Bryan Adams - 18 til i die (1996)

"18 'Til I Die" (1996) is definitely one of his best works, a Bryan Adams in great form, three years after the breakthrough of "So Far So Good" (1993). The later collection, "The Best Of Me" (1999), is more of a rough summary than a second greatest hits, and will have less impact. But let's talk about the album.

The first track, "The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You" (the only song that looks good on me is you) has a fresh and invigorating effect, showing Adams in top form, with a catchy riff (the album is full of interesting and clean riffs). The second, "Do To You" is the least interesting moment of the album, but it's not bad. It's a bit upbeat and danceable. The third is a masterpiece of melodic and atmospheric rock, "Let's Make A Night To Remember", which Bryan Adams offers with a soft voice and guitar. This is followed by the title track , and we return to fresh rock, carefree, with the content of the desire for eternal youth. "Someday I'll Be 18 Comin'on 55" !! Bryan predicts it! We hope for it, and he proves it!
Then comes another gem, Star . A very romantic, slow song (Bryan Adams does not limit himself to sounding too saucy, so for those who do not like it, it is not very suitable), and captivating between acoustic and piano. The 6th track is "(I Wanna Be)Your Underwear" ((I Wanna Be)Your Underwear) is a cheeky song that ventures into the world of lustful male desires. Musically catchy and clean, rocking, but not too powerful. The seventh is "We're Gonna Win" . Short, powerful, vibrant, captivating. It may seem trivial as it gradually builds up in the chorus, but it doesn't quite get there. It stops for a moment, almost perfectly. If I'm not mistaken, this was a soundtrack to English football clubs (Chelsea, if I'm not mistaken) and English football events. The reason is obvious from the title and from listening. The next two are definitely moody songs, "I Think About You" and "I'll Always Be Right There"; both are love songs in the truest sense of the word, but the second is better executed, with pauses, arpeggios and a lot of trouble.

We return to the sudden awakening rock with the lyrics "It Ain't A Party... If You Can't Come 'Round" from a distant mood, in a cheerful rock version. The final rock foray, this time with a seductive double guitar that forms a fabric and embroidery over the verse, is "Black Pearl" (11). Perhaps for the first time the bass is visible, indeed visible. "Black Pearl... my kind!" - Bryan echoes his taste. This is a fusion of woman and rock. The twelfth track responds to "You're Still Beautiful To Me". A pleasant ballad, not outstanding, perhaps another low point of the album. This belongs to the melodic songs. It falls into the rockers perhaps only in "Do To You", as mentioned above. Last but not least, the song "Have you ever really loved a woman?" , with a guest like Paco de Luciawho joins him on guitar (simply stunning!!!), and Bryan presents a beautiful lyric both in terms of vocals and lyrics: when you can see your unborn children in his eyes . A verse. This is how the album ends.

I'll admit that Bryan Adams' career is intense both chronologically and discographically, and one album is definitely not enough, but if you want to start, you might as well start with one of these albums.