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Perhaps inevitably for a rock band reaching nigh on
20 years in the busines, Bon Jovi have decided to do an album consisting
solely of re-interpretations of some of their biggest hits.
Why they've decided to do this can only be a matter
of speculation, but this album smacks of a band wanting to be taken more
seriously. While Bon Jovi's success has been phenomenal, they've faired less
well in critics' circles, and stories of them using focus groups to judge
their songs have only fuelled their image as a populist, rather than
pioneering, rock band.
Perhaps this album is an attempt to dispel that
image. You can also imagine the boredom that a band who go on worldwide
tours might have with some of their songs - why not give them a
makeover?
Why not indeed. The trouble with this album is that
while most of the songs have been stripped back and slowed down (as is
protocol with "unplugged" albums), the album is not a live performance, and
so lacks the intimacy and excitement of a gig. Apparently they did play a
fully acoustic gig earlier this year but weren't happy with the recording so
went to the studio to lay down the tracks instead.
The result is a hotch-potch of "remix" style
re-recordings with bizarre effects added (the orchestral stabs on Wanted
Dead Or Alive being one example) and ballads swathed in strings and piano
(such as Bed Of Roses). Classic air-punching rock anthems such as Livin' On
A Prayer and It's My Life are not only slowed down to the band's trademark
power ballad tempo, but are so understated that the only sensation they're
likely to inspire in a listener is heavy drowsiness.
You Give Love A Bad Name is given a similar treatment
to that which Eric Clapton gave to Layla on his Unplugged album. So much so in
fact, that it ends up sounding exactly the same. It's an interesting
experiment, but ultimately proves how dull a world would be if everything
was played acoustically.
In short, this album takes out the very ingredients
of what made these Bon Jovi songs so good in the first place. There are no opportunities to throw your
fist in the air shouting, "Whoa-oh!" or even play air guitar. If this album
is marking a change in direction for the band, all well and good, but for
goodness sake, they shouldn't try and fix what wasn't broke.
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