New Music Review: Bon Jovi

We Weren't Born To Follow is taken from Bon Jovi's latest album The Circle due for release in early November. The band had barely been off the road from performing their Lost Highway Tour before they began writing again for this new record, which is promised to be more rockier and edgier than it's Nashville-influnced country-tinged predecossor. And in a nut case, it is simply Bon Jovi sticking to what they are good at; the formula they are comfortable with and know will do well amongst their loyal followers. That is not to say though that this is a bad thing, because the band have certainly got a kick ass rock song in this. Jon's sneering vocals hide his true age (now nearing fifty) as the track sounds like it might have been taken from their 2005 release Have A Nice Day with it's big chorus and light-rock-big-stadium feel. I think all that the track is missing is a signature Sambora solo, but that's to not to say it's any less of a great song; what Sambora does perform fits perfectly. The guitar work in the choruses is progressive and melodic; with its shimmering and gleaming post-production touches, whilst it sits back strumming ghostly chords just once every four beats in the verses. Tico Torres is living up to his 'hit-man' alter ego as he pounds his way with a precision only experience can bring, settling for an almost tribal feel throughout the verses whilst opening up in the choruses. Said choruses of course are bound to be a hit with the New Jersey quintet's fanbase in their promised stadium tour throughout 2010 but I can't see it taking over the charts much here in the UK. The guys know who their fans are and don't have anything new to prove to anybody anymore; they're doing what they're doing for the love of it and they know how the fans will respond.
Bon Jovi have never been the critic's favourite band, and I think the left-turn apparent in their previous album will be over-looked as critics will probably favour the critical 'they've have taken it easy' approach which the band have recently adopted every other album. Philanthropist and charity worker Jon Bon Jovi cannot help but be affected with what he donates his hard-earned millions to, and this is ever-more apparent in his lyric writing as he finds his politcal pen and gives the working man a song to sing that he can believe in.
Radio friendly; yes. Stadium friendly; yes. A great move and a great song. In short, it sounds great; another classic Bon Jovi anthem with cool lyrics and a real fist-clenching chorus that will be rising above the rooves of stadiums in the UK come the summer next year with the classic remedy of 'let me hear ya say yeah yeah yeah' and I for one can't wait.