`INTO THE FIRE` WAS A BIT OF A MISFIRE

https://youtu.be/AAkfq3F-664?si=DrvCn9FZ5HknpEQa

After the rip roaring trailblazing phenomenal success of his 1984 album RECKLESS, Bryan Adams like many overnight rock stars was faced with the challenge of backing up and recording the follow-up to such a career defining album. 

The album which he come up with, INTO THE FIRE, from 1987, was markedly introspective and downbeat in comparison to the raw and rollicking stripped down rhythm and blues of RECKLESS. 

The album was largely met with a thumbs down by music critics, most of the criticism was directed at the more serious songwriting on offer rather than Adams`attempt to make a seriously good fist of playing some good music against some muddled and contrived lyrics. 

You would have to say for the most part INTO THE FIRE is a misfire which is redeemed by a few decent rockers. 

The only singles success off the album was the mediocre but pleasant big chorused HEAT OF THE NIGHT, the dynamics of BA`s backing band, notably Mickey Currey on drums, was INTO THE FIRE`s saving grace, and this opening minor hit is one of three or maybe four songs which deserve to be unearthed. 

The heaviest song in the set is the brooding VICTIM OF LOVE, kind of like when 80`s pop meets`Never Say Die` era of late 70`s Sabbath. 

Like most of Black Sabbath from the late 70`s, it is rather unconvincing heavy metal but it still has some teeth about it. 

The title track is less structured and more in the mould of something you`d expect from Don Henley, moody, atmospheric but to me a
bit too muddled. 

The two epics on the album, NATIVE SON, a
song inspired by the plight of canadian native Indians, and a sobering view on the aftermath of war, REMEMBRANCE DAY, are wonderful from a lyrical perspective but BA just doesn`t seem to be totally comfortable with his re-incarnation as a serious minded artist singing such strong themed introspective songs. 

The closest you get to RECKLESS on INTO THE FIRE is the ballsy rocker HEARTS ON FIRE, which is most probably my favourite song on here, while the final song HOME AGAIN sees BA once again exploring the Don Henley style in a more subdued but convincing manner than the more celebrated title track. 

The songs ANOTHER DAY and REBEL are way too forced in lyrical terms and not even BA could save them from falling into the second generation RECKLESS category with some enthusiastic playing.

The album signalled the end of the very fruitful association between Bryan Adams and his long time musical producer Jim Vallance, the man who co-wrote the album as well as RECKLESS, BA would then go on to use the services of legendary tweaker Mutt Lange for his big commercial comeback WAKING UP THE NEIGHBOURS in 1991. A bit of a lemon but not a total one.