Pitchfork

Imagine you have a friend who writes a blog all about cream puffs. People call him/her Puffy at the bar and then you have to explain to the uninitiated how the nickname isn't based on Sean Combs. And then that friend has a terrible day when none of his/her cream puffs come out right-- they're not fluffy enough, they're burnt, and so on. And this imaginary friend decides to quit his/her blog at the end of this trying day. But he/she still loves cream puffs...and starts blogging again soon after the breakdown.

This friend is exactly like Ryan Adams, except without the delicious pastries.

On January 14, Ryan Adams wrote a rash-sounding blog post about how he was quitting music and blogging (the post has since been deleted). Seven days later, he was back to blogging. And now, he's coming out with a compilation called the Valentine's Day Extra Cheese EP, which will be released February 10. Granted, the release is iTunes-only and features only one or two new tracks (depending on which Ryan Adams message board you read) and is a shameless Love Day tie-in proffered by his label Lost Highway. (Did we mention there are no songs from Heartbreaker on this thing?! Heartbreaker was released by Bloodshot, not Lost Highway.) Fickle is the way of the artist.

In other Ryan news, the newly smoke-free singer-songwriter is currently making his way through Australia, chilling with Jay Reatard, No Age, and Mandy Moore in between skate park visits, according to photos on (yes) his blog. His current tour with the Cardinals-- which might (not) be the band's last!-- continues:

Valentine's Day Extra Cheese EP:

(Apparently, "Extra Cheese" is the name of the EP, rather than the first song title.)

01 Extra Cheese
01 Two
02 Blossom
03 Answering Bell
04 Evergreen
05 My Love for You Is Real
06 Desire
07 Hey There, Mrs. Lovely (unreleased)

Ryan Adams and the Cardinals:

02-20 New Haven, CT - Shubert Theater
02-21 Boston, MA - Orpheum Theater
02-22 Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theater
02-26 Columbia, MO - Missouri Theater
02-27 Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
02-28 Tulsa, OK - Brady Theater
03-02 El Paso, TX - Abraham Chavez Theater
03-04 San Antonio, TX - Majestic Theatre
03-06 Birmingham, AL - Alabama Theatre
03-06-08 Miami, FL - Bicentennial Park (Langerado Festival)
03-09 Jacksonville, FL - Florida Theater
03-11 North Charlston, SC - North Carleston PAC
03-12 Columbia, SC - Township Auditurium
03-14 Nashville, TN - War Memorial
03-14 Nashville, TN - War Memorial
03-15 Louisville, KY - Palace Theatre
03-18 Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall
03-19 Mobile, AL - Saenger Theater
03-20 Atlanta, GA - Fox Theatre