So my good lady sends me a TikTok link. I hate TikTok, but she sends me videos, and every once in a while I'll even watch one. Tonight, was some lass playing LOAP on a piano. And something about it made me think of This Left Feels Right.

That poor, bruised little album, much punched and kicked at the time, sitting on your shelf with the rest of your Jovi collection, but possibly the most dusty, and least played. I felt a sudden wave of nostalgia hit, as I remember my trip to Virgin to go buy it first thing on the Monday morning it came out, and the adverts on the telly all that week.

Was it ever going to meet the expectations of the fans? This was the album that we, at least to begin with, thought was going to be the much-sought acoustic album. And then Jon and Richie began meddling. With a twist? Hmm.

Well, I only went and listened to it tonight. Start to finish, for the first time in a long time. Hard to believe it is almost 20 years old. Now I never hated it, I don't think. Enjoyed it at times without being hugely fond of it. The DVD of the live show at the Borgata was fun enough. But tonight, I think I finally got it. And I liked it, more than I ever have.

I think the key was listening to it for itself, rather than the constant comparison with the original tracks. Maybe we earn a listening technique with age that can help focus, and cut away the clutter. I now can't help thinking the band's biggest mistake with this album was releasing it when they did, at that point in their career. Too young for it, too close to the originals.

What about you? How does This Left Feel for you now?