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Trollheart · 06-12-2011, 07:01 PM

The Circle --- Bon Jovi --- 2009 (Island)

After what some considered a disappointing album in 2007's “Lost horizon”, due to its perceived leanings towards the country side of rock, Bon Jovi's eleventh studio album was awaited with not only anticipation, but also a measure of trepidation by the fans. The fear that the band were moving away from the rock sound of old, that had characterised albums like “Slippery when wet”, “Keep the faith” and “Crush”, and on which they had built their reputation and their fanbase, was quite real. So when “The Circle” hit the record shelves in late 2009, it fell into a lot of nervous hands.

Fears were quickly proven groundless though, as the album opens with a hard rocker, a real anthem in the shape of “We weren't born to follow”, perhaps an admission by the band that they had tried something different, to shake things up, but an assurance also that they were back to what they do best. The song rocks along at a good pace, and does indeed seem a statement of intent: ”This one goes out to the sinner and the cynical/ This ain't about no apology.” The power doesn't let up as the band storm into “When we were beautiful”, a nostalgic look back to the past, when everything seemed so simple ”Before the world got small/ Before we knew it all.”. There's some great guitar work in the song, although for the most part Richie keeps his guitar relatively understated, keeping a watching brief.

It's rare that I choose the best track so early in an album, but when I heard “Work for the workingman” I knew they would have to try very hard indeed to top this. A true blue-collar paean in the mould of Springsteen and Earle, this tells the tale of an ordinary man who has lost his job, and how he feels about it. Pride, worth, self-respect all figure heavily in this extremely politically-charged song, as Jon asks ”Won't somebody help me/ Someone justify/ Why these strong hands/ Are on the unemployment line?” There are few, if any bands, who can proudly claim that the lyrics for one of their songs hang in the Oval Office, but so impressed was President Obama with the theme of the song, and so much did it resonate with his own beliefs and aims that he apparently had the lyrics framed and hung in his office in the White House. This is a song everyone can relate to, whether you're working, laid off, or just fearful of that happening. A true song for the ordinary man, indeed.

Again, like already-reviewed “Have a nice day”, this album has no true standout ballad. There are slow songs --- “Live before you die”, “Happy now” --- but no actual love song. Perhaps this is something of a new direction Bon Jovi are moving in? However, unlike the abovementioned album, “The Circle” does not seem to suffer from the lack of a hard ballad, with just about every song on this a good one. Songs like “Brokenpromiseland” and “Fast cars” continue the theme of the dispossessed trying to survive in an uncaring world that seems to have abandoned them to their fate, and unlike 1995's “These days”, this time Bon Jovi intend to do something to change the way things are. Perhaps it's foolish optimism, perhaps blind faith, but nevertheless it's good to see such an attitude.

“Bullet” revisits the themes explored on “All I want is everything” and “Hey God” from “These days”, as Jon asks ”What is the distance/ Between a bullet and a gun?/ God are you listening?/ Or have you just given up?” Unlike the two mentioned above though, it's a slower rocker, drenched in desperation and anger, with a sharp guitar solo adding to the fire of the song. “Thorn in my side” is NOT a cover of the old Eurythmics song, but Bon Jovi's own original composition, although it does in ways explore the same subject matter as Annie Lennox did in her song. It gets things fast-rockin' again, before the mood slows down for what amounts to the first of two ballads on the album.

“Live before you die” is, however, not a love song, but rather a message to grab life with both hands, seize the day in somewhat the same vein as “I want to be loved” from “Have a nice day”, as Jon sings ”When you're young you always think/ The sun is gonna shine/ There'll come a day you'll have to say/ Hello to goodbye” The song is carried on a nice piano melody, with some great ensemble playing, Jon in perfect voice. This would have made a great single, though it seems it wasn't released unfortunately. Another thing about this album is a return to the shorter, snappier songs of “Crush” and albums prior to that, after the somewhat longer ones on “Have a nice day” --- there's nothing over much more than five minutes long here, the longest being “When we were beautiful”, clocking in at 5:18.

