Released by: Universal Music Group
Release date: 30 October 2015
Genre: Rock
Links: bryanadams.com , Facebook
Lineup:
Bryan Adams
Tracklist:
01. You Belong To Me
02. Go Down Rockin’
03. We Did It All
04. That’s Rock And Roll
05. Don’t Even Try
06. Do What Ya Gotta Do
07. Thunderbolt
08. Yesterday Was Just A Dream
09. Brand New Day
10. Don’t Even Try (Acoustic)
11. We Did It All (Acoustic)
12. You Belong To Me (Acoustic)
13. Brand New Day (Acoustic)
This October marks the return of a few Rock legends. Not only did Def Leppard release a full album with new songs, Canadian Rock superstar Bryan Adams presents us a new album with completely new material as well. It took him seven long years to record the new album. In the wait for the new album, he did some live shows, a re-mastered version of his classic “Reckless” and a cover album. Fans had to wait a very long time for something new. And “Get Up” may not really be what they might have been expecting.
Firstly, “Get Up” is a big homage to the 50’s and 60’s era Rock ‘n Roll music. And having a look at the credits will confirm this. No other than Jeff Lynne, who has worked with The Beatles, produced this record and so it sounds like something that could have been released 50 years ago. Yes, this album sounds old school but is very charming. It is definitely different and not something you would expect from Adams. So if you are a fan of the 80’s or early 90’s Bryan Adams stuff, you may not be so satisfied with this offering as the modern style of Adams doesn’t shine through on the new songs.
“Get Up” starts with “You Belong To Me” in great Rock style. It is a little fun rocker that perfectly captures the feeling of sitting in a bar next to an old jukebox. “Go Down Rockin'” and the more sedate “We Did It All” are very enjoyable to listen to and as with the other songs on the album, they have something special and nostalgic to offer. Just “Thunderbolt” was not my cup of tea. It sounded a bit too generic. The last track “Brand New Day” Bryan Adams presents us a song which sounds a bit more like traditional Bryan Adams of recent years and it perfectly concludes this album. All the songs are very catchy, but this track is an awesome earworm. I love it.
I think metal-heads won’t pay much attention to this review because we are not reviewing a hard rock or a metal album. This album embodies olds school Rock ‘n Roll played with passion and some kind of lightness which I was not expecting from Bryan Adams anymore. He still sounds awesome and his band is also doing a very solid job. It has the feel of one big jam session and that’s what makes this album fun.
But if there is something I have to complain about, then it is the playtime of this album. With just nine new songs it has a playtime of 25 minutes. 25 minutes after seven years is simply not enough – not for a living legend like Bryan Adams! That’s not value for money. This could have been an EP, but it is sold at the full price of a LP. For this one point will be deducted from my final rating. And before some people complain: yes, there are 13 tracks on this album. However, four of them are acoustic versions of the same new songs – and that doesn’t count. The PR department wants us to believe that those acoustic versions will be a true highlight for fans. When will they ever learn that acoustic or instrumental versions of existing songs on the same CD aren’t a replacement for the new original tunes? They are not!
All in all “Get Up” is a fine, refreshing album from Bryan Adams. It sounds very organic. I can understand if die-hard fans expected something different and would not liking this one, but I loved that this album is not the traditional Adams stuff. People with an open mind and have a sense for 60’s Rock ‘n Roll will enjoy “Get Up”. Nevertheless I have to mention to rather wait until the price decreases a bit before buying the album. Simply do not under any circumstances buy it at the full price! And especially not the Deluxe edition which is even more expensive. Hopefully we don’t have to wait another seven years for the next album.
Written by: Thomas Schwarzkopf
Ratings: Thomas 8/10
About Author
