Ryan Adams, released on December 19, 2005, by Lost Highway Records. Produced by Ethan Johns, and recorded prior to the formation of backing band The Cardinals, the album was the last of three released in 2005. Session guitarist JP Bowersock would later go on to join the Cardinals, subsequently recording Cold Roses and Jacksonville City Nights alongside Adams. The album's cover art was drawn by Adams. The album has sold 81,000 copies in the United States and 153,000 worldwide. In November 2009, the album was number 54 on a list of "The 100 best pop albums of the Noughties" by The Times music critics. Recording notes 29 was recorded over two weeks during the first half of August 2004 at producer Ethan Johns' North Hollywood studio, Three Crows. According to Johns, only two songs were completely written before the sessions began – "Night Birds" and "Elizabeth, You Were Born To Play That Part". The remaining tracks were written in the studio. To give the music a sense of spontaneity and immediacy, several of the songs on the album were first takes. The album is a loose concept album, with each song representing a single year in Adams' twenties.