How does the circle rank amongst other Jovi Albums to you?

It's difficult to say because "The Circle" is still very fresh to me. In my opinion it isn't a very strong record. It has some great tunes like WWWB and BPL but there's a lot of stuff, to which I have no real connection so far and it has the worst lead single of all Bon Jovi records.

But maybe my opinion will change during the tour because for example "Thorn in my side" was never a track which means much to me, but now after I have heard the live version I really discover this track for me.

So this was my first post on this board and I hope you can understand my english. If there are any mistakes I'm sorry.

Slippery
Keep the Faith
New Jersey
The Circle
These Days
7800
Crush
Bon Jovi
HAND
Lost Highway
Bounce

I don't think I'll be able to rate it properly against the other post-2000 albums before seeing the band on tour on support of it, but at the moment I'd rank Crush and HAND (both of which mean a lot to me ... Bounce does too but it's not as strong an album) higher than it. And of course the Big Four are higher, as is 7800. So it's at 8 of 11 for me, which sounds bad, but isn't really when you consider how awesome the 5 albums from 7800 to These Days really are.

tbh im abit surprised with a few ppl ranking the 80's albums very low in there rankings its all personal opinion ofcourse, and is gd to see people loving Crush Bounce HAND, Lost highway and The Circle, I love them all and play them all alot Crush I love, was very hard to find it in nz but finally I did last year havent stopped listening to it, save the world, and thank you for loving me are played constantly I love One wild night also, especially the lyrics it just might be, that i've found religion ive been on my knees for half of the night genius Bon Jovi that is, Loves the only rules is proving popular, I would like some views on happy now if you would, or maybe I will start a new thread all I know is I love tht song equally and think it needs a mention thought it worth noting that superman tonight is climbing the airplay charts in the US which is great to see, I would love to see it promoted abit better, I havent heard it on radio here in nz very disappointing.... its pushing midnight here and im off to bed so will do more tomorrow, loving the discussion, and I hope you all continue to enjoy the jovi as I know I will, listening to learn to love atm

"I have from the truth, since the days of my mispent youth, I was hungry for kindness, I was lost in lifes blindness, when your born without wings, all you dream of all you want is that feeling of flying, of rising and climbing, Halle Halle think thts right but at this time of night im nt sure hehe"


have a gd 1 thanks for posting on my thread

~JoviLord~

Liking the new album as much as I do, I´ve felt I represent a minority on this board.

Since November, I´ve said I love this album. The possibility of a "honeymoon period" has been pointed out, but having listened to TC on a daily basis for 4 months I still stand for my initial impression. For me, the album represents classic Bon Jovi. I´ve never been able to put my all time favorite albums in any particular order, though. Still, if I tried hard enough, it would be something like this:

1. These Days
2. The Circle / Slippery When Wet / New Jersey
5. Keep The Faith
6. Have A Nice Day
7. Crush
(the rest, I can´t put in any order)

Like some members on this board have said, this album speaks to me unlike most of the 2000´s stuff. In many aspects, TC reminds me of These Days (the overall flow, the attitude, the lyrics). No other album (not by anybody) since 1995 has gotten my undivided attention like this one.

TC would actually stand there right on top of my list if it wasn´t for the obvious shortcomings pointed out by many:

1. singing in a higher key would make the songs more powerful
2. the multi-layered guitars sometimes make the songs too diverse , so I´m not entirely happy with the production
(3. I´ve seen better album covers)

TRACK BY TRACK:

WWBTF: 5/5
Hated by many, loved by me. I still listen to it on repeat. The obvious similarity to BTBMB doesn´t bother me at all. The chorus is big, beautiful and anthemic and the lyrical content is wonderful. These lyrics are often said to be naive. I don´t see them that way at all. They´ve got timeless quality in them. On this board it seems to be fashionable to see this song as a prime example of how low Bon Jovi have gone. All I can say is I disagree.

WWWB: 4/5
The tribal thing works wonderfully and the message on this song is one of the most clever on the album. Melodically, though, it doesn´t quite live up to some other tracks on the album. I like the athmosphere and the U2 feel to it.

WFTWM: 4/5
I just wish I could hear Jon singing this song in the 80´s. It would sound so much stronger and edgier, had it been sung in a higher key. Still I think it´s a classic Bon Jovi song. I can´t see the hippocrite aspects pointed out by many. Hey God wasn´t hippocrite either.

ST: 5/5
The song brings me back to 1988. Classic Bon Jovi songwriting, big great hook in the chorus, reliable lyrics that can be interpreted in many ways. I wouldn´t change anything in here.

Bullet. 2/5
For me, Bullet is the weakest song on TC. Sort of boring, yet I do think it´s decent anyway.

TIMS: 3/5
Not my favorite, yet there´s nothing really wrong either. Like many have said, this one could be on HAND. Great guitar solo. The latter part of the chorus is excellent.

LBYD: 3/5
I think WLAM did the same thing better. That said, I find the song beautiful and meaninful. Nothing really special but I enjoy listening to it, anyway.

BPL: 5/5
A masterpiece, one of the greatest Bon Jovi songs ever.

LTOR: 4/5
Writing an album, they really didn´t run out of ideas this time. I love this song and the classic yet simultaneously modern Bon Jovi feel to it. The line "think about it, wouldn´t that be cool" used to annoy me at first. Now I think its actually very cool. Great, great song.

FC:3/5
Would be 2/5 but after a somewhat weak opening, it actually grows into a solid album track. It gets more steam after the second verse. Like many others, I´m not a big fan of the lyrical content, though.

HN: 3/5
The lyrical content is very thoughful and represents Bon Jovi at their best. Sadly, the melody isn´t as strong, especially in the chorus that seems to lack a punch. That said, it´s a decent rock song in the vein of I Believe. Great wah-wah.

LTL: 3/5
I prefer the "original" by Cohen. Still, Learn To Love is a beautiful album closer far ahead of, let´s say, Open All Night. Many have expressed their dislike of the "halle halle" thing. Once again, I disagree.

I don´t exactly remember what I wrote on this board in November 2009, once I had heard the Circle for the 1st time. Obviously, I haven´t changed a word.

These Days
New Jersey
Slippery when wet
The Circle
Lost Highway
Crush
7800
Bon Jovi
Keep the Faith
Bounce
HAND

I'm not sure I can definitively order all of the albums, but I can say that it has some very strong tracks at the beginning of the album (I'm a particularly big fan of Bullet, and of course WWBTF)

I would rank it above Lost Highway, but I would say it is nowhere near as good as HAND, which has to be one of my all time favourite albums. Even the outtakes from that album are amazing

I think the Circle is finally beginning to dethrone HAND as my top album of the last decade. Great live performances of songs like Loves the rule have really persuaded me what a good album it is.