Bon Jovi - Lost Highway

[Jez]

I am seriously trying to understand what all the fuss is about.

I was expecting something akin to Lonestar (which aint a big issue as I like Lonestar), and what I heard was a Bon Jovi album!

 

With the exception of the Rimes ballad (another singer I like anyway), I could barely hear any country influence on this one!

 

Too many people once again are bagging on something purely based on hearsay or are trying to ride the wave on Bon Jovi hatred cause they aint recorded Slippery 2, 3, 4 and 5!

 

Personally I dont think its as good as the last few albums (except THAT one), and to me it lacks that BIG single like Have a nice day, Everyday or Its my life, but overall its pretty typical of what you'd expect from them these days!

 

And just for the record, with regards to going country being a way of boosting their popularity.

That might work in America, but in the rest of the world, and especially Europe, country isnt particularily popular, so they would actually risk losing one of their biggest fan bases by going country!

 

 

I am listening to this now and have to COMPLETELY agree with ya Howdy. I was thinking the same thing, then read your post. I am liking this one a lot, some really good tunes on here.

[Geoff]

When I first listened to the album I was literally sitting there listening for every bit of country influence to hop upon it, but that did me no favours. Since then, I've listened to it as purely a Bon Jovi rock album and it seriously ain't that bad. I am also very worried, though, about the next album, if there is to be one... and if they will follow this faint country road...

I just want to confirm that this post is in agreeance with Howdy and Jez. The first time I listened I was paralyzed by trying to hear the country influence, which as I say is really, really faint. Since then I've heard it as just another Bon Jovi rock n'roll album. My fear for a country future is not because this album is so country, merely because there is a slight influence and I pray they don't follow it in further lengths.

[Bubbasmama]

I don't really hear so much Country in this one. Just lots......n' lots.......n' lots of slowwwwwww tempo songs.

 

Maybe it's a grower.....

[JLPRocks]

I REALLY like the single they've released...Make a Memory....for some reason that song really hits me!!!

 

I haven't heard the rest of the album yet.....but it wouldn't surprise me if it's not 'rockin'......they forgot that a long time ago....

[TIM (2)]

This time I didn't make the mistake of buying the new Bon Jovi album. There are just so many fillers on this thing, but as with all their albums there are a couple of tunes worth having. So I downloaded "Any Other Day" & "One Step Closer" which are both excellent. Otherwise it's like a collection of old b-sides/unreleased tracks or something, & they ought to be doing better than this.

[Geoff]

This time I didn't make the mistake of buying the new Bon Jovi album. There are just so many fillers on this thing, but as with all their albums there are a couple of tunes worth having. So I downloaded "Any Other Day" & "One Step Closer" which are both excellent. Otherwise it's like a collection of old b-sides/unreleased tracks or something, & they ought to be doing better than this.

Those two and 'The Last Night' are all superb. And I really do have a soft spot for 'Summertime' too. The rest... well, I said it all a few posts above.

[Jez]

Spun this loads now and I can honestly say that there are only 3 tracks on here that I don't like much, those being '(You Want To) Make A Memory', which is a very average ballad, 'I love This Town' which is pretty awful and ''Lonely' which follows suit to end the album on a low note.

 

the rest are all damned good in my book - I love 'Lost Highway' , 'Summertime' 'We Got It Going On' 'Any Other Day', 'Seat Next To You', 'Whole Lot Of Leavin' , 'The Last Night' and 'One Step Closer'.

 

The Leann Rimes duet is pleasant enough and will be a hit single guaranteed (although that doesn't make it a great song) although I like it enough.

 

I am really lovin' this album which is REALLY unexpected if truth be told, have enjoyed most of their recent discs in places, but surprisingly,this has made more of an impact on me than those for some reason.

[66 mustang]

I really like this album. the first 6 tracks are really great then the last 6 are hit and miss for me. Overall I like this album behind Bounce as my fav. album from era of These Days thru Lost Highway.

 

Anyone else think that Track 5 has that late 80's ZZ Top feel, ala Afterburner era sound?

 

now the test of time, will I pick this up and listen to it 6 months down the road? I have not listened to HAND since I put it up after it's first run in my cd player. I couldn't tell you the last time I listened to Crush and These Days I skimmed trying to find something a few weeks ago. Bounce I have been playing a lot as of late.

[66 mustang]

anyone have any bonus tracks they want to share from this album? lets hear a rundown of them.

[heaven&hell]

I'll have to admit the first 6 songs on this are pretty good pop rock songs but after that as Mustang said above it's kind of hit or miss.

[66 mustang]

on a side note, I'm listening to my mp3 player and this song came on called KING OF NOTHING and for a few seconds I wondered how a new Bon Jovi song got on my mp3 player since I have not ripped it yet.

It was the Warren Brothers and sounds like something Jovi would do on their unplugged session they did.

[chocularok]

To me, Any Other Day is the best track on the album, hands down. Does anyone else hear the U2 influecne on this one? I also like Lost Highway a lot. But like Geoff said above, Whole Lot Of Leaving & We Got It Going On are fucking brutal. Pure & utter garbage. And the entire second half of the album just runs together to me...all the songs are the same tempo & nothing sticks out. It would be nice if this album tanked so they won't try this shit again, but I wouldn't count on it.

