When the ever-finicky Ryan Adams broke up with the music business last year -- he said he was suffering from vertigo -- he made the friendly and probably sincere remark that he hoped his band would continue to play without him. Just months before calling it a day, Adams had said in numerous interviews that he felt the Cardinals were more of an actual band than just his back-up group and that, in the near future, he planned to drop the solo moniker to reflect that solidarity. Instead, of course, he dropped out of music altogether, leaving the whole solo career/music thing to his wife, Mandy Moore.

But Adams still gets his wish: the Cardinals have regrouped behind New Zealand-born singer-songwriter Gin Wigmore and the band will indeed keep the fires burning. 'No Smoke,' Wigmore's debut album, drops on September 25 and it doesn't look like the Cardinals' name will actually appear on the billing -- unlike Adams, Wigmore isn't conflicted about her solo ambitions -- but it's them, alright. This isn't the first time the Cardinals have quietly recorded behind a solo artist other than Adams: in 2006, they went into the studio to back Willie Nelson on his album 'Songbird' while Adams sat in the producer chair.

"The Cardinals -- I am speechless," Wigmore told the Australian music site, Access All Areas. "They have been a true inspiration to watch. Truly amazing musicians."

Yeah, no kidding. Cherish them while you can because, knowing Adams, it's only a matter of time before he calls, wanting them back.