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"These Days" Review 23 July 2000
Masterpiece

It'll be hard to talk about this one...

A review by TheFlash / theflash@netvisao.pt

This album is a Masterpiece... Released in the right time, for the wrong days!

First of all, I'd like to thank John Thompson for he's review on this album! Maybe whoever thinks of putting BJ's work down should read it and know how a true fan is like! Other reviews, like ones from Fredrik and RO'K also have this feeling! Thank you guys!

Track by Track review:

Hey God! - Nothing can beat that! Like so many BJ songs, I just feel I should have wrote this one! Like someone said, everybody relate's to this one every now and then! Who have never lost his/her faith in God, in the world? "I'll get down on my knees, I'm gonna try this thing your way" just shows how 'Jon' still wants to believe, marking the standard optimism BJ have, but at the same time with the a new mark of pessimism, when he says "hey God, there's nights you know I wanna scream, these days you're even harder to believe, I know how busy you must be, but hey hey hey hey God, do you ever think about me?" When we get down to it, we have "HIT" written all over, and I won't even write about the excelent music... 10/10

Something for the pain - This isn't one of my gaves actually... I really don't know why! Anylising it, I found a really nice tune, and excelent lyrics, so... I probably just don't relate to it! Anyways, it rocks, and it brings us again that strange but perfect connection of pessimism and optimism, which became a trademark of "These Days" - 9/10

This ain't a love song - It really hard for me to rate this one, because I'm addicted to ballads! My fave ever is "Always" but this one just comes to close... But, it's not the only one to get this close so... Just Perfect! "Baby ain't it funny how we never ever learn to fall, you're really on your knees and think you're standing tall, but only fools are know-it-alls, and I played that fool for you!" Isn't this what blind love is all about? - 10/10

These Days - I believe this one goes in the line of Keep The Faith - song... It brings the pessimism again to it, but at the same time, speaks of fighting for what we believe, even if we know it's impossible - "Jimmy Shoes busted both his legs, trying to learn to fly, from a 2nd story window, he just jumped and closed his eyes! His momma said he was crazy, he said momma I've got to try! Don't you know that all my heroes died? And I guess I rather die than to fade away!" I don't believe in a BJ Top Ten, cause there aren't enough places on it for all the "Top 10" songs, but if I did, this would definately be one of them! - 10/10

Lie to me - Hey, didn't I wrote this song? No? Oh well, but I should... For this one, there is only one question "Have you ever been in (really) love?", and if the answer is "yes", than be sure you love this song! If the answer is "No" well, you'll love it anyway if you can recognize good music! 10/10

Damned - As many of you asked already, why is this song so underrated? Great song, it just keeps on growing inside us everytime we hear it! And after all, it's all love! I know it's with someone who already has someone, and I also don't relate to that ( :) this is for you John Thompson) but if we read between the lines, the main presence here is "love can bring us down so much as it can lift us up" "Damned if you love me, damned if you don't, it's getting harder hanging on but I can't let you go" Perfect - 10/10

My guitar lies bleeding in my arms - First time I heard this one I though "hey, I'll listen to this when I want to sleep" but there was this sentence that sticked in my head like glue, the very first line "Misery likes company, I like the way that sounds, I've been trying to find the meaning, so I can't write it down, staring at the window, is such a long way down, I'd like to jump, but I'm affraid to hit the ground". This was just my feelings when I heard it, so when it ended, I just had to play it again! Turned out to be one of my faves! - 10/10

It's hard letting you go - From the first time I heard the first line, I knew it... This is going to be one of their best! "It ain't no fun lying down to sleep, and there ain't no secrets left for me to keep! I wish the stars up in the sky, would all just call in sick, and the clowns would take the moon out on some one way trip" Someone said Jon and Richie and great song-writers, almost as good as Lennon and McCartney! Sorry, but I disagree! They're better, as Jon proves it in this song! If not, just check out this one: "I drove all night down streets that wouldn't bend, but somehow they drove me back here, once again, to the place I lost at love, and the place I lost my sould, I wish I'd just burn down this place that we called home!" PERFECT - 10/10

Hearts Breaking Even - Again, why is this song so underrated? For this one I'll just quote the excelent bridge that ends perfect verses: "Go on, get on with your life, yeah, I'll get on with mine! Broken hearts can't call the cops, yeah, it's the perfect crime! Twisting and turning the night keeps me yarning, I'm burning alive! I'm paying the price again, but I'll see the light again" Once again, the perfect mixture pessimism and optimism! - 10/10

Something to believe in - Back in 95, I did lost my faith in God, over something that happened to me! And believe me when I say, this song, weird as it may seem, lead me back to believe in Him! All the song did that miracle, so I won't quote anything! If I did, would have to be the whole song! We just need something to believe in, and for me, got pretty clear what is it: 1st God, 2nd Love, 3rd Bon Jovi - 10/10

If that's what it takes - Another one I really relate too! "I bet you counted all the tears I bet you cried, I bet you swore you'd never let love back inside, cause it hurts you way too bad to say goodbye"... I cried my eyes out listening to this one, staring at the ceiling, back in 95 when I lost my most precious love! What can I say... A song like this can't be called anything but perfect - 10/10

Diamond Ring - Just like Something for the pain, this song is really great, only is not one I relate to, or at least, I don't relate to the musical part of it! The lyrics are perfect! The musical part, even though I recognize as really good, just like Bon Jovi do everyhing, is just not my type! Either way, I just can't bring myself to give it any less than a 9/10, not because it's Bon Jovi, but because it's almost perfect! - 9/10

All I want is everything - Not being one of my faves too, this is one highlight if this album! It's just the opposite of every other song in here! It still have the pessimistic side, but the message is "I've had ebough of having nothing, I won't take just anything, I got my mind set on something, all I want is everything! It's my life, Mr. I-Ain't-Running, I'm no popet on a string, I want more than I see coming, All I want is everything!" - What can beat that in optimism? :) Just BJ to do something like this! Perfect message! As I said, It's not one of my faves, because of the music, but still deserves at least a 9/10

Bitter Wine - It is bitter when we loose that kind of love doesn't it! Perfect ballad, perfect love-song! The mark (JB, RS) are just a symbol of perfectionness! "I know I wasn't funny, but you laughed at all of my jokes, when I was chocking on the words to say, you shoved your fingers down my throat!" Once again, just perfect - 10/10

DEMO Wedding Day - Well, this is the only flaw of "These Days" This song is not only one of their best, but is a must have for everyone! I just hope I never have to sing it to anyone "I tried to make it to the church now baby, a broken heart got in the way, now all I do is say I'm sorry, sorry I missed your wedding day" or "You won't be walking through this door anymore, you won't be sleeping in this bed anymore, though I swear I've seen your shadow, walts across my floor" or yet "I don't know if I can take it, should we ever meet again, cause I know that we'll be strangers, when he introduces friends" are the proof these Jersey guys are the best! This one SHOULD have been in the album, and would fit perfectly in the spirit! To those who never heard this one, or read it's lyrics, please do so! You won't be disappointed! - 10/10

OVERALL - With Crush, This is BJ's best album! They passed the comercial barrier, and are now just a pure Rock 'n' Roll band! Really can't understand how can anyone call their music comercial! It's everything but that! Yes it sells, but only because there are still people around the world that knows what great music sounds like! - 10/10

Keep the faith guys, cause on these slippery when wet days, the guys from New Jersey will come to Crush every Cross Road we may run in to, just as if Bon Jovi were a vulcan with a temperature of 7800º Fahrenheit!

Keep the faith, Always


Rating: 10/10

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