[Matrix15]

Been listening to both Circle and HAND recently for comparison, before the Circle arrived HAND was my fave of the last 10 year of albums, when the Circle came out there was a huge furor over how good the circle was and I thought HAND was crushed by the circle, however, now the circles been out for a while I've started leaning back toward HAND.

I rated each song out of ten and worked out a % for each album.

1. "Have a Nice Day" 8/10
2. "I Want to be Loved" 7/10
3. "Welcome to Wherever You Are" 5/10
4. "Who Says You Can't Go Home" 6/10
5. "Last Man Standing" 6/10
6. "Bells of Freedom" 7/10
7. "Wildflower" 5/10
8. "Last Cigarette" 5/10
9. "I Am" 8/10
10. "Complicated" 8/10
11. "Novocaine" 7/10
12. "Story of My Life" 7/10

Overall score: 79/120 which translates into about 65%

As for my current Circle song ratings (a noticable drop from when they first came out):

1. "We Weren't Born to Follow" 6/10
2. "When We Were Beautiful" 6/10
3. "Work for the Working Man" 5/10
4. "Superman Tonight" 9/10
5. "Bullet" 8/10
6. "Thorn in My Side" 8/10
7. "Live Before You Die" 7/10
8. "Brokenpromiseland" 7/10
9. "Love's the Only Rule" 9/10
10. "Fast Cars" 8/10
11. "Happy Now" 6/10
12. "Learn to Love" 6/10

Overall Score: 85/120 which works out as 70%

On paper, I prefer the circle but for some reason my gut instinct is HAND. So which album do you guys prefer out of the two and why?

[davidbow1e]

Once again...I love the circle...but HAND was the first BJ album I bought. I have a special place in me that appreciates every song on that album (aside from WSYCGH feat. J. Nettles....stupid american version). But the sure thing that keeps it that way for me is that Each song just sounds like there was so much more effort put into it than any on the circle. I mean I jam to the Circle alot, but the songs sound rushed compared to the album tracks on HAND. So..my vote goes to Have A Nice Day!...

~DavidBOW1E

[crashed]

Don't need to rate it. I've always thought HAND was a good, solid album but has 3 or 4 filler tracks and no outstanding songs.

The Circle to me only has one filler track (WWBTF) and one track that just doesn't work for me (Live Before You Die) and at least 4 outstanding tracks.

So the Circle for me.

[† ÀžžÀ †]

at the moment i feel the circle is a slightly more sophisticated album than have a nice day, a similar record but a minor improvement.

i agree with your point though. that view may change in time.

[Matrix15]

Originally Posted by davidbow1e

Once again...I love the circle...but HAND was the first BJ album I bought. I have a special place in me that appreciates every song on that album (aside from WSYCGH feat. J. Nettles....stupid american version)

I really agree here, HAND was the perfect inoffesive but attitude filled album for me when I was a angsty teen just getting into Bon Jovi in 2006. Perhaps its good memories I associate with it
On the other hand, the entire build up for the circle is unmatched by what I've been through for any other album so far. Waiting each day for news and leaks, hearing Loves the only rule and not believing my ears...

[Sleep-When-Im-Dead]

No contest really, HAND was very pop rock and the circle is less so, it is much more bon jovi....theres more richie and tico and dave are back. Circle only really has a couple of bad songs whereas HAND has a lot of fillers on it in my opinion and songs that aren't quite up to scratch. Best album of the noughties in my opinion.

[Panda]

Hand is the most over rated album, and the worst studio album imo. The circle, for sure.

[Kathleen]

Despite many people revising their opinions about The Circle - mine has not changed. I think it has some of the best writing in quite a while.

HAND was OK and it had some good tracks that were underappreciated as far as I'm concerned. I love One Last Cigarette and Novocaine probably because they are different but overall as an album I didn't think too much of it.

[Crushgen24/88]

The Circle blows HAND out of the water, and I'm a HAND fan.

[tmas500]

My vote went to the Circle. HAND while being a solid album has a ton of filler and tracks I usually skip ( Wildflower, Last Cigarette...etc), The circle the only tracks I skip are WFTWM and LBYD.