Review - Bon Jovi's Burning Bridges

Recently, August 21, 2015 to be exact, Bon Jovi released their newest album Burning Bridges. This album was released amidst little fanfare, with the band making no mention of it on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or even on their website. The album arrived to those who preordered it in a brown paper bag. Yes! You heard that right! It was literally delivered in a brown paper bag, similar to a lunch bag. Burning Bridges contains no lyrics sheet, pictures, or credits, nothing but the CD, album title, and song titles. (Update: Bon Jovi sent an email to fans on August 26th promoting the album, with links to their amended website, which included lyrics and credits for each song. As of this point, Bon Jovi is still not promoting the album on social media.) Also, below is a pic of a friend's CD when it arrived--courtesy of my Bon Jovi pal, Margo. Thanks, Margo!

Why all the stealthiness for this album? Perhaps Jon Bon Jovi answered that question when he recently explained to a small crowd of fans, "It [Burning Bridges] is our latest, it's not our next. It is sort of the end of a cycle, not the beginning of the new one. Some of the songs are 10 years old. 'We Don't Run' is a new one. 'Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning' is probably 8 or 10 years old. It's the end of an era."

And in a recent interview JBJ told Vancouver's Steve Darling, "Burning Bridges (um) is the end of an era. . . . It was meant to coincide with a Southeast Asian tour. . . . It's a fan record. It's under the radar. But it's also the conclusion of a 32 year relationship (uh) with my record company. . . . It was time to move on. The traditional model wasn't working for me anymore, . . . so it was both a fulfillment, and more importantly, something I'm proud of because it's (uh) it's songs that, ya know, I wouldn't put out otherwise."

Since I just quoted Jon Bon Jovi saying, “Some of the songs are 10 years old,” let’s talk about “old,” or shall we say, “previously unreleased songs,” for a minute. In the past, Bon Jovi has released other albums with previously unreleased material. In fact, last year Bon Jovi re-released their New Jersey album as a box set with the second disc, called The Sons Of Beaches, containing all previously unreleased material. Sons Of Beaches included unreleased songs that were written for the original New Jersey album, as well as demos of familiar Bon Jovi tunes. In addition to that, Bon Jovi has a three-CD box set called 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong, with all included material being previously unreleased. Let’s face it, albums like these and Burning Bridges are marketed to mega fans. With Burning Bridges specifically receiving no airplay (that I’m aware of), and no promotion on Bon Jovi’s social media sites, the “casual” Bon Jovi fans are most likely unaware that this CD was even released. It’s like a special secret between the mega-fan and rock star. If writing a song is like baring one’s soul for all to see, then albums like Burning Bridges, allow only those that have crossed over to mega-fandom to feel like they get a special intimate glimpse into our favorite artist’s soul, that special glimpse on which a large portion of fans will miss out. So what “soul-baring” songs can you hope to hear on this album? Here is a list of the songs included on Burning Bridges:

A Teardrop to the Sea

We Don't Run

Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning

We Fall Down

Blind Love

Who Would You Die For

Fingerprints

Life Is Beautiful

I'm Your Man

Burning Bridges

Take Back The Night

I won't touch on all of the songs on this album, even though I am enjoying them all, but here are a few worth mentioning.

"We Don't Run" is the only song that Jon Bon Jovi has explicitly stated is new for this album. Written in the style of other great Bon Jovi rock anthems, it also echoes the "burning bridges" theme in it's lyrics;  "Not afraid of Burning Bridges, 'cause I know they're gonna light my way." And what Bon Jovi anthem would be complete without lyrics to rally behind? Fans, roll down the windows in your car and sing like no one is listening!

We don't run, I'm standing my ground

We don't run, and we don't back down

There's fire in the sky, there's thunder on the mountain

Bless each tear and this dirt I was born in

Run

We don't run

We don't run

"Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning," as I said earlier, was written 8-10 years ago. It is an upbeat, feel-good song, sure to be a crowd-pleaser when played in concert. It has that classic Bon Jovi feel to it, making it yet another great recognizable Bon Jovi tune. Also, this is the only song on the album that was co-written with Richie Sambora, and it may be a long time, if ever, before Bon Jovi fans get another song written by our "dynamic duo."

Also included in the album tracks is the sultry number "Who Would You Die For." Jon croons erotic lyrics, which I have personally witnessed making waves with the ladies on social media. Such lyrics include:

Will you write me lipstick letters

Miss me when I'm gone

Wake up tangled in the sheets

Still aching for my arms. . .

All I want is all of you and more

The big bad wolf is knocking at your door

Who would you die for. . .

I want to know

And while this song isn't one of my personal favorites on the album (it's a little slow for me), the other gals sure seem to like it. . . . A LOT.

One of my favorite songs on the album is "Life is Beautiful," which musically seems to be reminiscent of the tunes included on The Circle, and I wonder if it was written for, but not released for that album. And did you notice, fans, that there are some similarities in the theme or lyrics of "Life Is Beautiful" and "When We Were Beautiful” (which was included on The Circle)?

Check it out the similarities in lyrics and theme.

Life is Beautiful
The sky is cracked
We can't go back

When We Were Beautiful 
The world is cracked, the sky is torn
I'm hanging in, you’re holding on                                 

Aaaaand

Life is Beautiful
I can't save me from my sins
Innocence my long lost friend

When We Were Beautiful
Back when we were innocent
I wonder where it went, let's go back and find it

Did you see that? “Life is Beautiful” mentions a cracked sky, and “When We Were Beautiful” includes a cracked world and torn sky. Both songs refer to a loss of innocence. Grasping at straws you say? I think not. I heard the similarities, and ENJOYED them, the first time I heard "Life Is Beautiful."

I will also include an honorable mention for "I'm Your Man." On occasion in his shows, Jon Bon Jovi includes a cover of Leonard Cohen's "I'm Your Man" which Jon has said that he wishes he had written himself. And while this song is not Leonard Cohen's song, it certainly seems to be an homage to the original version that Jon loves so much.

One more number to remark on is "Burning Bridges." This song is Bon Jovi's not-so-fond farewell to their former record company in an old-time bar sing-along style song, with telling lyrics that include:

Check the box

Mark this Day

There's nothing more to say

After 30 years of loyalty they let you dig the grave

Now maybe you could learn to sing 

Or even strum along

I'll give you half the publishing 

You're why I wrote this song...

Sayonara

Adios, auf wiedersehen, farewell, 

Adieu, good night, guten abend,

Here's the last song you can sell

Now don't get me wrong, even though the lyrics are a bit harsh at times, this song is pretty hilarious. I dare you to listen and not laugh while you sing along.

One last thing, Bon Jovi fans, keep your eyes peeled and your ears open for Bon Jovi's new album, which will be released sometime in April or May of 2016, with a tour to follow. (Yay! Another tour!) In the meantime, keep calm and listen to Burning Bridges.

Forever Fangirling,

Erica Basile