The new tracks on Cross Road are neutral to me. I don't really like 'em, but I don't hate 'em either.

These Days is one of my least favorite Bon Jovi albums. OK, I said it. Everyone beat me up now. I just think it's way, way, way too depressing for a Bon Jovi album. When I think of Bon Jovi, I think of optimism, not this. I guess they summed it up in My Guitar Lies Bleeding in My Arms with the lyrics "I can't sing no song of hope" (but don't get me wrong- My Guitar is one of the rare sparks of genius on that album).

Over time the album gets repeditive. This Ain't a Love Song feels like it's trying to recapture the spirit of Always, Hearts Breaking Even is it's sequel and (It's Hard) Letting You Go makes it a trilogy. Overall, the songs are too repetitive, too sad, too long, too... um... sweary. Plus all those messy break up songs sung by a married father soud a little implausable.

But it's not all bad. About a fourth of the album is good. I gotta say, the title track is amazing.