After a period of excessive output—by any artist’s standards—Ryan Adams stepped back and made one of the most focused records of his career. Easy Tiger hinges on economical songwriting, from the sparkling crash of “Goodnight Rose” to the orchestral, melancholy “I Taught Myself How to Grow Old”. In between, “Halloweenhead” provides rock ‘n’ roll swagger, “Rip Off” swells with delicate pedal steel, and subtly impressive guitar work draws you into “Everybody Knows”, but the tart lyrics are what stick.