As an avid Bon Jovi fan I confess I was very excited to get my hands on this album.
Initially scheduled to be released on May 15th, Bon Jovi’s 15th studio album titled simply ‘2020’ had to be postponed, finally seeing the light of day on October 2nd. The postponing of the album was not necessarily a detriment to Jon Bon Jovi’s topical focus for this record. The album Jon Bon Jovi had previously described as ‘a socially conscious record’ gained even more momentum and substance with the rise of a world pandemic and the upheaval experienced in America caused by the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement. Both topics resulting in new tracks on ‘2020’.
The originals, Jon Bon Jovi (vocals/guitar/harmonica), Tico Torres (drums) and David Bryan (keyboards/piano/backing vocals) chose Nashville early this year to record the album. The ensemble was positively lifted with the reliable familiarity of Hugh McDonald on the bass, Bon Jovi’s new addition Phil X on the lead guitar/backing vocals, Everett Bradley’s on percussion/backing vocals and John Shanks (rhythm guitar/backing vocals and production).
Considering the hype around this album I wanted to make it an experience. I was unsure if I should play it loud over margaritas or dim the lights and open a robust red. I went for the second option, after all, it’s still 2020.
‘Limitless’.
First impression is Tico Torre’s heavy booming drums that seemed to have been somewhat tamed and I wish they hadn’t been. The guitar builds you up for Bon Jovi’s boys’ familiar ‘Whoah-oh-oh’. It is a great song. Takes me to travelled lands. It feels familiar. It feels comfortable. It feels Bon Jovi.
Jon encourages you to ‘Wake up!’ because life is limitless. Little did he know what the year would turn into and how limited it would come to be. I can’t say I don’t see where the song is going but I still find it very hard not to tap my foot to the rhythm of Jon Bon Jovi’s chorus ‘Life limitless…limitless…limitless…’.
This catchy, get-out-of-your-comfort-zone, feel-good song sets the tone for an upbeat record but it takes a turn, mimicking the year itself.
‘Do What You Can’
That song practically defines the pandemic. It came to life when Jon’s wife Dorothea took a photo of him doing the dishes on their ‘pay it forward’ restaurant ‘JBJ Soul Kitchen’. She asked for a caption for an social media post and Jon contributed what would subsequently turn into a single. ‘When you can’t do what you do, you do what you can’. It’s a special song for fans as well as Jon asked them to send him their own stories of what they were going through and then sang the verses back to them. Later on it was released as a Country version with Jennifer Nettles.
Though not a musical masterpiece, this song goes hand in hand with the moment we are living in. It has the ‘we’re all I this together’ feel to it and it also talks of hope. And it’s Bon Jovi, so it doesn’t take long before you’re singing without even realising what you are doing. When Jon concludes the song with
‘Although I’ll keep my social distance
What this world needs is a hug
Until we find the vaccination
There’s no substitute for love.’
I nod and think ‘yes, we could all use that my man!’ I almost raise a toast.
‘American Reckoning’
To me this was the highlight of ‘2020’. Jon had to defend this song to his own band mates as it’s deeply involved into the huge social blemish of racial discrimination that plagues American history. The song title was changed from ‘I Can’t Breathe’ to ‘American Reckoning’ as a compromise. They were wary of going there but Jon put his foot down and fought for the song. And it was definitely worth fighting for. The melodic darkness of ‘American Reckoning’ while Jon’s voice echoes ‘I can’t breathe’ and ‘Stay alive. Shine a light and you’ll remember me.’ is moving, it shows real concern for the matter. It’s raw and full of feeling. I’m just glad this song was written.
‘Beautiful Drug’
It’s like Jon Bon Jovi is aware of the tightness he inflicted in your heart with the previous song and he says ‘hey, relax, here’s something fun’. And he delivers ‘Beautiful Drug’. It’s a Bon Jovi song. Nothing more, nothing less. Just fun, cruisy and sexy. Has me wondering why I didn’t go for the margaritas.
‘Story Of Love’
I get thrown out of centre with this song. It’s an overly sweet song about daughters and sons and ageing and seeing your children grow and have their own lives. The lyrics are valid. The music itself reminds me of a Church hymn I used to know. Personally, I would have saved that song to sing to my grandchildren instead of making it an album track. Or maybe I would have used it as a bonus track.
