Can I try and clear one thing up?
 

Whats with the undying love for these days? Its not their best album by FAR and yet people here preach about it like it was their magnum opus. Is it because Jovi fans feel it was criminally misunderstood by the press and public at the time they feel the need to constantly defend it? I get some points - it was "dark" more "meaningful" etc but that still doesnt make for good music.

Im not saying These Days is bad, far from it. I just think the love for it here is way over the top. In terms of quality albums I think is pretty middle of the road. Not as bad as Crush / Bounce / 7800 but nowhere near as good as SWW, NJ or KTF. Yet to follow the constant referencing you'd think it was the best thing they had ever done.

Just had to get that off my chest. Thoughts?

Different people like different things. We'd all be a really boring bunch if we only liked to listen to Slippery.

I love These Days. It's not my favourite album, but I'm a fan of this different course that Bon Jovi took with their song writing.

Well it's the old discussion around here too. TD is my favourite album ever and I think it's their best. I think I'm being objective when I say that - given that you really can't be objective and cool-headed when it comes to music. I can listen to that album time and time again and never get tired and always discover something new.

Damn right. You in or out?

As for TD there are quite alot of songs I think are downright terrible on it such as Its Hard Letting You Go and If Thats What it Takes. I dont think Hearts Breaking Even is a good song but in a bizarre kinda way I still like it. I never really got into Bleesing or Something to Believe in either which is something of a semi crime.

However This Aint a Love Song is one of those songs that come along once in a lifetime which reflect exactly how you are feeling at that point in time and in a way help you get through. When I got TD soon after I went through a pretty horrible break up and that song was like a best friend who knew exactly what I was going through. For that alone TD will have a place in my heart.

I don't think it's their best CD, but it is a good work. There are some utter crap songs on it (Something for the Pain, for instance, makes me cringe), but some brilliant ones too (My Guitar, Something to Believe In). I enjoy it because it's such a full sounding CD. I love that they incorporated more instruments than just the basics.

Becky

I love Something for the Pain

i'd defend these days to my bones- it's by far my favourite bj album and the reason is simply cause it's the album that turned me into a bj fan. i also think it's the record with the best sounds and the best songs...

Its not my favourite album and I wouldnt listen to it all that often but I do like a lot of the songs on it....the only ones I dont like are Hey God, Damned & This Ain't A Love Song.
I think my favourite is Bitter Wine, I really love that song.

I'm with you - it's not the album that made me a fan - New Jersey did that. It was however so different that I just fell in love with it - yes there are some cheesy songs on it - but overall it's a more mature work than their earlier stuff (and even some of their later stuff). And all that aside - I can put it on just about any time and enjoy it. Just for the record - I usually enjoy the harder rocking songs - from other groups too - but there is something about These Days that captured me when it came out and has never let go.

Kathleen