Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Adams, Bryan
Label: Polydor Records
Release: 2017
Length: 79:54
Rating: 4/5
»Ultimate« is the latest ‘best of’ from Canadian rock icon Bryan Adams, put out at the request of his label Polydor. The compilation collects selected Adams songs recorded between 1980 and 2017, and it also features two new tracks: »Ultimate Love«, a bouncy rocker with an unusually cheeky, almost dirty edge, and »Please Stay«, yet another of Bryan’s many love ballads that could melt even the iciest woman’s heart. The ballad was written for the Broadway musical ‘Pretty Woman’.
Among the selected cuts you’ll find the hit »All For Love«, which Adams recorded in 1993 for the film ‘The Three Musketeers’ together with Sting and Rod Stewart, the song »When You’re Gone«, recorded with Melanie C (Spice Girls), and the smash »It’s Only Love«, which he sang as a duet with Tina Turner. Of course, all of Bryan’s biggest hits are here too, led by »Run to You«, »Summer of ’69«, »Heaven«, »Somebody«, »Cuts Like a Knife«, »18 till I Die« and »(Everything I Do) I Do It for You«, to name just a few of the fan favorites. Even though squeezing all his hits onto a single CD was quite a headache, »Ultimate« still gives you a nice cross-section of Bryan’s rich creative career.
Adams’ most devoted fans will definitely want this more than decent collection of greatest works, if only because it includes two new tracks that work as a ‘warm-up’ for the new studio album. That one is expected to drop sometime in 2018. Until then, they’ll surely catch at least one date of the latest concert tour, which is meant to promote this newest collection of his most beloved songs.
Lineup
Musicians on “Ultimate” and “Please Stay”:
Bryan Adams – vocals and guitar, backing vocals
Jeff Lynne – piano on “Ultimate”
Keith Scott – slide guitar, backing vocals
Mickey Curry – drums on “Ultimate”
Phil Thornalley – bass guitar, backing vocals on “Ultimate”
Jim Vallance – guitar, piano, keyboards, programming
Arkadi Zaslavski – additional programming on “Please Stay”
Production
Bryan Adams, Robert John “Mutt” Lange, Bob Clearmountain, Chris Thomas, Bob Rock, David Nicholas, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Jeff Lynne
Track listing
1. Go Down Rockin’
2. Can’t Stop This Thing We Started
3. Run to You
4. Ultimate Love
5. Heaven
6. It’s Only Love (with Tina Turner)
7. Here I Am
8. When You’re Gone (with Melanie C)
9. Cloud Number 9
10. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You
11. You Belong to Me
12. Summer of ’69
13. Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?
14. Somebody
15. Please Forgive Me
16. Cuts Like a Knife
17. The Only Thing That Looks Good One Me Is You
18. All For Love (wit Rod Stewart & Sting)
19. Back to You (MTV Unplugged)
20. Please Stay
21. 18 till I Die
