Greetings, Glancers! Just when you thought we were done, sneaky old Bryan goes and drops another album. Of course, that happened a couple of years ago and we’re only getting to it now, but it’s not like I follow the guy’s music any more. I just happened to be looking through my musical series past and present, and saw that he’d released one, so it’s been added to the list to listen and write about. Is it any good? I’ve no idea, but by the time you read the next sentence I will have listened to it and will be able to tell you.
‘So Happy It Hurts’ is a stonking opener, recalling the energy of Bryan’s earlier music, if not accompanied by the same quality. His voice remains familiar – not as strong – and while it’s not the most challenging song he’s ever written or performed, it’s the most fun he’s had for a while. In a different landscape this could work as a single, but this sort of music doesn’t exist anymore in today’s selling culture. Nevertheless, I expect long-time fans were more than happy with this. Plus, it nicely sets up the overall light and joyful tone of the album.
‘Never Gonna Rain’ is a breezy, are I say cool rock song winding back the clock to the days of Reckless. After a brief bass intro which perhaps suggests something darker, we are hand-held through a smooth verse, cuddled upwards via the pre-chorus, and raised up on shoulders for the fun chorus. It never gets into full pumped-up mode, but you could imagine a younger band really oomphing up the volume and the beat to create a more thunderous anthem.
‘You Lift Me Up’ slows the tempo by a notch, sliding gracefully into ballad territory. It’s a positive song filled with positive and genuine sentiment as Bryan thanks the person he loves for keeping him strong, but also pays it forwards to those he appreciates, encouraging ‘beautiful children, strong women, precious people’ to fight the good fight. He’s always been a good lad. I just wish there was a final line in the chorus, taking the melody up a chord or into a minor key and really pushing the emotion. If he’d done that, we’d be considering this as one of his best songs.
‘I’ve Been Looking For You’ sounds like it desperately wants to break the streak of quality of the opening trio, with its Country shit-kicking vibe… but it’s so silly, earnest, and energetic that it somehow isn’t crap. It’s my least favourite song out of the opening four, but it might be the most fun. As elsewhere on the album, it’s unashamed in its sense of stupid joy.
‘Always Have, Always Will’ feels like a come down after the previous song – a less manic, steady ballad. But again, you can’t fault it for being so open and uplifting. It probably helps that it contains the exact same opening vocal note as Heaven, which I’m sure positive was deliberate. His voice here sounds as good as it ever did. It isn’t the most exciting song on the album… but it’s nice, sweet.
‘On The Road’ gets us into Bon Jovi mode, complete with ‘wow-oo-wow-oohs’. If they’d only used a voice box for those moments, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was Jon and friends. It may be another mid-paced rocker that doesn’t do anything new, but it stomps confidently along with the guitars matching the vocals beat for beat, bend for bend.
‘Kick Ass’ is…well.. you have to hear it for yourself. Whether it’s the extended spoken intro explaining the creation of the world, whether it’s the fact that this story leads us to the birth of rock and roll, whether it’s the fact that it’s delivered by John Cleese, whether it’s the tongue in cheek silliness, whether it’s Bryan shrieking ‘let there be guitar’, it’s not only the most ridiculous song on the album, but probably the most ridiculous moment of Bryan’s career. A dedication to the music, the people who make it, and the people who continue to listen, it’s another – you’ve guessed it – silly, fun, energy-spurting song.
‘I Ain’t Worth Shit Without You’ has a hard act to follow, but it takes the right approach with that title. It’s something of a spiritual continuation, telling the story of a rock and roll loser trying to get through his day while realising that (insert title). Musically, fun once more, if not especially exciting.
‘Lets Do This’ is a good example of Bryan succeeding at the sort of song he’s been putting on his previous albums to lesser effect. It’s a softer rock ballad, but it simmers with heart. Most crucially, it has a solid set of melodies to nuzzle their way into your brain. While it seems to be about a couple abut to shag for the first time, it can just as easily be taken as a straight love song or about any relationship moving to the next step, whatever that step may be.
‘Just Like Me, Just Like You’ recalls Back To You. It’s not quite as good as that song, but it has similar guitar moments. Mid-tempo, melodies, energy.
‘Just About Gone’ has a Country vibe if you squint, some Dire Straits guitars, and is more of a song about a break-up than about getting together, but it’s still done in a positive way and with the album’s trademark energy.
‘These Are The Moments That Make Up My Life’ brings a surprisingly decent album to an end. It’s a slow, soft song with orchestral backing which springs into life when the drums kick in. Bryan captures some snapshots of what he feels are important, acting as a reminder to us all to hold on to what, and who, is precious in a time when people are struggling to get together while everything seems to want to pull us apart. It’s a solid, hopeful closer, even if it doesn’t get to the emotional high I’d like it to.
Okay, Byran, I hear ya. Honestly, I can’t remember much if anything about his last few albums as it’s been some years since I listened to and wrote about them, but with this album he truly does sound rejuvenated. It’s not super fast or heavy or anything, but there’s an electric, infectious energy. It sounds more youthful than it should, and there’s both a lyrical and musical focus on positivity and life. None of the songs are up there with his best, but it’s consistently better than I was expecting, and it ends up being a very decent album which is designed to keep his besties happy, to entertain himself, and has an outside chance of bringing some younger rockers into the fold.
The album and the songs know when to quit. Most songs are around the three minute mark, and the twelve song total is just about right. Any longer and we’d feel the repetition set in, and the songs get to the point quickly before ending and moving on to the next thing. There may not be a single song you can point to and say ‘yeah, that’s the single’, but there isn’t a dull or weak song to be found either. It’s an album which takes Bryan and his team’s experience and shows his fans that they can still roll back the years without trying to pander to a modern, younger audience.
While it’s obvious that the world is not yet in a better place post Cov-ID, this is an album of optimism and one which should a force a smile out of even the most jaded listener. A rare ray of old school sunshine in an increasingly grey and divisive world.
Let us know in the comments what you think of So Happy It Hurts!
The Spac Hole 