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  #31  
Old 04-22-2017, 04:28 AM
Lucky0003 Lucky0003 is offline
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Originally Posted by DryCounty View Post
Out of curiosity, as I've read many people praising New Years Day live, what exactly is that you find so extraordinary about it live? This is not me bashing anyone for their opinion, I think it's awesome that a song can win people over and are genuinely interested in knowing what it was that grabbed you about hearing it live.
I mean, I get people being blown away by Thorn In My Side, LTOR, Any Other Day etc. live as they had some great arrangements and details added but for me New Years Day is pretty much the band standing on the stage playing a song that has been pretty disliked here. The speech before the song is very cool but the performance is nothing special in my book. Jon behind the mic stand smiling at certain times.

Once again, just a genuine question. I haven't seen this tour live so of course I'm a bad judge on how the new songs are coming across being there.


Jon's energy in concert performing NYD drew me in. He was all over the stage. But maybe it was just a one off? It's a rocking song in person. Hard to explain but I loved it more after see it live.


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  #32  
Old 04-24-2017, 03:39 AM
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I've finally decided to dedicate a little time to digesting the THINFS album as a whole - stepping away from the initial hype/anticipation. Having done so, I think I can confidently say that this is consistent album in over 10 years. I don't think it's necessarily better than HAND or Bounce (both of which I rate very highly), but there's truly not a song on the album that I feel like skipping. I almost always I feel the urge to start at track 1 and listen through to the end.

This House Is Not For Sale: A strong opening to the album. I loved the track when it first came out, and, at the time, was almost willing to accept that it may end up being one of my favourites on the album - taking Jon's vocal condition, my opinion of WAN etc. into consideration. Boy was I wrong, there are too many songs better than this on the record. THINFS is a nice, catchy and safe single. [8/10]

Living With The Ghost: A song that means quite a lot to me; both in how it apparently references Richie, and in how I can project the themes onto my own personal life. This is the kind of uplifting song that I love to hear from the band. "Go tell your shadows that I got out alive!" is one of many memorable lines from the song. I do think there's something a little off with the mix - the drums seem too quiet and the whole sound is a somewhat muddy. The lead guitar in the chorus is fantastically bouncy and catchy though. [8/10]

Knock Out: I was initially critical of this song as I so wanted it to be a harder-edged radio rocker - in the vein of Unbreakable etc.. The arrangement just lacks something. The keys are nice but are too low in the mix and a sweet 80s style solo coupled with some crunchy power chords throughout would have made this a nice little homage to the pre-Slippery era. Without those elements, this almost sounds like a lightweight version of We Don't Run. It's still an enjoyable song, and the live performances sound much better. An opportunity missed. [6.5/10]

Labor Of Love: Features a fantastic, moody guitar line that elevates this song above just about any of their recent ballads. Lyrically it's straightforward and sincere, which causes it to resonate with me. I personally don't think a guitar solo was necessary in this song - it's just about perfect as is. [8/10]

Born Again Tomorrow: Probably my-joint favourite on the album. I'd say this is the most relevant, fresh and uplifting the band have sounded since HAND or perhaps IML. Typically anthemic lyrics, but with an energy and arrangement that succeeds where No Apologies and This Is Love This Is Life perhaps fall a little flat. The guitar solo is probably the best on the album, and what I love is that it sounds like Phil, rather than someone impersonating Richie. And that buildup before the final chorus is just another reason that I keep coming back to this song. This track never fails to make me smile! In the live setting, this song is elevated to another level - I hope I get to see it next year. I'd really love it if they were to release a Born Again Tomorrow 2017 with an arrangement more in line with the live performances - but there's surely no chance of that happening! [9.5/10]

Roller Coaster: When I initially heard the live version on YT, I was overjoyed with how the gang-vocals sounded in that undeniably catchy chorus - and the guitars sounded like something off HAND. Unfortunately both the backing vox and the guits weren't so prominent in the studio version, which disappointed me, but regardless this song has become one of the ones I keep coming back to. It's a great pop song with a cliche, yet relatable message. [9/10]

New Year's Day: The band hadn't quite sold me on this song in the inital live versions posted on YT. I really liked Jon's story about how the band jammed it out in the studio and how Tico introduced the drum beat etc.. But it wasn't until I actually heard it on the record that it clicked. I like the drum beat that is essentially carried throughout and the rhythm guitar is just loud enough in the mix to give the song some oomph, but it's the lyrics and vocal delivery that resonate with me. I love the progression from "And I'm singing 'hallelujah'..." to "And I'm singing 'carpe diem'..." and back again. It almost does sound like the rebirth of the band in some regards. I can't help but feel that hope that better days are ahead come the final chorus. [8.5/10]

The Devil's In The Temple: My other favourite on the record. It's the most "rock and roll" that the band has sounded in a long, long time. Sure songs like Bullet are perhaps "heavier" (I actually love that song), but Devil's is a different beast. Lyrically it's strong and 'pointed' as Jon initially described the album all the way back in 2015 or perhaps early 2016. "The devil's in the temple and he's making a mess, got the Mona Lisa, got his hands up her dress..." is one of my favourite bridges that Jon's ever written. The guitars work nicely for the song, and that instrumental section after the second chorus serves the song just as well as any guitar solo would have in my opinion. Jon's vocals at the climax of the track round it all off very nicely indeed. [9.5/10]

