Review: Keep The Faith

Woman In Love is the only filler on the album IMO.

Its the best CD ever released. Nuff said

I have to admit I like the hook.
and the mid section in it is cool also.

I really like the album!
I think I listend to it the most, along with these days!
Really great songs on it, like drycounty. Thery just rock on the album
So my favorite album whoeoeoeoeoe!

My all time favourite album by anyone.

Love the whole vibe on this CD...even love Women in Love and Blame it on The Love.

The fact that the critics were hanging this album even before it was in it's final mix only makes the impact of the album more significant for me. If someone asked me what would be the soundtrack to my life...the answer is this album.

"I Believe" - I always get a bit of a 'spine tingle' with the intro to this song...especially when I fang the volume on the stereo to VERY loud. [I'm sure the neighbours long ago gave up on me turning it down when Jovi is on] - a special song for me on a personal level - I really do believe in the words in this song....100%...and this song sounds especially good on radio...every now and then one of the stations here plays it.
"Keep The Faith" - Love the bass in this song - 3 simple words that make a powerful sentence...keep the faith.
A song whose message is eternal..."Walking in the footsteps of society's lies...I don't like what I see no more...Sometimes I wish that I was blind"
Of all the songs played live, this is the one I love best.
"I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" - every working mother's anthem ['specially a nurse] - a really great 'feel good' song.
"In These Arms" - what can I say about this song - as soon as I heard it the first time, I loved it. This song always reminds me of summer in Australia. I know that it's about the music, but have to take a slight digress here and say...no-one says 'baaabbby' like JBJ. This is one BJ song [along with Wanted, LOAP and JBJ's Blaze] that I can put on at a party and everyone sings along...from beginning to end [amazing, isn't it...the 'closet' BJ fans that emerge when there's some amber fluid consumed and in party mode]
"Bed Of Roses" - definitely one of BJ's best [may well be THE best] ballads. Great poetry in this song - I believe you have to be deeply in love to write like this - it's not about what you think it feels like - it's what you know it feels like [IMHO]
"If I was Your Mother" - seems that this song has a love/loathe relationship with the fans...I'm one of those who LOVES it [and I'm guessing my neighbours are glad that I don't play it every day cause if there's one BJ song I play at the loudest volume I can without damaging the speakers, it's this one]
"Dry County" - my youngest daughter just could not get what all the fuss was about...daughter no. 2 had wall to wall BJ in her room as did daughter no. 1 -- no.3 just thought they [we] were all mad...until she heard this song - she thrashed it more than all of us put together. One of RS's best solos.
"Women in Love" - song says it all - I know a lot of people see it as a filler...not me...love it.
"Fear" - have they ever played this live?...I'm thinking it would have been excellent live. Another one of those 'turn it up loud' songs....especially in the car.
"I Want You" - I don't know what exactly it is about this song....the way the verses flow into the chorus...the chorus itself...the music...it has that 'something' that makes you love a song, no matter how often you hear it. [well, me anyway]
"Blame it on the Love" - if there is one song on the album that I might skip, this is the one. I like the song, but I have to be in the mood - goes over well at parties when people are keen on dancing.
"Little Bit of Soul" - I call this BJ's 'Stones' song - most people think I'm a lunatic, but it's the guitars...especially at the end of the song - reminds me of the Stones...not saying it sounds like a Stones song - just reminds me of the Stones.
BONUS TRACKS
"Save A Prayer" - God...what an awesome song - I think this song is the best thing BJ have put on a studio album. It's perfect from beginning to end. This song convinced my brother that I did not have rocks in my head - that this band were worthy of his attention - and converted him.
"Starting All Over Again' - another feel good song - great guitar. Perfect way to end the perfect album.

S.

More stripped down, more mature, more bluesy than previous records.... a progression in every sense of the word. Here is where Bon Jovi grew up, in a musical world where everything had changed.... hair metal had given way to grunge in the highest quarters of rock music, and the band had to adapt in order to survive. Fortunately, solo records from both Jon and Richie had seen them experimenting outside the bands usual parameters, and the results of this experiment are very evident in this album.

