In summary:

Bon Jovi appear to be going through the motions on their 12th studio album, which contains some impactful moments but lacks the hooks of their best work.

What About Now receives 4/11.
★★★★

If you ever want hear the sound of a band going through the motions, listen to What About Now.

This is the 12th studio album from veteran rockers Bon Jovi, who somehow managed to record another #1 hit with this largely uninspired project.

It’s also the final piece of work to feature Richie Sambora on lead guitar.

The axeman was reportedly struggling with the rigors of touring, and when What About Now was released he was said to be deeply unhappy at the glossy finish and lack of guitar solos which made the final cut. He famously walked out on the band a couple of months later in the midst of their world tour, permanently severing his 30+ year relationship with Jon Bon Jovi in the process.

Listening to the disc from start to finish, it’s easy to see Sambora’s point.

Producer/bassist John Shanks tightens his grip on the band’s musical direction by squeezing the life out of tracks which should sound a whole lot better than they actually do. We can see examples of this on That’s What The Water Made Me, and bonus track Into The Echo, but it’s perhaps best illustrated on the title track itself; an up-tempo rocker in the vein of It’s My Life and Have A Nice Day, which comes across as lifeless and bland.

For the most part, Jon Bon Jovi takes on the role of veteran rocker/cowboy (he never could decide between the two), as he reminisces about days gone by, failed relationships, and how the world ain’t what it used to be.

“Why they sold old CBGBs / I just don’t understand / All that’s left now are the t-shirts / And they come from Japan”, the singer muses on What’s Left Of Me.

When he’s not doing this, the album springs to life.

Standout tracks Beautiful World and With These Two Hands showcase the band’s ability to craft fist-pumping anthems of hope, but these songs are not strong enough to carry the rest of the material along for the ride.

Elsewhere, highlights are reduced to a few impactful moments, such as Jon’s impressive vocals on Amen, and the annoyingly catchy chorus of hit single Because We Can (seriously, you’ll hate it because it’s not heavy enough, but you’ll be humming it all day regardless).

So where do they go from here?

Well, as he approaches his 50s Jon Bon Jovi finds himself in a difficult position. On the one hand, he craves to be taken more seriously as an artist, but on the other, this band only knows how to do what it knows how to do. This artistic struggle throttles any potential hits on What About Now, because anthems don’t sound like anthems when Bon Jovi are making a deliberate attempt to not sound like Bon Jovi.

And with the departure of Sambora, the future looks unclear.

In summary:

Bon Jovi appear to be going through the motions on their 12th studio album, which contains some impactful moments but lacks the hooks of their best work.

What About Now receives 4/11.
★★★★