What was the last album you genuinely enjoyed?

The album is called What About Now

Hard to say, but genuinely speaking, probably Lost Highway. To this day, it's the only post-'05 BJ album I still regularly listen to as a whole and not just some of the songs. Any Other Day is probably one of the best post-2k Jovi tracks, and I love Memory, Whole Lot Of Leavin' and Strangers as well. Hell, even the title track and We Got It Going On are alright for me. I remember being seven and waiting for the release date of the album as if it was my birthday. On the LH tour I also saw the band live for the first time in Helsinki - I can still clearly remember the eight-year-old me going absolutely bananas when Always started. And I don't think words can even express the pure relief of not having to hear I Love This Town there, as even back then I hated the damn song with passion!

I had become a BJ fan in early '04, and the first release I had gotten straight myself was 100,000 BJFCBW - prior to that, I had "borrowed" Keep The Faith, Cross Road, These Days, Crush and Bounce from my dad, and the poor guy still hasn't gotten them back...

In September '05 I was super excited as I got Have A Nice Day immediately when it was released. Even back then I acknowledged Who Says was a giant pile of shit, but otherwise I loved the album to death and still do. Actually, it's probably my favorite post-2k BJ record. I know some of you may think I've gone nuts (hardly surprising, I know), but I f***ing love Last Cigarette and Complicated! Both are insanely catchy and among the (relatively small amount of) pre-'07 songs Jon would still be able to sing live nowadays.

THINFS

I'd go as far as saying I love it. I still listen to it quite often throughout the week.

Songs have actually grown on me too. I think THINFS is a superb song. I always liked it but it's grew on me so much. I actually love Jon's vocals on it! The opening line especially..

Labor Of Love has grew on me loads too. But I'd say 80% I love/really like. Reunion is probably the song I'm really 'meh' about.

Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk

True true, guess I should sleep more....

The wonders that autotune can do...

Summed up perfectly.

I've genuinely enjoyed all albums, so the answer is THINFS for me. There were a few duff songs at the end of WAN, but I still enjoy the songs that Bon Jovi put out. Despite the decline in the live shows, I'm still more than happy with the studio output. They may not be a patch on the highs from These Days backwards, but I still enjoy them nonetheless.

Autotune isn't perfected... It's just how songs are recorded in a studio verses being sung live...

Sent from my HTCD160LVW using Tapatalk

Have A Nice Day is easily the best album they've done since the "comeback" in 2000; and I actually like it better than These Days since it doesn't plod as much.

That being said, The Circle has some damn fine songwriting, too. The performances are way less inspired, though, and as a result - aha! - it plods quite a bit. HAND was the last album that felt like a band effort - Lost Highway definitely had lively performances, but I never liked the songwriting, and the noticeable switch in direction made it feel less like it was crafted by the hand as much as some sort of JBJ/RS/Nashville studio project (which it stared out as, if I'm not mistaken).

THINFS feels like a Richie-less The Circle, which is way better than I expected, but makes me wonder what could have been.

I also really like Bounce, but that came out before HAND, so it doesn't really matter as far as "last album I really enjoyed" is concerned. WAN is better than its reputation, but could have REALLY used more time. Hell, imagine Room At The End Of The World with an elaborate KTF-style production, performance & band interplay. Stuff like I'm With You works as a simple pop song (GREAT solo, though), but some of these songs feel like they could have gone beyond that. But they never did. The Richie co-penned tracks in particular feel underdeveloped. Also, like with THINFS, the vocals and their production are a definite step below what came before.

As far as the last SONG that really kicked my ass - that's a more recent one. Who Would You Die For is spectacular, with its more subdued atmosphere and the raspy vocal in the chorus. Didn't really care for most of BB (Teardrop To The Sea was very good, too, however), but that track... man.

bounce is the last record that holds certain elements of original bon jovi sound, 2002 is the end of that bon jovi sound for me. I like the albums released after that though. Burning bridges and this house are my favourite amongst those.