Album Review: Get Up! by Bryan Adams

Since his self-titled debut release in 1980, Bryan Adams has made the realm of middle-of-the-road rock anthems just about his own. And he’s given us some excellent entries over the years, too: ‘Summer of 69’, ‘Can’t Stop This Thing We’ve Started’, ‘Cuts Like a Knife’, ‘Everything I Do (I Do It For You)’ and ‘Please Forgive Me’.

Given that history of big album sales and sold-out arena tours across the world, it wasn't a huge surprise to listen to Get Up! the first collection of brand new Bryan Adams songs – he released a covers album a few years back – since 11 back in 2008 and discover a ten songs that are tailor-made to be performed in big arenas, and quite possibly sung/shouted back at Adams and his band by capacity crowds. It’s an album that’ll definitely appeal to the broad fan base Adams has after all these years.

You get your soaring guitars, big drums and all the hallmarks of the rock-pop arena in which Adams has had great success in the past, and it’s a pleasure to know that his vocals haven’t fallen away as he approaches what surely must be the twilight of his impressive career. That tell-tale rasp is there, and is instantly recognisable.

Get Up is a pretty solid album. ‘Brand New Day’ and ‘You Belong To Me’ are my two favourites, closely followed by the straight-ahead rocker ‘Go Down Rockin’. Adams’ old song-writing partner, Jim Vallance has a hand on every one of the ten songs on the album, the two having written some of Adams’ biggest hits – not to mention a few written for others, like Joe Cocker, Bonnie Tyler and, a little surprisingly, KISS. The two are as good a song writing tandem as there is.

For a guy that a lot of people dismiss, it’s impressive that he’s into his fourth decade of releasing albums and touring. His continued popularity is something that a lot of modern-day artists would no doubt kill for. It’s great to hear the musical cohesiveness on the album, thanks to the presence of Adams’ touring band, including the criminally-underrated Keith Scott on lead guitar. The man can wield an axe!

Hot off the heels of a very well-received performance at the AFL Grand Final on Saturday, a tour in support of the new album was announced, so Bryan Adams will be returning to our shores in March. He’s a tremendous concert performer, and I can’t wait to watch him again, and hear some of the Get Up! cuts live.