Once upon a time in New Jersey ...

The first impression of the new Bon Jovi album "What About Now" is "very trendy".

The board comes with an interesting cover, therefore, which is better by far my opinion, than anything for "These Days". No band photo, no navel new hairstyles (which are almost always the same, for years ...), but the success of painting as a platform for the overall design. Very nice ...

But now the music: The album starts with the already well-known single "Because We Can". Unfortunately me the song is personally a little too attached to catchy and I do not like when a song with the refrain starts. In this respect I would like the song "live" for sure, but he will not end up in my personal BON JOVI Top 20. So be it.

There is in the episode of "What About Now" enough songs that appeal to me very much. "I'm With You" is such a pearl. Great harmonies, interesting vocal variation in the bridge, great!
My other favorites are the incredible ballad "Room at the End of the World", a spine-tingling epic song category, the super-catchy "That's what made me the water" and the anthemic "Beautiful World". All other songs are BON JOVI numbers at a high level.

Why then, despite the marginal criticisms of the first single only four stars?
I would have hoped for more personally rough edges. Just let out the ROCK-Sau, going forward. It does not always have an over song like "Runaway", "Livin 'on a Prayer" or "Keep the Faith", but it would have been nice to have more "friction material". So is "What About Now" a nice overall enjoyment, does not require the phone out but, really auseinader to put the material.

I can already see the headlines of Rolling Stone: "BON JOVI choke on the new shallowness ..."
Oh - so we hear but to constantly look at the "Innovation fingers" on each band. Of course, it's not about a standstill and the progress of pop music should not be thwarted. But can a band like Bon Jovi, who has already experienced everything, not just concede a nice music in pop style album?
If I want to have innovation, I prefer to listen purely at RADIOHEAD or Frank Ocean.
The whiners need the disc not to buy.
I for one am looking forward DESPITE poppy orientation of "What About Now" on a fat concert in summer.

Lay your hands on me ...