[SamboraRocks86]

Their worst album imo was Crush, i like atleast 40% of the songs on every other album (and the UK HAND had Unbreakable on it)

 

i like their newer style rock, this album has a couple of songs that remind me of the bounce album, like Summertime and We Got It Goin On. Whole Lotta Leavin is like older Jovi...

 

it has something for everyone.

[Mullethead]

BON JOVI MAKE US DEBUT AT #1:

One of Bon Jovi's recent shows was in Puerto Rico (sans Sambora). Pictures from the show can be seen at: www.coliseodepuertorico.com/Events/Photos.aspx?id=103.

The set list from the show was: Livin' On A Prayer, You Give Love A Bad Name, Lost Highway, Whole Lot Of Leaving, Runaway, Born To Be My Baby, It's My Life, (You Want To) Make A Memory, I Love This Town, We Got It Going On, Who Says You Can't Go Home, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, Bad Medicine/Shout, Any Other Day, Someday I'll Be Saturday Night, Hallelujah, The Last Night, Wanted Dead Or Alive.

The band's new album Lost Highway will make it's US debut at #1 with 285,300 units sold.

[TIM (2)]

The band's new album Lost Highway will make it's US debut at #1 with 285,300 units sold.

 

Who on earth is buying this thing? I guess it's not teenage Emo/Metalcore fans so it must be middle-age Garth Brooks/Eagles fans?

 

I don't know if you guys in the U.S have 'Mothers Day' & 'Fathers Day' - both of which were recent - & I guess nowadays Bon Jovi albums make a perfect present for parents in their 50's/60's?

[Fat Freddy]

Who on earth is buying this thing? I guess it's not teenage Emo/Metalcore fans so it must be middle-age Garth Brooks/Eagles fans?

 

I usually buy new Bon Jovi stuff for my wife, either for her birthday or Christmas (she never buys CDs on her own)... coincidentally she is also a Garth Brooks/Eagles fan, but if I ever called her "Middle aged" she'd kick my ass.

[gener8tr]

Okay, I gave this one a spin last night and tried to listen with an open mind.

 

It's not a bad album at all... Certainly not as bad as Destination Anywhere which I honestly believe is the worst album recorded in the history of music. That said, it is CERTAINLY a modern style "Country / Rock" album with some pop influences and for anyone to say they don't hear any "Country" means they're not listening It has plenty of twang and two-step your thang which guarantees success with the late 30's and early 40-something Soccer-Mom's.

 

Does it completely suck: NO

 

Is it classic old-school Bon Jovi in any way, shape or form: NO

 

Now, as far as sound quality goes (which I am a stickler)... much like nearly all current releases, this one is maximized and compressed with peak values registering off-the-charts and does not make for a pleasant listen on a nice home system. In short, it was mixed LOUD AS HELL!

[SamboraRocks86]

As a musician myself i think its cool that theyre incorporating other musical genres into their music.

 

people got really pissed off when Slipknots Vol. 3 turned out more commercial and less heavy than their previous release, but its the same is this situation.

 

They're the musicians, They're the ones who have been doing it 25 years, can you blame them for wanting to experiment abit?

 

i dont think i could play the same style of music for nearly 30 years, i go through different styles every couple of months as it is.

[Blue Charvel]

I'm listening to it now and a few thoughts come to mind...

 

This will not turn me into a country music fan,

 

This is not 80's style Bon Jovi,

 

The guy can still write a fuckin' hook, regardless of genre.

 

This will not be my favorite album by any stretch, but I will be popping it in the player from time to time when I'm in the mood for something I can sing along with.

[SamboraRocks86]

Its like the great Ray Charles said after being asked how he knew a country tune hed been singing:

 

"Music is music"

 

now, i dont believe Rap and Hip-Hop is music, its not musical, theres no musical notes.

 

but anything tahts decent musically ill listen to (although to be truthful, indie is too boring for me)

[glam_junkie]

i think if the band themselves hadn't said this was going to a be a country influenced album then I don't think anyone would have made the comparison.

 

Apart from a few twangy guitars scattered throughout the album, and maybe 1-or-2 tracks, this is basically a bon jovi album.

 

Not their best, but not their worst. There are not any big rock anthems, just 13 tracks of mid tempo modern rock. Think along the lines of the track 'Real Life' that they did for a movie a few years back.

 

Summertime hits a spot for me like some many of you. Maybe cos where I've been working it's been absolutely freezing (by australian standards).....

 

Not a big fan of any of the ballads.

 

I'd give it maybe 6.5-7 / 10

[SamboraRocks86]

it was worth buying...

[66 mustang]

how long has it been since you have listened to this?

 

for me about a month since I've picked it back up, like most modern Jovi cd's, just doesn't have the staying power like the old stuff

[SamboraRocks86]

well ive owned it since it came out and it still made the list of CDs to take on holiday with me...

 

but i did take 40 CDs, so thats not much of an Achievment.

 

i love the big tracks like We Got It Goin On, Summertime etc....i treat it more as an EP, i listen to the first half then switch over.

[Geoff]

It's been a while, but it'll get there again... to my ears. One day. I have A LOT to listen to / catch up on at the moment.