Anyone Here Actually Like the Newer Bon Jovi Albums?

Love the diversity here. People love HAND(like me), some say its the worst. People love Circle, some hate. People love WAN, some despises.

Good job dorks! We BJ fans(Bon Jovi not blowjob) are a great breed!

I do like the newer ones but keep having difficulties to 'love' them. That is not bad because NJ/KTF/TD/ are some of my favorite records of all time. For instance, I like the diversity of WAN but the record is not great on enough levels. But there are parts of TC and WAN and even LH that shine through and make some songs better than others.

Every post 2000 album has something I like but when placed against earlier work, it just pales badly in comparison for me. The high points are not as high and the overall album is far more patchy.

Crush for me was the first time they didn't improve on the previous effort. It was a massive, massive disappointment for me. Take IML off the album and it's pretty rubbish albeit Just Older, Two Story Town, One Wild Night and Say It Isn't so are good.

Bounce is kinda awful as an album. The Distance, Misunderstood and Bounce are good tunes. The rest is somewhere between average and shite.

Have A Nice Day is their best post 2000 album for me. One of my faves. The only song I skip is Last Man Standing. Not because I don't think it's good but because I think they ruined the original version. Unbreakable, as a bonus track, is cringe-inducing though. So is Complicated but I can at least tune my brain out and listen to it.

Lost Highway is one I hated the idea of but don't mind the execution. Hate WGIGO but can listen to the rest. Whole Lotta Leavin' is one of their best tunes for me while MAM isn't far behind.

The Circle is ordinary with few clunkers (Live Before You Die and Work for the Workin' Man) but few great songs (BPL and LTOR).

I still like What About Now. Not hating anything on it (although not loving Pictures of You or Thick as Thieves) and loving TWTWMM and WLOM. Novelty may wear off though.

So, in conclusion, every album has something for me albeit, HAND aside, there isn't any post 2000 album I love. Someone summed it up earlier as far as I'm concerned: There is enough to keep me very interested post 2000 but very little that would have made me a die hard.

When I look at Crossroad compared to the last Greatest Hits, Crossroad was, top to bottom, full of hits (In And Out Of Love aside). Most of them were songs that even non-fans would know. The last Greatest Hits contained a lot of mediocrity (WWBTF, WSYCGH and the new songs) and was typical of a band in decline. Arguably, that decline is inevitable when you look at how long they have been around.

I am a critic of the band's direction over the last 10 years and its direction at the moment, but I can't sit here and write that I hate everything post 2000.

Crush
Like: It's My Life, Say It Isn't So, Older, 100 Years, Two Story Town, and maybe Mystery Train.
Dislike: The rest

Liking half an album is ok by me, as the band changes musically you cannot expect to like every direction. On that basis I think Crush is good, and when it came out I though it was ace so I look back fondly. I could probably still tolerate Captain Crash if it wasn't for it live.

I would score it 7.5 out of 10

Bounce
Like: Undivided, Everyday, The Distance, Hook My Up, Right Side of Wrong, Love Me Back To Life, and Bounce.
Dislike: The rest

Bounce has been done to death, it has no clear direction or theme. Yet again though I like more than half the album and the songs I do like I think are strong, so Bounce is a solid effort for me. It could have been a classic amongst us fans though if some B-sides had been added in place of current tracks.

8/10

Have A Nice Day
Like: Have A Nice Day, Last Man Standing, Story Of My Life
Dislike: The rest

Starts to go downhill here for me. I find this album shallow, I read a review on BBC teletext when it was released that said at the end, "they (Bon Jovi) think they're Green Day". I thought it was quite telling because I have always though HAND the album is aimed at teenagers or attracting a younger crowd. Christ, perhaps it worked I don't know.

3/10

Lost Highway
Like: Memory, Whole Lot Of Leaving, Any Other Day
Dislike: The rest

The reason I dislike Lost Highway is because I simply do not like the direction, the hint of country does nothing for me. That said I appreciate what the album is and was. I sensed it was something the band believed in and despite the fact it was cynical in why it was made, I like that the band made it with heart.

Don't like the album but it is a 7/10

The Circle
Like: Love's The Only Rule, Superman Tonight
Dislike: The rest

Someone said earlier that Jon's voice let it down. I would agree and add the production to that too. There are some songs on this album I know I would like under different circumstances, these include Bullet, Brokenpromiseland, Thorn In My Side, and even Work For the Working Man. Truth is though, as they are I do not like them. That means I look at the Circle from a weird place, wanting to like it but not being able to.

4/10

What About Now
Like: None
Dislike: None

I have virtually no feelings towards the newest album. The songs do not offend me but they also do not make me think I want to listen again. It is middle of the road (in terms of the band and general music) bland nonsense to be honest.

2/10

I find stuff on all the new albums I really love.

One Wild Night
(Bounce)
Last Man Standing
Make A Memory
Love's The Only Rule

are amongst my all-time favourite songs. And I've gained a deep appreciation for songs like "Lost Highway", "Whole Lot Of Leaving", "When We Were Beautiful" and "Happy Now" over the years. From time to time I find "Bounce" is an awesome album.

