BON JOVI – Bounce (2002 Universal, 2010 special edition)
Wrote off Bon Jovi after Keep the Faith? Not so fast!
It was a post-911 world, which in strange hindsight was a more optimistic time than today. Bon Jovi, always patriotic, had to respond. While only a few songs relate to the tragedy, Bounce is easily the strongest Bon Jovi platter from the last 20 years.
That was my brother lost in the rubble,
That was my sister lost in the crush,
That was our mothers, those were our children,
That was our fathers, that was each one of us.
“Undivided” makes no bones about its subject. It’s also one of the heaviest songs the band have ever laid down. Much of this, according to the band, came down to a new guitar that Richie Sambora was using. His tone is certainly aggressive and modern.
“Where we once were divided, now we stand united.”
If only temporarily. It was certainly more inspiring in its time. At least nothing can be taken away from the music, and Sambora’s always sublime soloing.
Lead single “Everyday” is less successful, leaning on modern production values instead of rock and roll. At least it rocks hard and chunky for the most part. The samples and effects could have been ejected without hurting the song. But Bon Jovi’s biggest weakness after Keep the Faith was a dependence on ballads. At least most of the Bounce ballads stand strong. The first of these is one of the strongest, “The Distance”. It utilizes Sambora’s crushing guitar effectively to create a rock/ballad hybrid. You can headbang to the riff while crooning to the verses. It’s topped with strings courtesy of David Campbell, making the whole thing so overblown…and so Bon Jovi. That’s their style. You either like it or you don’t.
“Joey” is less successful as a ballad. It’s one of those “growing up in New Jersey” songs that Jon is good at writing. “Blood on Blood” is the best example of that kind of song. “Joey”, not so much. The arrangement is generic and the words, well: “I never cared that Joey Keys was slow, he couldn’t read or write too well but we’d talk all night long.” I’m sure there are more lyrical ways of telling this story.
Midtempo “Misunderstood” is an album highlight (and second single). The chorus is the selling point. Vintage Bon Jovi melody and charisma. Unfortunately single #3, “All About Loving You” is profoundly putrid, with drum machines and tinkling acoustic guitars aplenty. A heavy rocker called “Hook Me Up” is also less than inspiring, although you can at least rock heavy to it in dumb fashion.
A pleasant ballad, “Right Side of Wrong” is similar to “Joey” but without the awkward lyrics. What does it sound like? Bon Jovi, with all the references he loves: James Cagney, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Next, Sambora’s wah-wah guitar on “Love Me Back to Life” brings some heavy to another ballad, which is good, because there are three in a row. It’s all about Sambora and the strings by David Campbell, which add some needed punch.
Most of the ballads to this point have featured piano with strings, but “You Had My From Hello” is a sweet acoustic number. Pleasant is the word. But the second last track “Bounce” is an ass-kicker and best track on the album. “Call it karma, call it luck, me I just don’t give a f…f…f…” OK, that sounds pretty cheesey. Jon refusing to drop the F-bomb is funny when you think about it, but “Bounce” was a single, so it’s not like he’s going to swear all over it. Richie’s solo is 2000s-era perfect, as good as mainstream music got back then. “Bounce” rocks. Unfortunately the album concludes on another cookie-cutter ballad, “Open All Night”. It was written about an Ally McBeal episode that Jon guested in. Hard pass.
The 2010 special edition includes a cool backstage pass and four live bonus tracks: “The Distance”, “Joey”, “Hook Me Up” and “Bounce”. The added value makes the upgrade worthwhile.
This album “bounces” back between rockers and ballads a bit much, but when the songs are solid, it fires on all cylinders. Let’s say you trimmed two songs from the album to make it an even 10, like Slippery When Wet. Then Bounce would be a more consistent listen, and perhaps considered a bit of a latter day classic. It’s still probably the last “good” album they’ve released.
3.5/5 stars
mikeladano.com 
Spot on Mike. Probably the last album of theirs that I liked enough to spend time with it. That said I’ve not listened to it for years. I imagine it sounds hella dated now but I’d need to give it another spin to know for sure. There was definitely songs that bugged me… like Joey and the renta-ballads… but when it was good it was very good.
