Cuts Like a Knife (CD - 1983)

Personnel: Bryan Adams (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, piano); Keith Scott (acoustic & electric guitars, background vocals); Tommy Mandel (piano, Hammond B-3 organ, synthesizers); Jim Vallance (keyboards, percussion); Dave Taylor (bass, background vocals); Mickey Curry (drums); Lou Gramm, Alfa Anderson, Mark Doyle (background vocals).

Recorded at Little Mountain Sound, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and the Power Station, New York.

Personnel: Bryan Adams (vocals, guitar, electric guitar, piano, background vocals); Keith Scott (vocals, guitar, electric guitar, background vocals); Dave Taylor (vocals, background vocals); Jim Vallance (guitar, keyboards, percussion); Tom Mandel (organ, synthesizer); Mickey Curry (drums); M. Simpson, K. Davies, J. Wesley, L. Frenette, Alfa Anderson Barfield, K. Scott, Lou Gramm, Alfa Anderson, Mark Doyle , Bob Clearmountain (background vocals).

Recording information: Little Mountain Sound Studios, Ltd., Vancouver, British.

Photographer: Jim O'Mara.

After the indifference which met his first album, Bryan Adams reportedly considered naming this sophomore release "Bryan Adams Hasn't Heard of You Either," but thankfully, the soon-to-be mega-star settled for the less offensive Cuts Like a Knife instead. Side one of this album is simply perfect. "The Only One," "This Time," and the title track are mid-paced melodic rockers with drop-dead choruses and hooks; they set the mold for most of Adams' finest and biggest hits. Though it rocks a little harder, "Take Me Back" is just as radio-friendly thanks to its use of female back-up singers, and the fantastic "Straight Through the Heart" is Adams' first of many great ballads. Side two opens with a few misfires, but recovers soon enough thanks to the gutsy guitar of "Don't Leave Me Lonely" and the rather saccharine (but still good) ballad "The Best Was Yet to Come." Adams would finally achieve chart-topping perfection on his next release Reckless, but Cuts Like a Knife comes pretty close. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia

Bryan Adams's second major-label release, CUTS LIKE A KNIFE, is a real step forward from his debut, rocking harder and swaggering more brashly than before. But mainly it is the solidification of the songwriting team of Adams and Jim Vallance that is most evident here. They deliver a round of readymade FM rock anthems, including the mid-tempo "This Time" and the tough yet sensitive title track, which greatly benefited from an MTV video portraying the brooding Adams in a black leather jacket. Adams also had a big hit with the earnest ballad, "Straight From the Heart."

Here Adams shows off his far-reaching appeal. His brand of hard rock was brash and basic enough to win over the average Bic-igniting rock concert-goer, and with his wounded, rough-hewn look, he had what it took to be a rock heartthrob. Adams's voice has the timbre of Rod Stewart and the soulful, defiant delivery of Bob Seger and Bruce Springsteen, but he's always a lot less down in the mouth than those singers. Though he gets a bit wistful on "The Best Was Yet to Come" Adams's youthful but experienced voice presents a younger version of roots rock without the complicated subtext. minimize