Waking Up The Neighbours (1991) Review by Karl Watson

Many BA fans would say this is their favourite album, or second favourite to Reckless. So why only give it 4 stars? Now don't get me wrong, I love this album – it's one hell of a rock album and has produced some of BA's best live songs, such as “House Arrest”, “There Will Never Be Another Tonight” and “Touch The Hand”. It features some of his best ballads too, “Thought I'd Died And Gone To Heaven”, and that song; along with some great “album” tracks like “Vanishing” and “Don't Drop That Bomb On Me”.

The thing that lets this album down for me is that it sounds too engineered and over produced. It was perfect for the time, but sounds really dated now. I read they used a drum machine to reproduce Mickey's drumming to get it sounding exactly how they wanted (except for the cymbals). Now for me, drum machines are good for demos, but on master recordings – NO WAY - especially when the reverb is turned up to max, and then some.

I always prefer the live versions of BA's songs, but this is especially true for the Waking Up The Neighbours songs, because the over produced sound of the studio is taken away. This album features top guitar work from Keith on virtually every song, which is always great to hear, and of course these solos are extended when played live. Just listen to “Touch The Hand” from Wembley '96 and you'll know what I mean.

Finally, for an album to receive 5 stars, I've got to love every song on it. “Not Guilty” should have been a b-side.

Key Tracks:
Can't Stop This Thing We Started
Don't Drop That Bomb On Me

© 2008 18 Til I Die.co.uk. All rights reserved.
Web site comments to admin@18tilidie.co.uk
The images and photographs of Bryan Adams are reproduced with the kind permission of Adams Communications. These images and photographs are not to be reproduced without the specific permission of Adams Comminications (and, where applicable, any separate copyright owner).