New Jersey review: They say that to really free the body, you've gotta free the mind

LYHOM is the worst song on the album, the Slippery counterpart Let It Rock was a lot better IMO.

LYHOM, oh I remember MTV had a BJ weekend (92-93). I taped all of it, still got it I think They played this song over and over again, and I was shocked, amazed and rocked!!! How could a song and a band be so cool?
I bought the album, think it was my second BJ album after Keep The Faith.

Here's the good part: I only played LYHOM the first month! When it was over i played it again and again (and again and again and again...)
I didn't give the rest of the album a listen, so I was very amazed when I finally did The great songs just kept coming out of the speakers.

Oh, those where the days...

Well, that's enough sentimentality. Keep writing The Walrus!

Yay I'm glad people are liking the review and that it's bringing memories back. I guess thats the power of a really good record y'know, it becomes totally inseperable from certain memories ... thinking about it, Make A Memory is quite an appropriate song for the band to have written

I have seen it live, and twice on DVD obviously, and I have to say that it's not my favourite song live. While on record the organ and guitar compliment each other perfectly, live the keyboard is way too high in the mix, and tends to drown out the guitar a bit

Bad Medicine review on the way

Not quite as eloquent a review as usual IMO, I blame tiredness and the fact that I had a 3 hour exam this morning!

Bad Medicine – Although the keyboard intro recalls Runaway and I’d Die For You, what we’ve got here is something a bit different. In fact, it has more in common with You Give Love A Bad Name … with it’s shouted chorus (which incidentally are the first lines in both songs) and strutting guitar riff, perhaps a little too much in common at times. This is a song which makes little pretence at being anything other than a party rock anthem, with innuendo laden lyrics about doctors, nurses and addiction, which can be kind of dumb (“Your love is like Bad Medicine / Bad Medicine is what I need”), although at times they’re slightly more clever. Unlike the other songs with distinctive keyboard intros, this song doesn’t repeat the same pattern near constantly; instead piano chords and weird synthesized sound effects are used to compliment the guitar riff. Apart from at the beginning, the keyboard pattern only actually reoccurs once, to start the song up again after the clever “trick ending”. Jon’s voice is again on fine form, somehow managing to almost rap during the verses without sounding too ridiculous, and the shouted backing vocals do a good job during the pre-chorus and chorus. What I particularly like on this song is the drumming; from the cymbal fills in the intro, to the fills between the verses / pre-choruses / choruses, to the bass drum and percussion combo at the end of the bridge. Overall then a decent rock song which attempts to do some things a bit differently, but a bit too shallow and boneheaded to be taken really seriously, not to mention the sheer cheesiness (and I normally hate using that word, but I think it's appropriate here) factor that results from the lyrics and the near-rapping. Also, the similarity to Bad Name gives the impression that it was a bit too crafted to occupy the place of big first single and second track.

4/5

Lay Your Hands On Me is not the worst song on the album (Even if it was that's not saying much as every song is excellent on this album), it is one of their greatest songs ever. It is also quite possibly their best live song along with KTF and Wanted, it's unbelievable to me that this has been dropped from the regular set. It should open every show in my opinion.

This is by far their most consistent album, I can't think of a bad song on here and it's the only BJ album that I never skip songs on.

Well, I've heard it live on both the dvd's, and several bootlegs, so I know what you mean. I'd just really like to experience it live.
Still holding out hope that it's the opener on the GH2 tour, which whould be the 20 anny of New Jersey.

