Burning Bridges is Bon Jovi’s 13th studio album, the first of which was released by Mercury in the 1980s, and they have made an estimated $80 million from certified album sales during that time. The latest album, however, is considered by many to be a filler album released simply as a contractual obligation to Mercury, and Jon Bon Jovi has confirmed that an all-new album will be released as early as May 2016 under a new label. In addition to contractual complications, Burning Bridges is also the first album recorded without guitarist Richie Sambora, who left the band in 2013. None of this seems to matter when listening to the album. The Bon Jovi of the present sounds exactly like the Bon Jovi of the past.
Burning Bridges follows in the footsteps of all its predecessors. It comprises of the huge stage-filling choruses and sweeping guitar riffs that one has come to expect from these rock legends. Upbeat anthems such as “We don’t run” and “Life is beautiful” are predictably complimented by soul-searching ballads like “Fingerprints” and “Blind love”.
Jon Bon Jovi’s characteristic vocals are, unsurprisingly, the defining feature of the album and the band serves simply to deliver these vocals with the same sound that made them famous all those years ago. Some may consider this a testament to the band’s consistency, while others might write them off as being unable to change with the times. Whatever the public’s opinion may be, this album stands as yet another monument to Bon Jovi’s undying hard rock sound.
While Bon Jovi might not necessarily need new listeners, this album is unlikely to win them any as their sound seems to have stagnated. However, their track record in the music business is extensive and shows no signs of letting up just because of a few minor complications with band members and record labels.
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