Jul 122 min read

Bon Jovi - 'Forever'

The press release declares “The joy is back, and Bon Jovi is here. Forever!” Listening to this record, I can believe it.

The headline good news; Jon Bon Jovi’s vocal cord operation seem to have worked, and the band is working together in a way it hasn’t for a while.

‘Legendary’, with its acoustic guitar intro, gang vocal “whoahs”, familiar main vocal tone, stomping chorus, and then a perfect pause before the punchline title, reminds me of the older Bon Jovi albums – accessible fun about the real things in life. The “Didn’t We”, are just two little words in ‘We Made It Look Easy’, but are so expressive and natural, they make you feel as if you are having a conversation. ‘Living Proof’, with its TalkBox intro like ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’, has a catchy earworm chorus; put the lyric video on loop and you could just sing it... well... “Forever”.

‘Waves’, an effortlessly good song with polysemous lyrics (meaning the stormy sea of life, the circular nature of ruminating introspection and the wave of a goodbye hand with its risk of loss, all at once) has a lovely guitar solo; not overblown, not understated, just right for the song. ‘Seeds’, with lyrics that also reference life’s struggles, has a dreamy melody that is Beatle-esque. ‘Living In Paradise’ is full of joie de vivre, and is about counting your blessings.

When you initially hear ‘My First Guitar’, you think it’s a song about a woman, but it’s a nostalgic song with an unusual clarion chorus written about Bon Jovi’s first guitar. ‘Hollow Man’ is very Johnny-Cash-like; on one level it’s about writer’s block, but on another, it tackles the subject of expectations, your own and those of others.

‘The People’s House’, with its striking guitar solo, is about circling the wagons; a rallying call for unity and solidarity. ‘Walls Of Jericho’ is a stomping song with an Irish feel... perfect for singing drunk with your mates. ‘I Wrote You A Song’ is a genuine, timeless love song, while ‘Kiss The Bride’ underlines how much family has come to mean to Bon Jovi over the years, and is bound to become a wedding classic.

The press release declares “The joy is back, and Bon Jovi is here. Forever!” Listening to this record, I can believe it. This is an album of good songs, some great, that reference the things that affect the man in the street. Universal... it signals a return to a golden age.