CD-Review: Bon Jovi - "What About Now"

It took them nearly 4 years to record a new album, but now they are finally back: the rock legends of New Jersey - Bon Jovi.
The band promised that their new record "What About Now" will be a "big rock record" ... but they said this a hundred times before with each new longplayer. So what can we really expect? Let's find out!







First of all I want to clarify some things: When it comes to Bon Jovi-die-hard-fans, there is the phenomenon that everyone, who dares to criticize this band, is equally hated and is bombarded with indignant comments.
I've to say I AM a fan of this band since many, many years now and I know every single song of this band - so I know what I'm talking about and no one can call me "hater" or something like that. I'm not this sort of fan, who automatically love everything what the band is doing, just because it's one of my favorite bands. I'm a fan, who also critically analyzes all that stuff. So please keep that in mind when you are reading the next lines!

With Bon Jovi it's always (at least in the last 13 years) like some kind of double-edged sword: I love everythig what the band produced in the 80's/90's and  I also like lots of their new stuff, but at the same time there are so much things to complain about since "Crush". So each time when I listen to a new Bon Jovi record, I'm very excited.
But enough with the talking, it's time to check "What About Now".

The production was handled again by John Shanks ... and damn, I've cursed this man in the last 9 years for his bad pop-productions. He polished every edge, Bon Jovi had on Bounce (think of "Undivided" or "Everyday" - those were real rockers). I was hoping they would finally change their producer, but this isn't the case and so we get a typical Shanks-production again, which sounds more like pop than rock and is very, very polished, although the guitarsound is slightly more rough and the mix is a bit better. Nevertheless Tico Torres' drums still sound like they were recorded with a drum-computer ... always the same rythm. Shanks should listen to the production of the new Shakra-album. Then he would know what a "big rock record" is all about!  So soundwise it's solid work, no more - no less.

"What About Now" kicks off with the first single "Because We Can" and I was a bit shocked when I heard this song for the first time, because of his big pop-appeal. After a few listens I like this one very much - it's a typical Bon Jovi feel-good-number, which is catchy as hell. I love the guitar-line here, although the solo is recycled from "Captain Crash & The Beauty Queen from Mars". You can say what you want about this band, but they still know how to write big arena-anthems - and this is one of them. Will work pretty well on stage, but you have to get involved with the fact that the band is now a pop-rock/melodic rock group, which is far away from their hard rock roots. If you can accept this, than you'll get an enjoyable album in most parts.
"I'm With You" is a little highlight with great atmosphere and a real kick-ass guitar-solo from Richie Sambora. This rocks!
The following title track "What About Now" leaves also a smile on my face with it's great chorus, although the whole song reminds me a bit at "Lost Highway".
"Pictures Of You" is also a very good song with great guitar-work and nice harmonies.
Bon Jovi slow down with the first real ballad, called "Amen". Seems to be the Bon Jovi version of the famous song "Hallelujah" and has lots of emotions in it. Jon handles the high notes pretty good, which is not obvious, because he lost a lot of his vocal range in the last years. Jon Bon Jovi was one of the best singers with powerfull performances, but his voice has worn off. He still has a unique sound and makes a pretty good figure on this new album, but I miss the power he had a long time ago. For sure, this is the natural wear, but a Richie Sambora sounds much stronger nowadays. Therefore I'm very pleased that his voice is also very present throughout the entrie album. You notice this especially on the accustic ballad "The Fighter" This one lives from the harmonies between Richie and Jon.

"That's What The Water Made Me" is one of my absolutely highlights on "What About Now". What a terrific chorus with great choirs. This one reminds me a little, little bit at the Bon Jovi songs from the older days.
Next song "What's Left Of Me" seems to be the little brother of "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night". You see, Bon Jovi copied a lot this time, but at least this record sounds like Bon Jovi and not like any other band. When I listened to "The Circle" four years ago, I thought I bought an U2-album!

