BAND: BON JOVI
ALBUM: THE CIRCLE
LABEL: ISLAND
RELEASE DATE: 30-OCT-09                                   RATING  76/100 
GENRE: ROCK, MELODIC ROCK
PRODUCER: JOHN SHANKS, JON BON JOVI, RICHIE SAMBORA
WEBSITE: http://en.bonjovi.com/
MYSPACE PAGE: http://www.myspace.com/bonjovi
REVIEWER: MARC "LAZY ROCKER" SCHNEIDERS

 

Hate them or love them, fact is that Bon Jovi still is one of the most favourite rock bands in the world. Formed in 1983 and now they're back with their 11th studio album "The Circle". Many will say that the circle is round now for Bon Jovi, but frontman Jon Bon Jovi stated the album title has multiple meanings. It stands for the fact that a circle is never ending, and that it also refers to Bon Jovi's inner circle - stating that "in this organization, the circle is very difficult to get into, and even more difficult to get out of. Anyway, I think this is the best Bon Jovi album since "These Days" from 1995.

When I was a kid I listened a lot to "Slippery When Wet" and "New Jersey". Unfortunately Jon said they will never record albums like that anymore. The band changed their melodic hard rock sound into a more rock sound. In 2007 the Jersey rockers even released a rock album with a little country sauce. Each and every album always contained some arena tracks. So this ingredient is also there on "The Circle". I can already hear a big audience screaming and singing along on tracks like "We Weren't Born to Follow" and "Work for The Working Man".

"The Circle" has a more melodic rock sound like you can hear on the first single "We Weren't Born to Follow", "Love's The Only Rule" and one of my favourite tracks "Thorn In My Side". "The Bullet" is the heaviest track but still melodic. The second single "When We Were Beautiful" a nice mid-tempo song which will also do very well in a full stadium. "Superman Tonight" is more a rock song which will be released as the third single. Of course there are also some power ballads: "Live Before You Die" and "Learn To Love"

On this album you hear a fresh modern guitar sound. Guitarist Richie Sambora says the album is a return to "rock and roll" and "There’s going to be some big choruses on there. It sounds like Bon Jovi, but it sounds fresh. We experimented with a lot of new sounds and had a really good time working with John Shanks, who is also a really good guitar player, so he and I did a lot of ‘weaseling’ with the guitar sounds. There are a lot of really good guitar sounds and new kind atmospheres on the new Bon Jovi record, that I think makes it really modern. I think people are going to dig it, man. And it rocks hard."

Die-hard Bon Jovi fans will love the album, anti-Bon Jovi people will hate it. I think Bon Jovi delivered a fresh (melodic) rock album. It will not be the highlight of their career, but I think it will hit my CD-player much more often than "Bounce" or "Have a Nice Day" did.
 

TRACKLISTING: 
01 We Weren't Born To Follow *
02 When We Were Beautiful
03 Work For The Working Man
04 Superman Tonight *
05 Bullet
06 Thorn In My Side *
07 Live Before You Die
08 BrokenPromiseland
09 Love's the Only Rule *
10 Fast Cars
11 Happy Now
12 Learn To Love *

iTunes Bonus Track
13 We Weren't Born To Follow (jason nevins remix)
 
* Lazy Rocker's favourite tracks
 

LINE UP: 
Jon Bon Jovi - lead vocals
Richie Sambora - guitars, backing vocals
Tico Torres - drums, percussion
David Bryan - keyboards, piano
Hugh McDonald - bass