It occurs to me that it’s been just over 6 months since the album was released, and like Purist I never wrote a review when everyone else did, so I figured I’d do one now. How has the album held up for the rest of you guys 6 months later?

Warning: this review will be LONG.

Right, track by track:

Have A Nice Day: OK, so thematically and structurally it might be pretty similar to the lead singles off the previous two albums, but it manages to distinguish itself by making at least a partial return to the organic rock of old. The production is great, sounds kinda raw and isn't covered in effects like, for example Everyday, just a big rock song … in a way, it’s more similar to KTF than the previous two lead singles. Really like the drumming, really like the guitars ... especially the semi-acoustic intro riff. Love how raw Jon sounds, especially on the opening lines, and the "Ooooooooooooooooh" at the end. The vocal harmonies under the chorus from IML make a reappearance, although in my opinion they aren't quite as good. Overall, I may really like Everyday and IML, but I think that this is the best song of the three. 8/10 Oh, and in general the demo version is even better … if the best bits of the two were put together, and sounded as raw as the demo, I’d like it even more

I Want To Be Loved: Kinda has "modern rock 101" written all over it, kinda angsty lyrics, simple repetitive riff ... that's probably my main problem with it, it is quite a repetitive song. And has a guitar solo which lasts about two seconds. But on the plus side, the riff sounds good, Jon sounds good, and I do like the lyrics, especially on the second verse. Overall though, the song is a bit too ... controlled is probably the word I'd use. 6 or 7 /10

Welcome To Wherever You Are: Lyrically, I kinda love it and hate it. I like the general theme, and I like some of the lyrics, like “every new beginning is some beginning’s end” or “this is your life, you’ve made it this far. But mainly the lyrics are cheesy as hell … the infamous “God makes no mistakes” line being a case in point. Musically, it’s simple but it works, it’s not flashy or anything. I quite like the strings. Jon does quite a good job with it, the high notes in the chorus are good. Not one of my favourite songs, but I wouldn’t call it a bad song either. 6 or 7 /10

Who Says You Can’t Go Home: It’s good fun. It’s a fairly well written pop song. I quite like the countryish vibe, although I don’t entirely think it constitutes a massive departure in sound. Apart from that, there’s not much more to say about it. I don’t mind the “it’s alright!”s quite as much as everyone else seems to, I can imagine that they provide a pretty good singalong moment. So yeah, overall, a nice fun song, but a bit disposable IMO. 6 or 7 / 10

Last Man Standing: Love it. The intro riff just grabs you, especially what I think is the rhythm guitar. Nice to have a song that actually says something beyond the standard “live my life” component. Pretty much rocks. I know everyone complains about the key Jon sings it in, but I think it works, I couldn’t imagine it sung in any other key, and it allows for contrast with the more forceful vocal delivery near the end. Actually reminds me slightly of Wanted Dead Or Alive, which can’t be a bad thing. 8 or 9 / 10

Bells Of Freedom: Blah blah blah, bells are clichéd … yeah perhaps, but I actually like the way the bells chime and then the guitar slowly fades in underneath. The whole thing has kinda a folky/bluesy Dylanesque vibe, which is fine by me! I love the lyrics to the first verse, I feel it actually allows you to see what it’s describing, and on the line “as I choked back the tears, there’s a silent scream that no one can hear”, such is the passion in Jon’s voice that I think you can almost believe it. Jon does a great job in this one, the “Let ‘em RING!” in the bridge especially is great. Nice to see an outro of sorts as well, even if it’s not all that long. If there’s one complaint, it is of course that the chorus lyrics are a bit … iffy, shall we say. But overall I think this is a really good song. Gonna say 8 / 10.

Wildflower: Ok, firstly this horse is now officially dead. This theme was overused on Crush, I don’t particularly need to be hearing it again. That said, the lyrics themselves aren’t too bad, quite poetic which contrasts nicely with the more direct lyrics of most of the rest of the album, although that also has the effect of making it seem a bit out of place. Musically it’s nothing too exciting, although I’m usually a sucker for strings I think that here they’re far too high in the mix. Again, I have to praise Jon’s vocals on this one … after 6 years of him crooning in sentimental songs, it’s a very welcome change to hear him really belting this one out, especially on the “Nobody knows” bits. And the outro … I can’t say enough how nice it is to hear an old-style BJ outro, this one almost (but not quite) seems to recall the outro from Always with Jon shouting away. Overall, I’d probably give this song a 6 / 10. And please, no more rewrites of it.