So, two weeks afte the album got released I can say I'm still more excited about this album than I was with most albums at the same time in the last 16 years. I put THINFS in my top 3 of the post 2000 albums, yet it has its very own unique quality.

There's also an approvement in the lyrics... while I don't understand why Jon could put a "Living with the ghost" or "Devil" on the album besides "Knockout" and "Born again tomorrow"... but oh well..

I genuily like every song on the album and I think for once John Shanks has not ****ed it up as much as I was afraid he would. "Knockout" sounded strange at first, now I love it. There's a cool bassline going on in the verses and you can actually hear it for once! I discover something more in the mix almost every time I listen to it.

The guitars, while not playing virtuosic stuff, are more in the foreground, I love the groove in the title track and "God bless this mess".
Also Dave's keyboards are more prominent in the mix and not there to put sugar on the sound as on WAN. Actually, in most parts, the album has a very organic feel like a band actually playing together. The ballads follow a pleasant "less is more" attitude... "Scars on this guitar" reminds me of the sound the Stones had on "Exile"... it's so laid back.

I didn't expect me to like the album as much as I do. Here's to the new Bon Jovi.

Favourites:

Devil's in the temple
Living with the ghost
Roller Coaster
New Year's Day
Knockout

And most of the bonus tracks are great, too!

I'm curious to see the Ghost video. Jon said he wanted those videos to bring the lyrics to life, so I wonder if we'll have an honest representation of the song or if they'll somewhat change the meaning in order not to offend anyone :rolleyes:

Geez man calm down. I never get why people get so riled up when there's criticism or a post they don't like. Besides I don't have any real friends, I thought everybody here was my friend and would understand me. Big disappointment. I should go back to drinking like you said

http://i66.tinypic.com/330vl12.jpg

Yeah, but blurred :p

Nah, it's good. They could have chosen recent shows or just shots of Jon. I think it was tactfully done

This. I had a conversation a long time ago with a mega fan who hated the co-writers post TD and basically blamed the newcomers for the decline in the lyrics department. Whaaa? He was convinced that Child was something of an unofficial member and poured his soul into the lyrics. I'd rather have Billy Falcon, he really seems to bring the best out of Jon and their collaboration is more *artistic* than hits-oriented

Desmond Child post2000 has been a hit or miss, on the side of miss tbh

I find it quite amusing that their last official collaboration was Army Of One

Bon Jovi and Desmond Child through the years.

"You Give Love a Bad Name"
"Livin' on a Prayer"
"I'd Die For You"
"Without Love"
"Bad Medicine"
"Born to Be My Baby"
"Blood on Blood"
"Wild is the Wind"
"Does Anybody Really Fall In Love Anymore?"
"Rosie"
"Keep the Faith"
"I'll Sleep When I'm Dead"
"Something for the Pain"
"This Ain't a Love Song" / "Como Yo Nadie Te Ha Amado" (Spanish version)
"Hearts Breaking Even"
"Diamond Ring"
"One Wild Night"
"The Distance"
"Misunderstood"
"All About Lovin' You"
"Hook Me Up"
"Bells of Freedom"
"Dirty Little Secret"
"These Open Arms"
"(You Want to) Make a Memory"
"Let's Make it Baby" (demo, special release)
"Brokenpromiseland"
"Fast Cars"
"Happy Now"
"Learn to Love"
"Army of One"
Still some amazing songs on this list post 2000. In the last ~10 years Brokenpromiseland, and Dirty Little Secret, These Open Arms seem to be fan favorites here as well. I agree that it was time for the band to move in a different direction yet he still contributed to numerous of the band's most beloved songs pre & post 2000.
I recall many members on this board commenting that they needed to write more songs with him moving forward after HAND. I'm just extremely pleased that with all the adjustments and turmoil over the past 5 years, eventually THINFS is the end result of it all. Cheers.

I think with DC it's hit and miss but people treat him like he'll be the return to the "Good old rock" days if they wrote with him more when the board wasn't crazy about Bounce and Army of One got royally crapped on. His songs tend to be the more radio friendly of the bunch which depends on what side of the band you like.

I really like the stuff he contributed to HAND and The Circle. Bounce, well, Misunderstood was ace. But the overall style of the collaborations changed, too. This was already the case around These Days.

Really good insight!!
The list of songs compiled above also indicates they wrote many amazing songs without the services of Desmond Child through the years.

I agree with the notion that Desmond is not a plus, nor a minus.

I feel like the band's post-TD output is not limited by songwriting. It is either limited by 1) band's desire for radio-friendly modern commercial rock genre (more so in 2000s) and 2) decline in Jon's vocal delivery and thus absence of high notes (more so in 2010s). Desmond does not influence either of these things; he only co-writes and that part Jon, John, Billy and whoever else contributes can handle just fine.

I wouldn't mind if Desmond contributes to like one song per album just for tradition sake, but if he doesn't, the end result won't suffer.