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BRYAN ADAMS: Get Up

Keith Sharp

(Universal Music Canada)
By Keith Sharp
Talk about back to the future. Bryan Adams releases his first studio record in seven years (since his 11 record in 2008) by rejoining former song writing partner, Jim Vallance and linking up with veteran producer (and Electric Light Orchestra frontman) Jeff Lynne. This combination effectively recaptures vintage Adams’ music from the heyday of his ’84 `Reckless’ release. No studio tricks, no elaborate arrangements, just pure, basic rock n roll. Call it dated if you will but Adams,Vallance and Lynne know the components of writing and recording simplistic pop music.Bryan_Adams-You_Belong_To_Me.
Key to the creation of “Get Up” is the involvement of producer Jeff Lynne. He’s the guy who revived George Harrison’s career by pushing him into a creative makeover with his 1987 “Cloud Nine” release and then cemented the chemistry of Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Roy Orbison with that memorable “Traveling Willbury’s debut release.
Hardly surprising that the first two songs off this record are “You Belong To Me” and “Go Down Rockin” , songs that reflect on Lynne’s 80’s rock heritage and Adams’ ability to deliver pure, straight ahead pop/rock. Indeed “Go Down Rockin” features all the elements of a classic Traveling Wilbury’s track.
“Get Up’s other seven original tracks all follow a similar stripped down rock styling with only two tracks going over the three minute mark. “We Did It All” and Bryan-Adams-web“Yesterday Was Just A Dream” are vintage Adams’ ballads while “Thunderbolt” and “Do What Ya Got To Do” capture the essence of classic 80’s pop. The ELO-flavoured “Brand New Day” is an idea leadoff single and Adams’ shows his penchant for acoustic stylings by providing additional stripped down interpretations of three tracks; “Don’t Even Try”, “We Did It All” and a raucous live version of the lead off “You Belong To Me”
A word has to be said about the reunion of Adams and Vallance. Like Lennon and McCartney, Elton John and Bernie Taupin and even Hall & Oates, the pair formed a formidable song writing partnership and at their peak just seeming to create classic pop songs effortlessly. Great to see them back together and their resulting creativity, linked to Lynne’s production genius has produced a classic Adams’ recording.
Download: “Go Down Rockin’, “That’s Rock N Roll”, “Brand New Day”

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