Album Review: Bryan Adams, Roll With The Punches

Hard on the heels of three of its singles invading the charts comes Bryan Adams’ new album, the hyper-charged title track piling in from the off with rasping guitars and thumping drums, alternating with polar silences so impactful you might as well give in.

It’s followed by the hits ‘Make Up Your Mind’ and ‘Never Ever Let You Go’, as the Canadian rocker stomps on everything in his path with his usual armoury of emotional vocals, down-the-line guitars and pumping drums.

Overall, the album is a predictable, if carefully-constructed, mix of energised ballads a la ‘Will We Ever Be Friends Again’, and uncompromising, grown-up rockers such as the aforementioned recent hits, as well as ‘Be The Reason’. Not quite renowned for social anthems, Adams also crafts ‘A Little More Understanding’ to groove mightily, while also containing a plea for unity, kindness and compassion. Hard to argue with that.

Adams clearly still wants to perform with as much conviction as he can muster, and he does it solidly on Roll With The Punches.

7/10