Born To Be My Baby – “2, 3, 4! Na na na na na na na na na na na!” Etc. This song hits the ground running, and absolutely doesn’t let up from start to finish. An atmospheric (“Light a candle, blow the world away” being such an appropriate lyric), unabashedly romantic, yet still catchy-as-hell feast built from multilayered synths (during the first verse before the bass kicks in you’ve got a typical synth pattern, strings, and piano layered over each other), and a driving bass line which recalls Livin’ On A Prayer (possibly a little too much … more on that in a minute). The drumming is again particularly bombastic in this song, especially when it becomes the main driving force underneath the “my heart beats like a drum / all night” lyrics, a perfect indication of how instruments can add to the song. Richie seems content to take a bit of a backseat to Alec and Dave here, contributing a supporting (and slightly weird sounding) distorted riff during the verses, and simple chords for the pre-chorus and chorus; and it works, not choking the instrumental dynamics beneath an oversized riff; and of course he does get his moment to shine with a searing solo. Vocally this song is stellar: with the contrast between Jon’s husky singing in the verses and heartfelt belting during the chorus; and the interplay between lead and backing vocals during the pre-chorus. And the “Na na na na na” refrain at the beginning and end? A genius singalong moment. If I do have one criticism of this song, it’s that thematically, lyrically and musically a little too similar to Prayer; although apparently the musical similarity was mainly due to Bruce Fairbairn’s influence. However, it’s only a very minor criticism; and one that doesn’t seem to matter when the song manages to perfectly capture a mood and feeling while still rocking as hard as it does.

5/5

Can't believe I didn't like BTBMB earlyer, not until I saw it live. It's great!
Great review! I just played New Jersey and there's so many great solos on the album, this is one of them
For the verseriff, I think it reminds me more of Bad Name than Prayer.

Living In Sin – Slowing down the pace a bit is the first of the albums two ballads; which is also one of the only two ballads that the band released in the 80s written by Jon alone (the other being Silent Night). Jon’s talent for storytelling in songs is brought to the fore here, telling the story of a young couple whose religious parents object to their love, and consequently lead the couple to question “just where we fit in”. Musically, as with most songs on the album, it manages to create an atmosphere through the layering and building of instruments: built on a synthesizer foundation; with drums that build from a simple one-two kick pattern; interplay between acoustic and electric guitars; a shimmering guitar solo; and throwing all sorts of synthesizer effects (strings, piano) and percussion into the mix. If there’s one thing that truly makes this song great though, it’s Jon Bon Jovi. I honestly don’t think any other singer could do this song justice properly: moving from the husky delivery of the verses, to the incredibly high notes of the chorus, to harmonising with Richie during the second verse, to growling “come on!” before the solo, to absolutely belting out the lyrics during the outro, and of course not forgetting the frankly astonishing screaming in the outro (some of his highest notes ever recorded in the studio apparently). In terms of both songwriting and vocals, this has to be one of Jon’s finest moments of the 80s.

4+/5

Blood On Blood – From the moment this song begins, you can tell it’s going to be electrifying. Richie’s opening fretboard workout begins the song from a furious pace; and suddenly about a million other layers kick in at once: synths; piano; bass; rhythm guitar; and some furious drumming from Tico, varying in pace from solid booms to frantic fills. The whole thing sounds utterly chaotic, and yet utterly spectacular; like a jam session where everyone is reading from a different songbook, but somehow with it all fitting together perfectly. A shout of “Yeah!” from Jon is the signal for a flawlessly executed transition into suddenly all sound like they’re playing the same song again: the piano and synths take the forefront; although still being propelled by a relentless rhythm section and guitar. Then, with Jon beginning singing, the synths and guitars cut out to leave just the piano and the continually driving rhythm section. Of course, it’s not too long until the guitars come back; constantly trading the lead role with the piano while the rhythm still doesn’t let up. The lyrics themselves are a romanticised tale of eternal friendship and brotherhood; a reminiscence of the days gone by; but also a declaration that the bond between the protagonist and his two friends from long ago. If this song could be called the equivalent to any from Slippery When Wet it would be Wanted Dead Or Alive: the vocals are equally impassioned, with even more impressive three part vocal harmonies; the guitar solo is equally as explosive, perhaps even more so when it’s set against the piano backdrop and combined with Tico’s mini drum solo ending. The bridge and breakdown are masterful, with the breakdown into synths while Jon sings the “Me I’m just the singer in a long haired rock and roll band” line (possibly even a match for the classic “seen a million faces …” line from Wanted); then the build up of drums which then deceptively leads into another breakdown; this time with a drumming base and some fantastic vocal interplay (“Just like blood / we’re brothers”); before the song really does kick back into full. As the instruments reach a meltdown climax before slowing down in pace and slowly fading out; you’re left utterly breathless. Make no mistake, everything about this song… the lyrical story; the instruments; the singing; the dynamics … is the incarnate of sheer emotional rock power. A masterpiece.

5/5