[Alphavictim]

Originally Posted by Sossy

Well, I would like to comment here normally, but when I see al those hater-Fans, I don´t have any nerves for this. I gave up on talking against a wall of steel. Which is actually consisting of people who don´t accept my views and who spoil my mood about my favorite music!

You can like the album all you want, nobody is stopping you from doing that. Nobody is giving you shit for that, either. But people are free to dislike the album just the same. That's not hating at all. If you check out the recent poll, The Circle finished up rather high on the charts. It's not a matter of people being haters regarding all the new releases by the band. Opinions that differ from yours are not "mean", and I would seriously suggest to leave that mindset behind, especially if you're older than 15 and/or on the internet.

Freu dich doch, wenn dir das Album gefällt, aber lass' Anderen auch ihre Meinung - auch wenn die sein mag, dass das Album kacke ist.

[Rdkopper]

It depends on which view point you take. If you compare it to anything from '83 to '95, you might take one stance but if you take it as a 51 year old aged rock star with no voice, you might have a different one.

It's probably my least favorite album in the collection but I still find some songs somewhat enjoyable. A change in production with a stronger vocal would have changed a lot. If Jon recorded and produced these songs in 1990, it would be a different album all together. But he would also add flavor to it that no longer exists due to abilities and / or the times.

After times passes, I look at an album, tour, and time period as one. Example, I'm not crazy about the Destination Anywhere period if you break it all down individually (album, tour, and time period as one) but collectively there is some really great stuff in there when you take out all the highlights.

2013 wasn't a total bust for me. There are a few songs on the album I like, there a few songs where I enjoy the live versions better, and then even the tour had a few highlights to enjoy so when you mix all the positive together, I'm not totally bitter like everyone else.

The album is part of my collection so when I hit shuffle and a WAN track come on, it doesn't make me cringe the same a TLFR song does.

[semigoodlookin]

Originally Posted by Rdkopper

If Jon recorded and produced these songs in 1990, it would be a different album all together. But he would also add flavor to it that no longer exists due to abilities and / or the times.

The biggest problem with the album for me is that the songs seem unfinished, they sound and feel like first drafts so to speak. I think a hungrier band would have expanded on the ideas both lyrically and musically. I still don't think it would be a strong album per say, but it could have been much easier to accept if it didn't feel like music for the sake of touring.

[Rdkopper]

I've said this a million times in multiple treads and I'll keep on saying it...

What made Jon so good was his vocal passion delivery. We've all watched an X-Factor or Idol shows and what makes a song believable is all in the vocal delivery. Jon was the master of it back in the day. It's easier to see with the cover songs Jon did... Levon, How Long Has This Been Going On, Can't Help Falling In Love, Etc...

When you have a producer add effects to his vocals, it instantly strips the passion away and takes from the song... and to even take it one step further, they rely on the overproduction to carry the song. The end result is not Bon Jovi... This is all in addition to the lack of song development.

On the flip side, Jon can't do it anymore so he really has no choice. However, I do think a different producer could get it right.

[nickolai]

It was shit back then, and its still shit now

[bwehehehe]

If it weren't for the production half the album would be listenable for me.

Because We Can - The only reason I even liked this in the first place is because it's catchy. That's it.

I'm With You - They. Wasted. One. Hell. Of. A. Song. This could have been my favorite if it weren't for the ridiculous production.

What About Now - My second most disliked BJ song ever (behind Who Says).

Pictures of You - This is one of the only two songs in the album that actually fits in said production.

Amen - JBJ and John had one job. The song could have easily shown passion if not for that HEEEEEEEEEYYYMMMEEEEEEIIIIIINNNNNNN!!!!

That's What the Water Made Me - I like this better live. The production (and the lack of a decent guitar solo) ruined this song.

What's Left of Me - It's actually a fine song, but nothing exceptional. As one guy said here, it's Saturday Night meets Lost Highway.

Army of One - A meh song. The only part that comes close to redeeming this is the last part, but not that close.

Thick as Thieves - I have a bias for ballads, but the lyrics. One of the 5 tracks in this album I still listen (the others are BWC, Room at the End of the World, With These Two Hands and Into The Echo).

Beautiful World - Another meh song in the album. I wonder what Jon has got in his mind about the lyrics, especially with the preceding song.

Room At The End of The World - My personal favorite in the album. It does quite well under said production, but I really believe this song has the most potential in the entire album. If we put 90s Richie and TD-era production into this song, this thing can be one hell of a masterpiece.