This is easily the most varied, experimental album the band has ever released, ranging from somewhat funky (Keep The Faith, Fear), to more contemporary (I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, Blame It On The Love...), from the metal (If I was Your Mother), to the rock (I Believe), to the ballads (Bed Of Roses, I Want You) to a bluesy groove (Little Bit Of Soul), by way of the masterpiece (Dry County). The band sound tighter than they ever have, not as flashy, more understated, and therefore even more technically brilliant and artisitc. Vocally, Jon now sounds a lot more focused, and this is arguably his best album. Richie also turns in a stunning display of riffage (IIWYM), and soloing (DRY COUNTY!!!!) Dave contributes his writing talents to the fan-favourite In These Arms, and elsewhere plays a spine tingling keyboard riff (sorry, Dry County again ) Tico plays his usual drumming role, nothing overstated, but solidly making the song what it is. Alec's final album, and while I hesitate to say it is his best performance, as I rarely notice the bass, it is fair to say that the fabulously funky bass riffs are a definitive part of this album.

One major weakness though, being the most varied album, it invariably has some weaker tracks. IMO, everything from I Want You to Little Bit Of Soul is a bit below the standard set by the rest of the album. After than (on some versions), the fantastic, dark-tinged Save A Prayer brings that standard back up. I've never heard Starting All Over Again before, so I can't comment on it. And of course, not forgetting the terriblly disposable Woman In Love, the albums worst moment by far.

This album contains my favourite song by any artist ever, the chilling 10 minute masterpiece that is Dry County. Absolutely stunning. The most exciting guitar solo I've ever heard, coupled with a spine tingling instrumental genius, raw honesty, and thought provoking lyrics. For 9 minutes and 53 seconds, there really is no getting out of there alive. Amazing.
Other songs which much be mentioned are the fantastic anthem Keep The Faith, with its perfectly crafted bass riff; the honesty, romanticism, and yet still rock quality of ballad Bed Of Roses; the fast paced rallying cry of I Believe (with some stunning vocals!); and the heavy-as-hell one time metal pounding of If I Was Your Mother.

Best songs:
Dry County
Keep The Faith
Bed Of Roses
If I Was Your Mother
I Believe
Fear
Save A Prayer

Good Songs:
In These Arms
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Blame It On The Love Of Rock N' Roll
I Want You
Little Bit Of Soul

Not so good:
Woman In Love

10/10 for this, definelty

BTW Ryan, start the These Days one! Just cos you don't like it, you can't ignore it

Keep On Rockin'

There's a million things I could say about this album, but in a few short words:

Bon Jovi's best album to date. The music is much more mature than the music heard on the previous 4 albums, and Bon Jovi had grown up as a band when they recorded it. There is not a poor track on that album, and it features some great love ballads, optimistic rock songs and also mid-tempo chill out songs. Even some of the Demos that didn't quite make the album like Fields of Fire and Starting All Over Again are very good too! One of the best albums in rock 'n' roll in my opinion.

Some random memories I associate with this album:

Listening to it in Feb 2002 in the long hours rehearsing for the school play.

Listening to Dry County for the first time, then playing it again, and again, and again... its actually unheard of for me to have listened to a song that much when I first got the album

Screaming along to I Believe

Keep The Faith the song... too many to list! Hyde Park 2003 is a good one

Listening to the album on the last day of school 2 years ago, esp. If I Was Your Mother and Blame It On The Love

Listening to Bed Of Roses every time I got depressed about my (then) lack of a love life

Headbanging to the solo in Bed Of Roses at a party

Listening to If I Was Your Mother and Fear like every time I got into a 'music frame of mind' (when I listen to whatever songs take my fancy for hours)

Listening to Little Bit Of Soul at my mates house, and realizing, "this isn't such a bad song"

Constantly using lines from I Want You in an effort to try and attract a girl

Nine Words: If I Was You Mother. Air Guitar. Head Banging.

Listening to Save A Prayer for the 2nd time ever about 2 hours ago, and thinking "what a great song"

OK, I think that'll do. I might go back and do this for all the other albums actually, its quite amusing

Keep On Rockin'

Come on, you know you want to

Keep the Faith is my third favorite and what I consider BJ's second best album. The title track is my second favorite song of all time. I think that it's one of the most varried albums (which makes it so great), and it doesn't conform to any of the styles of music during that time period. The only reason I think it's the second best and not the best is that there are a few weak tracks on the album such as I Want You and Little Bit of Soul. Other than that, the album is very strong and original (think Dry County, people).