Bon Jovi - The Circle / When We Were Beautiful (CD + DVD)
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CD Details
Artist: Bon JoviBrand: Baker & Taylor
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: CD+DVD, Special Edition
CD Release Date: 2009-11-10
Music Label: Island Records
Soundtracks:
- We Weren't Born to Follow
- When We Were Beautiful
- Work for the Working Man
- Superman Tonight
- Bullet
- Thorn In My Side
- Live Before You Die
- Brokenpromiseland
- Love's the Only Rule
- Fast Cars
- Happy Now
- Learn to Love
Music reviews of The Circle / When We Were Beautiful (CD + DVD)
Music Review: Lifetime loyal fan deeply disappointed. Don't waste your time or money.
Rating: 1 Stars
I would like to start this by saying I listened to this album over a dozen times. No snap judgements here. I like to really digest records and songs before I make up my mind about them. I am a long time huge Bon Jovi fan. One of my favorite bands of all time. I buy everything they release based on my loyalty to them for the music they gave me while I was growing up. I have great respect for them as a band and as a force that navigated itself through the changing culture of music for almost 30 years. That is a feat for any band.
With all that being said and in mind I listened to their new album, "The Circle", and here are my thoughts... what the HELL is this? This album is garbage. And it takes ALOT for me to say that. But the truth is the truth. I don't hold it against them at all that they ripped themselves off with the "We Weren't Born To Be My Baby", or the "Work For The Working Man Living On A Prayer". If a band has been around for 30 years some things are going to sound the same, I don't mind that. I don't hold it against them that Jon's voice is gone. That is not his fault. He sacrificed it for us. By touring and recording for over two decades FOR US. His voice is shot, but that's not the problem. The problem is these SONGS are terrible. T E R R I B L E.
And this is a "rock" album the way LOST HIGHWAY was a "country" album. Hell, in fact, I will go on record saying LOST HIGHWAY was more of a rock record than this crappy CIRCLE album. I mean, LOST HIGHWAY was just uptempo Bon Jovi with a little fiddle here and there. I dare you to put those two records next to each other and see which one makes you bob your head more. Shame on Bon Jovi for calling THE CIRCLE a "rock" record. Either they know better an it's a marketing ploy, which burns my blood, or they REALLY THINK this is rock now, which breaks my heart.
How did this kind of music become "rock"? This Bon Jovi record is just a U2 album sideways. And I'm one of the few who never, never liked U2. Hell, the last tune, "Learn To Love", is just "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" sideways. And the lyrics were obviously influenced by his love for Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". Which "I do Leonard's favorite version of Hallelujah." states Jon in the When We Were Beautiful companion DVD. Is it just me, or is Jon kind of becoming pompous? Ugh.
So this is a U2 album mixed with Coldplay. And DAMN Coldplay for making that stupid 8th note snare kick kick snare kick kick snare kick (repeat) drum pattern popular with "Clocks". That is an awful rhythmic pattern for a rock song. The ONLY band to copy that and make it work is Bon Jovi with the tune "Have A Nice Day." It actually worked there. But since then I have heard it more and more. Danger Danger ALMOST made it work with "Rocket To Your Heart", but it's also in Def Leppard's 2008 "Gotta let It Go", and on THE CIRCLE it's on here THREE times! "Superman Tonight", "Happy Now", and "Fast Cars." My god it wears thin fast. No one can ROCK to that.
And since I am mentioning "Fast Cars", what the hell happened to Desmond Child? I suspect he had very little to do with these tunes really. Cuz HE still rocks (Bat Out Of Hell III, Scorpions "Humanity" album, the tune "Bad News" by Orianthi). Desmond can still rock it, that's why I was horribly disappointed with the tunes he "co-wrote."
I will say one positive thing about this record... the ONLY good song is "Live Before You Die", which I would bet a weeks pay was written during Jon's Nashville sessions and left off of LOST HIGHWAY. It has that same framed lyrical structure and theme of the Nashville tunes. I like this song, but one out of twelve is not good.
Hell, I can go on and on. The more I heard this album the more disappointed and aggravated I became. Just one thing after another:
My buddy Joe in high school had a band that had a song called "Thorn In My Side" and it was better than this Bon Jovi Song.
"Love's The Only Rule" I'm guessing is Bon Jovi's stab at a club song. What the hell is this song?
"Work For The Working Man." What irritated me about this song is the "tick tock" tone of the snare drum when the tune starts. Listen close, you will hear it too. And that kinda sums up the problem with this record. It's OVER thought. Over researched. Over processed. When they recorded "Living On A Prayer" they recorded what sounded good. Set up the drums, play, let's rock. Now they are recording a similar song and messing with the tone of the snare, over thinking everything, trying to give the MASS what it wants while us true fans who stuck with them through every album (even the crap "Crush" and "Bounce") are standing here scratching our heads. I have never said this about a Bon Jovi album but... don't buy this one. Just don't buy it. This is their worst. album. ever. I would smile through 7800 Fahrenheit if the alternative was sitting through this contrived, stuffy, disappointing, soulless, corporate "rock" album.
Here is what Bon Jovi needs to do, This is my dream: They need to make ONE more album. One great killer rock album... and then disappear. (I have always had this fantasy that the band BOSTON just disbanded and faded away after their first album so that THAT could be their legacy and not taint that amazing band with all the crap that followed. They would have been LEGENDARY!). Jon and Richie need to sit in a room with Desmond Child for six months and write. Really write. They need to gather a handful of people that are still really able to rock and have them help with the backing vocals (Aldo Nova, Steven Tyler, etc, or unknown back up singers. Whatever it takes to get the big Bon Jovi chorus back). It's not Jon's fault he can't sing anymore, but you don't have to have a crazy range to make a good rock record, Stage Dolls "Get A Life" taught us that. They need to get in the studio, Jon needs to loosen his grip on the reins a little bit, they need Desmond Child or Bob Rock or ANYONE with skill in ROCK behind the board. Twelve songs, 6 rock balls, 3 ballads, 3 mid tempos about loyalty and brotherhood and time passing. And the final track on the album should be flat out driving ROCK. And it should be the title track of the album: "Blood From A Rock"
Then they never record again and leave us with a good taste in our mouths.
That is my dream.
Because ending their recording career with an album like THE CIRCLE is like Deniro ending his acting career with "The Adventures Of Rocky And Bullwinkle"
I'm sorry I rambled so much, but if I spend this much time writng this it's cuz I'm passionate about it. I want my Bon Jovi back. Not these turds that made THE CIRCLE. If this was the FIRST Bon Jovi record you ever heard... would you buy any more?
I apologize if I offended anyone. I mean no disrespect to the band or the fans, just saying what I think.
Avoid this record. Treat it like the fourth Indiana Jones movie: pretend it doesn't exist.
Description of The Circle / When We Were Beautiful (CD + DVD)
Bon Jovi is back with another tremendous rock album "The Circle" which was produced by John Shanks, who also worked with Bon Jovi on Have A Nice Day and Lost Highway. The first single "We Weren't Born To Follow" is the fastest growing single in the band's HISTORY, and the fastest growing ever on the Hot AC chart. Also included is the groundbreaking band documentary When We Were Beautiful. Filmed while the band was on its unprecedented Lost Highway world tour, this is the first intimate look at this legendary group. Unlike the usual band documentary, When We Were Beautiful reveals the inner workings and unique personalities that have made Bon Jovi one of the most successful rock groups of all time.Pop CDs
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