Prime Cuts: Flying, I Was Only Dreaming, East Side Story

Emptiness, loneliness and despair are some of the words that emerged when listening to Adams' 11th studio release. The years of his itinerant life and in his own words "living out of a suitcase" has its toil on this gravel-voiced rocker. Aptly titled "Room Service," Adams' first full length studio album in six years, finds a craven Adams detailing his weariness in seriatim with a diary-like frankness. Recorded in hotel rooms and back stages while on tour in Europe, "Room Service" has a more organic feel relative to his more polished efforts from the early 90s. Further, unlike most of his albums, Robert "Mutt" Lange, aka Mr. Shania Twain, only has a hand in co-writing and co-producing only one track ("Flying"). Providing the musical muscle this time is Adams and Bob Clearmountain.

Though it is does not reed with the same immediacy as previous hits such as "Summer of 69 " or "The Only Thing That Looks Good on You," lead single "Open Road" is a typical Bryan Adams rock number aplomb with aggressive sounding guitars and propulsive drums. "Open Road" is not the only song that deals with the despair of life. With caliginous lines such as "I'm riding in the back seat-black limousine/staring out the window at a funeral scene/.../ah-it's a lonely, lonely road we are on," "The Other Side of Paradise," a more subdued rocker, continues Adams forlorn outlook on life. To show that he's no longer the dreary eyed romantic who sings about "All for Love," "Not Romeo Not Juliet" is a realistic song of acceptance of a romance full of warts.

While many artists have expressed the loneliness of touring in song, the title track is Adams' take on it. Though melodically not too memorable, it is perhaps Adams' most bona fide track. Lines such as "I've been on the road nearly all my life/Been around the world `bout a thousand times/Still a knock on the door makes me nervous/I think I'll see you standing there-but no/It's only room service" certainly will chill your spine with the scour of loneliness. Also of note is that Japanese and UK pressings of "Room Service" boast the inclusion of a bonus track "Blessing in Disguise," a rock and roll number with an uncanny melodic resemblance to Elvis' "All Shook Up."

Over his inveterate career, Adams has been known for his ballads. And here there is a couple; though one would wish Adams would cut more of those heart tuggers. Gretchen Peters, who is a notable songwriter in her own rights, teams up with Adams to write the soul searching "I Was Only Dreaming." An ode to a make-believe relationship has an added poignancy as it features a string arrangement and oboe from Adams's friend and long-time collaborator, Michael Kamen, who died last year. The other ballad "Flying," which is also the second single, is a Lange/Adams composition. "Flying" gives the enervated heart a rest as it is the sole positive entry here celebrating the joys of a heartfelt love. Though not as strong as his other ballads "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" or "Have You Really Loved a Woman," "Flying" finds Adams at his romantic best.

Overall, "Room Service" though it is not as strong melodically as "18 Till I Die" or "Wake Up the Neighborhood," it is perhaps Adams' most veracious effort. For a man to admit such pain and loneliness, it is definitely noble and heart warming. But if art is a reflection of life, let's hope Adams will find true happiness and hope. But in the meantime, if you like to ponder these issues of life and hope or the lack thereof, here's a platter.

I am a longtime Adams fan and know the guy's work inside out, but am not one of those slobbering & idolizing "ohmygosh, Bryan can do no wrong" fans, so I always try to critique hs work. Room Service is a marked improvement over his last full-fledged studio album, 1998's On A Day Like Today. It isn't as mellow and melancholic as that last album, has more variety, better melodies, catchier songs, and more uptempo numbers. I'd give it 4.5 stars, but Amazon doesn't allow half star ratings.

Granted, it doesn't reach the heights of classic Adams albums like Reckless or Waking Up The Neighbours (but then again, that's like asking U2 to release another Achtung Baby, or Def Leppard another Hysteria - not going to happen). But still, it's still a highly enjoyable piece of work and a return to form. My only true criticism is that it's a bit too short...the album really needs two more tracks or so for it to feel like a nicely rounded out package. In that sense, it feels a bit thin, but the contents are good.

Ratings are out of 10 - 10 does not mean a "perfect" song, just the best in terms of the album as a whole, and in relation to what a fantastic Bryan Adams song should be. The second half of the album is much better than the first.

1. East Side Story 9/10 A really fresh way to kick off the album. A simple tale about a guy who wonders about a girl he saw and didn't quite catch by the time he realized he wanted to talk to her. By the time the na na na's roll around at the end, you're pretty much hooked. Infinitely better than the cheapo electronic version he did with Chicane.

2. This Side of Paradise 8/10. Not a very catchy or commercial song - this is a melancholic track that has an existential theme running through it. A more grown-up Bryan reflects on the road of life, with all its mysteries and loneliness...and how we turn look for answers in so many empty things, when all we really have is each other while we're still around. Not initially a favorite of mine, but it is definitely a grower. On repeated listens, it creeps up on you and is very enjoyable, especially for those introspectve moods.

3. Not Romeo, Not Juliet 7/10. Decent, I guess. About two oddballs in love, they're not a starry-eyed romantic couple, just two ordinary people who really dig each other. This is a normal midtempo pop rock track with an just-okay chorus. Grows on you a bit, but isn't anything to write home about.