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The production is hella dated, I don’t know what samples were everywhere then. The loops sounded stupid then and sound stupid now. But even Slang had samples and loops…I think Slang did it better than this.
Hey Joey!
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One of my main memories of this era was a TV special they did here. Interviews and live stuff in front of a small studio audience. They came across really well and the live stuff was superb. Never been able to find it on YouTube but it’s a while since I looked…
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Profoundly putrid – nice alliteration!
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On purpose of course! Thanks Geoff.
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Good one Mike. Did you get inspired by Bon Jovi Day on Valentine Day?? The song Bounce is a family favorite. We would blast this one in the car when the girls were real little and when it got the chorus, they would get all excited and scream…I mean sing along. Great memories.
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Actually Jon that was a happy coincidence that Bon Jovi day was so recent. I was looking at my hard drive and realized I lost a chunk of Bon Jovi when I transferred data a few years ago. So I re-ripped that chunk and then some more. In fact I have a couple more Bon Jovi single reviews locked and loaded.
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Nice. Hopefully better than the crap that is coming out from the band now!! Sorry…not a band…the Jon Bon Jovi solo crap.
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I didn’t hate Limitless. But I think I am done with Bon Jovi. I was maybe more of a Richie fan than Jon.
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It was too much like everything else they do for me. And don’t get me going on that first track released…ugh!! I think I am done with anything new, but the old stuff is still great!
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Hard Pass on this one. Tbone bought it and I heard it. Too much sap on it for my liking and no AJS! lol
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No Alec, no Deke!
Not willing to give it a second change Dekey?
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No not really Mikey. I kinda checked out after These Days and I know you guys love that album but even that one was a stretch for me.
KTF was the the last good BJ album but that’s my opinion haha
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So Bon Jovi 2020 not likely to be making your list this year?
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hahaha. nope…but I did buy the Ozzy yesterday and quite frankly I’m blown away by it.
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Deke, is the new Ozzy better than the singles? I heard “It’s A Raid!” and to say it didn’t do it for me would be a gross understatement.
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You have to lsiten to the album with an open mind Holen.
Everyone wants the second coming of Diary of a Madman and that isn’t happening.
I was surprised as he went outside the comfort zone on it with a whole different band.
I’m pretty psyched out by it as I thought it would be a huge gamble and for 10 bucks on itunes its worth the dough.
The Post Malone stuff I don’t mind really but in saying that I’m going to go and buy Post Malone. hahaha
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Well I loved the Jake E. Lee stuff, and liked a few of the Zakk albums, so I’m not a total Randy or die fan. I’ll have to give it a shot. It was mainly the autotune, bad mixing, and corny melody that turned me off of that specific song. Maybe I will go for it
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Like I said Holen. An open mind. I was surprised by how good it was and I’m old and senile haha
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So you’ve got three posts loaded before you take a break from the site huh? Is one of them a post giving Billy Sheehan the finger? What a jerk. I didn’t know Scientologists were Grammar Nazis.
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BAHAHA. Na that Rando Bass Player got his weenie caught in his zipper when he went on about Fake News in regards to his VH comment which is on video.
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I like the dropped D heaviness of this album and the ballad rockers like The Distance and Love Me Back To Life are like Creed but still Jovi.
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Bounce is a killer track. Unfortunately, it’s the only killer on this record. Undivided is really good as well and everyday works.
I had no clue when I bought this album, but Bon Jovi would never be a great rock band again. i had hoped that Crush was just a mishap of sorts, but this album is even worse.
God, I miss the Bon Jovi from 1984-1992.
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I’m not familiar with this album, but I quite like “Everyday.” After ‘Crush,’ I’m not in the mood to go past their albums after that (I like some tracks on ‘Crush’ though). I’m still upset it took so long for Hugh to become an official member of Bon Jovi; he should’ve been with them on the album pics by then.
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I think Bounce is better than Crush. It’s heavier. I think most of the songs are better. I think there’s more passion. But that’s just me — not a big Crush fan. I think Crush is filler.
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True, there are some tracks I could live without. I think I like Crush so much because “It’s My Life” is so nostalgic for me and I dig the songs they performed on the Crush tour.
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