new Bon Jovi

[SamboraRocks86]

Are you kidding me?! i hear more distorted guitars than i did on the last 3 or 4 albums! its gonna sound modern obviously, but it sounds like its gonna be the best thing theyve released in the last decade

[SamboraRocks86]

and heres the link:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Circle/dp/B002...647&sr=8-14

[66 mustang]

well, I'm underwhelmed. not that it is bad, typical modern BJ and not a "return to a rock sound" we have been promised for a decade

[SamboraRocks86]

well, I'm underwhelmed. not that it is bad, typical modern BJ and not a "return to a rock sound" we have been promised for a decade

 

sounds pretty rocky to me

 

seriously, did you guys expect another Slippery When Wet or New Jersey? its not 1986 anymore, it can be rocky without sounding 20 years old...

[Mike Tuinstra]

well, I'm underwhelmed. not that it is bad, typical modern BJ and not a "return to a rock sound" we have been promised for a decade

 

sounds pretty rocky to me

 

seriously, did you guys expect another Slippery When Wet or New Jersey? its not 1986 anymore, it can be rocky without sounding 20 years old...

 

Speaking for myself: I did not expect anything. I was kinda hoping their definition of a return to Rock album would be more accurate to my understanding this time around though. Considering more and more artists and bands return to trademark quality right before the turn of the decade. The reason you give says all IMO. They're trying to fit into past decade, 00's whereabouts, even if that means the music has to take a left course.

 

I'm looking for that timeless quality, trademark Bon Jovi sound. I'm not thinking in decades and which sounds the industry sold at a certain time. I don't care about dates, I don't know time. History is known to repeat itself: everything in fashion will come back sooner or later, one way or another. There's either good or bad to me. These samples being somewhat in the middle. It's not bad, but it's far from the quality of the past being just another 00's AC Pop/Soft Rock album to me, and at the same time not what you expect, or rather want to hear from Bon Jovi. IMO.

 

I'd also like to add that whatever the industry has been selling throughout the decade is not people's choice. It's called testing markets, and trying out different formulas to see what works and what not. Sales tell us that with in the US alone let's say 3 million people promoted into 00's definitions against 10 million who aren't, it isn't what people want to hear. I foresee a change sometime soon, as in matter a fact I believe they're already working something for the new decade. Maybe when this kind of Hard Rock is "in" again Bon Jovi can attempt a full fledged return? Time will tell.

[Dave]

Well as I expected......After hearing all the samples, nothing has changed......another Jovi album I will not be getting.....Underwhelmed is an understatement IMO !!!!!!

[Geoff]

Well, Jesus and I had dinner last night and we were talking about pugs and anal sex (seperate subject matters) and he leaned across the table and asked me quietly if I'd like to hear an advance of the new Bon Jovi CD and I said, 'Yes Jesus, I sure would!' so he gave it to me and this is what I thought of it when I heard it first:

 

1. "We Weren't Born to Follow" ; I like this song. One of their better tracks from the last decade.

 

2. "When We Were Beautiful" ; I don't think there's anyone who will listen to this CD and not take this song like a bullet in left eyeball. Whether it's a good song or not does not matter - why the hell did they put a soft-as-hell ballad in at track two and destroy the early momentum right away? Very frustrating, and for the record it's possibly the weakest song on the CD too... it's not even a good ballad.

 

3. "Work for the Working Man" ; something about this song really rubs me the wrong way. Not really sure what it is, but I think it's that this does not sound like Bon Jovi to me at all. People might dig it, but not me. Sounds like they're trying to be Dire Straights or something. I do not like.

 

4. "Superman Tonight" ; great song. Another slower one, but that's insignificant because it's a great track.

 

5. "Bullet" ; another well written song, reminds me very much of 'These days' era Bon Jovi. Not amazing, but a good song and the start of a good recovery.

 

6. "Thorn In My Side" ; another song I really like. Again, a higher level of song-writing than I've heard from Bon Jovi since 'These days'. Good modern melodic rocker. Thumbs up.

 

7. "Live Before You Die" ; no, no no. Falling into habits of the last few CDs. Dreary balladry that goes nowhere. Not totally awful, but they should leave this stuff on the cutting room floor... for b-sides if necessary.

 

8. "Broken Promiseland" ; nice, smooth melodic rocker. One of the best songs on the CD so far. I dig.

 

9. "Love's the Only Rule" ; nice again. Just real nice. More great modern melodic rock. I doubt even the harshest critic can really say too many negative things about this one. Good one.