“Brokenpromiseland” echoes the sentiments expressed in “Dry county” from “Keep the faith”, as Jon warns ”No-one's gettin' out of here alive”, while “Love's the only rule” revisits something of the melody of “Work for the workingman”, with a hook almost reminiscent of the Cars at their best, and a very uplifting beat and indeed theme --- ”Think about it/ Wouldn't that be cool?/ If love was the only rule?” You'll get no argument here! The idea behind “Fast cars” sounds to me similar to the title track from JBJ's solo album, “Destination anywhere” --- there's definite hope there, and the exuberance of youth, perhaps misplaced as Bon Jovi could no longer be called young! Hey, young at heart, let's say...

The album closes on two killer tracks, the first being “Happy now”, a sort of mid-paced ballad with a solid guitar hook, and a lyric pulled straight from a mid-life crisis:- Let me believe/ I'm buildin' a dream/ Can I be happy now?/ Can I let my breath out?” and later takes a page from “Who says you can't go home” as Jon sings I ain't throwin' stones/ Got sins in my bones/ Ain't everybody just tryin'/ To find their way home?”. Once more he warns “You better live now/ Cos no-one's gonna get out alive”, and this song leads to the closer, which in many ways is a continuation of the theme on this one, the second part, or the resolution if you will.

Another mid-paced ballad, “Learn to love” is a song that tells us we have to accept that what we have is as good as it's gonna get, and we should be at peace with that. As the song goes on, it gets somewhat faster, and a little more urgent. It's not a bad sentiment to close on: ”Leave it all on the table/ If you lose or you win/ You gotta learn to love/ The world you're livin' in.” That'll do for me.

TRACKLISTING

1. We weren't born to follow
2. When we were beautiful
3. Work for the workingman
4. Superman tonight
5. Bullet
6. Thorn in my side
7. Live before you die
8. Brokenpromiseland
9. Love's the only rule
10. Fast cars
11. Happy now
12. Learn to love

I set out, in the introduction to this three-album review, to show that far from being a spent force, Bon Jovi were, and are, still one of the most consistent rock bands out there, producing great albums year after year. To be perfectly honest, perhaps I'm not the best person to make that judgement, as I have seen no drop in quality over the years with the output of this band. From the first time I heard them I've loved the boys from Jersey and as time has gone on I have bought every album, and never seen any major change or deterioration in any of them. I dont know: I just don't see it when critics talk about the band “going through the motions”. For me, every album they've produced has been treated with the same care and respect, dedication and love for their craft and for their fans, and I have never been disappointed with any of their albums. However, I wanted to make a case for the continued longevity and excellence of Bon Jovi through the later years, and whether I've succeeded in that endeavour or not I don't know, but if you have any comments on the albums, on Bon Jovi in general, or indeed on any of the subjects on which I have so far written, let me know by posting.

For my part, I think that although “The Circle” is a much different animal to “Slippery when wet”, I love both albums and I understand that if a band is to evolve they need to move with the times and change as required. As I said at the opening of this piece, the fans who grew up on “You give love a bad name” and “Livin' on a prayer” have also matured, and perhaps they want more thoughtful, insightful songs, songs that make them think, that make them question the world in which they're living. Music speaks to us, entertains us yes, but it should also be a force for change and a means to an end, and if it makes us think of the right things then that can't be bad. One of the reasons I dislike what I loosely term as “dance” music is because in general I don't see any clear messages in it: to me, rock tells it like it is. May not always be pretty, may not always be what you want to hear, but if there's one thing you have to say about rock, it is that it's honest, and hopefully always will be.

So I'll look forward to the next Bon Jovi outing, and in the words of their fifth album, I for one will always “Keep the faith.”

