Jovitalk - Bon Jovi Fan Community

From Playgrounds Magazine
-a local Columbus, Ga magazine-
The way "Bounce" is bouncing up the charts it could turn out to be the biggest album of their career. There's nothing really different here it's sort of "Crush" Part II, but if you love that happy 80's rock you'll this album! "Crush" sold over 8 million albums so they have wisely not tampered with the formula one bit. "Bounce" debuted at #1! Bon Jovi, along with U2, are evolving into the most likely big stadium act of the next decade.
"Undivided" is dirty anthemic rock. "Everyday" is catchy with a drop-dead melody and all over the radio already. "The Distance" impressed me with Richie Sambora's guitars, "Joey" and "Right Side of Wrong" sound like early Elton John songs. "Misunderstood" and "Love me back to life" are made for radio play. "Hook Me Up" an the title track are just screaming to be played in stadiums! There are a couple of sappy love songs as always, "Open All Night" and "You Had Me At Hello" - sappy enough for Lionel Ritchie!
"Bounce" works really well because it contains something for everybody, from hard rock to silly love songs. Bon Jovi's long-term fans have reached maturity and so have the band, but the music remains the same.
~Alice Barkwell~

now, a note from me: first of all she had several mistakes in there. A few I corrected. She had "Love me back to life" as "Love YOU back to life." And she mispelled Richie's name as Ritchie Samboura. Not a bad review...but not the best either. Now for a good review read the next one...

Metal Edge Magazine
Their eigth studio disc since the debut "Bon Jovi album back in 1984, "Bounce" is an evolution of the classic Bon Jovi sound, tempered by the band's maturity as musicians. And with it, the self-proclaimed New Jersey Syndicate has create a solid album that elaborates on the complexit of various life relationships. What "Bounce" singularly accomplishes to great effect is an ability to project the importance of music as songs, rather than disjointe cacophony of noise. As a result, nearly all of these twelve trackes resonate with the intent focus of a band, making them impacting and very emotive. The talent of the band, particulary that of guitarist Richie Sambora, lies in emphasizing the feel of each song, understanding when to subdue overindulgent virtuosity to let the song speak for itself. But that isn't to say that "Bounce" doesn't rock. A somewhat heavier sound in certain instances, such as the unifying theme of "Undivided" or the forceful "Hook Me Up," is wonderful, and almost abrasive. Ultimately, "Bounce" is demonstrative of Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi being masterful storytellers. With an instinctive ability to weave the nuances of everyman through their music with subtle lyrical finesse - particularly "Hey Joey" and "Right Side Of Wrong" - the two principal songwriters appeal to a wide spectrum of emtional common ground. It occansionally misses the mark somewhat, as a result of sounding a bit too contrived- such as the sugar "Open All Night" - but not all that often, and as a result, "Bounce" will potentially remain in the CD player for longer than just a cursory listen.
-Roger Lotring.