 

10. "Fast Cars" ; I don't think the fact that this is a pretty decent tune quite over-takes the corniness of it. Not a bad tune, but not that great either.

 

11. "Happy Now" ; good verses and not a bad chorus, but the song is kind of lost due to the chorus not being good enough. The is the best of the 'almost' songs... just a little stronger chorus and they'd have made it work. Good song.

 

12. "Learn to Love" ; best ballad of the disc, not that the others offered much competition. Part of me does wonder what happened to the ability to write arguably some of the best ballads the genre ever saw, but the other half of me will accept this as a decent effort. Not great, but it's not so bad.

 

And there it is. Overall, I really like the sound/production of the album. It sounds good. I prefer to avoid the "does it rock or not" arguments because the quality of the actual songs is far more important to me. To answer the question, there are a few slower songs and ballads on here but for me, this time, it's not an issue. The fact that they are the weaker songs is an issue, though. I wish it was a ten track album and they'd cut 'When we were beautiful' and 'Live Before You Die' because the rest of the album is actually pretty good. Based on first spins, it's clearly not as good as 'These days' but I'm going to say it's better than 'Crush' and 'Lost Highway' for sure. It's also better than 'Bounce' but probably about on par with 'Have a nice day' (bonus tracks included). To be honest, I think it's a pretty good one. I like it.

[Rockposer]

Are you kidding me?! i hear more distorted guitars than i did on the last 3 or 4 albums! its gonna sound modern obviously, but it sounds like its gonna be the best thing theyve released in the last decade

 

Saying it's the best thing they've released in the last decade isn't really selling it now is it?

 

Having listened to the whole album, I can't say I really remember one track.

[Mike Tuinstra]

Just fast forwarded through the album. A few decent songs against a bad music industry, nothing memorable. No purchase, I think these guys should know what to do to score by now. *Plays You Give Love A Bad Name*

[Geoff]

3. "Work for the Working Man" ; something about this song really rubs me the wrong way. Not really sure what it is, but I think it's that this does not sound like Bon Jovi to me at all. People might dig it, but not me. Sounds like they're trying to be Dire Straights or something. I do not like.

 

4. "Superman Tonight" ; great song. Another slower one, but that's insignificant because it's a great track.

 

5. "Bullet" ; another well written song, reminds me very much of 'These days' era Bon Jovi. Not amazing, but a good song and the start of a good recovery.

 

7. "Live Before You Die" ; no, no no. Falling into habits of the last few CDs. Dreary balladry that goes nowhere. Not totally awful, but they should leave this stuff on the cutting room floor... for b-sides if necessary.

 

8. "Broken Promiseland" ; nice, smooth melodic rocker. One of the best songs on the CD so far. I dig.

On second spin, 'Work for the working man' does sound like Bon Jovi... just not the chorus. They're not trying to be Dire Straights at all, but the chorus sounds to me like Midnight Oil or something. I just really don't like the chorus, though the song's not so bad.

 

I may have gotten a little carried away calling 'Superman' "great"... but it's good and I still like it. Just not as much as I though.

 

'Bullet' is actually pretty weak, to be honest.

 

'Live before you die' really isn't that bad and although 'Broken promiseland' has a strong chorus, those verses are not that good at all.

[Shawn Of Fire]

"Work For The Working Man" reminds me of John Cougar Mellencamp (Scarecrow, anyone?)...

 

I'm on my 3rd spin...1st spin I was unimpressed (I was looking for the big Rock record Jon was promising)...2nd spin I was hearing how different this was from HaND and LH...my 3rd spin now and I hear a lot of later U2 influence (from 2000 onward) in the arrangements...the melodies are beginning to sink and it's starting to sound like Bon Jovi 2009..."Work..." is probably my least fave so far...

[Shawn Of Fire]

There is clearly a lot of All The You Can't Leave Behind type of influence...songs like "When We Were Beautiful" and "Broken Promiseland" and "Love's The Only Rule"...it sounds almost as if Edge/Bono co-wrote w/ Jon/Richie...even some of Jon's phrasing is Bono-esque...there's an atmospheric/layered quality to the songs that is reminiscent of 21st century U2...still has that Jon Bon Jovi/Jersey boy slant to it though...it's starting to come around and I'm finding myself singing along to much of it...

[gener8tr]

I'm finding myself singing along to much of it...

 

 

Like you sung along to "Runaway" or "Bad Name," or "Livin'" or "Bad Medicine" or "Born To Be My Baby" or "Sleep When I'm Dead" or "It's My Life?"

[Shawn Of Fire]

I'm finding myself singing along to much of it...