But compared to the "old shit", it's clear they can't catch up as a whole. Still, "Crush" is my 3rd favourite album (the last with a real BJ feel, even though it was already a different band compared to TD), and lately I was listening to the HAND-album and quite enjoyed songs like "Last Cigarette", "Bells Of Freedom" and even "Who Says You Can't Turn Up The Volume" (it's only live that I start to dislike it).

WAN does nothing for me so far, but every other album has the potential to put a smile on my face.

So, we're doing this:

Crush
Love: It's My Life, Thank You For Loving Me, Just Older, Mystery Train, Save The World, One Wild Night. And Neurotica from the Bonus Tracks.
Like: The rest.
Hate: Nothing.

Bounce
Love: Every song in the record but...
Like: Hook Me Up and Love Me Back To Life. Until two weeks ago I used to hate Hook Me Up, but I don't know, it grew up on me.
Hate: Nothing.

Have A Nice Day
Love: Have A Nice Day, Last Man Standing, I Am, Story of My Life, Bells Of Freedom. And the bonus tracks.
Like: I Want To Be Loved, Welcome To Wherever You Are, Who Says You Can't Go Home, Wildflower.
Hate: Complicated, Last Cigarette.

Lost Highway
Love: Summertime, Make A Memory, We Got It Going On, Any Other Day, Seat Next To You, Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore, The Last Night, the bonus tracks.
Like: Lost Highway, Everybody's Broken, One Step Closer.
Hate: I Love This Town.

The Circle
Love: Superman Tonight, When We Were Beautiful, Brokenpromiseland, Happy Now, Love's The Only Rule.
Like: We Weren't Born To Follow, Learn To Love, Live Before You Die, Thorn In My Side.
Hate: Work For The Working Man, Bullet, Fast Cars.

What About Now
Love: Pictures of You.
Like: I'm With You, What About Now, That's What The Water Made Me, Thick As Thieves, Room At The End Of The World, Beautiful World... and from the Bonus: Into The Echo.
Hate: The Fighter, Army of One, What's Left Of Me, Amen, Because We Can.

1983-1995:


Bon Jovi:
Love: Runaway, Roulette, Shot Through The Heart
Like: She Don't Know Me, Love Lies, Burning For Love
Don't Care: Breakout, Get Ready, Come Back
Hate: None
5/10

7800 Fahrenheit:
Love: Only Lonely, The Hardest Part Is The Night
Like: In And Out Of Love, The Price Of Love, Silent Night, Tokyo Road, Always Run To You
Don't Care: King Of The Mountain
Hate: To the Fire, Secret Dreams
4/10

Slippery When Wet:
Love: Livin' On A Prayer, Wanted Dead Or Alive, Never Say Goodbye
Like: Let It Rock, You Give Love A Bad Name, Raise Your Hands, I'd Die For You, Wild In The Streets
Don't Care: Social Disease, Without Love
Hate: None
8/10

New Jersey:
Love: Living In Sin, Born To Be My Baby, Blood On Blood, Wild Is The Wind, Stick To Your Guns, I'll Be There For You
Like: Lay Your Hands On Me, Bad Medicine, Homebound Train, 99 In The Shade, Love For Sale
Don't Care: Ride Cowboy Ride
Hate: None
9/10

Keep The Faith:
Love: I Believe, Keep The Faith, In These Arms, Bed Of Roses, Dry County, Fear
Like: I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, If I Was Your Mother, Little Bit Of Soul
Don't Care: I Want You, Blame It On The Love Of Rock & Roll
Hate: Woman In Love
8/10

These Days:
Love: Hey God, Something For The Pain, These Days, Damned, My Guitar Lies Bleeding In My Arms, Something To Believe In, Letting You Go
Like: This Ain't A Love Song, Lie To Me, Hearts Breaking Even, If That's What It Takes, Diamond Ring, I Want Everything, Bitter Wine
Don't Care: None
Hate: None
10/10


2000-2013:

Crush:
Love: Just Older
Like: Say It Isn't So, Two Story Town, Next 100 Years, Mystery Train, It's My Life, One Wild Night
Don't Care: Thank You For Loving Me, Save The World
Hate: She's A Mystery, I Got The Girl
6/10

Bounce:
Love: Undivided, The Distance
Like: Misunderstood, Love Me Back To Life
Don't Care: Everyday, Joey, Hook Me Up, Right Side Of Wrong, Bounce
Hate: All About Lovin' You, You Had Me From Hello, Open All Night
4/10

Have A Nice Day:
Love: Have A Nice Day, Last Man Standing, Novocaine
Like: I Want To Be Loved, Bells Of Freedom, Last Cigarette
Don't Care: Welcome To Wherever You Are, Wildflower, I Am, Story Of My Life
Hate: Who Says You Can't Go Home, Complicated
5/10

Lost Highway:
Love: Make A Memory, Any Other Day
Like: Whole Lot Of Leavin'
Don't Care: Lost Highway, Seat Next To You, Everybody's Broken, One Step Closer, The Last Night
Hate: Summertime, We Got It Goin' On, Til We Ain't Strangers Anymore, I Love This Town
4/10

The Circle:
Love: Brokenpromiseland
Like: Love's The Only Rule, Learn To Love
Don't Care: Superman Tonight, Bullet, Thorn In My Side, Happy Now
Hate: We Weren't Born To Follow, When We Were Beautiful, Work For The Working Man, Live Before You Die, Fast Cars
3/10

What About Now:
Love: None
Like: That's What The Water Made Me, The Fighter
Don't Care: I'm With You, Pictures Of You, What's Left Of Me, Thick As Thieves
Hate: Because We Can, What About Now, Amen, Army Of One, Beautiful World, Room At The End Of The World
1/10
________________________________
Safe to say I love the1983-1995 records far more than the post-2000 records. Crush was the last above average record for me.

