Bon Jovi - New Jersey
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Free Music Notes for New Jersey
Free Music Review: Bon Jovi at their best
Hit: 5 Stars
Bon Jovi is a band that may not be the best one (the best one's were Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones or Pink Floyd), but their record-sales say otherwise. There is perhaps a grain of truth in the notion that half of their audience were teenagers and women and their sucess was soemwhat overrated, as well as that they went big on Jon Bon Jovi's coiffeur and outlook, though.
Nonetheless, I think they truly deserved their overwhealming breakthrough from the 80's offering people catchy, competent and well-ctrafted pop-rock-metal tunes played on and on by the MTV. All in all, that's how metal sounded in the mid-80's (just take Whitesnake or Def Leppard). Personally, I have always been an advocate of this band, turning a blind eye on what other narrow-minded people kept saying about it. Yes, Bon Jovi has made couple of cheesy songs ("Always") and some both cheesy and too commercial as well ("It's my life"). "It's my life" was a cheap trial to break to the pop-charts, but, if there are any open-minded music passionates there, you will notice that other bands had it as well (Van Halen had "Jump", KISS had "I was made for loving you").
One has to take the band as a whole, and simply can't deny the skillful and well-crafted musicanship of albums like "New Jersey" or "Keep the faith". So, if you are too narrow-minded to rate this, you simply have no right to proclaim yourself a music-passionate or music-knower.
"New Jersey" is undoubtedly Bon Jovi at their peak; simply, that's what BJ is all about. Although it didn't match the blockbuster of 18 million copies sold worldwide (up to this day, I mean), it was a great follow-up to "Slippery when wet" and nonetheless sold in spades (I guess 7 millions in the US alone in 1988, don't know how much up to this point). It was also the most popular one in Poland at that time, and everyone that year cuddled and danced to slow, wonderful love ballad "I'll be there for you". It was a time when Bon Jovi truly had the power to rule half of the world population. They were just everywhere; "straight-in-your face", like McDonald's or Coca-Cola.
"New Jersey" is much more mature an album, both lyrically and musically. In fact, to my opinion, THIS is the band's best one (better than "Slippery"). Songs are well-skilled, tuneful and catchy as always, but somehow the integrity of this one is probably the most appealing; in my view the most crafted and detailed in their career. There is absolutely no filler on this album. And, although I personally don't like "Bad medicine" considering it as one of the few truly cheesy BJ songs, the whole is undeniably amazing. "New Jersey" produced an amazing 5 Top-ten singles establsihing the band as international superstars and and almost matching the incredible status of its predecessor. Moreover, with the follow-up tour the band comfirmed how well they do on stage. Personally, I would recommend this one to any newcomer who would like to get into Bon Jovi for their music; and to any sceptic who is, pitifully, too narrow-minded to open for different musical genres.
It starts with a great kicking hard-rocker "Lay your hands", through cheesy "Bad medicine", just to launch the album's magic for good with "Born to be my baby" and "Living in sin" - all of these Billboard Top-ten singles. The second part is, in my view, arguably even better. Truly heavy, hard (almost heavy-metal) "Homebound train"; the ultimate number one ballad all across the world, "I'll be there for there for you" and "Stick to your guns" are beyond doubt everything what the Bon Jovi-phenomenon from the 80's was all about; while "Wild is the wind" is one of the best songs in the music history that have ever been recorded (it's a pity it wasn't a single). Simply, the entire album clearly depicts the band's success, containing widely-appealing, competent pop-rock-metal material that is so much fun and so much entertaining. Please, do not get me wrong: I am very open-minded and have no doubt this was a commercial band, and there is no use in comparing it to Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin. But in what they did, they were the best.
This is a must-have.
Please read my other BJ reviews.
Free Music Review: Better Than Bruce
Hit: 5 Stars
Subtlety has never been a strong point for Bon Jovi. Whether it be the car wash girls featured in SLIPPERY WHEN WET or the demand to be considered with Bruce Springsteen on the appropriately-titled NEW JERSEY, Bon Jovi's messages and album titles hit home as strongly as their lyrics. Whatever the case, this is one time where Bon Jovi unseats the Boss and claims the title for the band that best rocks the state.Without a doubt one of the greatest CDs in my collection and certainly one of the best that Bon Jovi has put out in their many years together, NEW JERSEY is truly the album of undiscovered hits. The catchy lyrics by megastar frontman Jon Bon Jovi are cemented in place with the otherworldly guitar talents of Ritchie Sambora to create the music that defined the 80s.
NEW JERSEY gets things rolling with "Lay Your Hands on Me" before launching the contagious "Bad Medicine" that brought post-"Livin' on a Prayer" recognition to the group. These are followed with "Born to be my Baby," a tremendous, soul-shaking power ballad. The album dips slightly with "Living in Sin" and "Homebound Train," both weaker tracks that are seperated by "Blood on Blood," which flows well musically but comes off as somewhat repetitive.
This is, however, the setup for five of the greatest Bon Jovi songs ever, most of which have gone unheralded. Track 7, "Wild is the Wind," is a haunting power ballad that rates as one of the best on this CD. It is followed by "Ride, Cowboy, Ride," a short but touching prelude to "Stick to Your Guns." This is an intense ballad that draws heavily on "Wanted Dead or Alive" with its Westernized cowboy theme.
The most beautiful song on the album is undoubtedly the tenth track, "I'll be There for You." With the possible exception of "Thank You for Loving Me," this is the band's most soulful, moving ballad. Even if you can't stand the other tracks on this album (for whatever reason), it is well worth the money just to have this song on hand.
