I was trying to think of a time in my life when Bryan Adams wasn’t there. I’m 51 years old, I got into music in the early 1980s, and “Reckless” was a staple. “Waking Up The Neighbours” was too. More than that, though, I’ve always thought he didn’t get enough credit for what he did.
I always think of Butch Walker’s “Summer Of ’89” and its line about nobody knowing Bryan Adams wasn’t cool. Well, nobody told me either. There’s a lot to be said for someone who can write songs that stay with you for most of your life.
What you certainly can’t accuse Adams of doing on “How’s It Goin’”, however, is playing safe.
The title track opens proceedings with acoustic folk, sparse instrumentation and tremendous songwriting. It’s clear he’s got plenty to say, too, particularly about the differences between his homeland and its neighbour to the south. Canada informs this work in a way it perhaps never has before, its people, history and identity running through the whole thing.
That means confronting some deeply uncomfortable subjects. “Highway 16” concerns the route known as the Highway of Tears, where Indigenous women and girls have gone missing or been murdered over several decades. Adams writes with such empathy here, allowing the weight of the subject to come through without overwhelming the song.
“Diesel & Dirt” might be the best thing on the record. Brilliant Americana, it finds that familiar voice in surroundings that make you hear it differently. There’s a bite to the lead guitar, too, and a sense that this departure has opened up something in his songwriting.
“The Battle Of Lundy’s Lane” is magnificent. Taking its subject from one of the bloodiest battles of the War of 1812, fought in what is now Niagara Falls, it feels like a call to arms. If you’d never imagined Bryan Adams going all Rush on us in terms of subject matter, here you are.
“The Ballad Of Terry Fox” turns to another Canadian story. Fox lost a leg to cancer and began his Marathon of Hope across the country to raise money for cancer research, running for 143 days before illness forced him to stop. The song is suitably anthemic, surely written with the idea of bringing people together when it’s played live.
“51st State” is shorter, sharper and proud of being Canadian. Its refusal to entertain the idea of becoming part of America leaves little room for misunderstanding. “When Canada Joined Newfoundland” has a similarly concise charm. Let the Canadians have their things. On this evidence, you can try taking them, mate.
“A Handful Of Gold” is built around the keys, but it’s the thought of what we’re prepared to sell ourselves for that lingers. “Iron Ribbon” has real passion, while “Canada’s Wild Eastern Edge” suddenly lets some rock ’n’ roll break out. “Heave Away” brings a sea shanty feel, with a little French along the way, another nod to the heritage that matters so much throughout.
Then there’s “Lake Ontario”, the recent single included as a digital bonus track, which brings everything firmly into the present. The song takes aim at political distraction, and its reference to the Epstein files makes the target particularly clear.
Bryan, it seems fair to say, isn’t a fan of Trump. To be honest, would anyone with a sentient brain be?
With the US midterms as the backdrop, perhaps a political album is exactly what I should be reviewing. Even so, if you’d told me this was the record Bryan Adams was going to make, I probably wouldn’t have believed you.
I might not have believed how good it was going to be, either.
“How’s It Goin’” is a brave departure, but the quality of the songs makes it much more than an interesting change of direction. He’s got something to say, and he’s found a tremendous way to say it.
Rating: 9/10
