Bryan Adams - 11
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CD Details
Artist: Bryan AdamsEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: Import
CD Release Date: 2008-04-01
Music Label: Universal Int'l
Product features:
- ADAMS BRYAN 11
- Tonight We Have the Stars
- I Thought I'd Seen Everything
- I Ain't Losin' the Fight
- Oxygen
- We Found What We Were Looking For
- Broken Wings
- Somethin' to Believe In
- Mysterious Ways
- She's Got a Way
- Flower Grown Wild
- Walk on By
Music reviews of 11
Music Review: Lukewarm, soft, and mostly disappointing Adult Contemporary disc from Mr Adams
Rating: 2 Stars
I'm an Adams die-hard fan who knows his previous work inside out. However, I can be critical of the artists I love when they fail to live up to their talent, unlike others who sycophantically lap up whatever they churn out. Some of the reviews below praise 11 as a wonderfully consistent album; they seem to be from devout followers, and thus misleading to most people. Unfortunately, soundbytes aren't up yet for each person to judge.
Stylewise, 11 is a very mild and toothless affair that mostly veers into adult contemporary territory. The days of `Reckless', `Waking Up The Neighbours', and even `18 Til I Die' are long gone; if you're looking for anything in that vein, massive disappointment awaits here. However, this album doesn't even measure up to the occasional excitement to be found in Bryan's latter-day work...so classic older albums aside, you won't even find a song at the level of, say, "Right Back Where I Started From" off of Room Service, or "Before the Night is Over" off of On A Day Like Today...or, indeed, other good ones like "Open Road", "Back to You", "Don't Wanna Live Forever", etc.
In short, 11 is the worst album in Bryan Adams's career. Does that mean it sucks? Not entirely, it has some saving graces in a handful of enjoyable tracks. Maybe this would be fine for another artist, but it doesn't measure up to the Adams standard and while it may be worth a listen for fans, it's pretty ho-hum overall. Even these enjoyable numbers aren't brilliant gems: they're cool but somewhat generic, don't really rock, and fail to cover any fresh ground. They have no rawness or edge, and none of the energy from Adams's vibrant live shows. 11 shows us an artist who really isn't hungry anymore; this much is clear in the album's sleepy vibe. It isn't simply a matter of soft AC stylings vs. edgier rock - the world class songs are just not there. I'm not one of those meatheads who equates hard rocking with credibility; I keep an open mind and can appreciate his softer side (see my review below for track 11 and even 6), but the craftsmanship and brilliant hooks are mostly absent here. Many of his B-sides over the past two decades have been better than the material on offer here. This is especially disappointing in light of the return of class writer Jim Vallance.
The disc feels thin. I used to defend Bryan against comments that singled him out as a corny, sappy ballad singer by pointing out lesser known songs, from "Touch the Hand" to "Only the Strong Survive". Now I can't defend him anymore; he really does indicate that he's content to be a crooning balladeer, and I would be surprised if this ever changes. While 11 is Bryan's worst album to date in terms of songs, sonically it's his best. The sonic elements are clear and well-defined: guitars are crisp and elegant, the bass solid, the drums organic and powerful (I wish 'Neighbours' would have had these instead of Mutt Lange's drum machine).
On to the music itself...a 6 is barely passable (i.e., Adams fans only and kinda lackluster even then) and anything from 5 on below shouldn't even be listened to:
1. Tonight We Have The Stars: 7.5/10. Decent mid-tempo pop rock track, co-written with old collaborator Jim Vallance. No surprises or brilliance (and no balls!), but definitely pleasant to listen to.
2. I Thought I'd Seen Everything 8.5/10. The leadoff single: a catchy, pretty pop-rock confection. Maybe it's a bit predictable and is held back by a lazy & generic lyric ("when Im in your arms, I know I found the one/ it's just the way you are, makes me feel so much"). However, it features a great hook and melodic U2-style guitar in the chorus - the obvious choice for first single. This is an extremely commercial song, but we won't hold that against him because, after all, it's Bryan Adams we're talking about!
3. I Ain't Losin The Fight 7/10. Okay track with some rootsiness (harmonica, slide guitar and other countryish hints) and less pop sheen than the two previous numbers . Like the first song, it's nothing surprising or exciting, just some competent pleasantness to play in the background.
