Released: 11 March 2022
Bryan Adams unites a powerhouse team of collaborators for his stellar 15th studio album ‘So Happy It Hurts’.
Arriving three years after previous outing ‘Shine a Light’, the new LP is a departure for the singer, who back then indulged in a varied ensemble of musicians and collaborators, landing a mixed response from fans and critics alike.
While that record featured tracks with singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, who co-penned the title song, and Jennifer Lopez, on the duet That’s How Strong Our Love Is, his approach this time around couldn’t be more different.
Conceived in early 2020, Bryan set to work from the isolation of his home studio and revisited ideas he’d collated over the previous years to form the backdrop of his latest offering.
The approach pays off and the result is an introspective, often optimistic collection of tracks, which cut to the heart of the singer and explore his thoughts, feelings and mental state at the height of a worldwide pandemic that forced him off the road.
“The pandemic and lockdown really brought home the truth that spontaneity can be taken away. Suddenly all touring stopped, no one could jump in the car and go,” he says.
Opener and lead single So Happy It Hurts treads familiar territory, uniting the star with frequent collaborators Gretchen Peters and Robert ‘Mutt’ Lange. It’s a stadium-worthy, stomping anthem, reminiscent of his classic LP ‘Reckless’, about “ freedom, autonomy, spontaneity and the thrill of the open road”.
There’s more in that vein; I’ve Been Looking For You could easily belong on any Tom Petty album, while Just About Gone brings a country twang to his trademark sound.
In fact, the majority of the record is upbeat and, when it comes to selecting highlights, there’s plenty to choose from
For fans of his powerhouse ballads, Bryan delivers with the mid-tempo Always Have, Always Will – sure to be the new wedding song of choice for the musician’s most loyal fans worldwide – while album closer These Are The Moments That Make Up My Life is a moment of reflection dedicated to his family.
It’s a fitting end to the record; across 12 tracks, Bryan grapples with his life being turned upside down and relationships put to the test under unprecedented circumstances, but in the end it’s those around him that pick him up, spark his inspiration and help him rediscover his happiness.
So Happy It Hurts is out March 11 via BMG.