 

 

Like you sung along to "Runaway" or "Bad Name," or "Livin'" or "Bad Medicine" or "Born To Be My Baby" or "Sleep When I'm Dead" or "It's My Life?"

 

Yes...

[Shawn Of Fire]

Repeated listens are leaving my unimpressed first impressions in the dust...this is quite possibly the best thing they've done since These Days...

[Jez]

Really am enjoying this one alot, which I haven't been able to say about a complete Bon Jovi album in a darned long long time. It does run out of steam towards the end, but there are at least 7 really great tracks on here, with a couple of good ones and 3 that I would call filler. Definitely a U2 vibe on a few tracks and I really like some of the subtle Keyboards parts that are in the mix (especially on Broken Promiseland and Love's The Only Rule), aswell as a few of RS' solos aswell. Never thought I would ever say this again about a Bon Jovi record, but excellent all round.

 

Fave tracks are:

 

Broken Promiseland

We Weren't Born To Follow

Superman Tonight

Love's The Only Rule

When We Were Beautiful

Thorn In My Side

[Fat Freddy]

Really am enjoying this one alot, which I haven't been able to say about a complete Bon Jovi album in a darned long long time.

 

All right pal... up against the wall! Who the hell are you and what have you done with Jez?

[TIM (2)]

Really am enjoying this one alot, which I haven't been able to say about a complete Bon Jovi album in a darned long long time.

 

All right pal... up against the wall! Who the hell are you and what have you done with Jez?

 

Must be one of those viruses that steals your computer and writes gibberish.... Next we know he'll be joining the 'Poison Appreciation Society' on Facebook.

[Dave]

Really am enjoying this one alot, which I haven't been able to say about a complete Bon Jovi album in a darned long long time.

 

All right pal... up against the wall! Who the hell are you and what have you done with Jez?

 

Must be one of those viruses that steals your computer and writes gibberish.... Next we know he'll be joining the 'Poison Appreciation Society' on Facebook.

 

If it was April the 1st, I could understand where he is coming from but it's not.....Whoever you are, this is classed as identity fraud.....Be gone with you and don't do it again or Jez will get really pissed off......especially with posts like that

[Geoff]

Begone you clowns who have judged it before you've heard it! Listen to it first and then play your broken records for us.

[Dave]

Begone you clowns who have judged it before you've heard it! Listen to it first and then play your broken records for us.

 

Thanks for the advice mate but just going on the samples that ain't gonna happen here whilst my arse points to the ground......

If you think it's that good, I will be curious to see how many spins you give it and how long you do it for......I bet you it will have the life span the same as that of dairy foods mate

[TIM (2)]

So, to be fair, the new single is okay. Good to see them actually perform live on X-Factor & it's a pretty decent tune. Though I've heard it three times now and am done with it - so no longevity whatsoever. But it's okay.

[Glen]

So, to be fair, the new single is okay. Good to see them actually perform live on X-Factor & it's a pretty decent tune. Though I've heard it three times now and am done with it - so no longevity whatsoever. But it's okay.

 

like a wimps version of 'Born To Be My Baby', but it was OK. Their performance on x-factor was lack-lustre to say the least.

 

looking forward to hearing the album in full tho at the weekend.

[Geoff]

Begone you clowns who have judged it before you've heard it! Listen to it first and then play your broken records for us.

 

Thanks for the advice mate but just going on the samples that ain't gonna happen here whilst my arse points to the ground......

If you think it's that good, I will be curious to see how many spins you give it and how long you do it for......I bet you it will have the life span the same as that of dairy foods mate

Just like all Bon Jovi albums, this will not have a problem with longevity for me. Sure, 'Crush' and 'Lost highway' are two of their weaker recent discs, but I play BJ as often as I do most bands, and will do so with the new disc.

[Captain Howdy]

Bon Jovi seems to suffer from the same problem here that Steel Panther suffers from, people telling the people that like it that they wont like it for long or they are wrong for liking it.

 

My personal opinion on the new album is "meh", but I have only given it one spin so far as have been working a lot recently (my last day off work was Friday last week, and next day off is Monday), but I do intend to give it more spins before I pass full judgement on it.

I must admit that Lost Highway was similar for me, but the thing that had going for it over this one is the fact that I like a bit of country music but dont particularly like U2, which I was reminded of on this one in places.

 

Two tracks that stood out were the obvious two, Work for the working man and We werent born to follow, as I had already heard them several times before getting the album, but the second track on the album, imo, was too slow paced, and the most U2 sounding, which is probably what threw me off on the first listen.