Suggested further listening: "Keep the faith", "New Jersey", "Slippery when wet", "Crush", "Bounce"

06-12-2011, 07:01 PM	#32 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	The Circle --- Bon Jovi --- 2009 (Island) After what some considered a disappointing album in 2007's “Lost horizon”, due to its perceived leanings towards the country side of rock, Bon Jovi's eleventh studio album was awaited with not only anticipation, but also a measure of trepidation by the fans. The fear that the band were moving away from the rock sound of old, that had characterised albums like “Slippery when wet”, “Keep the faith” and “Crush”, and on which they had built their reputation and their fanbase, was quite real. So when “The Circle” hit the record shelves in late 2009, it fell into a lot of nervous hands. Fears were quickly proven groundless though, as the album opens with a hard rocker, a real anthem in the shape of “We weren't born to follow”, perhaps an admission by the band that they had tried something different, to shake things up, but an assurance also that they were back to what they do best. The song rocks along at a good pace, and does indeed seem a statement of intent: ”This one goes out to the sinner and the cynical/ This ain't about no apology.” The power doesn't let up as the band storm into “When we were beautiful”, a nostalgic look back to the past, when everything seemed so simple ”Before the world got small/ Before we knew it all.”. There's some great guitar work in the song, although for the most part Richie keeps his guitar relatively understated, keeping a watching brief. It's rare that I choose the best track so early in an album, but when I heard “Work for the workingman” I knew they would have to try very hard indeed to top this. A true blue-collar paean in the mould of Springsteen and Earle, this tells the tale of an ordinary man who has lost his job, and how he feels about it. Pride, worth, self-respect all figure heavily in this extremely politically-charged song, as Jon asks ”Won't somebody help me/ Someone justify/ Why these strong hands/ Are on the unemployment line?” There are few, if any bands, who can proudly claim that the lyrics for one of their songs hang in the Oval Office, but so impressed was President Obama with the theme of the song, and so much did it resonate with his own beliefs and aims that he apparently had the lyrics framed and hung in his office in the White House. This is a song everyone can relate to, whether you're working, laid off, or just fearful of that happening. A true song for the ordinary man, indeed. Again, like already-reviewed “Have a nice day”, this album has no true standout ballad. There are slow songs --- “Live before you die”, “Happy now” --- but no actual love song. Perhaps this is something of a new direction Bon Jovi are moving in? However, unlike the abovementioned album, “The Circle” does not seem to suffer from the lack of a hard ballad, with just about every song on this a good one. Songs like “Brokenpromiseland” and “Fast cars” continue the theme of the dispossessed trying to survive in an uncaring world that seems to have abandoned them to their fate, and unlike 1995's “These days”, this time Bon Jovi intend to do something to change the way things are. Perhaps it's foolish optimism, perhaps blind faith, but nevertheless it's good to see such an attitude. “Bullet” revisits the themes explored on “All I want is everything” and “Hey God” from “These days”, as Jon asks ”What is the distance/ Between a bullet and a gun?/ God are you listening?/ Or have you just given up?” Unlike the two mentioned above though, it's a slower rocker, drenched in desperation and anger, with a sharp guitar solo adding to the fire of the song. “Thorn in my side” is NOT a cover of the old Eurythmics song, but Bon Jovi's own original composition, although it does in ways explore the same subject matter as Annie Lennox did in her song. It gets things fast-rockin' again, before the mood slows down for what amounts to the first of two ballads on the album. “Live before you die” is, however, not a love song, but rather a message to grab life with both hands, seize the day in somewhat the same vein as “I want to be loved” from “Have a nice day”, as Jon sings ”When you're young you always think/ The sun is gonna shine/ There'll come a day you'll have to say/ Hello to goodbye” The song is carried on a nice piano melody, with some great ensemble playing, Jon in perfect voice. This would have made a great single, though it seems it wasn't released unfortunately. Another thing about this album is a return to the shorter, snappier songs of “Crush” and albums prior to that, after the somewhat longer ones on “Have a nice day” --- there's nothing over much more than five minutes long here, the longest being “When we were beautiful”, clocking in at 5:18. “Brokenpromiseland” echoes the sentiments expressed in “Dry county” from “Keep the faith”, as Jon warns ”No-one's gettin' out of here alive”, while “Love's the only rule” revisits something of the melody of “Work for the workingman”, with a hook almost reminiscent of the Cars at their best, and a very uplifting beat and indeed theme --- ”Think about it/ Wouldn't that be cool?