Ryan Adams, formerly of Whiskeytown, left that band in 2000 to follow a solo career. His first album, Heartbreaker, received rave reviews in America and the UK, voted http://www.altcountrytabs.com's favourite album of 2000, and a top runner in many magazines (such as Uncut). Appearances on the album are made by Emmylou Harris, Kim Richey and others. A mainly slow album about a break-up, it starts with a spoken argument about Morrissey, typical of the rambling, often hilarious monologues into which Adams often drifts during his increasingly legendary live performances. An extremely prolific songwriter, often compared to Bob Dylan, Adams' upcoming album Gold promises to be one of the best albums of 2001.