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Undercover reviews BOUNCE, track by track
One year ago, BON JOVI were celebrating the smash-success of their multi-platinum album CRUSH and culminating their world tour with two triumphant homecoming concerts at New Jersey's Giants Stadium.
One year later, BON JOVI are proud to debut BOUNCE, their eighth studio album. BOUNCE is a complete work of art. Each song tells a chapter of the story; each song paints a portion of the portrait. BOUNCE is a journal kept by the band of where they've been this past year, a diary of what they've witnessed and what they've felt. There is harshness and tenderness in the lyrics. There is strength and grace in the music. BOUNCE is where BON JOVI are today. Even just a sampling of songs offers a snapshot of the band's experiences this past year.
Invigorated by the success of CRUSH, Jon and Richie had begun the songwriting process for the next album and were working in New Jersey on new songs when the world stopped turning on September 11th. The songs Jon and Richie composed in the days after the tragedy were heavy-hearted and cathartic. But as the weeks and months passed, what Jon and Richie (and so many of us felt) in the aftermath morphed from a profound sadness into a determined resolve to live life to its fullest. It was these feelings that moved the songwriting process forward.
BOUNCE kicks off with the song UNDIVIDED. The song is the most directly influenced by the events of September 11th but, rather than dwelling upon the horror, it celebrates the silver lining the black cloud of 9/11 offered us. UNDIVIDED speaks to the oneness of everyone… not just one city, or one country… but the whole world entire. No man is an island… we are all part of the greater world that is humanity. We are stronger together, than apart.
EVERYDAY is the first single from the album and reinforces the need to live each day to its fullest. The lyrics acknowledge the harshness of life but encourage listeners to brush themselves off, get back up on their feet and get on with life. The video for EVERYDAY reinforces this global message (as well as the international superstar status of BON JOVI) by setting the band's performance at the Very Large Array (VLA) in Socorro, New Mexico. The massive radio antennas in the background seemingly transmit the band's performance to locations around the world and we witness people from all corners of the planet watching this broadcast. (The band's performance was filmed in July; there are two secondary film crews, about to complete their worldwide treks, capturing real footage of people watching BON JOVI live.)
HOOK ME UP, a great rock song, has a deeper message when one understands the lyrics within the proper context. The song was inspired by a newspaper article about a young Palestinean man in occupied territory, trying desperately to make contact with people via an old, beat-up ham radio. He was trapped in a small corner of the world, amidst horrible events and all he longed for was communication, a connection with the outside world and other people. With that situation in mind, the song was written from the young man's perspective, as if in a bunker, desperate for contact with others.
ALL ABOUT LOVING YOU is the classic Bon Jovi love song. It's simple and endearing in its message. In the wake of the events of September 11th, many people rediscovered what was truly important in life. And appreciating the love of another has always been at the top of that list… but many people were reminded. This song puts priorities where they belong.
BOUNCE, the album title track, is a declaration of strength and defiance. Initially, it had referred to the city of New York, and the United States as a whole, but also to the band's perseverance over a twenty year career. However, the song, as well as the album title, is open to interpretation by the listener. Whatever it is that you believe in, stick to it. Don't let others veer you off your chosen path. Determination. Gumption. Spirit. These prevail.
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Follow the link below for the rest of the article and "Everyday" single artwork!
Related URL: http://www.undercover.com.au/bonjovibouncetrackbytrack.html
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