Bryan Adams
Waking Up the Neighbours (A&M) (STAR)(STAR) 1/2
This summer, Canada`s Bryan Adams scored the biggest international hit since ”We Are the World” with ”(Everything I Do) I Do It for You,” a tough-but-sweet rock ballad that served as a heroic theme song for the movie
”Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” and also showcased Adams` raspy voice to perfection. The phenomenal success of that song set up much anticipation for
”Neighbours”-Adams` first album in several years-but unfortunately, far too much of the material (all co-written and co-produced by Adams) is in the rave-up, garage-band style of the current single, ”Can`t Stop This Thing We Started.” Although Adams clearly sees himself as a rocker, he really does shine brightest on ballads (including the beautifully bittersweet ”Do I Have to Say the Words”), but gives them little priority on this project, with
”Everything I Do”-by far the album`s best cut-inexplicably buried deep on Side 2.
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