New Studio Album - Forever

I may need a bit more time before I’ll be able to write my own review. I love the album. That much I can say right away.

In the meantime, I just got my physical CD from Japan.

For the first time ever, there’s no pictures at all inside the booklet. Just the lyrics, nothing more. This really amazes me. Is it just the Japanese edition or is it the same with all versions? (I assume they all are the same…)

But why on earth? Normally the booklet is filled with promo pictures (not on BB, though… But it wasn’t a ‘real’ album).

Funny how this works. I wasn't super impressed by this first batch but the fact that the second half (and especially the last 4 songs) goes downhill pretty quickly for me has elevated them quite a bit to the point where I'll do something I rarely do... and that is to change my mind about a song.

-Legendary: 5.5/10 solid effort for a BJ single. Good opener

-We Made it Look Easy: 6/10 I *GASP* did a 180 on this one. Still think it has soo much wasted potential but sandwiched in between the other two works like a charm and I like how it's a follow up to the themes of THINFS. Still, way lesser version than WWWU which I adore

-Living Proof: 6/10 Still too contrived for me but better than recent efforts at going back to the roots so I can't hate. Talkbox is just nails on chalkboard, guitarwork not really that great so minus point that.

-Waves: 7.5/10 I think I was too overwhelmed at this point to properly judge this song but even though I didn't know how to rate on first listen it I knew right away it was my favorite from the first batch, then from the whole album, and finally one of my faves from the last 20 years. I think both the lyrics and the song could've been stronger so it'll never be the perfect song but I know this one will stand the test of time

-Seeds: 6.5/10 Not much to add, like how different it sounds and it's one of the standouts of the album for sure


If this was the album I'll give it a 7 for sure, but I don't like the rest of the songs (except "Walls of Jericho" WHICH I WILL ****ING SING ALONG TO EVERY SINGLE TIME, "Kiss the Bride" which is cute, and the bonus track).

I think it's still a 6.5 album at most because for me it has lots of skips. But to be fair so had 2020, TC & LH

Nah, I was wrong, don't care for these songs and I rated them waaaay to high on first listen.

"Walls of Jericho" is a solid 7 for me, "Kiss the Bride" a 5.5 (I'm surprised that it's such a traditional song with the church, the groom and the bride etc instead of a more universal, modern one ), the rest were kicked out of my playlist really quick as did the drivel that comes afterwards.

And yes, I called the last 2 songs of the album drivel. Can't stand them, sorry. I'd rather listen to that plastic Ed Sheeran song on repeat than to be subjected to introspective Jon again. And I used to love that Jon and be one of his main defenders. NOT ANYMORE, inject silly stadium anthems into my veins please.

The standard UK edition is just the lyrics, the last 2 pages are the logo and the album credits. Long gone are the days of the likes of booklets in These days.

Thank you. So I thought. They changed the rules I guess.

Far less money to be made selling a CD now, everything is usually cut back.

I don't know how many on here remember The Clash's song Should I Stay or Should I Go? That is almost the feeling I get about Bon Jovi now. They do a doc. with the title Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story--sounds like they are going away. Then in interviews they clearly sound like they are staying.

They make a J-word (I'm not going to type it) album sounds like they are staying, but end it with the song Hollow Man which certainly sounds like they are going away. Why put the song Hollow Man on a J-word album? I unlike some others don't have a problem with the song I like it, but I just don't think it belongs on this album. While it doesn't remind me of it musically in any way, however, it does give me the vibe of Hurt. The Nine Inch Nails song that was covered by Johnny Cash. It is definitely not a J-word vibe.

I’m not really buying this “joy” thing anyway. I think it’s joyful in the same way Jon said the band were in a great mood writing These Days. Not that Forever is dark by any stretch—but if you throw aside the empty calories (the single, the IML clone, the worthless Sheeran filler track) I think you’re left with an album that’s pretty contemplative and certainly could be construed as a man dealing with his midlife crisis—Waves, Seeds, First Guitar, and to a lesser extent the ballads all fit that. I actually really like Hollow Man as a closer. Though Jon seems adamant it’s not the case, it seems like such a clear view into his psyche after 2022. I know he claims he was just “writing about how he had nothing to say” like he’s done before—but I’d say both BOR and My Guitar Lies Bleeding (two other songs he’s done that with) are definitely about something deeper than writers block.

I agree with you. Saw some comments that Seeds would be a better closer, I get why, but seems like wouldn't work for me, even changing the order of the other songs.

It's like he stated throughout Forever "listen, here is my whole story - the joy (Legendary), the glory (We Made It Look Easy), the enough-is-enough times (Living Proof), the moment I didn't see clearly until demage was done (Waves), what we do and will keep doing (Walls Of Jericho), my anxiety and fears (I Wrote You A Song), how it all began (My First Guitar), who I am today (Hollow Man)".

The bridge of that song also make it worth to be there:

I'm a blank page, clean slate
At night, I'll give my soul away
When nothin's left, I'll give you a smile
I got these chords that won't wait
I'm much too vain to masturbate
No sacrificin' substance for style
Aw, anyway, ha, I got you to smile

And he will keep going on 'till there's just a smile left.

Great post! Explained as you did it the album did have to close with Hollow Man.