The song’s structure has cool timing stop and starts that add to the tracks overall vibe. “Always Have, Always Will” is another power ballad, but this one has an early 80’s feel wrapped around a modern track with lyrics only a mature artist could perform. This is a great track that hits home lyrically and presents a whole package that can strike at the heart of most listeners. “You Lift Me Up” is a cool pop-rock twist on the 90’s ballad Bryan Adams, but with a classic rock shot in the arm thanks to the heavy bottom end heading into the chorus and the solid guitar work where orchestration was back then. The rhythm of the track swirled with the cool guitar effects and slide sound added in give this song a fun vibe that builds with each listen. “Just Like Me, Just Like You” is a fun track that is about as catchy as it gets. Adams vocals on this one takes me back to “Summer Of ’69” or “Lonely Nights” - again, does this guy age? The overall vibe of this song adds depth to the disc, adding another classic to the repertoire BA can toss out during a live set that will get the guys headbanging with fists in the air and the women dancing in the aisles.

From the title to the lyrics to the musical component, this song checks every box on the fun checklist. “I Ain’t Worth Shit Without You” is just a fun song. The breakdown and drums between the verse and chorus is a cool touch. “On The Road” is a cool hybrid that brings Bryan’s cool rock vibe and swirls in a darker punk rock vibe and keeps the overall groove of the disc intact while bringing a slightly different sound to the table.

Don’t blink or you will miss this song that clocks in at 2:00 but it is a fun two minutes that will stick with you long after the song ends. “I’ve Been Looking For You” is a great track that builds Adams’ musical arsenal with another vibe and sound that he stepped into like a comfortable pair of jeans. The chorus is contagious and has depth thanks to the layered background vocals. There is something about this song that is different from a lot of Bryan’s catalog, yet similar enough that it feels like you have known this track forever even after the first pass through. “Never Gonna Rain” kicks off with a killer bass line that quickly becomes the foundation for this track, that builds through the verse and into the chorus. The guitar sound is fun, the rhythm section is perfectly suited for the track, and the vocals could have been ripped from those his earlier releases – does the guy age? The cadence gets the foot tapping and the overall track puts a smile on your face from first note to last. Disc opener and title track “So Happy It Hurts” takes us back to Adams’ rock sound with a mild radio pop sound woven into the songs DNA. From my first exposure in 1981 with You Want It You Got It and swelled from there through the ebb and flow of the years, fads, and thousands of musical releases I have listened to. There are artists that deliver release after release, maintaining their musical vision regardless of the musical currents, tides, and sometimes floods, that wash over the world.

Label: Ba dams Music Limited / BMG Records

Bryan adams so happy it hurts