Don’t call it a comeback. Don’t call the return of 29-year-old Ryan Adams a comeback. Don’t call his new album, Rock ‘N’ Roll, a comeback. Don’t call his new EP, Love Is Hell, Pt. 1, a comeback. And whatever you do, don’t mistake him for Canadian pop star Bryan Adams.

Known for his volatile nature, Adams was a singer/songwriter for Whiskeytown, a band that built a considerable following in the alt-country arena. Adams released a solo album (the aforementioned Heartbreaker) in 2000, and many believed that Whiskeytown's time together as a band was short. Indeed, after they released Pneumonia, the band broke up and Adams intensified his solo efforts by releasing his amazing second album (Gold); a disc that contained "New York"--a song that many adopted as a paean to the city after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks even though it was actually a song about love lost. Though the song was written long before the attacks, it was a fitting tribute, with its chorus that concluded "Hell I still love you New York."

Adams' strength has always been his ability to write mournful ballads that crackle with an astute and sarcastic energy. A prolific writer, Adams has released four albums and an EP in four years (with Love Is Hell, Pt. 2 hitting store shelves in December.)