When you think of Ryan Adams, a lot of things come to mind, from his early career with country outfit Whiskeytown, to his solo effort Heartbreaker and his collaborations with The Cardinals, with whom he’s released five albums in the past three years.

The alt-country songwriter seems to have an endless flow of ideas and his latest release with the Cardinals, Cardinology, has an effortless feel, a testament to Adams’ sobriety and to the closeknit camaraderie of The Cardinals.

Jon Graboff’s pedal steel keeps the album tied to roots and country music while the rhythm section — Chris Feinstein on bass and drums from Brad Pemberton — turns the tide back to rock ’n’ roll on “Magick” & “Go Easy.” The highlight for me is the interplay of guitars and voices that Adams shares with Neal Casal, bringing songs like “Born in the Light,” “Let Us Down” and “Natural Ghost” to life.

Standout tracks include the alt-rock tinged “Cobwebs,” where big drums and heavy keyboards give way to Adams’ affected words: “Somewhere impossible light still shines/ and every smile, is as if new/ sometimes I feel like the static in the attic/ is making me… just confused.” The poetry in his words makes me think he’s trying to get them out before they get dusty in his own mind.

Another song worth an extra listen is “Evergreen.” On the opposite side of the spectrum from “Cobwebs,” the song is acoustic and has a light-hearted sound that is very glass-half-full. “It might be easy to judge all that kindness/ if you had grown accustomed/ to a darkness in a life/ but certainly any room/ with a view of other windows/ must certainly have doors you can use/ so you can be happy,” Adams sings

The music, the words, have all come very easily for Adams, but dealing with people around him, whether they be girlfriends or even a side of his own personality, has been a challenge over the 14 years he’s spent in the spotlight.

On the cusp of turning 34, the prolific Adams seems to have found balance, and if Cardinology is his study in how to be a part of a harmonious band, it sounds like a successful one.

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