Jon’s inherent optimism and god-given gift to rouse still shines through. Devil’s In The Temple is a seething mid-tempo rocker built from a choppy staccato riff and Labour Of Love’s hazy bleakness recalls Diamond Ring, replete with a brooding Chris Isaak guitar twang. Living With The Ghost’s moody strains sound like U2 covering Springsteen, with added Roy Bittan piano passages from the impressive David Bryan. Given its genesis, there’s an unsurprising edge to this record that harks back to 1995’s ‘These Days’.
God Bless This Mess, meanwhile, is fizzing pop-rock contrasted by stark admissions of past sins and current failings: “My voice is shot, I'm going grey, these muscles all ache.” The title track is a defiant rocker in the vein of Have A Nice Day, with its gang chant backing vocals packing a nice old school punch. Jon’s still peddling the same old lyrical shtick about standing your ground, not backing down and seizing the day, but framed by his recent tribulations everything feels more honest and sincere. He does a decent job, but lacks the charisma and touch of his predecessor. The guitars add a very different flavour, though, with X’s rhythmic textures and crisp leads closer to The Edge and the Killers than Sambora. Knockout and Born Again Tomorrow are pumped-up anthems with Eye of the Tiger refrains, both driven by insistent drumming that adds a dancefloor vibe and practically begs you to wave a glow stick in the air. There’s a great mixture of styles, some classic hooks and a strong contemporary rock dynamic that feels like a natural progression from ‘The Circle’. Remember how Guns N’ Roses’ ‘Chinese Democracy’ was essentially an Axl Rose solo record? This feels like one of Jon’s. Without them, this new offering just doesn’t sound like a Bon Jovi album. It’s also the first batch of brand new material since Sambora’s mysterious exit, with touring guitarist Phil X now listed as his replacement.Ĭontroversy aside, Sambora’s role in the band had diminished significantly since 2005’s ‘Have A Nice Day’, which marked the last time his presence was fully felt before producer John Shanks became a go-to collaborator for Jon.ĭespite that, though, his blues-based rock ‘n’ roll fretwork and emotionally soaring harmonies remained integral. ‘This House Is Not For Sale’ is Bon Jovi’s 13th record and a return to form following 2013’s poster child for blandness, ‘What About Now’. And, following the departure of guitarist Richie Sambora, label wrangling, persistent, sometimes unpopular, rumours linking him to the purchase of an NFL team and age catching up with him, the frontman has taken his own advice and re-emerged with the best album of his career. Jon Bon Jovi has spent the best part of four decades encouraging us to pick ourselves up off the canvas.
0 kommentar(er)