The album closes with "99 in the Shade," a fun song that will get your toe tapping, and "Love for Sale," inserted as more of an outro piece than anything else and is the album's weakest link. Still, that makes three weak tracks out of twelve, and trust me the highs on this CD are very, very high. Any fan should buy this if for no other reason that to own tracks seven through eleven. If you are a new Bon Jovi fan, START WITH THIS ALBUM. You will love it.
Free Music Review: Slightly different, but still brilliant.
Hit: 5 Stars
In my opinion, this album is a little bit different to "Slipery when wet" as that and the other earlier albums were party albums. This album has quite a couple of ballads, it still has lots of catchy rocky tracks.
1. Lay your hands on me - The stadium intro is quite cool. It sounds like it's live. Catchy and hard rocking, with heavy guitars. 5/5
2. Bad medicine - The fastest song on the album. Really fun lyrics and it's good song if we you wanna dance around. 5/5
3. Born to be my baby - Most definately the best song on the album. It's not a slow song, but it isn't a fast hard one. Love the slow-to-fast solo. 5+/5
4. Living in sin - The first ballad on the disc. I actually really like it. Nice singing and a slow but catchy chorus. 4/5
5. Bllod on blood - Another fast track that's all about Jon's chidhood. Very catchy again, and great singing. 5/5
6. Homebound train - The worst song. Incredibly boring, as it sounds the same all the way through. It's just to dry and boring. 2/5
7. Wild is the wind - Again, another slow song, but it's still quite a catchy tune. I haven't listened to it enough though. 3.5/5
8. Ride cowboy ride - ???? I don't really see the need for this track, it's just a minute-long acoustic song recorded in mono. 2/5
9. Stick to your guns - Another favourite. It's a mix of acoustic and electric guitar. Soft in the verses, but it gets heavier as the electric guitar comes in. 5/5
10. I'll be there for you - A ballad again. This is a really nice one actually. Firery guitars, great harmonies, and it's just a nice soft song. 5/5
11. 99 in the shade - One of the more poppy songs, and a catchy tune. The lyrics aren't the best, but it's an alright song. 4/5
12. Love for sale - A very country-like song, with acoustics, harmonicas, very fast-paced and filled with some humour. Very enbjoyable end to the album. 5/5
I would reccomend this if you like Bon Jovi's earlier albums. Really, just their other al;bums from the 80s. It's a bit different from them, but still it's a fun album.
Free Music Review: Still a superb album to follow Slippery When Wet!
Hit: 5 Stars
This was the first Bon Jovi I got to hear when I bought it in Feb. of 1989. It still is a solid rock album all throughout, rockers and their familiar power ballads. I didn't think that they would top Slippery When Wet, but this album is just as entertaining as well as rocking. Blood on Blood is very Springsteen-ish, kind of like Born To Run, but very well done. The opening song makes you feel like you're in a concert, in a stadium of over 50,000 people screaming, with Lay Your Hands on Me! I still love Bad Medicine and Tico Torres' incredible drum playing on it. Especially on the last two lines before the last chorus where he hits those drums hard 8 times, then the bottom part where he hits the snare 5 times!!!! I turn up the volume or bang on the table every time that part comes up in that song. On several cuts, Jon Bon Jovi in a rare move was hitting some very high notes, which come out so very impressive! I don't know of any other male singer who can hit those notes so high like that! And this was two years before Mariah Carey's first album came out that Jon Bon Jovi was doing this high note approach. It's the high point of this album every time I hear I'll Be There For You and Living in Sin. Other songs I like, Born to Be My Baby and its familiar sing along chorus, Stick To Your Guns, Wild Is The Wind, the rocking final song with 99 in the title and others. Jon as well as Richie Sambora wrote some very solid songs this time, perhaps the best in their band's music career. And David Bryan's keyboard playing still blends well with Sambora and Alec Jon Such's lead guitars and Tico's drumming! Jon sounds so versatile vocally in all the songs here. One of my favorite albums and it justifies in that album title that they're proud to be from New Jersey! They really prove why that state can produce such very multitalented music artists from Springsteen to Sinatra to Whitney to Dionne to even them too and many others!Free Music Review: Wholly, a rock & roll land mark.
Hit: 5 Stars
Solid. Pure Gold. DIAMOND certification, and as precious as a ruby. No other band but Van Halen could match such talents (as far as musicianship, attitude, and songwriting skills go) to make such a priceless album. Although, only one track lightly displeases me (Love For Sale, which isn't all that bad when it comes to Jon's vocals), and I understand why 'Ride Cowboy Ride' is on there (to boost and introduce 'Stick To Your Guns'). Here's my personal and specific rating for every track:1. Lay Your Hands On Me - ****, One of the most memorable rock beats and lyrics of late and of old.
2. Bad Medicine - *****, Simply the second best song in music history, only second to a track off of Bon Jovi's first album.
3. Born To Be My Baby - ****, one of the better tracks in Bon Jovi's history, to say the least, considering David's
keyboard-playing
4. Living In Sin - ****, Definatly one of the best rock choruses of all time
5. Blood On Blood - *****, Clearly a rock classic about childhood and early adulthood
6. Homebound Train - ****, Truly shows just how talented these musicians are, especially Ritchie with the opening and continuing riff
7. Wild Is The Wind - ****, A great, powerful & wistful power ballad that with be stuck in your head for weeks (and that's a good thing)
8. Ride Comboy Ride - (explained in top part of review)
9. Stick To Your Guns - ****, a spectactular acousic-electric collaboration, not to mention Jon's excellent vocals
10. I'll Be There For You - *****, quite possibly the greatest rock ballad known to man, including the distinctive acoustic guitar intro and outros
11. 99 In The Shade - ***, a great intro, but when the beat changes from a supposed 3/4 rhythm to 4/4 rhythm, and Jon comes in...well, you get the point.
12. Love For Sale - (explained in top part of review)