2 Very Special Bon Jovi Projects

Billboard is reporting Bon Jovi New Jersey Deluxe Edition is no 73 on Billboard 200
http://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200?page=3

If they go by that logic it would at least explain the immense quality decrease of their studio output since 2000. I'm sure they've been thinking "people are going to download our records anyway - so let's NOT put too much effort into making good music anymore!"

John Melloncamp admitted to that albums ago.

Sorry for going off topic, but does anybody else find the vocals in Does Anybody Really Fall In Love Anymore a little odd sounding? There are some places during the chorus where Jon's voice sounds strange; I thought it was just his voice cracking but upon a closer listen it's almost as if it was autotuned or there were multiple takes that were spliced together rather poorly. Or is it the reverb on his vocals that are making this effect?

Not off topic at all. And Yes. Especially between 51:00 to 51:02 (start it a little earlier). What's that all about?

Sounds like a cracking voice or f'ed tape.

Yeah, it's just his voice cracking, I guess. After all, it's just a demo, so why not keep the take? Especially since it's obviously an early demo...

I think it's a small part of it.

But you also have to consider that the record company does not want a band like Bon Jovi in the studio burning money. They make cash when they are out on the road and that’s where everyone involved wants to see them.

The best thing this band could do would be to craft an album over a couple of years and not opt for a concentrated amount of time in the studio.

I don't think it's that extreme. Jon has his own studio where most of the work gets done plus they've always pumped albums out pretty quickly. Blaze was written and recorded in a month.

I think the lack of quality comes from the lack quantity. Instead of writing 40 songs for an album and picking the best 12, they have been writing 15 songs for an album and picking the best 12.... And then just over producing them.... Plus Jon's vocal struggles....Lack of comradery.....etc

So why write 40, when you could write 15 and still have the same end result?

Fair point, plus I think it's Jon running out of inspiration in the last years. According to Richie he obviously doesn't want to sing songs about "broken hearts" etc (i.e. proper love songs) anymore as he seems to consider himself an artist with serious topics. But he either doesn't have the talent or the inspiration to write tunes from a social critical standpoint. While TC had it's promising lyric line every now and then, WAN lacked completely with regards to the lyrical content.

On another note I don't feel that it's the record company pushing them to hurry in a studio since Jon stated in the past: "We go into the recording studio with the songs 90% finished. We don't waste too much time in there."
The difference is that in the past those almost completed tracks were developed by the band while nowadays Jon, John and Bobby lay down most of the basics and the other input by especially Dave, Tico and Hugh seems to be minimalized to playing some fills over it.