I've had the album pretty much on repeat at any opportunity I've had to play it...
After one day I'd listened to it more times than I've listened to WAN in 3 years, so that can only be a good thing.
This House is Not For Sale - 7/10 - Didn't really like it at the time it was initially released, and it's the standard sort of album opener we expect, but it's not as bad as I thought.
Living With the Ghost - 7/10 - Largely about the relationship with Richie apparently, and it's sold, if a little uninspiring.
Knockout - 7/10 - Pretty much this album's "Have a Nice Day". Solid
Born Again Tomorrow - 9/10 - Bon Jovi meets Calvin Harris & Coldplay. I really like it and I think, should it be released as a single, with regular air play, it would do well. Unfortunately that won't be the case!!
Roller Coaster - 6.5/10 - All I hear is "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World
New Year's Day - 7.5/10 - Powerful, especially considering the topic is the rebirth of the band under it's new guise
The Devil's In the Temple - 9/10 - Sticks out a bit like "If I Were Your Mother" on KTF in terms of it being quite heavy. Very much of the late 90s sound. Surprised they decided to pull it from Burning Bridges and stick it on here.
Scars on This Guitar - 7/10 - First of the real ballad songs on the album, but nowhere as bad as some of the turgid ballads we've had recently.
God Bless This Mess - 5/10 - Sounds like something from Lost Highway (an album I don't really like). It's just filler really
Reunion - 9/10 - I really shouldn't like this song.... but I love it! Definitely has an echo of "Whole Lot of Leaving" in the opening bars, and I personally find the chorus is a bit of a rip-off of "I Will Wait" by Mumford & Sons, but it works really well. I remember seeing the acoustic version from the actual graduation ceremony and being very meh about it... Shows what getting together with the band in the studio can do!
Come On Up To Our House - 7/10 - A fairly pleasant album closer. I'd like them to start finishing albums off with a punch, but recently they've been more closing time at the pub sort of songs.
Real Love - 4/10 - Blind Love Pt 2. Enough said...
All Hail The King - 8/10 - First time listening to it I suddenly thought Jon had had a revelation moment and found God, then I saw the Broadway stream, with explanation. I preferred my interpretation...
We Don't Run - 8.5/10 - It's My Life Pt2. Screw the haters... I love this song.
I Will Drive You Home - 8/10 - There's just something about this song that, for me, makes it hard to dislike. Jon's voice is way down to a level we've never heard, and it actually sounds really good.
Goodnight New York - 5/10 - It's a fun song, but it's the sort of thing that you'd imagine being played on TV during an ad campaign.
Overall - 7.5/10
You could probably listen to every song and pick out it's near equivalent from previous albums, not that this is a bad thing!
However, it's not an album that screams out that it's a Stadium Tour album. I wouldn't pay for a ticket to go and hear the songs played live. I don't want to pay money just to go and hear the old songs again either, so this time around, after 20 years, unless they play MK Bowl, I'm out...
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Bon Jovi & Solo Shows:
Milton Keynes Bowl 1996
The Forum 1997 (Jon)
Shepherd's Bush Empire 1998 (Richie)
Wembley Stadium 2000 (Sat)
Wembley Stadium 2000 (Sun)
Milton Keynes Bowl 2001
CD:UK 2002
Shepherd's Bush Empire 2002
Wembley Arena 2002 (Capital Request)
Wolverhampton 2003
Milton Keynes Bowl 2006
O2 Arena 2007
Twickenham 2008
O2 Arena 2010 (19th June)
O2 Arena 2010 (25th June - 40 mins of it anyway!)
Villa Park 2013
Hyde Park 2013
Last edited by Walkerboy; 11-01-2016 at 06:43 PM..
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