4. Flying - 6/10. Meh. I had high hopes for this one, since it was written with Mutt Lange, but this is the standard Bryan Adams Sappy Ballad. Syrupy to the max, it's one of those run of the mill ballads that gets old fast. Don't get me wrong, I love many Adams ballads such as Thought I'D Died and Gone to Heaven, Inside Out, or the great I Was Only Dreamin on this disc, but this is one is by the numbers. Flying is pegged as the second single, which is a shame, because like Everything I Do, it's the sort of song that has made Adams's image that of a Michael Bolton-style ballad crooner. While BA is undeniably commercial in style, he has much more to offer than that. The song isn't awful but nothing special either.

5. She's A Little Too Good For Me 10/10. Nothing too complex or deep - just a catchy little rocker with a tongue in cheek self-deprecating lyric. In other words, Bryan Adams doing what he does best. It's great to play in the car, tapping your foot and singing along to. Fun.

6. Open Road 9/10 - Great song, and the lead-off single. With an opening reminiscent of "Run To You", this is a midtempo road rocker about freedom. Driving on the open road, going your own way, endless possibilties out there, that sort of thing. Has a really big chorus and is highly commercial....the harmonica solo in the middle gives it an earthy feel (ala Tom Cochrane's Life Is A Highway).

7. Room Service 8/10 Nice feel good rocker, and catchy, but inexplicably gets old very fast. About the oddity of spending your days and nights on tour for years on end, hopping from one hotel to another.

8. I Was Only Dreaming. 10/10, wonderful track, definitely one of the album highlights. "She left her shoes out on the beach, she left my dreams just out of reach..." It's a poignant mid-tempo ballad, with an instrumental arrangement by longtime Adams collaborator Michael Kamen, who died earlier this year. Whoever said in a review below that it's about an "imaginary relationship" really missed the boat. It's about lookng at the traces someone left behind, and wondering if they were ever really there at all. The memories of the relationship start to fade and get hazy like dreams do. It's a song about saying goodbye to someone - excellent, and destined to be a classic for BA fans.

9. Right Back Where I Started From 10/10. This is a vintage Adams summertime rocker. With its catchy beat and sing-along chorus, it's an instant favorite....think about classic BA uptempo tracks like Can't Stop This Thing We Started, Somebody, Before The Night Is Over, etc. Great stuff.

10. Nowhere Fast 7/10 - Good tune, just a decent song that chugs along and is nice while you hear it, but forgettable. Not really an album highlight.

11. Why Do You Have to Be So Hard to Love 8/10. Slow ballad...very nice for mellow moods, and reminiscent of one of those old Motown tunes, or even the slowish stuff Rod Stewart is doing nowadays. A different style for Bryan Adams, but showcases a very good vocal performance.

First of all, I have to warn: I love Bryan Adams' music. Still, it took me a long while to get this album. The first time i heard all the songs, only one stood out - 'Eastside story'. Its a fabulous, eternal song that everyone - and I mean everyone - can identify with. Then I had to listen a few more times and I started to like 'Not Romeo, not Juliet' and 'So hard to love'. They are lovely everyday songs thats so BA's style, but so unique no matter how many others of his you have listened to. There is one other song that is special to me 'I was only dreaming'. Thats a haunting, soft song that takes hold of your thoughts for entire days at a time. The only thing that I noticed is that somehow all the songs are short, but it doesnt matter when you are a fan, does it? :)

Well, the wait is finnaly over! We have a new Bryan Adams album - Room Service. And boy, it does sound good. For a relief, the memorable guitar hooks are back coupled with those big drums. And yah, the best part of a Bryan Adams album is that haunting, inimitable voice.

This one is a really diversified album. Rockers like "Open Road", "Room Service" "She's a little too good for me", set your feet tapping. Then for a change, Adams wrote some real meaningful lyrics for "Nowhere fast". And then there is "Right back where I started from". The guitar riff is so catchy that it just plays in your head all the time just after a couple of listens.

"East Side Story" brings back those youthful memories of buses and those one-sight loves. And cmon, if its a Bryan Adams record, ballads are a must. "Why do you have to be so hard to love" is, according to Bryan himself, Bryan's favourite track on this album. Yea Bryan, we share opinion on this. Then there is the signature style balled "Flying" full with mushy lyrics and slush production. "Not Romeo Not Juliet" is probably for most youth who can't decide if they are in love or not, when they know that they are. But the best of all ballads is "I Was Only Dreamin'" where Bryan showcasts his vocal range in a mind-blowing way.

All in all, you must buy this record.And go home and turn up the volume, and wake up your neighbours. Wake them up to a talented man named Bryan Adams.

Bryan Adams is my favourite artist. I bought this hoping for a few good songs, but got a whole albumful.My fave Adams songs of all time are 'Summer of 69','(Everything I do)I do it for you', 'Back to you' and 'Cant stop this thing we started'.

This album is a delight, one of those rare albums with each song a pleaser. Free time does seem to provide quality.

'Room Service'(the song) is easily my favourite, the track with most potential as a single. Other faves include 'East Side Story', 'This side of Paradise', 'Open Road', 'I was only Dreaming' and 'Nowhere Fast'. The other tracks are also spectacular. Overall, apleasure to listen to.

I admit to having an uncannily broad music taste including Crowded House, George Michael, The Rasmus, Van Halen, Lenny Kravitz, John Mayer, Seal, Coolio and Regurgitator. And I am only a 16 year old aussie. My favourite movies( The Terminator, Aliens and The Godfather) are even from before I was born. But above all, Bryan Adams is my absolute favourite artist. Keep rocking Bryan.