The Fighter - Another meh snoozefest-inducing acoustic track.

With These Two Hands - Another song ruined by production and flat out laziness on Jon and Richie's part. Could have been a lot better.

Not Running Anymore - Compare the production of this (and OHDH) to the rest of the album. Less artifically-induced rasp. Not bad but at least we can see a maturer form of songwriting from Jon here.

Old Habits Die Hard - The one song that always gets cut off by 3 seconds when I load the CD. His tone here is reminiscent of Crush-era, so I tend to imagine this song if it were repurposed to a more pop-friendly sound.

Into the Echo - Takes me back to 2000 everytime I listen to it. A decent song that reminds me of the somber tone in some songs from Crush which needs more Richie. Should have replaced The Fighter.

There could have been a few gems there if it weren't for the crappy production, the hilarious tweaking of Jon's voice (and those damn backing vocals in I'm With You), and the general lack of passion in his part. The less said about the tour (did he smoke again?), the better. The only thing that got better there was the sound of Dave's keys.

Oh, and also I have a bias for slow songs, so some of my views are quite unpopular.

[KSantaFe]

Originally Posted by bwehehehe

Room At The End of The World - My personal favorite in the album. It does quite well under said production, but I really believe this song has the most potential in the entire album. If we put 90s Richie and TD-era production into this song, this thing can be one hell of a masterpiece.

I'm glad someone else shares my opinion of this song.

[jovifan93]

Originally Posted by Bounce7800

You can't turn the song up to any decent volume without the vocals sounding really bad, I can't really describe it.

That's one thing I really don't understand about that album. The production is so bad, even from a technical standpoint, that it really sounds excellent on one pair of speakers and like sh*t, drowned in reverb, without any brilliance, etc. on another pair of speakers. Shouldn't happen to a pro like Shanks, like him or not...

[Rdkopper]

Originally Posted by bwehehehe

If it weren't for the production half the album would be listenable for me.

Because We Can - The only reason I even liked this in the first place is because it's catchy. That's it.

I'm With You - They. Wasted. One. Hell. Of. A. Song. This could have been my favorite if it weren't for the ridiculous production.

What About Now - My second most disliked BJ song ever (behind Who Says).

Pictures of You - This is one of the only two songs in the album that actually fits in said production.

Amen - JBJ and John had one job. The song could have easily shown passion if not for that HEEEEEEEEEYYYMMMEEEEEEIIIIIINNNNNNN!!!!

That's What the Water Made Me - I like this better live. The production (and the lack of a decent guitar solo) ruined this song.

What's Left of Me - It's actually a fine song, but nothing exceptional. As one guy said here, it's Saturday Night meets Lost Highway.

Army of One - A meh song. The only part that comes close to redeeming this is the last part, but not that close.

Thick as Thieves - I have a bias for ballads, but the lyrics. One of the 5 tracks in this album I still listen (the others are BWC, Room at the End of the World, With These Two Hands and Into The Echo).

Beautiful World - Another meh song in the album. I wonder what Jon has got in his mind about the lyrics, especially with the preceding song.

Room At The End of The World - My personal favorite in the album. It does quite well under said production, but I really believe this song has the most potential in the entire album. If we put 90s Richie and TD-era production into this song, this thing can be one hell of a masterpiece.

The Fighter - Another meh snoozefest-inducing acoustic track.

With These Two Hands - Another song ruined by production and flat out laziness on Jon and Richie's part. Could have been a lot better.

Not Running Anymore - Compare the production of this (and OHDH) to the rest of the album. Less artifically-induced rasp. Not bad but at least we can see a maturer form of songwriting from Jon here.

Old Habits Die Hard - The one song that always gets cut off by 3 seconds when I load the CD. His tone here is reminiscent of Crush-era, so I tend to imagine this song if it were repurposed to a more pop-friendly sound.

Into the Echo - Takes me back to 2000 everytime I listen to it. A decent song that reminds me of the somber tone in some songs from Crush which needs more Richie. Should have replaced The Fighter.

There could have been a few gems there if it weren't for the crappy production, the hilarious tweaking of Jon's voice (and those damn backing vocals in I'm With You), and the general lack of passion in his part. The less said about the tour (did he smoke again?), the better. The only thing that got better there was the sound of Dave's keys.

Oh, and also I have a bias for slow songs, so some of my views are quite unpopular.

This is one of the best reviews I've read regarding this album. Couldn't agree more... especially with Amen.

[Iceman]

Originally Posted by Alphavictim

das Album kacke ist.

Ice