You know what they say: old love dies hard. It’s interesting to see Jon Bon Jovi mellow down from a rebellious teenager into a classy rocker. Bon Jovi showed us several times how things got done in the ‘80s, but does his new album This House Is Not for Sale, still hot from the recording room, deliver again? It’s no secret that Bon Jovi’s repertoire has become a bit repetitive over the last decades. Let’s see if he gives his newest album “a bad name.”
The opening song “This House Is Not for Sale” screams Bon Jovi so loudly you can almost hear his name hiding behind every lyric. It’s a nice kick to the eardrums to launch off the whole album, and makes sure to let you know this old dog is not out of breath. After such a good start you have your hopes up, but then the first tones of “Living with the Ghost” hit you and you start to wonder if it’s a bad joke. It’s not, the song is just … bad. There is nothing to be said about it other than it’s bad. Don’t listen to it. Then comes “Labor of Love,” which is sort of bland with the spirit of Brian Adams, which does not suit Bon Jovi’s lively style. The song is not terrible per say, however there is nothing special about it and it feels forced at times.
Next in the line is “Knockout,” the song during which — luckily — our rocker catches a bit of second breath and is able to deliver a solid piece, still not in the quality you would expect from someone of Bon Jovi’s caliber, but it’s digestible.
I never thought I’d be disappointed in Bon Jovi, yet here we are. It sounds like pop music, and no, that one sad electric guitar riff doesn’t count.
I guess it’s no surprise since the album’s quality goes up and down, that there is a song called “Roller Coaster,” which is basically a rip-off of “Demons” from Imagine Dragons. Again, it’s bland. “The Devil’s in the Temple” brings us from the greyness a bit and we can hear more from Jovi’s old days in it. It’s a solid, electric guitar supported song and also the heaviest This House Is Not for Sale has to offer. “Scars on this Guitar” is the contemplative one in the room. Jon sounds kind of weary here, reflecting back on his life, guitar in hand. Although it may come off as him being a crybaby, the track is not intrusive or depressing and actually pretty good.
“God Bless This Mess” is yet another trip down the memory lane, this time with more life in its veins. Yeah, Bon Jovi is getting grey, but the party is apparently not over. If its predecessor dodged the squeal bullet, “Reunion” definitely did not, a bizarre mix of country and Jovi’s tenor that’s hard to put a finger on, I’m still trying to decide whether I like it or hate it. The album ends with the invite to “Come on Up to Our House,” a slow and gentle tune. Again, not bad, but not a particularly remarkable piece either.
All in all, there is a lot of disappointment left in the tracks of This House Is Not for Sale. Having a soft spot for Bon Jovi, it’s my belief that in his mid 50s he deserves some slack. It’s safe to say that although This House Is Not for Sale is not the best we’ve seen of Bon Jovi, it still has bits and pieces you can revisit and listen to.
