ALICIA YOUNG
Staff Writer
The lead singer may be adorable, with his cute dimples and heartfelt lyrics convincing audiences that he’s singing straight to them alone, but with the release of Bon Jovi’s ninth album, “Have a Nice Day,” audiences weren’t exposed to much of anything else.
Bon Jovi’s newest effort is disappointingly predictable, no different from any of its other albums to date.
The songs are lackluster and devoid of any variety to the point of monotony. Not only do they share too many similarities with each other, but they also share too many similarities with previous albums.
The newest single, “Have A Nice Day,” bears a shocking resemblance to 2001’s “It’s My Life,” with the rebellious but up-beat lyrics such as “I’m gonna live my life,” and “I ain’t gonna live forever,” corresponding a little too well. Another track, “Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” boasts identical country influences as 2000’s “Thank You For Loving Me.” Those were great songs — but wasn’t once enough?
Overall, Bon Jovi does a good job reiterating its signature sound that is a union of rock, country and pop — a feat not easily realized by any other group. Unfortunately, instead of using this collection of sounds as a springboard for new and interesting music, the group let it define their image as well as confine their melodies.
Listeners should have expected an eclectic blend of sounds, especially from a band that has been together longer than most Pepperdine students have been alive. The band should know by now its limits and how to push itself to the next level.
But to give credit where credit is due, some tracks on the album are worth a listen or two. “I Want to Be Loved,” offers a genuine vulnerability that was a welcome element of refreshment on the dry CD. If the other 12 tracks were only as moving as this convincing power ballad, then maybe Bon Jovi might not be disappointing quite so many fans.
It’s astonishing that Bon Jovi can still perform at international concerts and sell more than 100 million albums when only one song off their new album is tolerable. Maybe their fan base is composed entirely of soccer moms who can’t stop humming along with tracks like “Livin’ On A Prayer,” which would be telling of Bon Jovi’s age.
Speaking of age, this group needs to take a hint from Madonna, because its members are going to need a lot more than a new wardrobe to reinvent their image and appeal to new generations of listeners. Perhaps when their disastrous lyrics coordinate with Jon’s trendy new t-shirts, new fans might open their CD players to the sounds of Bon Jovi.
Perhaps Bon Jovi wants to stay true to their original 1980s style, but “tried” certainly isn’t always “true.” In fact, in Bon Jovi’s case, it’s just plain tired.
09-29-2005
