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Quote:

Originally Posted by Rdkopper (Post 1265383)

I'll give the song a 5 out of 10.

Let me just note for the record that regardless of political views, George Floyd's death was beyond tragic however I'm just reviewing the song itself, not the written content.

Negatives:
1. Not only has Jon been lowering the keys, singing in one note, he's now basically talking the verses and even semi talking the chorus... But the Stones made a career out of it so why not?

2. His speech... The way he pronounces certain words like "Badge". He's also slurry / spitting words. He really needs a new vocal coach to reset him.

3. No Real Melody, No Hooks, Nothing to grab you.

4. The songs been done already. As I stated a few times now, it's a Bruce song from 20 years ago.

Positive:
1. The Production: Considering it was done virtually, the sound came out pretty good. It's not just killed with Shanks overproduction.

2. It's better than Do What You Can - which might be the single worst song Jon has ever done. Joey and Working Man are masterpieces compared to that one.

Neutral:
1. It's 2013 again when Jon put those two Stand Up Guy songs on What About Now as bonus tracks... I feel like we're back to that again... Same feel...Some fans embraced it, some hated it, and others were neutral.

2. The Lyrics. I was a day behind everyone (or at least a few hours) and based on everyone's reviews, I was expected to be blow away. I've always said that Jon's strength to this very day are his lyrics so they are not bad by any means but they aren't off the charts either. "The Spirits, The Intoxicate Me, I Watch Them Infiltrate My Soul" are bad ass lyrics.

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I wonder if it's delivery or just the amount of compression and effects to keep his voice sounding good. His live voice feels much thinner and more brittle, these songs after all the editing come out sounding too thick if that makes sense?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain_jovi (Post 1265384)

Fair enough, I see where you're coming from. For what it's worth, I was under the under the impression he's using "I can't breathe" in this instance due to George Floyd's last words etc. I think taking issue with X on fire twice is a bit of a stretch but I get it.

It is for sure hollow in points but I fall into the camp where I'd rather something specific than universal. I genuinely can't take another empty, universal song. He can write those in his sleep at this point. Get off your knees, sparks and fires, blind men can see, raise your hand. Sincerely, I'm done with it. It doesn't make this song better but it makes it hit harder.

There was “fire in the sky” for We Dont Run and he was “torching the skyline” during “When we were us” too. He uses the fire metaphor a fair bit and I think he could have done better here.

I don’t want a universal song in the vein of Everyday, WWBTF, Live Before You Die or any of that shite. They’re just empty cliches.

But if I look at songs like Always, SIBSN, IHLYG, Lie To Me, WLOL, MAM, LWTG they all spoke to me because they went beyond empty simplistic cliches and tapped into real experiences. Jon has a talent for taking how he feels and turning it into what everyone else feels too. All those IML clones were just simplistic nonsense with a very childish message. In my view, those songs are much worse than American Reckoning.

The I'cant Breath has probably been used before because it fitted the situation, but this time it is one of the 'main things' about the situation because it literally led to George's death

I am trying not to grade songs anymore. I try to listen more with my heart. Especially with this very topic! He sings what he feels and it touches me. The line about the kid brought me to tears. The harmonica stands out and it is very special to me. For me, this is why I started loving this band, apart from the drive in the rock songs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonJovi (Post 1265386)

I get what you say about the clones but there are lines in this that are far from being lazy and empty. The opposite. At least for me! And BTW:I think 'shining a light' is a beautiful metaphor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by faith1985 (Post 1265388)

I get what you say about the clones but there are lines in this that are far from being lazy and empty. The opposite. At least for me! And BTW:I think 'shining a light' is a beautiful metaphor.

Shine a Light actually doesn’t bother me from this. I think it fits quite well. It’s just the first verse I’ve a problem with. The rest is lyrically pretty good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonJovi (Post 1265381)

True but that’s not really my point. The big hits, “Prayer”, “Bad Name”, “IBTFY”, “Bed of Roses”, “In These Arms”, TAALS”, “IML” we’re all songs that people could personally relate to and apply to their lives.

Bed of Roses?! The "some blonde gave me nightmares, I think she's still in my bed" line is a tad too rock starish for me to relate to (whether you apply it to a hungry groupie or a blonde guitar).

This song kind of leaves me with a bittersweet taste. Simply because I've come to realize that our verdict, "decent lyrics for the last years and it serves its purpose quite well" is probably the best we're ever gonna get from now on.
Jon's vocal limitations and the fact that he criminally underuses his band have pressed it all into a mould that I don't think will work in the long run.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam D (Post 1265371)

Jon, as a white man, is commenting on the fact that he will never have to have the talk with his kids in the same way that black parents have to have with theirs.

Black parents have to look at the police differently than almost any other race in the US. I can't imagine what it must be like to have to train your kids, basically from birth, to be wary of the police and law enforcement.

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Maybe it's just me - but I am as white as you can be and I have been hassled by the cops since I was 16. Even my car was suspect. I was a "hippie" then and fair game for the cops. Once I had kids, it turned out that any teenage boy was fairgame for the cops. (I had 2 boys first) My eldest son had a gun drawn on him in front of his own home in Ridgewood, NJ because somebody called the cops and said he was making them uncomfortable. UNCOMFORTABLE? Both Paul and I were at the police station the next morning and filing a complaint. So yes - I had the same talk with my kids as any good black parent would. Don't beak the law and avoid the cops at all costs. To this day I won't support the cops.

It's been 15 years of bigger-than-life-optimism-everyone-can-relate-to. How can anyone bitch that he finally writes a song about a subject matter directly if that's the big issue. *shrugs* He's never going to do a song most of us love but he actually wrote a non moon/June/spoon song about something. Maybe my standards have been horribly lowered but this is steps in the right direction.

Aloha !

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain_jovi (Post 1265397)

Maybe my standards have been horribly lowered but this is steps in the right direction.

Yes, your standards have been horribly lowered. You're making up excuses as to why you think you should like it. That step in the right direction is mentioned every time Jon changes something up that's supposedly better.

The heavy guitars on Bounce were a step in the right direction. And no weak ballads on Have A Nice Day were a step in the direction. And the production on Lost Highway was a step in the right direction. And the absence of country songs on The Circle were a step in the right direction. The production on What About Now were a step in the right direction.

Jon's taken so many steps in the right direction he ought to be there by now but for every step in the right direction he still takes two backwards.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan