Whether taking a break from his duties as fearless front man for Whiskeytown or striking out on his own for good, it might seem that Ryan Adams would have a tough time separating himself from the band that gave him his fame. But by hard work and constantly challenging himself as a writer, Adams has already amassed an impressive career as a singer-songwriter. After seven years of fronting Whiskeytown, and this, his second solo release, there seems to be depth to Adams work as an artist and a songwriter.

It was probably intentional that Adams’ first solo record started with an in-studio argument between friends about one of Morrissey’s solo records. Surely, Adams must have felt some of the same pressures that the Smith’s mythical front man did when he went into the studio alone for the first time. Adams’ second solo effort shows no signs of lacking confidence. Despite his association with alt-country, Adams seems to draw as much from Morrissey as he does from someone like Hank Williams. Without flinching, Adams dives into Gold with heartache and hope right beside him.

Pinning Adams down to one or two influences is nearly impossible; Gold invokes the spirits of dozens of artists spanning the past century. “New York, New York” is a jubilant rocker that conjures up the Van Morrison of the Moondance period and some bright organ melodies that could have come from any number of Dylan records. Adams clearly appears more comfortable in his solo shoes, and Gold maintains a variety of flavors while remaining coherent.

Despite his flashy look and youthful appearance, there is something strangely antique about the voice of Ryan Adams. His range and soulful inflections seem more ancient than his boyish face might indicate. “Answering Bell” is a bouncy tune with an expressive melancholy chorus that Jeff Buckely might have enjoyed. What is most poignant is not Adams’ voice itself, but the way he can change it and make it sound different on nearly every track. The stripped down “La Cienga Just Smiled” takes on a more quiet and reserved tone, but is in range of Adams vocal and songwriting skills.

Adams refuses to be pigeonholed into the alt-country stigma and continues to find success with different formulas. Even with the impressive list of artists that Adams can invoke, Gold retains an element of freshness and originality. The blood that seems to go into Adams’ songwriting makes for melodies that are memorable, despite their familiarity. If you’re open to hearing about some of his many wounds, you’re likely to find gold with Ryan Adams.