I'll join the band wagon, since I'm bored and can't sleep:

Bon Jovi:
Love: None.
Like: Runaway, Roulette, Get Ready, She Don't Know Me
Don't Care: Shot Through The Heart, Love Lies, Breakout, Burning For Love, Come Back
Hate: None
2/10

7800 Fahrenheit:
Love: Tokyo Road
Like: Only Lonely, In And Out Of Love
Don't Care: None
Hate: The Price Of Love, King Of The Mountain, Silent Night, The Hardest Part Is The Night, Always Run To You, I Don't Want To Fall Into The Fire, Secret Dreams.
1/10

Slippery When Wet:
Love: You Give Love A Bad Name, Livin On A Prayer, Wanted Dead or Alive, I'd Die For You, Never Say Goodbye, Wild In The Streets
Like: Raise Your Hands
Don't Care: Let It Rock
Hate: Social Disease, Without Love
9/10

New Jersey:
Love: Lay Your Hands On Me, Bad Medicine, Born To Be My Baby, Living In Sin, Blood On Blood, Wild Is The Wind, Stick To Your Guns, I'll Be There For You, 99 In The Shade
Like: Homebound Train, Ride Cowboy Ride, Love For Sale
Don't Care: None.
Hate: None:
10/10

Keep The Faith:
Love: I Believe, Keep The Faith, In These Arms, Bed Of Roses, Dry County
Like: I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, Woman In Love, Blame It On The Love of Rock And Roll, Little Bit of Soul
Don't Care: If I Was Your Mother
Hate: Fear, I'm With You
9/10

These Days:
Love: Hey God, Something For The Pain, This Ain't A Love Song, These Days, My Guitar Lies Bleeding In My Arms, Something To Believe In
Like: Lie To Me, Damned, Diamond Ring
Don't Care: It's Hard Letting You Go
Hate: If That's What It Takes, Hearts Breaking Even
8/10

Crush:
Love: It's My Life, Say It Isn't So, Next 100 Years, Just Older, Mystery Train, Captain Crash And The Beauty Queen From Mars
Like: Thank You For Loving Me, Two Story Town, I Got The Girl, One Wild Night
Don't Care: Save The World
Hate: She's A Mystery
9/10

Bounce:
Love: The Distance, Right Side Of Wrong, Misunderstood
Like: Undivided, You Had Me From Hello, Bounce
Don't Care: Joey, Love Me Back To Life, Open All Night
Hate: Everyday, Hook Me Up, All About Loving You
3/10

Have A Nice Day:
Love: Have A Nice Day, Last Cigarette, Novocaine
Like: I Want To Be Loved, I Am, Story Of My Life
Don't Care: Who Says You Can't Go Home, Last Man Standing,
Hate: Welcome To Wherever You Are, Bells Of Freedom, Wildflower, Complicated
5/10

Lost Highway:
Love: (You Want To) Make A Memory, Whole Lot of Leavin, Any Other Day
Like: Lost Highway, Everybody's Broken, The Last Night
Don't Care: Summertime, We Got It Going On
Hate: Seat Next To You, Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore, One Step Closer, I Love This Town
4/10

The Circle:
Love: Love's The Only Rule, When We Were Beautiful
Like: Superman Tonight, Thorn In My Side, Live Before You Die, Brokenpromiseland, Fast Cars, Happy Now, Learn To Love
Don't Care: We Weren't Born To Follow, Bullet
Hate: Work For The Working Man
7/10

What About Now:
Love: Because We Can, That's What The Water Made Me, What's Left Of Me
Like: I'm With You, Pictures Of You, Army Of One, Thick As Thieves, The Fighter
Don't Care: What About Now, Amen, Room At The End of The World
Hate: Beautiful World
5/10

So the moral of the story is (IMO) Bin Jovi's studio output was AWESOME between 1986 and 2000, was somewhat terrible before, and has been very spotty since. As far as the 2000 and onwards albums specifically go, I think Crush is brilliant, easily one the best albums they've ever made. The Circle is the only one since that comes close to it, but not very.

Everything after Crossroad is patchy to me. Every album starting from These Days has its own share of turds and redeeming qualities. I still like the good songs from each of these albums, but yeah it's nothing like the holy trinity of SWW, NJ and KTF with no turds.

I like crush and bounce and I think most of duds like these.There is also some weak work as like The circle.The need is to more work on them for the betterment.I think last albums are much better than that of.