On a second thought it could have its place, maybe at Weddings? If I got something from that song was the desire to hold my children, if that’s what Jon Bon Jovi intended, mission accomplished.
‘Let it Rain’
I like that song straight away. Something to do with the ‘Jersey rock anthem’ quality imbued into it. I’m a sucker for Jersey music so it doesn’t surprise me. Springsteen comes to mind and the song is a total pleasure. The words are also about social inequality, but the guitars and vibe diverts my mind from the message and at this point I’m not sure that is necessarily a bad thing. I am enjoying it and happy to enjoy it. And I know I will listen to this one many times.
‘Lower The Flag’
The honesty of an acoustic guitar breaks the silence. Jon starts singing and it sounds like he could be singing it from his own home. He sounds touched. A harmonic chorus of ‘ ooh ooh ooohs’ follows. And I am hooked. It has me gripped and at the edge of my seat, the wine forgotten, while Jon relates the gut wrenching facts about the shootings in America. He takes no sides. He only puts it there and lets you make your own mind.
At the end of the song when he recites the names of all the cities that suffered mass shootings recently ending with ‘Columbine.’ and ‘Sandy Hook Elementary’ the anguish in his voice becomes my own and it is palpable. My heart tightens with the urgency for change. When the song ends there’s a lump in my throat and I can finally swallow. I am almost relieved. It’s brilliant!
‘Blood In The Water’
With this ballad Bon Jovi defies their reputation as ‘feel-good song’ band. It follows the main theme of ‘2020’. ‘Blood In The Water’ opens with
‘A storm is coming
Let me be clear
Your days are numbered
The end is near
The walls around you
Are closing in
It’s too late for praying
Sinner meet sin.’
The bluesy guitar meets the hard truth in the words. If I close my eyes I can picture being in a smokey bar when the night is ending, drink in hand. Lonely and alone. Who hasn’t been there?
‘Brothers In Arms’
I was expecting a song that would make me miss Richie Sambora. This is it. I can actually picture Richie singing that with Jon. Yes, I know, water under the bridge! It’s a a rock tune with typical ‘na na na nas’. I can’t see it being a hit but it’s good to have it after the harshness of the previous song.
‘Unbroken’
‘Unbroken’ was originally written for a documentary called ‘Lost in America’ that addresses war veterans’ living with PTSD. Bon Jovi closes ‘2020’ with the dark themes that characterised the album.
To reinforce the message Jon makes it sound like a marching band. That song was taken to another level when Jon Bon Jovi met Prince Harry in Abbey Road earlier this year to record a version with Harry’s ‘Invictus’ Veteran’s chorus. It’s another soulful song that demands you to listen carefully to the words. It’s not your usual Bon Jovi but if you close yours eyes and get into the lyrics you have no choice but to be moved.
To wrap it up, Bon Jovi ‘2020’ takes you exactly where Jon Bon Jovi intended to. I confess I have been expecting Bon Jovi to work with another producer for a while. Even though John Shanks is a skilled producer, the fact that he has been producing Bon Jovi albums since 2005 can make songs sound a bit too familiar sometimes. Dare I say repetitious? When I heard Shanks was producing this album I was somewhat disappointed. Having said that, the album works well, in spite of Shanks.
Jon Bon Jovi’s brilliance is in the simplicity with which his words relate to everybody’s reality. Not to mention the instrumental mastery of a band that has been in the game since 1984.
‘2020’ is not only a music album, it’s a document of the year we are living in. And that in itself is an amazing accomplishment. But make no mistake, ‘2020’ is not a Margaritas album. Open that red, dim the lights and prepare to be taken into an emotional, sometimes unsettling trip, but one you will not forget.
TRACKLIST
Limitless (Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Falcon, John Shanks)
Do What You Can (Jon Bon Jovi)
American Reckoning
Beautiful Drug (Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Falcon, John Shanks)
Story Of Love (Jon Bon Jovi)
Let It Rain (Jon Bon Jovi)
Lower The Flag (Jon Bon Jovi)
Blood In The Water (Jon Bon Jovi)
Brothers In Arms (Jon Bon Jovi)
Unbroken (Jon Bon Jovi)