"Army Of One" is the first big disappointment - this song sounds way too bulky, and the lyrics ... oh my god, let me tell you something about the lyrics in general. Everytime they tell the same story: "Never Give Up", "Hold On", "Live Your Life", "A Shoulder To Lean on" .... I can't hear it anymore. It's nice to give the listeners a positive vibe, but there must be something different, which is worthy to write and sing about. Those lyrics on "What About Now" are just recycled from "Crush", "Have A Nice Day", "Lost Highway" and "The Circle". And of course the band sings again about the poor hard-working class but at the end of the day it all seems like a big lie, if you are imagine that Bon Jovi require ticket prices beyond good and evil for their shows. You'll also find lots of political influences and pathos, but why so serious? This band is well-known for their fun-rockers and power-ballads, so why they take themselves so serious now?

Let's get back to the songs: "Thick As Thieves" is a ballad, which is a grower to me. It builds up lots of tension till the end and this is the only ballad on this album which thrills me a bit.
"Beautiful World"  is another feel-good rocker, which I like very much.
And now comes the big break: till the end we get one ballad after the other. "Room At The End Of The World", "Old Habits Die Hard" and "Not Running Anymore" sound so irrelevant and boring to me. It's a shame! Some girls will now say "No, Jon sings so emotional, it's so romantic, he is such a sweet guy", but hey - be honest to yourself. These songs are nothing compared to other ballads this band has written. "I'll Be There For You", "Bed Of Roses", "Always", "Thank You For Loving Me", even "Superman Tonight" were much better. The new ballads are good if you want to go to sleep, but rarely more.
Beside them there is another ballad at the end: "The Fighter", at least this is a good one. The only exception is "These To Hands" - this is a mid-tempo rocker, but this song can't rescue the last third of this album from the insignifiance.
Fortunately most of the ballad-over-kill is just optional, because these songs are only part of the deluxe version of "What About Now". Therefore it doesn't affect my final rating too much.

The Deluxe-Version closes with Richies' song "Every Road leads Home to You", which was the first single of his solo record last year. I think it was a good idea to put it on here, to promote Richies' solo work a bit more. Speaking about my personal guitar hero I just can say, I still love the way he plays guitar. It's the unmistakable Richie-style you'll also find here on this album, although it's very sad that he has not enough space to play long giutar solos in most of the songs. Richie has so much more to offer, if someone would let him do things the way he wants to do them. Please listen to his latest work "Aftermath Of The Lowdown". This one is highly recomanded, because on here Richie shows that he really wants to rock!

So folks, this was a pretty long Review this time, but there was so much to say and I don't wanted to be superficial. It's very hard to give a final rating here. In most parts my review refers to the standard version of this album and I can only recommand this one to you. You don't need the deluxe-version! If I would include the songs of the deluxe edition you could easily pull off a few points. It's the same when it comes to your own expectations. If you can accept the fact that Bon Jovi will never return to their origin sound you'll get a pretty good album here with only two or three little fillers and a good band performance. If you can't, then you won't be happy with this album. So all in all "What About Now" is a solid record, which is better than "The Circle" and delivers a bunch of hits. With much benevolence I give this a seven out of ten. From the perspective of a die-hard-fan of the "Pre-"Crush"-era" and speaking about the deluxe-version it would be only a five out of ten ... and now let the backlash begin. ;)

7/10 

Tracklist:

01. Because we Can *
02. I'm With You *
03. What About Now *
04. Pictures Of You *
05. Amen
06. That's What The Water Made Me *
07. What's Left Of Me *
08. Army Of One
09. Thick As thieves
10. Beautiful World
11. Room At The end Of The World
12. The Fighter
13. With These Two Hands (deluxe version bonus track)
14. Not Running Anymore (deluxe version bonus track)
15. Old Habits die Hard (deluxe version bonus track)
16. Every Road Leads Home To You (deluxe version bonus track)

* best tracks

www.bonjovi.com