As intrinsic to the Manhattan soul as the rumble of the subway, the grime of the Lower East Side or the ornate baroque glamour of the midtown blocks housing Ghostbusters' ghouls, Adam Green's music is as timeless as New York itself. Echoing through the depths of it's dark lore, yet still relevant on sidewalks washed clean by gentrification, the singer-songwriter's music not only invokes his hometown, but it captures the unique confusion and connection of life within a city: the awkwardness and the adventure, the love affairs and the loneliness, the society and the separation. His 2005 solo album Gemstones, a sort of musical reply to Bright Lights, Big City, is firmly rooted in the Big Apple, it's rockabilly rhythms rattle with the L-Train, it's melodies hit like a fresh cross street gust, but whether you've visited New York or not it's brisk, affecting songs will resonate with anyone who knows what it is like to be alone amongst the crowd. Driven by Green's beguiling baritone, from the album's spinning, Wurlitzer-driven opener and title track Gemstones, via the chiming organs and voodoo maraca of Over The Sunrise, the irresistible rock'n'roll bop of Emily and the bittersweet lament of Losing On A Tuesday, the record is as affecting as it is surreal. Fantastical imagery and linguistic twists that evoke an Escher-meets-Sesame Street version of city life, but beneath Green's visions, guided by his playful melodies, is a warm beating heart of genuinely moving emotions. Yes, Gemstones can be heady and intoxicating, careering with an apparent free abandonment, yet it is also a warm, reassuring and ultimately nourishing record. Now, as Gemstones marks it's 20th anniversary with a new vinyl release, it is time for all of us to step back and truly appreciate this musical diamond.

Tracklist:

Gemstones
Down on the Street
He's the Brat
Over the Sunrise
Crackhouse Blues
Before My Bedtime
Carolina
Emily
Who's Your Boyfriend
Country Road
Choke on a Cock
Bible Club
Chubby Princess
Losing on a Tuesday
Teddy Boys

UPC: 5050159819416
Label: Rough Trade Us
Release Date: 12.12.25
Format: Vinyl Record

Adam Green - Gemstones [LP]