4. Oxygen: 7/10. Acoustic-based uptempo number driven by a steady drumbeat throughout..unfortunately, it sounds better on paper. The style is ok and it's among the better tracks on the album, it's just very blah and bland in the end. The chorus sounds like it's out of a toothpaste commercial.
5. We Found What We Were Looking For 3/10. God, what a plodding snoozefest. Possibly the worst track in the album...slooow, trite, and bargain bin quality. Mutt had a hand in this one, can't believe he's lost it so badly. This makes the clichéd and predictable "Flying" off Room Service look like a smash hit.
6. Broken Wings 6/10. This is total adult contemporary, and is extremely mellow and laid back. If you can get past that, it's well executed and has some feeling to it; the backing vocals that kick in with the 2nd chorus are a nice touch. Ultimately, though, it's a throwaway track that would have been fine as a B-side or soundtrack ballad. It's ok for the style, but closer to what Rod Stewart is doing these days...I'll take it for what it is, but this isn't what I truly want when I buy a Bryan Adams album.
7. Something to Believe In: 4/10. Boring as all hell....and yes, more adult contemporary to play in your local supermarket or elevator. It's like the poor, toothless little brother of "Broken Wings".
8. Mysterious Ways 4/10. By this point, the album reaches a standstill with yet another sleeping pill. Lyrically, this sees Bryan in introspective mode, pondering life's mysteries as in "This Side of Paradise". It's just lackluster and has no memorable melodies, hooks, or anything else. I dare you to listen and not press the skip button before it's over (if you don't doze off first).
9. She's Got a Way 8/10. The best ballad on the album. While it's definitely a bit safe and may fall a little short of Bryan's classic ballads of old (no, I'm not talking about the overplayed, overhyped "Everything I Do"), it's definitely solid with its soaring chorus and melodic guitar. Very enjoyable as it builds to a midtempo AOR feel...you can see hints of BA's fine songwriting chops shine through. Unfortunately, by the time you reach this song, you've been bludgeoned to death with the album's awfully sleepy pacing and are in no mood to listen to another mellow track. It's surrounded by mush, but the song would stand out more in a better, more evenly-paced album.
10. Flower Grown Wild 5/10 - Mediocre. Not terrible, just totally `meh' middle of the road fluff (quality-wise, think "Nowhere Fast" off Room Service). The lyrics and music shows a little more originality than the rest of the album, and the chorus is alright I guess. Fine to listen to a few times, but there's nothing to see here if you're not hardcore. Again, this isn't what I want in a BA album, especially after a 4 year absence.
11. Walk on By 8/10 - Slow track written with Vallance that has a minimal arrangement, it's only an acoustic guitar and strings. It's actually very beautiful in its simplicity and creates a stark, vaguely poignant atmosphere. As with "She's Got a Way", you're in no mood to hear it after so much adult contemporary fluff, but it would fare better in a different album.
Conclusion: The disc does have some redeeming features, but is a mediocrity overall. Skip it altogether if you're a casual fan, or download tracks 1, 2, 9, and 11 off Itunes if you're looking for your Adams fix. Bryan has lost his sense of adventure, has no fire in his belly or desire to bring anything fresh to the table. At least the sound of the album is top notch. As with Room Service, Adams recorded this on the road...he really needs to spend some time in a proper studio with his amazing band (and maybe some new collaborators) so he can focus and put all his effort into recapturing some excitement and edge before he continues to slide towards becoming an artist for the oldies crowd. To me, this album has Bryan in crisis; hopefully he'll snap out of it. It's a waste of talent and gifted musicians....no one is more disappointed than I am.
Description of 11
2008 release from the Canadian rocker, his 11th studio album overall. The album is packed full of unmistakable rockers and signature ballads including the lead single ?I Thought I?d Seen Everything', a rocky, mid-tempo track that has already gone onto radio playlists on both side of the Atlantic. 11 was recorded largely in hotel rooms and backstage dressing rooms around the world during the past two years and features the return of his long time collaborator Jim Vallance on three cuts. The Adams/Vallance partnership was responsible for many of Bryan?s classic hits including ?Heaven?,? Summer of 69? and ?Run To You.?. Universal.Classic Rock CDs
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