Scars On This Guitar: A strong track with decent vocals - both from Jon and the backing vox. I think it's the most original songwriting perspective on the album, and the bridge into the final chorus is very likable. [8/10]

God Bless This Mess: Another one of my favourites on the album - a straightforward radio-rocker with that slight vintage rock n' roll veneer. Fantastic reflective lyricism from Jon, especially that first verse - hell both verses and the bridge are fantastic. It's catchy as you like, but could perhaps have done with a short and sweet guitar solo prior to the final chorus. A great live track too, and should certainly remain in setlists for tours to come (I'm being optimistic here). The live arrangement, with the reprise and guitar solo after the final chorus is awesome, would've been great on the record - much like those twin-guitar solos from Thorn In My Side live in 2010! [9.5/10]

Reunion: This is probably the song that does the least for me on the record. It's better, in my opinion, than Knockout, but Knockout had the potential to be a really fun hard rocker - whereas Reunion is what it is. It's got quite a sweet sentiment, and it's hard not to sing along to "write your song, sing along...". [6/10]

Come On Up To Our House: A sweet waltz-y ode to the longevity, triumphs and downfalls of the band. It's a great way to conclude the standard edition of the album, however, I seldom feel the desire to listen to the track on its own. That lead guitar lick is fantastically hooky and something different for the band - which is a positive. [7/10]

Real Love: The type of ballad that I expected the band would be releasing - however the execution really works in this instance. Where Amen felt overblown, Real Love feels sincere. A touch of "cheesiness" doesn't damage the enjoyment factor - though it is odd that they release Blind Love and Real Love given the similarity both in name and sound. [7.5/10]

All Hail The King: A great rocking addition to the bonus tracks, and a song that I feel should've been on the album (perhaps in place of Knockout or Reunion). Intriguing lyrics, solid chorus that is a little lower in hooks, but higher in terms of feel - akin to Last Man Standing in my opinion. The guitar solo is tasteful, suits the song very well, and leads into a simple yet stunning bridge and final chorus. [9/10]

We Don't Run: I was hoping that this version of We Don't Run was different to that on Burning Bridges, and I was pleasantly surprised when they hadn't just dumped the original version into the THINFS bonus tracks. However it again feels like another opportunity missed to include new guitar tracks, drums and backing vocals to fill the song out and give it a more "organic" feel that it has in the live setting. Great lyrics and passion in parts and a decent solo makes this song a fun arena anthem - but it lacks a little something sonically to be considered a modern Jovi classic. [8/10]

I Will Drive You Home: Probably the biggest surprise on the album. A slow, low-key ballad with some interesting instrumentation and arrangement that harken back to the Destination Anywhere days. The vocals are impressive, not in range, but in delivery. It's probably the most sincere-sounding ballad the band has put out in recent years. The progression that occurs with each chorus adds to the entrancing nature of the tracks - all culminating in those robotic vocals at the end which seals the deal for me. Fantastic song. [9/10]

Goodnight New York: I Will Drive You Home would've been the best way to finish the deluxe version of the album here in Oz, but we get Goodnight NY instead - I'm not complaining, but this is somewhat of an anti-climax. I actually enjoy the "We Didn't Start The Fire"-esque lyrical phrasing and straightforward drum-beat of the versus - yes even that utterly-cringeworthy "garbage truck backing up, beep beep beep..." line. For me the choruses just fall flat. I've never been to New York, don't really relate to the sentiment and the "goodnight New York, sleep tight New York, goodnight" 'hook' isn't particularly 'hooky', inspiring or fun. For me, the verses are the only redeeming feature of this song - as they really are fun and exciting. [6/10]

Finally reviewing THINFS, despite ending on a sight let-down, only solidifies my opinion of the album - it's the best representation of the band in 2016/17 and is still fun as hell all these months later. I hope they release more records going forward, but, as Jon has said himself, this were to be their final record as a band, I would (almost) be satisfied. [8/10]
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  #33  
Old 04-24-2017, 03:40 AM
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Sorry about the essay! I always intended to write my thoughts on THINFS down for my own sake, and thought "why not dump them here too!"
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  #34  
Old 04-24-2017, 04:31 AM
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Gabriel Shoes Gabriel Shoes is offline
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Originally Posted by KSantaFe View Post
Sorry about the essay! I always intended to write my thoughts on THINFS down for my own sake, and thought "why not dump them here too!"
Easier to quote this post.

The problem with Knockout is that the chorus is great but the verses should have a lower register, it'd create momentum for the chorus.
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  #35  
Old 04-24-2017, 05:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Gabriel Shoes View Post
The problem with Knockout is that the chorus is great but the verses should have a lower register, it'd create momentum for the chorus.
That's a really good suggestion - I agree. But momentum aside, the arrangement is mostly pretty uninspiring.
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  #36  
Old 06-12-2017, 02:30 AM
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I listened to the album a few times upon it's release, then I got kinda cold with it for a while. Probably for the past two weeks I've been listening to this album quite a bit. Im really starting to like the album, more than I did initially. It's not my favorite album, but it's not bad. Living With the Ghost and Roller Coaster are two of my favorite Bon Jovi songs (ever), and the title track, Reunion, and Born Again Tomorrow are all highlights. Knockout and Labor of Love are my least favorites.
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  #37  
Old 06-12-2017, 02:41 AM
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I still enjoy the album. I was disappointed in not hearing Livin' With the Ghost live. I assumed that I would hear it - but only did 3 live shows and didn't hear it once.
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