Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOriginalJez
I voted 7... after 2 days of listening I want to vote higher but I can't. It's a much stronger album, overall, than anything since These Days. There's only one thing missing from Devil's in the Temple to make it at least equal anything on These Days. And that's my problem...
See, Knockout, Born Again Tomorrow - they're two low points but they're at least partly saved by Phil. Much in the way Richie sort of saved Because We Can. I just wonder if Phil was allowed in Temple, Scars and Mess... I'm not bemoaning Richie's absence as such, but previous Jovi almost every song allowed for a Richie interlude whether the song called for it or not, on THINFS we seem to be avoiding that at all costs. Except on the weaker songs. Temple + a very short Phil solo = pure gold. It's no turd as it is, I ****ing love it but it just took a short stroke to perfect it and that's missing.
This album deserves 10 but poor choices give it a fair 7 I guess. Still, 5 points better than WAN...
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It's a good point. However, I actually think it is almost commendable that this is not a "guitar" album per se. Jon could have stuck it to Richie by using Phil X (a guitarist with considerable chops) to put out some serious guitar work all over the record.
He didn't, which at least shows that the general direction of the music in recent years is what Jon believes in and not some scheme to push Richie to the side.
This album misses those odd bursts of guitar for me too, but I am not sure they would be there even if Richie was on board.