/ If love was the only rule?” You'll get no argument here! The idea behind “Fast cars” sounds to me similar to the title track from JBJ's solo album, “Destination anywhere” --- there's definite hope there, and the exuberance of youth, perhaps misplaced as Bon Jovi could no longer be called young! Hey, young at heart, let's say... The album closes on two killer tracks, the first being “Happy now”, a sort of mid-paced ballad with a solid guitar hook, and a lyric pulled straight from a mid-life crisis:- Let me believe/ I'm buildin' a dream/ Can I be happy now?/ Can I let my breath out?” and later takes a page from “Who says you can't go home” as Jon sings I ain't throwin' stones/ Got sins in my bones/ Ain't everybody just tryin'/ To find their way home?”. Once more he warns “You better live now/ Cos no-one's gonna get out alive”, and this song leads to the closer, which in many ways is a continuation of the theme on this one, the second part, or the resolution if you will. Another mid-paced ballad, “Learn to love” is a song that tells us we have to accept that what we have is as good as it's gonna get, and we should be at peace with that. As the song goes on, it gets somewhat faster, and a little more urgent. It's not a bad sentiment to close on: ”Leave it all on the table/ If you lose or you win/ You gotta learn to love/ The world you're livin' in.” That'll do for me. TRACKLISTING 1. We weren't born to follow 2. When we were beautiful 3. Work for the workingman 4. Superman tonight 5. Bullet 6. Thorn in my side 7. Live before you die 8. Brokenpromiseland 9. Love's the only rule 10. Fast cars 11. Happy now 12. Learn to love I set out, in the introduction to this three-album review, to show that far from being a spent force, Bon Jovi were, and are, still one of the most consistent rock bands out there, producing great albums year after year. To be perfectly honest, perhaps I'm not the best person to make that judgement, as I have seen no drop in quality over the years with the output of this band. From the first time I heard them I've loved the boys from Jersey and as time has gone on I have bought every album, and never seen any major change or deterioration in any of them. I dont know: I just don't see it when critics talk about the band “going through the motions”. For me, every album they've produced has been treated with the same care and respect, dedication and love for their craft and for their fans, and I have never been disappointed with any of their albums. However, I wanted to make a case for the continued longevity and excellence of Bon Jovi through the later years, and whether I've succeeded in that endeavour or not I don't know, but if you have any comments on the albums, on Bon Jovi in general, or indeed on any of the subjects on which I have so far written, let me know by posting. For my part, I think that although “The Circle” is a much different animal to “Slippery when wet”, I love both albums and I understand that if a band is to evolve they need to move with the times and change as required. As I said at the opening of this piece, the fans who grew up on “You give love a bad name” and “Livin' on a prayer” have also matured, and perhaps they want more thoughtful, insightful songs, songs that make them think, that make them question the world in which they're living. Music speaks to us, entertains us yes, but it should also be a force for change and a means to an end, and if it makes us think of the right things then that can't be bad. One of the reasons I dislike what I loosely term as “dance” music is because in general I don't see any clear messages in it: to me, rock tells it like it is. May not always be pretty, may not always be what you want to hear, but if there's one thing you have to say about rock, it is that it's honest, and hopefully always will be. So I'll look forward to the next Bon Jovi outing, and in the words of their fifth album, I for one will always “Keep the faith.” Suggested further listening: "Keep the faith", "New Jersey", "Slippery when wet", "Crush", "Bounce" __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 11-04-2011 at 09:12 AM.